VFX Academy Program Info

“The Studio”

Delta Manor Education Centre
4750 57th Street
Delta BC   V4K 3C9
Phone: 604 952-5374

The Visual Effects Academy is a perfect place for students interested in the visual aspects of film making. From 3D modelling, animation, motion capture, facial tracking, green screen and more, we are here to build students skills and prepare them to take their first step towards a career in one of the fastest growing sectors in not only the film industry, but also Vancouver.
We start from the ground up, building foundations in 3D modelling using Maya, and compositing using Nuke. Our academy is taught by industry professionals who have mastered the skills and know the demands of the industry. We bring in guest speakers and lecturers who are at the top of their field (some of which have even been nominated for Academy Awards!).
Students can expect an array of experiences including designing their our own 3D animated characters, and will even have opportunities to collect motion capture data and bring these 3D models to life. You can expect field trips to VFX studios and schools where students will have a chance to view the industry firsthand.
The future of the Visual Effects industry starts here with the storytellers, artists, and visionaries of tomorrow. We can’t wait to work with you.

Delta Visual Effects Academy (VFX) Goals

  • Improve the skill level of every artist through work in the design process, computer programs and developing a demo-reel
  • Understand the interaction between the practical elements of filming and the digital artwork
  • Maximize artist understanding of the industry locally and internationally
  • Nurture healthy attitudes and behaviors consistent with artistic success
  • Enhance artistic and computer development through continuous work in various computer programs such as Maya and Photoshop
  • Provide the artist with personal performance evaluations
  • Increase the awareness of the benefits of career management for success in the industry
  • Students will learn skills that will allow them to be ahead of the curve at any post secondary visual effects institution available in BC

Facts About the Program

  • Designed for male and female students in Grades 8 -12
  • Students participate in two blocks of Visual Effects Academy every other morning
  • Designed to accommodate students from all Delta secondary schools on a part-time basis
  • Offered in partnership with CG Masters
  • Industry related field trips and guest speakers
  • Students receive 8 credits per year
  • Families are responsible for getting their children to and from the Academy programs. The Delta School District is unable to provide transportation.

Facts About the Industry

  • Vancouver’s Digital Entertainment & Internet (DE&I) industry includes close to 1,000 businesses.
  • Vancouver is the third largest Film & TV production centre in North America.
  • Vancouver has the largest cluster of the world’s top VFX and Animation studios
  • Vancouver has one of the top Video Game clusters in the world — one that includes major publishers such as, Electronic Arts (EA), Microsoft, Capcom and Nintendo.
  • The DE&I industry generates more than 40,000 jobs in Vancouver, contributing billions in direct GDP to the city’s economy
  • Vancouver has the largest cluster of top VFX and Animation studios in the world, including Sony Pictures Imageworks, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), MPC, Double Negative, DHX Media, Animal Logic and Bardel Entertainment.

source:  http://www.vancouvereconomic.com/vfx-animation/

Regular Bell Schedule (M/T/TH/F) Semester 2  February 2022

Thursday, Feb. 3rd, 2022  is the first day of classes

Friday, June 24th , 2022 is the official last day of classes

Warning Bell:             8:25

Block A:                       8:30 – 9:40

Flex Time:                   9:45 – 10:27

Block B:                       10:32 – 11:42

Lunch:                         11:42 – 12:27

Warning Bell:             12:22

Collaboration and Early Wednesday Bell Schedule 

Collab/Prep Time:    8:30 9:32

Warning Bell:             9:25

Block A:                       9:30-10:30

Block B:                       10:30-11:30

Collaboration and Early Wednesday Bell Schedule 

For the sake of consistency and travel, we are going to keep the end time the same every day. Academies have always had to be flexible because of transportation issues.  Since there is no need for kids to travel between their first block and second block we actually gain 10 minutes of instruction time every day and of course we have flex time. With this in mind, if your child ever needs to stop working on their class work/ and take time on another subject during flex time, we have no problem with that.  We want this course to work for students!

Curriculum May Include:

Exploring and Creating:

  • Create artistic works collaboratively and individually using imagination, observation and inquiry
  • Apply skills that engage the body and mind
  • Investigate and identify ways that visual effects allows artists to reflect on or respond to social, media issues
  • Demonstrate active engagement in creating works of art and resolving creative challenges
  • Use various tools and technologies to create work, including Maya and Photoshop

Reasoning and Reflecting

  • Evaluate design choices in artistic works
  • Apply critical, creative and reflective thinking skills in the exploration, design, creation and refinement of artistic creations in visual effects
  • Reflect on the artistic design process to develop work further
  • Use inquiry to reflect on visual effects ideas, designs and artwork

Communicating and Documenting

  • Share, document and appreciate artworks in a variety of ways and contexts
  • Create works of art with an audience in mind
  • Communicate ideas and express emotion through visual effects
  • Demonstrate respect for self, others, and place through image making
  • Create and communicate with industry professionals such as CG Masters

Connecting and Expanding

  • Understand the interaction between the practical elements of filming and the digital artwork.
  • Create personally meaningful visual effects that demonstrate an understanding  of personal, social, cultural, and historical context
  • Explore and engage in the reciprocal relationship between visual effects creations and the world around us
  • Recognize cross-cultural similarities and differences in Visual Effects and Film Production
  • Demonstrate safe use, care, and maintenance of tools, equipment, material and workspace

Areas of Study May Include:

YEAR 1

  • Communication Drawing
  • Photoshop
  • Photography
  • Lens optics
  • Focus
  • Depth of field
  • Art Theory
  • VFX Film History
  • Introduction to Scripting
  • 3D Essentials:  Intro to Maya
  • Modeling objects and characters
  • Texturing
  • Lighting
  • Rigging
  • Animation

YEAR 2

  • Observational Drawing
  • Intro to Cinematography
  • 2D Compositing: Photoshop, After Effects and Nuke software
  • Keying and greenscreen/bluescreen compositing
  • Manipulating images – warping, texturing, colour
  • 2D Rotoscoping
  • Tracking
  • Adding 3D computer generated objects
  • Matte painting

YEAR 3

  • Introduction to Compositing
  • Introduction to Dynamics
  • Introduction to Rendering
  • Evolution of Visual Effects
  • Production Theory