Design, Digital Arts, and Film

Design, Digital Arts, and Film Design

Certificate in Animation

Please note that requirements may change. Students must complete the requirements in place during the term in which they begin their certificate. For current requirements, course schedules, and course descriptions, please click here.

This program provides students with the animation skills needed for employment within a variety of fields, including medical imaging, architecture, film, and commercials. Acquire the specific tools and experience needed to create high-quality animation.

Upon completion of the program, students have attained the following:

• Ability to create 3-D models in Maya software.

• Knowledge of the fundamentals of animation and the differences between traditional and computer animation.

• Ability to tell a story visually or create visuals out of text or verbal concepts.

• Familiarity with technical terms and standards for translating digital media to various formats.

• Understanding of the various industries that use animation.

• Professional development and practice in the specifics required for entry into the field.

This certificate is awarded to students who successfully complete five required courses.

Required Courses

1. X35.9675 - Storyboarding Workshop

2. X35.9021 - Maya I: Modeling and Animation

3. X35.9022 - Maya II: Modeling and Animation

4. X35.9100 - Character Animation

5. X35.9055 - 2-D Animation: Drawing, Cutout, and Stop Motion

Certificate in Cinematography

Cinematography is the art and craft of the authorship of visual images for the cinema. It is a creative and interpretive process that results in an original evocative work rather than the simple recording of a performance. The images the cinematographer brings to the screen come from the artistic vision, imagination, and skill of the cinematographer as he or she works within a collaborative relationship with fellow artists.

Upon completion of the program, students have covered:
• Operation of film and DV cameras.
• Structure and job responsibilities of the camera unit of a film crew.
• Principles of lenses, f-stops, stocks, and lighting equipment.
• Basic types of lighting, including basic special effects and lighting that can be done in-camera.
• History and development of technology in cinematographic equipment such as dollies and Steadicams.
• How to compose a scene using the camera and use a photographic technique to tell a story visually.
• Aesthetics of frame composition and an in-depth survey of the classic examples of artistic cinematography.
• How to work and collaborate in a team-based environment within a production crew.
• Creation of a short film with transition effects, music, and credits. (This learning
objective applies to Option 2 certificate only.)

This certificate is awarded to students who successfully complete the required material by taking Option 1 or Option 2.

Required—Option 1

1. X34.9083 - Cinematography Four-Week Intensive

Required—Option 2
1. X34.9220 - Techniques and Technologies
2. X34.9087 - Cinematography
3. X34.9107 - Advanced Cinematography
4. X34.9230 - Secrets of Special Effects
5. X34.9231 - Shooting Green Screen
6. X34.9517 - Art of Cinematography

Certificate in Digital Video Production

In this hands-on program, students learn how to direct, shoot, and edit their own short digital videos. The curriculum provides an introduction to DVD production and in-depth training in digital camera technology, lighting for digital video, digital audio recording, and non-linear using Final Cut Pro. Students perform technical exercises and work within a small production crew rotating responsibilities and helping one another complete group and individual projects. The program is led by a faculty of industry professionals who emphasize the skills needed to help students land their first job in the industry and strategies for getting their films into festivals.

Upon completion of the program, students acquire the following skills:

• Ability to write, produce, direct, edit, and shoot principal photography for a digital video focusing on documentary and other non-fiction work.
• Planning, budgeting, and pre-production.
• Production, editing, and distribution.
• Low- and high-end digital video.
• Video-to-film transfer theory.

This certificate is awarded to students who successfully complete the required material by taking Option 1, 2, or 3. Option 3 includes one elective.

Required—Option 1
1. X34.9453 - Digital Video Production Eight-Week Intensive

Required—Option 2
1. X34.9454 - Digital Video Production 12-Week Intensive

Required—Option 3
1. X34.9220 - Techniques and Technologies
2. X34.9921 - Digital Video Production I
3. X34.9225 - Editing I With Final Cut Pro
4. X34.9540 - Video Lighting Techniques
5. X34.9936 - Digital Video Production II

Electives—Option 3 (Choose one)
1. X34.9232 - Cinematic Structure
2. X34.9509 - Introduction to Producing
3. X34.9425 - Documentary Development, Research, and Financing

Certificate in Entertainment Media Management

This certificate provides a solid understanding of the entertainment industry, specifically in the areas of film and television or music. The program is designed to introduce the basics of the discipline while also teaching the tools of the industry. Entertainment managers liaise with directors, producers, and film distribution companies, and organize the business development of productions. Students extensively study the various roles of management in the entertainment industry, and learn how to apply this knowledge within the field.

Upon completion of the program, students have in-depth knowledge of:

• The structure of the entertainment industry, including basic divisions of labor, organizational structure, and job responsibilities/hierarchies.

• The defining characteristics of their particular sphere within the industry, the major venues by which new products are bought and sold, and typical

business arrangements and legal considerations.

• How to put together an investment package—a prospectus for a project, including a business plan, analysis, and an estimated budget.

• The entrepreneurial guidelines for creating businesses in a specific industry sphere.

This certificate is awarded to students who successfully complete five courses - four required and one elective.

Required Courses
1. X34.9007 - The Entertainment Industry
2. X34.9126 - Entertainment and Media Business Plans
3. X34.9125 - Finance Management for Film and TV
4. X34.9136 - Entertainment Law for Producers

Core Electives (Choose one)
1. X34.9088 - Film Marketing and Distribution
2. X34.9057 - The Broadcast Television Industry/

Certificate in Filmmaking

Begin building your professional reel with either the daytime intensive version of this certificate or its part-time evening format. This certificate provides filmmakers with hands-on experience in a lab-based environment. Acquire technical knowledge and experiment creatively under the guidance of a faculty of industry professionals who guide you from first shoot to final edit as you make your own film.

Upon completion of the program, students have attained skills in:

• Cinematography.

• Sound.

• Editing.

• Lighting.

• Writing.

• Producing.

This certificate is awarded to students who successfully complete the required material by taking Option 1, 2, or 3. Option 3 includes one elective.

Required—Option 1
1. X34.9523 - Filmmaking Eight-Week Intensive: Advanced Color and Sync Sound

Required—Option 2
1. X34.9522 - Filmmaking 12-Week Intensive: 16mm, Color, and Sync Sound

Required—Option 3
1. X34.9220 - Techniques and Technologies
2. X34.9510 - Film Production I
3. X34.9087 - Cinematography
4. X34.9071 - Production Sound for Film
5. X34.9225 - Editing I With Final Cut Pro
6. X34.9520 - Film Production II

Electives—Option 3 (Choose one)
1. X34.9232 - Cinematic Structure
2. X34.9509 - Introduction to Producing

Certificate in Digital and Graphic Design Production Technologies

This introductory program helps students develop proficiency in the practical use of design technologies. Whether you are interested in print, motion graphics, or the Web, it is necessary to know basics like color systems, image manipulation, output, and production. The program begins with multidisciplinary courses to develop a strong foundation in technical basics like operating systems and color, then allows students to choose a track given their particular medium of interest—Print/Graphic Design, Motion Graphics, or Web Design. Finally, the program culminates in an industry-specific project-planning course that lays the foundation for how projects in the discipline are conceived and executed.

Note: This program is designed for students entering the field; students should have basic computer skills. Courses are taught interchangeably using Mac and PC operating systems in order to follow industry practices, which focus on applications and not operating systems. This certificate is a prerequisite for students who do not have a technical foundation and wish to begin the Certificate in Digital and Graphic Design.

Upon completion of the program, students have:

• A thorough understanding of the color systems for print, broadcast, and the Web.

• Proficiency with Mac OS.

• An understanding of the project-planning process for either print, motion graphics, or Web projects.

• Knowledge of the applicable technical standards for working in either print/graphic design, motion graphics, or Web design.

• Basic competency in applicable technologies.

This certificate is awarded to students who successfully complete six courses – two core courses and four industry-track requirements.

Core courses:

1. X36.9223 - Mac OS and Color Systems

2. X36.9003 - Photoshop: Fundamentals

Choose one track:

(A) Print/Graphic Production Track

1. X36.9004 - Illustrator: Fundamentals

2. X36.9025 - Digital Prepress and Print Production: From Paper to Ink

3. X36.9237 - Print Project Planning

4. X36.9101 - InDesign: Fundamentals

(B) Motion Graphics Production Track

1. X36.9004 - Illustrator: Fundamentals

2. X36.9230 - After Effects: Fundamentals

3. X36.9231 - Sound Design for Motion Graphics: Fundamentals

4. X36.9232 - Motion Graphics Porject Planning

(C) Web Production Track

1. X36.9242 - Flash: Fundamentals

2. X36.9245 - Website Usability

3. X36.9246 - Web Design Project Planning: Information Architecture

4. X36.9243 - Dreamweaver: Fundamentals

4. X36.9244 - GoLive: Fundamentals

Certificate in Producing

The producer’s role is often misunderstood. It reflects a combination of entrepreneurship, managerial skills, and creativity in the television and film industries. Step into the role of producer or assistant producer by applying the in-depth core responsibilities and functions that producers perform and an understanding of the underlying principles of television and other entertainment media. This certificate comprises three levels of classes that cover the creative, executive, technical, and administrative responsibilities of a producer, and teaches the skill set needed to become an effective member of a producer’s unit.

Upon completion of the program, students know how to:

• Vet a script to determine budget.

• Set up a budget, typical expenditure areas, and track expenses during production.

• Strengthen scripts.

• Put together an investment prospectus and identify likely investors.

• Put together a winning pitch to a network, cable channel, or studio.

• Read and create basic contracts and legal business agreements between the different components of a production company, the crew, and the investors.

This certificate is awarded to students who successfully complete seven courses—four required and two electives.

Required Courses
1. X34.9509 - Introduction to Producing
2. X34.9125 - Finance Management for Film and TV
3. X34.9136 - Entertainment Law for Producers
4. X34.9138 - Production Company Management

Electives (Choose two)
1. X34.9425 - Documentary Development, Research, and Financing
2. X34.9088 - Film Marketing and Distribution
3. X34.9131 - Story Analysis for Producers
4. X34.9167 - TV Programs: Developing and Producing

Certificate in Digital Special Effects

This certificate introduces the fundamental principles of digital special effects and progresses to a familiarity with a variety of aspects of the discipline. Learn how to solve technical problems with creative solutions using a number of tools such as Shake, Combustion, and After Effects, the primary industry applications. Students also become familiar with television and film standards of formatting.

Upon completion of the program, students have mastered the following:

• Use of storyboarding to conceive and visualize projects.
• Advanced techniques of compositing, motion design (graphics), and special effects.
• Proficiency in sound design or technical directing.
• Introduction to industry software such as Shake, Combustion, and Adobe After Effects.

This certificate is awarded to students who successfully complete five courses—three required and two electives.

Required Courses
1. X35.9675 - Storyboarding Workshop
2. X35.9462 - Commercial Compositing: Live Action and Animation
3. X35.9492 - Sound Design

Electives (Choose two)
1. X35.9461 - Shake
2. X35.9410 - Combustion
3. X34.9230 - Secrets of Special Effects
4. X36.9230 - After Effects: Fundamentals