Toronto
Ontario

At Max the Mutt Animation School - College West we give you the tools to bring your creativity to life.

Program Overview:

Max the Mutt Animation School offers a rigorous, in-depth curriculum based on Warner Bros. and Disney guidelines. In addition to a series of classical animation courses, the curriculum includes in-depth drawing classes, a year of cartooning, character design, a sequence of visual language, storytelling and storyboarding courses, drawing for animation, acting, background painting and background design, as well as computer graphics and computer animation.
In year two in addition to traditional curriculum we teach digital background painting, digital editing and Flash. In year three the students have a series of courses leading to the production of their final films using Toon Boom Storyboard Pro and Toon Boom Digital Pro.

Max the Mutt students graduate with a solid portfolio, demo reel, the skills to write a cover letter and resume, an on line profile page, and the ability to conduct themselves professionally in a job interview. We have strong contacts in the animation community; our annual Industry Evening is well attended by representatives from animation and gaming companies.In addition, many employers contact us when they have job openings, and we regularly inform our graduates of job opportunities.

Program Length:

This is a three year diploma, the first year of which is Visual Arts Literacy (VAL). For direct entry into year two or three, students may apply for advanced standing. To qualify for advanced standing, into any year, students must submit portfolios demonstrating skills equivalent to those developed in the year or years preceding the year they are applying for.

Curriculum Overview:

First Year

Term 1

Beginning Life Drawing 1A & 1B
Perspective 1
Structural Drawing
Design & Composition
Representational Painting 1
Principles of Drawing 1
History of Animation

Term 2

Beginning Life Drawing 2A & 2B
Perspective 2
Colour & Water Based Media
Representational Painting 2
Principles of Drawing 2
Introduction to Animation

Second Year

Term 1

Digital Editing Basics (workshop)
Animal Drawing
Intermediate Life Drawing 1
Cartooning for Animation 1
Artistic Anatomy
Animation Basics 1
Introduction to Flash
Background Painting
Acting for Animation 1

Term 2

Drawing Heads & Features
Intermediate Life Drawing 2
Cartooning for Animation 2
Animation Basics 2
Visual Storytelling & Story Development
Drawing Hands & Feet
Introduction to Storyboarding & Film Language

Third Year

Term 1

Digital Background Painting
Character Animation in Maya 1
Advanced Life Drawing 1
Character Design
Animation Basics 3
Layout for Animation 1
Storyboarding 1
Drawing for Animation 1

Term 2

Advanced Life Drawing 2
2D Computer Animation: Film Project
Animation Basics 4
Storyboarding 2
Introduction to Maya
Layout for Animation

Fourth Year

Term 1

Maya In-Depth
Character Animation in Maya 2
Drawing for Animation 2

Term 2

3D Animation Production
Acting for Animation 2
Portfolio Development