Mark Farquhar joins Calif. State Univ. Northridge (CSUN) as full-time faculty of 3D Computer Animation in the Art Dept.
The 17-year vet has been a 3D CG character animator on films: SURF'S UP, OPEN SEASON, BEOWULF, MONSTER HOUSE, CHICKEN LITTLE, SHARK TALE, SINBAD LEGEND OF THE SEVEN SEAS, TOY STORY 2, OSMOSIS JONES, IRON GIANT, MARVIN THE MARTIAN 3RD DIMENSION and MARS ATTACKS. He has done animation development to feature production for studios, such as DreamWorks, Disney Feature Animation, Sony Imageworks, Pixar Animation and Warner Bros.
The CSUN Art Dept. offers a BA Art degree in Animation Concentration. The program, with 120 students enrolled, offers 16 Animation courses: and places 40 students yearly in Animation Industry Studio Internships. In 2007, the program graduated 32 with degrees in Animation Concentration (13 with honors), two in Animation/Graphics and one in Animation/French.
Studies are offered in 3D Computer Animation for Feature Film & Video Games, 2D Digital Animation and Drawing based concept work. After a foundation in the Principles of Animation timing & motion, students take a team-building course that uses 2D Flash to introduce story development, character design and storyboarding. Then students learn 3D Computer Animation with exercises in timing, modeling and lighting. This is followed with an Intermediate level of 3D CG with character modeling, animating, expression and lip sync. After the skills are mastered, students take a concept course to develop their own project. In their final year, they produce the project.
Prior internships have been with the following studios: EA Games, Activision, NM8, Pixel Liberation Front, Digital Domain, DreamWorks, Zoic, Disney Feature, Warner Bros, NBC Universal, Cartoon Network, Tokyo Pop, Nickelodeon, Film Roman, Marvel, LionsGate, Titmouse and Gang of 7.
Graduates of the program are working in various aspects of the animation industry, including top videogames, television, feature animation and live-action films with vfx.
For more information about the CSUN Animation Concentration, contact Mary Ann Trujillo, area coordinator for Animation & Video-Digital, email mary.a.trujillo@csun.edu or call 818-677-2348.
