Tag: Student Life

Core Classes

Senior-year courses focus on finalizing personal projects, collaborating on high-quality work, and developing industry-ready materials. Key classes include:

• Advanced Portfolio (ANIM246): This course focuses on building skills for the career-long practice of producing and maintaining a professional creative portfolio while allowing the students the opportunity to create or refine additional student-driven portfolio work that synthesizes their skills and experience from direct class assignments in their other coursework.
• Concentration Focus: Students continue to refine their skills in their respective chosen concentration (organic modeling, character animation, or generalist)
• Digital Media Senior Project (DIGM490): The three-term senior project where students research, design, and develop a UX solution to present at the Drexel Digital Media Showcase. Create professional media assets for a team-based senior project in a simulated real-world production environment. This course integrates academic and practical knowledge, emphasizing digital media production, best practices, and effective presentation skills through collaboration and teamwork.

Skills You’ll Master

By senior year, students refine both technical and professional skills to prepare for full-time work in the animation and VFX industry:

Capstone Project Development

Managing a long-term production from concept to final render.

Industry-Standard Lighting, Rendering & FX

Creating high-quality visuals using Arnold, Redshift, Unreal Engine, and Houdini.

Presentation & Client Communication

Learning how to pitch projects to studios, recruiters, and industry professionals.

Time Management & Collaboration

Balancing independent projects while preparing for the Digital Media Showcase.

The Drexel Digital Media Showcase: Preparing for the Industry

One of the biggest moments of senior year is the Drexel Digital Media Showcase where students present their senior capstone projectsto faculty, industry professionals, and potential employers

How Students Prepare for the Showcase

Finalizing the Capstone Project

Completing all aspects of the animation, VFX, or game project for a polished final presentation.

Building a Standout Portfolio

Refining demo reels, case studies, and websites to impress recruiters.

Perfecting the Pitch

Practicing how to present work professionally, explain design choices, and engage with audiences.

Networking & Job Hunting

Connecting with animation studios, VFX houses, and game developers for potential job opportunities.

Challenges & Growth

The biggest challenge of senior year is time management—balancing the capstone project, job applications, and final coursework can be overwhelming. However, this year also marks tremendous growth as students shift from being learners to industry-ready professionals.

Tips for Success

Start job applications early.

Many studios hire months in advance—be proactive!

Keep refining your demo reel.

Only showcase your best, most polished work.

Network with industry professionals.

Attend animation festivals, conferences, and studio events to make connections.

Stay adaptable.

The industry evolves quickly—learning new tools like AI animation, real-time rendering, and virtual production can give you an edge.

Looking Ahead

With senior year wrapping up, the next step is launching a career in animation, VFX, game design, or motion graphics. Whether joining a studio, freelancing, or continuing personal projects, Drexel’s ANFX program prepares students to step confidently into the creative industry.

Junior year in Drexel’s Animation & Visual Effects (ANFX) program is a turning point, as students step into the professional industry through co-op experiences and advanced coursework. With a strong foundation in animation, modeling, and VFX, this year is about refining specialization, gaining real-world experience, and preparing for senior-level projects.

Core Classes

With many students balancing co-op placements and coursework, junior-year classes focus on advanced industry techniques and real-world application. Some key classes include:

• Advanced Portfolio (ANIM246): Develops lifelong portfolio-building skills and allows students to refine work across disciplines.
• Animation Workshop I (ANIM377): Covers concept through pre-production in collaborative team settings.
• Animation Workshop II (ANIM378): Takes projects from pre-production to completion through full team development.
• Concentration Focus: Continues development in chosen tracks like organic modeling, character animation, or generalist roles.

Skills You’ll Develop

By junior year, students are expected to operate at an industry level, refining both artistic and technical skills:

Studio-Level Animation & VFX Workflows

Working in teams, meeting deadlines, and following industry pipelines.

Procedural FX & Advanced Rigging

Using Houdini, Blender, and Maya to build dynamic systems and rig complex characters.

Rendering & Compositing for Film & Games

Optimizing visuals using Arnold, Unreal Engine, and Nuke for real-time and cinematic results.

Professional Communication & Collaboration

Presenting work to teams, directors, and industry professionals with clarity and purpose.

Co-op Experience: Learning from the Industry

Many ANFX students spend part of their junior year in a six-month co-op, gaining hands-on experience in animation studios, game development companies, and VFX houses. These roles expose students to real production environments, giving them insights into studio expectations, teamwork, and industry demands.

Common co-op roles include:

3D Animator

Creating motion sequences for games, films, or commercials.

VFX Artist

Working on compositing, CGI effects, and simulations.

Technical Artist

Bridging animation and engineering within real-time engines.

3D Modeler

Designing, sculpting, and texturing production-ready assets.

Projects & Challenges

With industry exposure comes more complex, high-stakes projects:

Full Character Animations

Polished acting performances with expressive facial and body animation.

Technical FX & Simulations

Fire, smoke, and fluid simulations using tools like Houdini.

Game Cinematics & Interactive Storytelling

Real-time storytelling pipelines for use in games and virtual production.

Portfolio & Demo Reel Finalization

Compiling and presenting professional-quality work for job applications.

A major challenge during junior year is time management—balancing co-op, coursework, and personal projects can be overwhelming. Staying organized and efficient is key.

Tips for Success

Take your co-op seriously.

Treat it as a job interview—many students receive offers based on co-op performance.

Refine your demo reel.

Tailor it to your intended specialty with your best, most relevant work.

Learn from professionals.

Network during your co-op, seek mentorship, and attend local or virtual industry events.

Push technical skills further.

Experiment with virtual production, real-time pipelines, or AI in animation to stay competitive.

Looking Ahead

Junior year is all about bridging the gap between student and professional. The next step? Senior-year capstone projects, the Drexel Digital Media Showcase, and preparing for full-time roles in animation and VFX.

Core Classes

As students prepare for the professional world, coursework becomes more advanced and industry-focused. Some of the key classes include Digital Compositing (ANIM221) which examines 2D and 3D digital compositing possibilities through the manipulation and recombination of acquired and produced digital imagery, including 2D/3D Integration, 3D Matchmoving, and High Dynamic Range Imagery. Scripting for Animation and Visual Effects (ANIM231) explores modern scripting languages utilized in Animation and Visual Effects operating systems and software tools that are integral to artist productivity and production pipeline scalability. Professional Practices for Animation & VFX (ANIM250) introduces the animation and visual effects industry through projects, discussions, and hands-on activities. Students engage in role-plays and presentations to develop teamwork, management skills, and personal branding, covering all production phases from proposals to final delivery. This is also the year students take courses on their chosen animation concentration. The concentrations include organic modeling, character animation, and generalist.

Skills You’ll Learn

At this stage, students begin mastering industry-level skills and refining their artistic identity, including Advanced Animation & Motion Studies – Creating dynamic, expressive, and polished animations, Lighting & Rendering Optimization – Using software like Arnold, Redshift, or Unreal Engine for high-quality visuals, FX Simulations & Compositing – Working with particles, physics, and real-world VFX techniques, and Portfolio & Demo Reel Development – Curating the best projects to showcase to future employers.

Projects & Challenges

Pre-junior year projects push students to create portfolio-ready work and prepare for co-op applications. These include High-Quality Character Animations – Producing industry-standard motion studies and acting scenes, Rendered 3D Environments – Developing realistic, visually stunning assets, FX Simulations & VFX Shots – Implementing particle effects, explosions, and CGI compositing, and Demo Reel Creation – Compiling the strongest projects into a polished, professional portfolio. A key challenge this year is finding a focus—whether it’s character animation, modeling, VFX, motion graphics, or technical direction. Many students start tailoring their work toward their area of interest.

Tips for Success: Start applying for co-ops early. Have a portfolio and resume ready by fall term. Refine your demo reel. Show only your best work—quality over quantity. Optimize rendering workflows. Learning GPU rendering techniques can save valuable time. Network & get feedback. Engage with professors, professionals, and peers to improve your work.

Core Classes

This year’s courses take animation and VFX to the next level, introducing more complex workflows and industry tools. Key classes include Basic Portfolio (ANIM146) which focuses on the basics of portfolio creation, editing, and presentation while examining portfolio examples of current professionals in various industry roles that can serve as models for student portfolio development. Previsualization for Animated Production (ANIM155) covers the all-important design and planning process that takes place before embarking on the production of an animation or visual effects piece. In this course, student will learn and practice the creation, motivation and use of pre-production plans, concept art, mood boards, shot storyboarding, animatics, performance reference and other topics integral to the previsualization process. Animation (ANIM212) builds on topics introduced in ANIM 211 (Animation I), incorporating advanced animation techniques such as inverse kinematics and dynamics. Requires students to propose, design, and produce a short animation. Digital Compositing (ANIM220) examines digital compositing possibilities through the manipulation and recombination of acquired and produced digital imagery, including study of digital image and video formats, color space, live action digital matte painting, Greenscreen/Bluescreen compositing, rotoscope masking and 2D tracking.

Skills You’ll Learn

Sophomore year deepens understanding of both the artistic and technical aspects of animation and VFX, including Character Performance Animation – Making characters act, express emotions, and react realistically, 3D Asset Creation – Modeling, sculpting, and texturing objects and characters, Rigging & Skinning – Setting up bones and controls to prepare characters for movement, and Visual Effects & Compositing – Integrating 3D elements with live-action footage, green screens, and effects.

Projects & Challenges

This year involves more complex projects that mimic real industry workflows. Students work on Animated Character Scenes – Creating short clips that emphasize acting and body mechanics, 3D Environment & Asset Development – Designing detailed game or animation-ready assets, Rigging a Full Character – Preparing a 3D character with proper joints and movement controls, and VFX Shot Composition – Integrating CGI with live-action footage using After Effects and Nuke. A major challenge in sophomore year is time management—animation and VFX require detailed work, and rendering times can be long! Learning how to optimize workflow and meet deadlines is essential.

Tips for Success: Focus on fundamentals. Animation is about movement and storytelling, not just flashy visuals. Get comfortable with software. Learn Maya, ZBrush, After Effects, Nuke, and Substance Painter. Plan ahead. Rendering can take hours—avoid last-minute submissions! Start building your portfolio. Collect your best work and document your creative process.

Starting freshman year in Drexel’s Animation & Visual Effects (ANFX) program is an exciting step into the world of digital storytelling, animation, and motion graphics. This first year is all about learning the fundamentals, exploring different animation techniques, and getting hands-on experience with industry-standard tools. Whether you’re interested in 2D animation, 3D modeling, or VFX, freshman year sets the foundation for a creative and technical journey ahead.

Freshman-year coursework introduces students to essential animation principles and software while also incorporating general art and design fundamentals. Freshman year provides the foundation for future courses in character animation, visual effects, and advanced 3D modeling. Sophomore year will bring more complex projects, deeper exploration of animation techniques, and opportunities to specialize in different areas of ANFX.

Core Classes

Freshman-year coursework introduces students to essential animation principles and software while also incorporating general art and design fundamentals. Key classes include:

• Digital Imaging for Animation & VFX (ANIM110): Covers image acquisition, lighting, and processing techniques used in the animation and VFX fields.
• Computer Graphics Imagery (ANIM140): Focuses on representing 3D objects and spaces in 2D using both traditional drawing and digital tools—foundational for 3D modeling and animation.
• History of Animation (ANIM215): Explores the evolution of animation from early techniques to modern digital approaches in both 2D and 3D.
• Animation (ANIM211): Introduces concepts of 3D animation, narrative structure, storyboarding, and the creation of short animations in timeline-based software.

Skills You’ll Learn

• Animation Principles: Movement, timing, and weight for lifelike motion
• 2D & 3D Design: Digital painting, character creation, and environments
• Basic Rigging & Modeling: Creating and prepping characters for animation
• Storyboarding & Visual Storytelling: Sketch-based planning and narrative development

Projects & Challenges

Freshman-year projects focus on applying learned techniques through short animation exercises. Typical assignments include:

• Bouncing Ball Animation: A classic exercise to master timing and squash & stretch principles
• Walk Cycle Animation: Bringing a character to life through realistic movement
• 3D Object Modeling: Creating simple models like a chair or vehicle to practice form and texturing
• Storyboard Sequence: Planning visual narratives through a short illustrated sequence

One of the biggest challenges for ANFX students is adapting to the technical side of animation. Learning new software and troubleshooting can be daunting, but persistence and practice pay off.

Tips for Success:

• Draw frequently—even if you work digitally. Strong drawing skills help across all animation forms.
• Master key software tools like Photoshop, Maya, and After Effects.
• Observe real-life movement. Study how people and objects move to create believable animation.
• Experiment with storytelling. Great animation is rooted in compelling narratives.