Study Animation Degree in Australia - Excel Education | Study in Australia, Malaysia, the UK & Canada

Sharing is caring :)

Did you know Richard Parker, the tiger from Life of Pi, was a digitally animated tiger? The apes in the movie Planet of the Apes were digitally animated too.

If you were always fascinated by cartoons, videos, video games, and have a knack for creativity, a digital animation course might be the right one for you.

In this article, you’ll be able to explore everything you need to know about studying animation in Australia, from the subjects you’ll be learning to the career paths that you could explore.

What is Animation?

Video credit: Plainly Simple

Animation is designing, drawing, making layouts, and preparing photographic sequences that are integrated with multimedia. Animation involves the exploitation and management of still images to generate the illusion of movement. A person who creates animations is called an animator. Animators use various computer technologies to capture the still images and animate them in the desired sequence.

Types of Animations

Traditional Animation: Traditional animation can also be referred to as cell animation. It requires the animator to draw every single frame by hand to create an animated scene.

2D Animation: 2D animation refers to vector-based animations similar to the ones used in Flash. Vector-based animation gives the artist the option to create rigs for the characters and move single body parts at a time rather than continually redrawing the characters.

3D Animation: 3D animation is also known as computer animation, and it is currently the most commonly used form of animation. 3D animation has less to do with drawing and more to do with moving a character in a program.

Motion Graphics: This art form focuses on moving graphic elements, shapes, and text. This process is commonly used for things like television promotions, explainer videos, and animated logos.

Stop Motion: Stop motion animation is very similar to traditional animation because it combines a series of still images that are slightly different to show movement. The largest difference is that stop motion uses photography and captures real objects. The artist repeats this process until the scene is completed and uses each photo as a frame in the animation. It’s similar to a flipbook with photos.

Greatest Animators of All Time

Walter Elias Disney (Walt Disney): One of the most famous animators globally and is the creator of Mickey Mouse. He was also known for the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, as it was the first full length animated film in the world.

Hayao Miyazaki: Japan’s most outstanding animator director. He is the co-founder of Studio Ghibli and has produced some of the highest-grossing animated films in Japan. Some of his famous movies are Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service.

Stephen Hillenburg: Stephen is the creator of the talking sponge, SpongeBob Squarepants. SpongeBob Squarepants, which initially was thought of as a silly idea, has built an empire and is arguably one of the most well known animated cartoons among Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny.

Friz Freleng: Friz worked with Warner Bros and is the co-creator of some iconic cartoons such as Bugs Bunny, Sylvester the Cat and Speedy Gonzales. He also produced the infamous cartoon Pink Panther when the Warner Bros animation centre was shut down.

Glen Keane: Glen is a Disney animator that worked on various 2D movies such as The Little Mermaid, Tarzan, Pocahontas and Aladdin. He is skilled in character design and was recognised as a Disney’s Legend in 2013.

Key Skills Needed to Become an Animator

Creativity: Being an animator requires constant creativity as they are always needed to think outside of the box and produce new ideas. Having the technical skills will not bring an animator far in the industry as creativity plays an important role.
Emotive Communication: Like with any art form, part of an animator’s job is to connect with the viewer through their designs and effects. The goal is to evoke a particular emotion, whether it’s heart-pounding suspense in a blockbuster film or excitement at seeing a brand’s commercial for a new product.
Attention to Details: Animators are required to pay close attention to detail to ensure every piece of a project is working toward achieving its goal, and animation is no exception. Small details like highlights or light movement can be the difference between an average animation and one that captures an audience.
Organisational Skills: Animators often work on a team with others, juggling multiple projects and deadlines as they go about their daily work. Animators will often have many files in progress.

Career Options with a Degree in Animation

- Animator: An animator produces multiple images called frames; when sequenced together, it creates an illusion of movement.
- VFX (Visual Effects) Artist: VFX artists create photoreal, digitally-generated imagery. The role requires the seamless integration of these effects into live-action in feature films, television and, increasingly, online and console gaming.
- Multimedia Specialist: As a multimedia specialist, you’ll bring together text, graphics, digital animation, video, photography, audio and virtual reality to create a range of multimedia products that can be delivered on a range of platforms
- Rigging Artist: Responsible for the construction of rigs for 3D characters, vehicles, props, and develops animation rigging tools. A rigging artist is responsible for creating animation interfaces that meet technical requirements and the project’s artistic vision.
- Storyboard Artist: Storyboard artists help the head of the story create a visual representation of the animation’s narrative. Storyboard artists translate the script and the director’s vision into pictures. They produce a series of panels of images to plan the shots and ensure continuity between them.

Core Subjects Taught in Animation Degree

2D Animation
3D Animation
Visual Effects
Sound Design for Animation

Academics Entry Requirement for Animation Degree in Australia

ATAR	A minimum score of 70.00
A-Level	A minimum score of 7 or CDD
STPM	A minimum GPA of 2.33
IB	A minimum score of 25

Entry Requirement varies according to universities, for more information, please contact Excel Education

English Requirement for Animation Degree in Australia

IELTS	Overall 6.5 and 6 in all sub-bands
TOEFL	Overall 79 Listening:16;Reading:16;Writing:21;Speaking:18
PTE	Overall 58 and 50 in all sub-bands

English Requirements varies according to universities; for more information, please contact Excel Education

Top Universities to Study Animation in Australia

1) University of Melbourne

Video credit: The University of Melbourne

The University of Melbourne is ranked 3rd place among the top 10 universities in Australia. Students of the University of Melbourne are given access to professional facilities and resources, including animation and stop motion studios, post-production studios and an impressive 220 seat cinema. According to the Animation Career Review, the University of Melbourne is also listed as one of the top 25 International Animation Colleges worldwide.

Program	Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
Intake (2021)	February
Duration	3 Years
Indicative Annual Fees (2021)	AUD $54,948

2) University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

Video Credit: University of Technology Sydney

UTS is ranked 9th place among the top 10 universities in Australia. UTS has established the UTS Animal Logic Academy which is pioneered by a team of world-class industry professionals. The academy has a custom-built VFX studio and animation education centre, to provide the best learning experience for its students.

Program	Bachelor of Design in Animation
Intake (2021)	March & July
Duration	3 Years
Indicative Annual Fees (2021)	AUD $39,984

3) Queensland University of Technology (QUT)

Video credit: TheQUTube

QUT is currently ranked 13th among the top universities in Australia. Graduates from QUT have worked in award-winning movies such as SpiderMan-Away From Home, Avengers: Endgame and Guardians of the Galaxy.

Program	Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
Intake (2021)	February
Duration	3 Years
Indicative Annual Fees (2021)	AUD $31,200

4) Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT)

Video credit: RMIT University

RMIT is currently ranked 15th among the top universities in Australia. Graduates from RMIT have found placement with animation and media agencies such as LucasArts, Viskatoons and Illoura. RMIT is also listed as one of the top 25 International Animation Colleges around the world according to Animation Career Review

Program	Bachelor of Design (Animation & Interactive Media)
Intake (2021)	February & July
Duration	3 Years
Indicative Annual Fees (2021)	AUD $37,470

5) Griffith University

Video credit: Griffith University

Griffith University currently ranked 18th among the top universities in Australia and is listed as one of the top 25 International Animation Colleges around the world according to Animation Career Review.