Technical Resources

As you have probably already noticed, there have been some significant changes to the way the fourth floor resource has been designed. In response to student feedback, we have significantly increased the number of workstations for 2D digital animation training and production, and we have created a number of new tutorial spaces for you to discuss concepts and ideas with your tutors. We have also purchased 18 new production machines for 4B18, and a brand new LED lighting system in the stop motion studios. The next newsletter will showcase the new technical studios, and the work that you are creating there, but for now, I thought a general overview of the new and improved studio model would help you all to settle in and begin to plan your productions and projects for the rest of the semester.

All rooms coloured in green on the map above have been re-branded as academically managed teaching and learning spaces, and represent a greatly enhanced resource for traditional and digital 2D animation production. 

• 4B01 has been fitted out with 15 workstations, each running the latest version of Maya, Adobe Creative Suite and TV Paint. Each workstation is also fitted out with a brand new Cintique drawing screen. This is now an ideal space for your tutors to run classes on animation principals and approaches in 2D and CGI, as well as running masterclasses in  design, story boarding and post production strategies. When not timetabled for a group session, this is a general use "drop in" space where you can get on with any ongoing digital work. Your tutors may also run group tutorials in here from time to time.
• 4B02 is now a small tutorial space, with some storage for teaching materials and the animation video library.
• 4B05 will now be managed by your academic team, and will be used for tutorials and group meetings.  It is also now fitted out as a traditional 2D drawing studio with a line tester and space for up to 6 light boxes.
• 4B16 is also now an academically managed space for tutorials and group meetings. It has also been refitted as a digital 2D space, with each machine running Adobe Creative suite and TV paint. There are also a number of cintiques available here.
• 4B19 now houses another tutorial space, with some space set aside for storage.

Please ask your module leader for information on timetabled sessions and access times.

• 4B03 will remain as the main technical instruction space for under camera processes, software instruction and  puppet making/fabrication workshop training. The room layout has changed slightly with the addition of the line testing benches from 4B02, and an improved storage system for resources and materials. This room will continue to be coordinated by the technical team, and when not in use for workshops will remain a key studio space for students who have chosen to specialise in stop motion fabrication and production.
  
• 4B06 will also remain as a technical instruction space for all technical workshops in 2D and CGI software instruction, as well as the location for technical mentoring sessions and pipeline support and training. It will continue to be managed by the technical team and when not in use as a training space it can be accessed as a drop in space for short project and exercise work.
• 4B18 will remain as a student production lab, with the added enhancement of 18 brand new computer workstations, each running the latest versions of Adobe Creative Suite and Maya. This room can be used by any student, but at busy times students in long term CGI production will have priority. At the end of each semester this room will become the main post production lab for all processes.
• 4B13 will remain as the stop motion production lab, with students on long term production prioritised here. The lighting system has been greatly improved (more on this in the next post

Please ask the technical staff for information on timetabled sessions and access times.

The level 2 collaborative practice module is well underway, with a really broad spread of technique and process. We have groups currently working in traditional hand drawn 2D, digital 2D, stop motion and paper cut out, and CGI and Maya, with some hybrid films in the mix. After an intensive few weeks in concept development students are currently attending a range of skills based training sessions to help to move into production over the next two or three weeks.

Welcome to our new MA students, who have been getting busy in the studios working on a short collaborative piece as part of their "Developing practice in Animation Module"

The level 3 students have also made a good start to their final projects, with skills development workshops and mentoring sessions in design, puppet making and CGI. Again, students are choosing to develop their skills in a very broad range of techniques.

 We are delighted to welcome Libby Bass to the team in her new role as Lead instructor for all CGI processes and some software training for 2D digital techniques.  Libby worked with us last year covering 2 days a week, but she is now employed full time, and will be mainly responsible for training and support in 4B06 and 4B18. Libby is an exceptionally experienced animator, with considerable experience in industry, and is a fantastic addition to our team. Her full profile and contact details can be found here.