Introducing Digital Animation at St Michael’s College
A brand-new course offered to Year 9 and Year 10 students
We are excited to announce the launch of Digital Animation, a brand-new course offered to Year 9 and Year 10 students at St Michael’s College. During Semester 1, the course received an overwhelmingly positive response and the current Semester 2 students have already showcased exceptional skills in the field. If any Year 9 students missed out on this opportunity this year, they can look forward to taking the course as Year 10 students in 2024.
The Digital Animation course is designed for students with an interest in animation and VFX or those considering a career in fields like Animation, Game Development, 3D Modeling, Video Game Art, Special Effects, Compositing, Creative Technology, Digital Strategy, Art Direction, and Production Coordination. The course offers an in-depth introduction to 2D animation, frame-by- frame animation, the 12 Principles of Animation, special effects like green screen/chroma-keying, animating for video games, character design and creation, rigging, complete cartoon workflow, storyboarding, including creating a ‘moving storyboard/ animatic,’ and 3D animation. Throughout the semester, students will undergo various assessments aligned with the Australian Curriculum Digital Technology Strands.
The animation and VFX industry in Australia is experiencing a remarkable boom. With Australian studios contributing to blockbuster hits for Marvel, DC, Netflix, Stan, Amazon, and Disney, the demand for original animated content is at an all-time high. Even smaller video game publishers, such as the Adelaide-based developers behind Florence and Hollow Knight, have achieved widespread international acclaim for their exceptional creations. Studios such as Rising Sun Pictures, located in Adelaide, and Luma Pictures, with offices in Melbourne and Los Angeles, are continually shaping fantastical worlds for popular franchises like Captain Marvel, X-Men, Game of Thrones, and Harry Potter. These studios actively seek fresh talent and often recruit newly graduated students.
In Semester 1, our students had the privilege of meeting Tom Baxter, a Layout Artist at Rising Sun Pictures. Tom shared his experiences and expertise, having worked on some massive projects in the industry. It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to learn from someone who lives and breathes animation and visual effects every day, right here in Adelaide. Rising Sun Pictures will be visiting us again during Semester 2.
Explore Career Pathways and Further Study
Our aspiring animators have produced some remarkable work, considering many of them were absolute beginners when they started. We hope you enjoy the animations and witness the creative prowess of our students!
If you are interested in exploring the world of Digital Animation, please reach out to Mr David De Lorenzis for more information.
David De Lorenzis, Digital Technologies Teacher
