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The Animation Workshop -VIA University College

Programme information

The Animation Workshop has recently undergone an intense period of development and is since February 2009 composed of seven distinct and vibrantly interconnected departments: the Bachelor of Arts in Character Animation and CG Art, Professional Training, the Open Workshop (artists in residence), the Drawing Academy, the Centre for Education and Animation, the Incubation House for newly started companies and the Animation Hub (scientific and medical visualisation). 
The bachelor of arts, 2 lines of study:
CG Artist: exploring the work methods of a CG production from start to finish, from concept design and storyboard through all aspects of the Maya 3D pipeline including modelling, character set up, texture/shading, lighting, rendering and compositing. The students learn to analyze their shots for 2D/3D integration, economising with matte painting and digital paint over, creating high quality CG imagery. The teaching is focused around both individual and group projects. 
Character Animation: the classical principles of animation through the study of both physicality and acting in the mediums of hand-drawn 2D, flash and 3D on MAYA are the focus of the programme. All aspects of animation filmmaking are touched upon from storyboarding and character design to layout and backgrounds. The pipeline, modelling, rigging and scene set up are briefly introduced.
The courses culminate with film and game productions both in-house and with a number of partner institutions: The National Danish Film school, The Danish Design School, Ålborg University, Århus University, Copenhagen University, ITU, DTU and La Poudrière in France. 
The programme is created and taught by professionals, guiding the students to become ready for the challenges of the demanding albeit rewarding work life in advertising, TV, films or the games industry.
Internships take place in the final semester at companies throughout the world: A Film, Aardman, Framestore, Mac Guff Ligne, Cartoon Network, Folimage, IO Interactive, Double Fine Productions, Telltale games, Cartoon Saloon, Copenhagen Bombay, Trixter Animation, Django and Ghost amongst others.
Finally, since 2008 The Animation Work-shop is the organiser of «Animation Sans Frontières», a supplementary 8-week special programme in animation production involving bachelor-level students from the Animation Workshop and 3 of its European partners: Gobelins in France, the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in Germany and MOME in Hungary. 
Professional training: The Professional Training department of The Animation Workshop offers short courses and master classes tailored for professionals from the audiovisual industry, with the support of the MEDIA Programme of the EU, Viborg Kommune, Den Vestdanske Filmpulje and Nordisk Film.
The Animation Workshop benefits from a vast international network of strong institutional partners and exceptionally skilled guest teachers from the industry - particularly from Denmark, the UK, France, Germany, Spain and the USA.
The drawing academy: Classical drawing from A to Z. The primary activity at the Drawing Academy is an intensive 20-week long course aimed at participants who are considering a career in graphic design, animation, advertising, architecture, communication or teaching. There are two courses each year. The Drawing Academy also offers summer school and weekend courses in classical drawing as well as master classes taught by some of the best professional draftsmen in the world.
The open workshop is a production, development and residency centre supported by the Danish Film Institute, Region Midt and Viborg Kommune.
It is a dedicated area of The Animation Workshop where both new and confirmed talents, artists and professionals can reside for a time to work on their personal projects and experiments, on their own and together. 
The Open Workshop provides the facilities and when possible the financial means to develop or produce animation, film, graphic narratives and music projects in a highly creative and pulsating environment.
The centre for education and animation: CEA is a centre for research and development in the area of children, youngsters and animation. The educational theory which CEA is based on is the practical learning and the use of animation as a tool appropriate for all age groups at elementary school. The Animation Workshop has been working with children, youngsters and animation since 1989 and has with the Travelling Workshop visited more than 400 schools and institutions in 12 different countries.

Degree categories / length of studies
Bachelor of Arts: 3 & 1/2 years
Professional training certificates: 2 to 14 weeks, 2 to 5 courses per year
Classical drawing certificates: 1 semester, twice per year

Programme categories
Bachelor of Arts in Character Animation
Short-term Professional Training courses and master classes
Classical Drawing Academy

Number of teachers
Bachelor of Arts: 50 to 60 teachers per year
Professional training: 15 to 20 teachers per year
Certificate in classical drawing: 10 teachers

Number of students
Bachelor’s degree: 200 students
Professional training: approximately 50 students per year
Certificate in classical drawing: 80 students per year

Number of foreign students
Bachelor’s degree: 10 foreign students out of 100
Professional training: 45 foreign students out of 50
Certificate in classical drawing: 20 foreign students out of 80

Entry requirements
Bachelor’s degree: portfolio, drawing test and interview based
Professional training: portfolio, show reel, CV, can depend on the course
Certificate in classical drawing: admission test and interview

Programme description
This depends on the department and on the specific courses, which range from classical drawing to acting through concept and character design, storyboard and layout, 2D and 3D animation, stop motion, Flash, etc.