The Animation Workshop
VIA University College
The Animation Workshop is a 20 year-old animation film school located in Viborg, Denmark. An independent management unit under VIA University College, it is Denmark's leading animation institution with activities in the areas of education, culture, communication and business. To this effect it benefits from a strong network of international artists, companies, funding institutions and partner schools.
The Animation Workshop has recently undergone an intense period of development and is since February 2009 composed of 7 distinct and vibrantly interconnected departments: the Bachelor of Arts in Character Animation and CG Art (more information below), Professional Training, the Drawing Academy, the Open Workshop (artists in residence), the Centre for Education and Animation, the Incubation House for newly started companies and the Animation Hub (scientific and medical visualisation).
The Bachelor of Arts, 2 lines of study:
CG Artist: exploring the work methods of a CG production from start to finish, from concept design and storyboard through all aspects of the Maya 3D pipeline including modelling, character set up, texture/shading, lighting, rendering and compositing. The students learn to analyze their shots for 2D/3D integration, economising with matte painting and digital paint over, creating high quality CG imagery. The teaching is focused around both individual and group projects.
Character Animation: the classical principles of animation through the study of both physicality and acting in the mediums of hand-drawn 2D, flash and 3D on MAYA are the focus of the program. All aspects of animation filmmaking are touched upon from storyboarding and character design to layout and backgrounds. The pipeline, modelling, rigging and scene set up are briefly introduced.
Professional Training
The Professional Training department of The Animation Workshop offers short courses and master classes tailored for professionals from the audiovisual industry, with the support of the MEDIA Programme of the EU, Viborg Kommune, Den Vestdanske Filmpulje and Nordisk Film.
The Animation Workshop benefits from a vast international network of strong institutional partners and exceptionally skilled guest teachers from the industry - particularly from Denmark, the UK, France, Germany, Spain and the USA.
The Drawing Academy
Classical drawing from A to Z. The primary activity at the Drawing Academy is an intensive 20-week long course aimed at participants who are considering a career in graphic design, animation, advertising, architecture, communication or teaching. There are two courses each year. The Drawing Academy also offers summer school and weekend courses in classical drawing as well as master classes taught by some of the best professional draftsmen in the world.
Open Workshop
The Open Workshop is a production, development and residency centre supported by the Danish Film Institute, Region Midt and Viborg Kommune. It is a dedicated area of The Animation Workshop where both new and confirmed talents, artists and professionals can reside for a time to work on their personal projects and experiments, on their own and together.
The Open Workshop provides the facilities and when possible the financial means to develop or produce animation, film, graphic narratives and music projects in a highly creative and pulsating environment.
Centre for Education and Animation
CEA is a centre for research and development in the area of children, youngsters and animation. The educational theory which CEA is based on is the practical learning and the use of animation as a tool appropriate for all age groups at elementary school. The Animation Workshop has been working with children, youngsters and animation since 1989 and has with the Travelling Workshop visited more than 400 schools and institutions in 12 different countries.