All students in 3D Animation & Visual Effects begin by studying traditional arts as well as computer animation. Traditional subjects provide you with the cornerstones you need to work within the 3D computer animation environment, and include life drawing, concept drawing, composition, character design and 2D animation. Alongside traditional subjects, you begin courses in computer animation, including the operating environment, Photoshop, 3D modeling, animation, texturing, Lighting, Video Editing & Compositing.

You begin studying both traditional drawing and computer Animation fundamental. Traditional subjects provide you with the foundation to work with in the 3D computer animation environment and include life drawing, concept drawing, composition, character design and 2D Animation. Along side traditional subject you begin courses in the fundamental of computer Animation. Including the operating environment with in Photoshop & 3D Animation software's. Your study of Life drawing, Posing of Characters is continued as you are introduced to new techniques like Claymation, Sculpting, Storyboarding, Lighting & Art Direction.

Course summary includes:

	Developing Drawing Skills
	Perspective Drawing
	Isometric Drawing
	Developing concepts for character models
	Developing concept for environment
	Develop Storyboards
	Finalize camera Angles and shot transitions
	Anatomy Studies
	Posing Characters
	Character Design
	Line Drawings
	Framing & Composition
	Cartoon construction
	Create 2D animatic storyboards

A multimedia story is some combination of video, text, still photos, audio, graphics and interactivity presented in a nonlinear format in which the information in each medium is complementary, not redundant. So your storyboard should be put together with all those elements in mind.

Graphic Design refers to a number of artistic and professional disciplines which focus on visual communication and presentation. Various methods are used to create and combine symbols, images and/or words to create a visual representation of ideas and messages. A graphic designer uses typography, visual Arts and Page Layout techniques in varying degrees to produce the final result of the project. Graphic design often refers to both the process (designing) by which the communication is created and the products (designs) which are generated.

Common uses of graphic design include magazines, advertisements, product packaging and web design. For example, a product package might include a logo or other artwork, organized text and pure design elements such as shapes and color which unify the piece.  Composition and layout is one of the most important features of graphic design especially when utilizing pre-existing materials or using diverse elements.

Course summary includes:

	Color Modes – RGB, CMYK
	Types of Graphic Software – Vector & Raster
	Understanding Pixels & Resolution
	Understanding Print Media
	Layout Development
	Skill Development in Design for Print media
	Illustrations
	Computer Graphic Production
	Image Manipulation/Color Correction
	Masking and Alpha

Models are the lifeblood of all 3D-based media, from animated and live action films to commercials to hit video games. Wire frame representations of 3D objects are built from the inside out, later to be animated. Because models must feel completely real to the viewer, 3D modeling is where art meets physics.

In the Modeling stream, you'll study disciplines including Life Drawing, Sculpting, Character Design and Modeling. With the goal of being as skilled and prepared for the marketplace as possible, you will develop a minimum of two complete character models and one environment, finally rendering your work and organizing it into a professional-quality reel.

Course summary includes:

	Developing character models
	Developing 3D Environment
	Developing organic & inorganic models
	Character Modeling
	Develop High Resolution Model
	Develop Low poly Models for Game
	Develop Architectural Models

This course focuses on creating texture for the models. Already created & introduces artists to a variety of inventive ways to produce texture files. Students in this course will be exposed to a large array of painting techniques and unwrapping methods that can be utilized in the creation of textures on multiple surfaces. The course has special emphasis on low resolution texture mapping for gaming and normal mapping. 3D Texturing plays a major role in creating photo realistic imagery. Good Texture Mapping can make even a bad model look good.

Course summary includes:

	Understanding & Developing Shaders & Materials
	Understanding the concept of UV layout
	Texture Mapping of organic & inorganic Modeling
	UVW unwrapping
	UVW Mapping
	Reflection , Ray Tracing
	Shadow Maps
	Refractions
	Creating seamless textures
	Normal Mapping

In the real world when light shines on a surface, the parts of the surface facing towards the light source appear illuminated. In the parts of the surface facing away from the light source appear dark. If one object is located between a second object and the light source, the first object casts a shadow on to the second object. Lighting in 3D can enhance the 3D Environment and create various moods which contribute a great deal in communicating the storyline effectively.

Course summary includes:

	Lighting Concepts & Attributes
	Absorption, Reflection & Refraction of Light
	Sources of direct Light
	Indirect Global Vs Direct Illumination
	Physical Sun & Sky
	Ray Trace shadows
	Interior & Exterior Lighting
	3 Point Lighting
	Dramatic Lighting

Good camera angles can effectively enhance the story telling in any film, be it an advertisement, a film or a music video. To understand the principles behind handling a camera in 3D environment students need practical exposure in operating Digital Camera, they need to develop the concepts of Framing & Composition as well as knowledge about interaction of Light with camera.

Course summary includes:

	Understanding camera angles
	Field of  View
	Depth of field
	Lens distortion
	Camera Projection Techniques
	Camera Animation
	Camera Transitions
	Using Target & Free Camera

As with all our Animation programs, the focus in Digital Character Animation is on enhancing your ability to tell a story through character and movement: knowing how to animate life where there is none.
An advanced production program by experienced animators, Digital Character Animation combines cinematic storytelling skills, classical animation technique, and digital operating environments. By broadening your repertoire to include all of these skills you don't just learn to be an animator, you become a filmmaker.

Course summary includes:

	Principles of Animation
	Mechanical Animation
	Character Animation
	Rig characters
	Weight Shift in Characters
	Refine character face shapes
	Facial Expressions
	Blend shapes
	Creating Walk Cycles, Run Cycle indicative of a character's personality
	Lip Sync
	Interaction with objects
	Non Linear Animation

Visual Effects (VFX) are any effects digitally created or enhanced for a movie, TV, or video game production. The goal of all visual effects is to keep the audience focused on the story and characters, and good VFX artists are judged by their ability to make the impossible seem absolutely real.

Digital compositing is combining live action footage with Computer Generated Imagery. To do this, artists need to know cinematography, lighting and color theory, as well as having solid 2D and 3D skills. Gecko extends its immersive philosophy to this specialty, and if you specialize in VFX, you will design and shoot your own live-action scenes, as well as study disciplines including, Shot planning, Dynamics, Chrome Keying, Camera Matching, Particles, Digital Compositing , as you create an original, high-quality VFX reel.

Course summary includes:

	Develop a concept for your own original VFX scene or shot
	Research the concept/character back story
	Write the script
	Plan the shots required
	Create 3D Animatics
	Refine character face shapes
	Facial Expressions
	Blend shapes
	Creating Walk Cycles, Run Cycle indicative of a character's personality
	Lip Sync
	Interaction with objects
	Non Linear Animation

Rendering is the process of generating an image from a model, by means of computer programs. It would contain geometry, viewpoint, texture, lighting, and shading information. The image is a digital image or raster graphics image. The term may be by analogy with an "artist's rendering" of a scene. 'Rendering' is also used to describe the process of calculating effects in a video editing file to produce final video output.

It is one of the major sub-topics of 3D computer graphics, and in practice always connected to the others. In the graphics pipeline, it is the last major step, giving the final appearance to the models and animation. Rendering has uses in architecture, video games, simulators, movie or TV special effects, and design visualization.

Rendering is the final and the most important stage in the Animation film Making Process. It is stage where a final film is generated based on Modeling, Texturing, Lighting & camera information to be output to the final media i.e., Television , CD, DVDs or films.

Course summary includes:

	File formats
	Rendering engines
	Hardware and Software rendering
	Advanced Rendering Techniques - Mental Ray
	Batch Rendering
	Codec's and other compression Techniques

Curriculum

As in all our Animation programs, the 3D program's learning environment simulates the flow of a studio by teaching you to think and react as part of a production team. Through classroom teaching and private mentoring sessions, experienced animation professionals instruct you in advanced digital environments and cinematic storytelling skills. Your study of the principles and tools of animation covers the fundamentals of motion, life drawing, composition, character design, sculpture, storyboarding, lighting, and art direction. After electing specializations in Animation, Modeling, or Visual Effects, you develop a final project, which showcases your achievements.

Program & Term Overview

You begin the program by studying both traditional arts and computer animation fundamentals. Traditional subjects provide you with the foundation to work within the 3D computer animation environment and include life drawing, concept drawing, composition and character design. Your study of life drawing and  character poses continue as you are introduced to new courses in sculpture, storyboarding, lighting and art direction. The focus is on

Introductory Class Basic - Circles & lines exercise Rubber Exercise Make basic shapes objects Stick figure - Human proportion and Sketching Block Figure - Male & Female Hands & Head Construction Exercise for Hand & Head (eyes, nose, hips & ears) Sketching with Blocks Detailed Sketching with Drapery Outdoor Sketching Understanding Perspective Perspective study Isometric Drawings Perspective Background Human Turn around Scripting - Character Designing Background Designing Camera Angles Story Boarding Shot Planning and Breakdown Character Neutral Pose Drawing/Human/Animal Muscle Anatomy (4Leg 2Leg) Bone Anatomy (4Leg 2Leg) Concept Art. Why, What & How Importance of Research Facial Expression / Body Language

Students are introduced to graphic designing theory and its application to the print media

	Introduction to Graphic Designing
	Color Theory
	Difference between Vector & Raster based softwares
	Introduction to Interface – Adobe Photoshop
	Selection Tools
	Layers, Brushes
	Masking
	Text Tool, Effects, Patterns
	Color Correction with Adjust Sub Menu
	Image Correction with Blur and Sharpen tools
	Image Correction with Healing, Patch & Clone Stamp tools
	Paths
	Channels & Filters
	Liquify
	Actions
	Image Ready 1 - GIF Animation
	Image Ready 2 - Web Animation

You complete to deadline all 3D pre-production requirements and embark on full production of your projects.

Basic Interface Standard Primitives Extended Primitives MODELING ADVANCED Simple Modifiers Splines Compound objects Editable Spline – Spline editing tools Editable Spline – Spline object  modeling Editable Poly – Polygon Editing Tools Editable Poly - Toon character modeling MODELING ADVANCED Editable Poly  – Human Face Modeling part I Editable Poly –  Human face Modeling part II Editable Poly – Face detailing Editable Poly – Body Modeling Part I Editable Poly – Body Modeling Part II Editable Poly – Body Modeling Hands & Legs Editable spline – Surface & Cross Section Modifier Part I Editable spline - Surface & Cross Section Modifier Part II Nurbs Modeling –Inorganic Fillet surfaces, Surfaces Stitch Patch modeling

Foundation subjects continue, as you incorporate these into a simulated production scenario. With classes in creative development, art direction, concept development, and storyboarding, you are guided through the initial steps of final project creation. There is a focus on animation, modeling, or visual effects. In addition, you are prompted to explore a variety of creative avenues to produce innovative and rewarding work.

MATERIALS BASICS Materials – Shaders Texturing Ray Tracing and Flat Mirror Using Mix Maps or Blend Material UVW Unwrap LIGHTING Lights – Lighting concepts, Standard Lights Lights – Photometric Lights Lights – Global Illumination Techniques MATERIAL ADVANCED Mental Ray – Materials and shaders Mental Ray - Caustics Mental Ray – Lights ,Global Illumination, Final Gathering

General overview of professional animation, including current industry standards and practices. Students begin a basic study of motion dynamics based largely on the industry's “Fundamental Principles of Animation,” presented through a combination of lecture and demonstration and continual analysis of existing professional animation. Contemporary standards, definitions, workflows, etc., are discussed as well as job organization and job-tracking skills, storyboarding, and translation of basic motion principles into digital 3D space.

ANIMATION Theory of Animation- History of  Animation Principles of Animation Constraints Animation Basics – Ball bounce Animation – Mechanical Animation - Editing Keyframes using Graph Editor/Dope Sheet CHARACTER ANIMATION Setting up bones Creating Animation Rig – IK/FK Skinning Biped Physique/skin Biped Animation Basics Creating a Walk Cycle Creating Run Cycles Creating Jump Cycle Pose to Pose Animation Actions Non Linear Animation Interacting with Objects LipSync and Expressions Facial Expressions Biped CAMERAS Cameras – Target and free Camera movement PARTICLES Particles - Emitters Particles Texturing Particle Flow VIDEO POST Light – Lens effects Glow RENDERING Rendering using Mental Ray DYNAMICS Reactor Dynamics- Objects reacting to Gravity Soft Body/Rigid Body Collisions Reactor Dynamics  -Cloth Simulation/ Car Wheel Simulating Cloth Human Simulating Fur Simulating Hair Simulating Fluid Dynamics Written Test Project Work

You finalize shots, complete lighting, rendering, visual effects and compositing, and produce the final cut of your reel. In addition, you work with a sound and post-production team to make creative decisions on the final portfolio output. Your completed portfolio is publicly screened and selected films are distributed to festivals.

SPECIALIZATION IN GAME DESIGN

At Gecko, you won't just learn one aspect of Game Design., Our immersive Game Design program covers everything you'll need to join the industry, including theory, hands-on practice, and portfolio production. What you will learn — from visual storytelling to game audio to level design to motion capture — will prepare you to be an active part of any game development team. Working with other students and mentored by professional faculty, you'll take a game prototype from concept to completion.

Upon graduation you'll be qualified to work on a team integrating storytelling, film, animation, and sound design to create immersive fictional realities. And you'll have the portfolio - including your own playable games - to prove it.