Academics

School of Animation & Visual Effects

Houdini Certified School

At our STEM-designated School of Animation and Visual Effects, you’ll start with core training in art and production pipelines taught by working professionals. Then, you’ll specialize in areas like CG, traditional, 3D, or stop-motion animation; modeling; rigging; dynamics; compositing; lighting; or look development.

You can join StudioX, our in-house production studio, where you’ll work on real films headed for theaters, streaming platforms, and TV. This is where theory turns into practice and your name appears in the credits.

With rLab, you’ll get 24/7 remote access to the same pro-level equipment and rendering power used by top studios. You’ll graduate with credits on real films and a portfolio that proves you’re ready for the industry.

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Fast Facts

    More To Know

    Our faculty doesn’t just teach the industry, they are the industry. Pixar professionals. Studio veterans. Storytellers shaping what the world watches. You’ll study with the people shaping the stories the world loves.

    With rLab, your computer becomes a full animation studio, giving you professional-level power, anytime, anywhere. And in StudioX, you won’t just practice. You’ll produce real films, earn real on-screen credits, and build a portfolio that proves you’re ready.

    This isn’t just school. It’s your first big break.

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    Undergraduate
    AA
    BFA
    Certificate
    Graduate
    MA
    MFA
    Other
    Upskill Classes
    Pre-college

    Student Experience

    Academy Award winners. Tech founders. Creative directors. CEOs. They join us live and on Zoom from around the world. They speak from experience. About the work. The risk. The path forward. No theory. Just real stories from people who’ve done it.

    Every student is welcome. On campus or online. To listen. To ask questions. To make connections. These are conversations, not lectures.

    Clubs like Women in Animation, Tea-time Animation, and Legend of VFX give you space to meet up, share ideas, and build projects together. Sometimes it’s a quick sketch. Sometimes it turns into something big; a collaboration that lasts a lifetime. It’s always fun.

    Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/xzynJkb3k7

    Career Options

    With rLab’s 24/7 remote power and real-world production experience in StudioX, you’ll graduate with IMDB credits and a portfolio that shows—not tells—what you can do. Trained by Pixar pros and studio veterans, you’ll step into animation with the skills and the credits to land your first big break.

    • 2D Animator
    • 3D Animator
    • 3D Rigger
    • Character Animator
    • Modeler
    • Producer
    • Stop Motion Artist
    • Storyboard Artist
    • Technical Director: Compositing
    • Technical Director: Dynamics
    • Technical Director: Lighting and Rendering

     

    Areas of Emphasis

      3D animation student work example

      3D Animation

      As a 3D animator, you make things move. Characters. Creatures. Vehicles. Even the camera. You bring digital worlds to life with purpose and style. From films and TV to games, you’ll create the CG that makes stories stick.

      A student example of 3D modeling

      3D Modeling

      As a modeler, you bring worlds and characters to life. You shape heroes, creatures, environments, vehicles, and props in 3D. Every detail matters. Once textured and animated, your models become the foundation for films, games, and immersive experiences.

      student visual effects sample

      Visual Effects

      As a VFX compositor, you’re the magician who makes it all seamless. Layering CG with live action, you’ll blend explosions, creatures, environments, green screen, and effects into one polished, believable shot. Your work is what convinces audiences that the impossible is real.

      2D animation student example

      2D Animation

      As a 2D animator, you’ll bring stories to life through hand-drawn frames or by digitally animating flat media for games, television, the web, or feature films.

      a student example of storyboarding

      Storyboarding

      Storyboard artists turn ideas into a visual roadmap. Scene by scene, shot by shot, you sketch out how the story will unfold. With notes and images, you give directors, animators, and crews the blueprint that brings a filmmaker’s vision to life.

      A still from a student project on stop motion animation

      Stop Motion

      The stop-motion stage is a controlled set where you can position characters, props, and backgrounds for frame-by-frame capture. Built to eliminate vibration and unwanted movement between shots, it ensures stability and continuity—so the motion plays back smoothly, seamlessly, and exactly as you intended.

      Student Work

      See More Student Work
      Example of student work from the School of Animation and Visual Effects showing a futuristic cityscape

      Study With Industry Professionals

      See All Faculty

      Facility Highlights

        Two people in black caps work on music production at a studio, facing dual monitors displaying digital audio workstations, surrounded by speakers.

        rLAB

        Our rLAB gives students access to high-end graphics workstations without needing expensive hardware or software. From any device with a basic internet connection, you can use professional software, GPUs, and network storage remotely. With 24/7 access through our broker checkout system, you can work anytime from anywhere.

        Learn More About the rLab
        Inside of an empty green screen studio

        Green Screen Studio

        You’ll use real-time composite monitors and a full array of lighting equipment, including grid lighting, scrims, gel frames, green props, key lights, and more to bring your creations to life.
        Recording Booth School of Animation and Visual Effects Academy of Art University San Francisco

        Sound Recording Facilities

        Our studios are fully insulated to block outside noise. The controlled environment lets you capture clean, professional audio for film, animation, and games.
        Young woman hand painting a set for use in stop motion film

        Stop Motion Stage

        The stop-motion stage is a controlled set where you can position characters, props, and backgrounds for frame-by-frame capture. Built to eliminate vibration and unwanted movement between shots, it ensures stability and continuity—so the motion plays back smoothly, seamlessly, and exactly as you intended.

        Online Animation and Visual Effects

        Online Animation: Studio Power, Everywhere

        In our flexible online animation program, your career starts from wherever you are. As an online student, you receive the same expert instruction, hands-on training, and access to industry-grade tools as our on-campus students.

        You can join StudioX from anywhere in the world, collaborating on real productions, building credits, and working in the same professional pipeline as students on campus.

        Through our Virtual Remote Lab (rLab), your home computer becomes a gateway to our high-powered campus systems. A render that takes twelve hours on a basic setup can finish in one or two. You will use professional software and workflows without limits.

        Want to join on-campus classes or take part in StudioX in real time—but can’t be in San Francisco? Our synchronous OS+ classes let you join live via Zoom.

        Earn your animation degree at your own pace, in your own time. Graduate with credits on real films and a portfolio that proves you’re industry-ready.

        Students & Alumni

        Always Creating. Always Moving Forward.

        At the Academy, creativity doesn’t pause at graduation. It accelerates. From day one, students bring bold ideas and leave with portfolios that speak louder than résumés. And when they graduate, they launch into creative careers.

        This is where passion meets purpose—on campus, in studios, and on global stages.

        Our alumni are out there now winning awards, leading teams, and shaping culture.

        Read More Success Stories
        Dan Cox Academy of Art University

        Dan Cox

        “The community at the Academy pushed me forward, with classmates who are now some of the most successful people in the business. The faculty, who work as industry professionals by day and teach at night, gave us unmatched insight. To this day, I still recommend the Academy above all other schools for its incredible education and industry access.”

        MFA Animation and Visual Effects, Visual Effects Supervisor at WetaFX

        Annalisa Benavente Academy of Art University

        Annalisa Benavente

        “Studio X was a huge opportunity, getting real production experience and working on projects I could put on my resume really helped me land my first job at Atomic Fiction. ArtU has some of the best teachers. It was also amazing to reconnect with fellow AAU students and see how our paths crossed again in the industry.”

        BFA Animation & Visual Effects, VFX Producer, worked at Luma Pictures and recently finished contract with Sony Amazon

        Jan Philip Cramer Academy of Art University

        Jan Philip Cramer

        “Going to the academy was quite important to my career. I learned more than just animation. It really helps to have a more well-rounded education and an understanding of art in general. Now that I’m back and part of the Academy, I can give back to the community, and I am super proud of that.”

        BA Character Animation, VFX Sup at Digital Domain | Godzilla x Kong: Supernova

        Summer Hwang

        Summer Hwang

        “The experience I had at Academy of Art was fantastic. Studio X gave me the chance to work on real productions with directors from Disney, and the faculty helped me refine my reel, résumé, and interview skills. People were always there when I needed help.”

        BFA 3D Animation & Visual Effects, Compositor at PowerHouse VFX

        COMPANIES THAT EMPLOY OUR STUDENTS

        Digital Domain - DNEG - Dreamworks Animation SKG - The Third Floor Visualization
        Disney, Laika, Ingenuity Studios, and Barnstorm Visual FX logos
        Framestore - Industrial Lights and Magic - Netflix - Maxis

        Related Programs

        Visual Development

        Students learn to add further depth and texture to their creations by building on the most fundamental of skills, such as gesture drawing and shading. Using the latest in industry technology, students are equipped with the technical skills to make not just beautifully designed images, but more importantly, images that are effectively designed to move.

        A group of animated characters, including colorful emotions and a pink imaginary friend, gather around a control panel in a futuristic setting.

        Motion Pictures & Television

        The School of Motion Pictures and Television will give you the skills you need to create a portfolio of professional quality films. With eight professional soundstages, dedicated camera and wardrobe rooms, a set-building shop, Oscar- and Emmy-winning faculty members, and a dedicated casting director, the school provides a hands-on experience that parallels the real world.

        Game Development

        Learn about the entire development pipeline and focus on one of the following areas: concept art, 3D art, game play, level design, or programming. You’ll be able to play with cutting edge technology like our networked VR treadmills and haptic vests. You’ll hang out in our esports lounge with your peers and experience the thrill of being part of a competitive gaming squad.

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