Program Curriculum

The DAVE School teaches a single program in four 12-week quarters, and can be completed in just less than one year. It is often very common for animators to specialize in specific areas, thereby limiting their career options. This program is designed to give students practical skills in most aspects of computer animation. The diversity of our program provides the student with well-rounded skill sets. This gives our graduates an advantage in the job market.Our program is taught with the assumption that each student is computer literate, but has no experience in computer animation.Programs start with the very basics. Students with extensive 3D skills may find the first two weeks easy, but by the end of the third week, classes become challenging for everyone regardless of their background.

Note: All course hours listed are 50-minute clock hours. The course numbering was created by the school and does not relate to the Florida common course numbering system. The numbers were created by using acronyms and numbers showing sequence of taking courses.

Quarter 1

Hardware Modeling 101 - 160 Hours

Most professionally constructed computer models fall into one of two categories: hardware or organic. Typically hardware consists of person-made objects such as props, sets, robots, and vehicles... things that need to be built to exact specifications. (Organic Modeling refers to things that are not built to exact specifications. People, creatures, cartoon characters or things found in nature dominate this group.) This class starts with the construction of basic household objects, then advances to using professional modeling techniques, (scale, measurement, and extensive reference) to create computer generated environments or virtual sets.

On the right is (then) student Harry Porudominsky's re-creation of the alley set on Universal Orlando's back lot.

A major project of this quarter is vehicle modeling. Currently we are constructing helicopters, but past project have included The Enterprise, Snow Speeders from Star Wars, or Mechs from Warhammer 40K.

This AH-6J was built by student Matt Zeyn at the end of week 12. Click on this to see a bigger view!

Check out a final animation by his classmate Michael Cliett!

Hardware Animation 102 - 100 Hours

Most of our modeling assignments are completed by animating the finished pieces. Keyframes, motion handlers, expressions, basic lighting, rendering, and data storage are all covered.

Quarter 2

Visual Effects Animation 201 50 Hours

In both fully animated programs and visual effects shots, illusions are greatly enhanced with smoke, dust, snow, explosions, debris, and special lighting tricks. In this program students learn to use particle systems, volumetric rendering and additional motion plug-ins.

Visual Effects Compositing 202 - 185 Hours

A key part of the creation of special effects is the combining of elements (some photographed, some animated) to complete the illusion in a given shot. The image on the left is from our saber battle assignment and was created by Joel Perez

This class will teach the basic functions of Adobe After Effects and Boujou camera tracking software by 2d3. Students gain practical experience performing split screens, color correction, matting, and basic rotoscoping, wire removal, chromakey, motion tracking, and virtual sets.

Motion Capture Project 203 - 50 Hours

Motion Capture is playing an increasingly important role in animation and visual effects. Using our on-site system, students will direct a performer in the production of a 20-second scene and learn the techniques of performance enhancement, error correction, and motion editing. Students also carry out every function of the animation process from planning, execution, post production, editing, and sound effects.

Quarter 3

Character Modeling 301 - 100 Hours

The human head is one of the most difficult things to draw, sculpt or model on the computer and it is where this class begins. Using an innovative step-by-step process, students learn techniques that produce character modeling results. Students create a set of phonetic mouth positions that are animated to produce dramatic or humorous monologues, so that characters are able to speak. .Students also learn a new set of tools for the creation of organic objects, including metanurbs, box modeling, spline patching, and UV texture painting.

Starting with simple two- and four-legged walk cycles, the program advances to emotionally-driven character performances. This course will also focus on facial animation, lip sync, and eye-lines. Skeleton setups and inverse kinematics will also be explored in great detail. In the final project, each student will construct and animate a character of their own design.

Quarter 4

Friday Topics 403 - 40 Hours

Each Friday students discuss various topics of interest to animation professionals. Topics include: budgeting, scheduling, working freelance, ethics, post production facilities, working with pyrotechnics, and more!

Foundations in MAYA 120 Bonus Hours

The DAVE School recognizes that there are many software packages to choose from. MAYA (published by Alias) holds a substantial share of the animation marketplace. To better prepare our graduates for the workplace we offer free training in MAYA for all of our alumni. This class is taught on weekends for 3 months. A new class begins one week after each graduation.

Demo Reel Lab

Graduates are encouraged to plan and execute additional projects to add to their demo reels. To aid you in this very important part of your education, you are welcome to use the school's computers, render farm, studio space, editing facilities, and duplication machine. Even after your first job, The DAVE School is a great place to rework your demo as you grow professionally!

Curriculum Advisory Committee

In order to keep The DAVE School curriculum current with the latest technology, techniques, and skills required in the digital animation and visual effects industry, the program is reviewed annually at the SIGGRAPH Convention by the Curriculum Advisory Committee comprised of instructors, vendors, and industry professionals.The committee currently includes:

• Randy Sharp, 3D Modeler, Digital Domain

• Steve Pugh, Visual Effects Producer, Eden FX

• Emile Edwin Smith, Visual Effects Supervisor, Zoic Studios

• William Vaughan, Instructor, DAVE School

• Harry Porudominsky (DAVE School Graduate), Animator, Gigapix Studios

• Tom Wright (DAVE School Graduate), Technical Director, DNA Productions

• Tom Henry, Director of 3D Training, The DAVE School

• Royce Grayson, Director of Accreditation, The DAVE School

• Jeff Scheetz, School Director, The DAVE School

Also included in all meetings are two currently enrolled students selected at random.