Whenever Nik and I travel schools to do our workshops, it’s always interesting to see how each school has set up its curriculum. Recently, we had the pleasure of getting acquainted with the workings of the animation program at the Arts Institute at Bournemouth in Bournemouth, England. I was already familiar with the high quality of the students’ work from festivals such as Annecy and by viewing the 2007 Graduation reel, and was very pleased to receive an invitation to visit the Animation Production Department from Professor Peter Parr and his charming and talented wife Astor. This gave me a chance to find out how their BA (Hons) Animation Program was structured.
The first thing that struck me was the intensive team based program that the staff has put together. Each student is exposed to and required to develop a strong working knowledge of the total production process, giving the young animator a good introduction to the working conditions they will find upon entering the professional animation world.
Students at all levels operate together, and teamwork is stressed as the key to success for everyone’s work. Students in levels one, two and three work alongside each other from the very beginning, giving an added reality to the animation industry, where colleagues must relate to each other and talk ideas through, giving support to a the project and to each other. Far too many schools fail to address this aspect of the industry, leaving students to face a jarring reality when they finally enter “the real world”.
Nik and I have gotten to know Professor Peter Parr over the past several years and have developed a deep respect for him. He and his wonderfully creative course staff are firm believers in the principal that creating excellent animation in any form requires a mastery of practical skills - draftsmanship, technical proficiency, and technical knowledge. Students are encouraged to work in the different mediums of traditional, computer based and stop-motion animation and, while computer solutions are taught, all students must first learn the fundamentals by starting at the beginning of the animation process through drawing. It is easy to see the deep respect and affection that the students have for each other as you watch them work together. These feelings also extend to Professor Parr and the rest of the staff. It is really a pleasure to watch the students and faculty interact with humor and respect on both sides.
The Arts Institute’s animation program recruits students from throughout Europe, and thanks to Astor Parr’s hard work, is also actively recruiting in Asia. A program is open to all students that involves leaving the school for 13 weeks during level 2 to work in a professional studio in Europe. Students are also encouraged to consider the Erasmus Exchange Program which provides the opportunity to study at another European school.
The Arts Institute is one of only fifteen institutions of higher education in the UK devoted solely to the arts. Courses range from the School of Arts and the Design School to the School of Media, and students are encouraged to cross course boundaries to solve problems. The animation studios have been completely refurbished recently, and each student is provided with an individual work station and light box as well as having access to group work spaces. The animation department also has its own computer site.
Their modern and inviting library offers a selection of 50,000 books, over 300 journals, DVD’s, videos and CD’s in a bright and inviting atmosphere with ample space for comfortable individual and group study. The library also offers Wi-Fi and access to both pc and mac computers.
The Museum of Design in Plastics (MoDiP), established in 1988 is also located in the library and on exhibit is a comprehensive collection of all things plastic from 1880 to the present day. It is a special learning tool for students to be able to view such items up close as Bakelite radios, jewelry, even Mr. Potato Head, and is also an opportunity for visitors to travel back to a bygone design era.
Nik and I began our visit by presenting our “History of Animation through Music” program to a packed auditorium of students who asked intelligent and interesting questions. I spent my two days at the Arts Institute at Bournemouth touring the animation studios, seeing the impressive results of the Fashion Design Program, visiting the library and Plastics museum, touring the model making studio and viewing an exhibit by students of the Interior Architecture and Design Department in their beautiful new building. I took the opportunity to informally chat with many students in different departments, all of whom expressed enthusiasm for their course studies, the faculty, fellow students and most importantly, of all the opportunities that an education at the Arts Institute offers them.
Nik spent his two days working with the groups of animation students giving advice for the music for the 2008 Graduation Showcase Films. In 2007 he worked with two groups of students to create the music for their films, and will be composing and performing the scores for several of the 2008 Showcase Films as well as consulting with students who need some “sound” advice.
A big plus about all programs at The Arts Institute is that they are designed to be positive and friendly to all disabilities, and all the programs try to accommodate specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia (very near and dear to my heart since I suffer from it and had to struggle my way through higher education with very little support or understanding). The programs are also equipped to handle students with sensory impairments, and medical conditions such as diabetes and epilepsy.
If you are a student looking for the right animation school to study at or a professional in the industry wanting to stay on top of what’s new and where top new young talent is emerging from, check out The Arts Institute at Bournemouth website at www.aib.ac.uk. If you are a student and are interested in attending the next Open Day on 20 February, 2008, or want to arrange for a separate campus tour, you can also register on the website. You can also contact the Course Office in Great Britain at 01202 363 228.
