Entertainment Technology and VFX

Catalog description:

This is a certificate program that focuses on the technical aspects of VFX, animation, game production and other entertainment technologies that utilize  advanced skills in simulation, interactive and procedural content creation for digital media. Upon completion of the certificate, students will be prepared for intro level roles in VFX technical direction, virtual production engineering, and real-time content creation, meeting the demands of modern, high-tech entertainment production.

Additional information

In order to enroll in this program, students will have to complete two entry level courses such as an introduction to 3D and Fundamentals of Animation.  In addition, students that previously complete the Animation level I certificate will receive an Associates degree upon completion of this Certificate.

This is a technical program, not necesarily recommended to students that want to explore the more artistic aspects of Animation, VFX and Game Art. 

Student Learning Outcomes

• Apply common processes used in the VFX, 3D animation, game and other interactive media industries by creating a series of relevant projects, from concept, design, scheduling, asset creation to final render.
• Demonstrate the ability to identify and solve technical challenges in both an individually and in a collaborative environment.

We are projecting this to be a high demand certificate, given the popularity of real-time and other entertainment technologies. Our average completion rate should be closed to 15-20 students per semester, which is not as high as other programs, but we have to take into account that our classes are capped at 24-26 seats which corresponds to the maximum amount of workstations and equipment available.

The goals of the Certificate program are:

- Align the program with other existing programs to provide an increase of transfers to 4 year institutions, since the

typical entry-level education levels for the related occupations in Animation, VFX and related field is a Bachelor's Degree.

- To make the degree more relevant to current employment trends.

- To provide access to a curriculum that traditionally is found mostly in more expensive 4 year colleges or higher-ed private institutions.

- To provide occupational skills to students interested in the entertainment industries.

- To match students interest and abilities with employment needs by grouping courses based on career-based disciplines.

- Utilize existing resources currently available in Animation Program (hardware and software) into a wider variety of subjects by increasing the amount of relevant course offerings.

- Include project and portfolio classes so students can apply for entry level positions in the entertainment industry.

This is an intermediate level Certificate, meaning that existing knowledge of basic animation processes is required:

- working knowledge of 3D software and 3D processes (Anim221 - Introduction to 3D)

- working knowlege of basic animation tools (Anim218 - Fundamentals of Animation)

This Certificate does not replace any existing programs but expands on the offerings that already exist for the Animation and Media Arts discipline. There are very few public colleges (both CC and 4 year institutions) that offer any practical current training in these type of technologies.

LAVC has a program that includes some courses in VFX and other entertainment technologies, those courses belong to the Film and Media program. Therefore the emphasys is different, our program has a primarily technical focus, utilizing software like Houdini, Nuke, and Unreal Engine and relying on procedural pipelines and real-time production capabilities.

We are projecting a potential annual enrollment of 60-75 students, based on our course offerings and lab capacities.

Not a program modification