Visual Effects Production Diploma Training Program

Program Overview

The Digital Arts and Visual Effects (DAVE) program provides comprehensive training in 3D modeling, animation, asset creation, visual effects, and emerging technologies. Through hands-on courses and industry-standard software, students develop the skills necessary for careers in film, television, and video games. Notable graduates have worked on major projects such as "Lightyear," "The Batman," and "The Mandalorian."

Program Outline

Outline:

Course 1: Dave 101 Digital Modeling and Sculpting

• Provides a comprehensive understanding of 3D modeling and digital sculpting techniques for constructing objects for feature films and video games.
• Covers hard surface and organic modeling techniques, UV mapping, and digital sculpting.
• Teaches how to bring assets into a real-time pipeline.

Course 2: Dave 201 Fundamentals of Computer Animation

• Provides a thorough understanding of computer animation.
• Covers camera and vehicle animation, parent/child hierarchies, character rigging, character animation, facial animation, lip syncing, and motion capture for film and gaming.
• Teaches how to bring animations into a real-time pipeline.
• Prerequisite: Dave 101

Course 3: Dave 302 Advanced Asset Creation & Look Development

• Provides fundamental training in digital lighting and look development techniques for high-resolution digital asset creation.
• Covers model surfacing, making it work for production-ready art, and replicating real-world lighting in the computer and in a real-time pipeline.
• Prerequisite: Dave 101, Dave 201

Course 4: Dave 402 VFX & Compositing

• Provides a solid understanding of visual effects production for film and television.
• Covers film effects history, node and layer-based compositing, rotoscoping, green screen keying, color grading, 2D/3D tracking, crowd replication, matte painting, set extensions, particle simulations, fluid dynamics, stereoscopic conversion techniques, and emerging technology pipelines.
• Prerequisite: Dave 101, Dave 201, Dave 302

Course 5: Dave 502 Emerging VFX Tech & Pipelines

• Provides a real-world experience of working on a production and advanced, cutting-edge production pipelines.
• Covers industry-standard visual effects production techniques, 3D/VFX, and advanced production pipelines.

Careers:

Notable DAVE School Graduates and their Respective Projects and Roles:

• Katie Hamberger, Stereoscopic Technical Director, Lightyear
• Ariel Fore, Compositor, The Adam Project
• Daniel Kaczkowski, Compositor, The Batman
• Bryan Haines, Sr. Compositor, Spider-Man: No Way Home
• Selena Farkas, Compositor, Ghostbusters Afterlife
• Francesca Milde, Compositor, Eternals
• Jason Bradbury, Compositor, The Suicide Squad
• Zach Hamelton, Visual Effects Producer, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
• Tiffany Nichole Bromley, Compositor, Moon Knight
• Anthony Jacob, Virtual Production Artist, The Book of Boba Fett
• Joseph Coto, Asset Artist, Hawkeye
• Ric Atkinson, Compositor, Loki
• Tanner Bartlett, Compositor, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
• Chris Montesano, Pipeline Supervisor, The Mandalorian
• Jasper M. Baltzersen, Compositor, Stranger Things
• Shawn Ewashko, VFX Project Manager, Star Trek: Discovery
• Jimi Clark, Global Resource Producer, Ford v Ferrari
• Alisah Kress-Miller, Compositor, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil