Higher Diploma in Science

Production Management for Digital Animation

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Code

SE61U

Location

Waterford

Campus

Cork Road

Level Level 8
Duration 1 year
Credits 60
Delivery Part-time
Applications Closing 10 Jan 2025
Application Status Open
Next Intake January 2025

The HDip addresses the needs of the Digital Media/Animation sectors for qualified project management graduates in an increasingly convergent marketplace. Project Managers are integral to the Animation Production process. The role of the Production Manager is to manage and control all aspects of a Digital Animation feature production. Producers work with all stakeholders in the production pipeline, encompassing Creative, Scheduling and Business areas.

The course is structured around the established workflow phases of a typical animated feature and was designed following extensive dialog with relevant enterprise partners (eg Cartoon Saloon, Brown Bag Films). As a result, the course targets immediate and identified needs of the Animation Industry. All modules reflect industry Project Management best practice. Semesters 1 and 2 address the critical production workflow and related project management disciplines. While Semester-3 offers Work Placement and Mentorship in association with Enterprise Partners.

The philosophy of the HDip in Animation Production is to blend the creative (observation, artistic conception and an understanding of the traditional principles of animation) and the technical (Animation and Post Production Tools) with relevant management and strategic planning skills specific to the Digital Animation Industry. The course team will be regularly augmented by associated tutors and specialists from industry

The HDip is open to level 8 graduates from a range of disciplines. Including Computing, Arts, Visual Media, Gaming and Business.

It adds its own unique Animation stamp with a focus on the Animation Pipeline, Software & Hardware Tools, and Project Management. Target job roles for graduates include:

Animation Production Assistant
Animation Tools/Software development & support
Creative Animation Pipeline roles based on Portfolio

The course is aimed at those interested in or working in the exciting field of animation and media. The HDip Production Management in Digital Animation is a one-year full-time course with a two-year Part-Time option (online). The course will be delivered in a unique hybrid classroom mode. This means that both face to face and online delivery will take place simultaneously.

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Course Delivery:

**Fig 1:** **Full-Time Structure (1 Year)**

The course is designed to be completed in one calendar year of full-time study OR over two years of Part-Time study. Presently, the course is open only for the Part-Time study option and delivery will be predominantly online, using a Blended Learning approach.

The course is comprised of the following modules:

Animation Production Theory (5 credits)
History of Film/Animation and an analysis of Style, Direction and Production

Project & Change Management (5 credits)
Project Management Principles including traditional scheduling and budgeting

Modelling Practice (5 credits)
Principles, tools and techniques for Modelling in Industry environment

Animation Pipeline & Technologies (5 credits)
Understanding and utilizing specialist technologies used in Pipeline

Animation Practice (5 credits)
Principles, tools and techniques for Animation in Industry environment

Arts and Media Management (5 credits)
Advanced HR and team management, conflict resolution and negotiation & law

Post-Production Processing (5 credits)
Principles, tools and techniques for Post Production environment

Convergent Media Technologies (5 credits)
Advancing and exploiting digital assets for other media

Experiential Learning (20 Credits)
Work Placement, Mentoring and Projects

Admission Criteria

Prospective students must already hold a qualification at NFQ Level 8.
Numbers are limited to between 25 and 30 students. This reflects the practical and technical nature of the course with the inherent lab requirements of the majority of modules.
In order to encourage and enable people to enter or re-enter formal education SETU Waterford welcomes applications from candidates who wish to augment their eligibility for a programme using the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) mechanism.
Applications and RPL: Candidates will be asked to set out, formally and in detail, any previous certified or experiential learning previous that they wish to have considered using a dedicated SETU Waterford RPL Form. The candidates’ learning claims will then be evaluated by the relevant academic team under the procedures set down by, and with the assistance of, the University’s RPL office.

Access

This programme is designed to facilitate access for a wide-variety of target cohorts. It affords an opportunity for those who already hold an award at level 8, not necessarily in an animation or media area, to up-skill or re-skill in animation production both for enhanced immediate employability or to enhance their eligibility for further study.
Candidates who already hold a major award at Level 8 in a non-multimedia area might use this award - as part of a package of RPL – to enhance their candidature in a competitive entry process for a place on a specialised graduate-entry Level 8 animation programme.

Graduates can anticipate careers in Creative Media Industry where Design, Project Management and Team Leader roles in the growing Digital Animation industry both in Ireland and worldwide are required. Locally, Cartoon Saloon, Lighthouse Studios, based in the South East, predict demand for over 175 graduates up to 2025.

While nationally, other Animation companies such as Brown Bag Films, Boulder Media and Giant Animation predict similar growth demand. Animation is also central to many other related sectors (eg. Gaming, TV/Film, Advertising, Architecture) and graduates can avail of opportunities in these areas. Outsourcing and consultancy roles are other alternative career options.

Graduates are Industry ready to meet the demands of 2D/3D Pipeline workflows in Animation Studios. In Roles such as: