Animatronics

Animatronics is the art and science of bringing animated life to electronic and mechanical figures.

The Animatronics graduate concentration harnesses opportunities presented by constantly evolving technology, preparing students for success in careers at the intersection of arts and technology. Guest artists, industry leaders and seasoned storytellers will provide timely industry insight and enhance learning outcomes for students.

The concentration promotes out of the box thinking and problem solving by teaching students to design, build and execute story enhancing objects. Storytelling is at the core of the concentration, leveraging cutting edge technique to train leaders who will drive story forward in new and compelling ways.

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Master of Fine Arts

First Year
In your first year of the graduate Animatronics concentration, you will focus on design—learning the concepts, tools, and techniques of creating animatronic figures and animated props. You'll become confident in the fabrication lab, where you will sculpt small animated figures and learn techniques to build them in the physical world. Hands-on experience will be paired with practical courses in animatronics project management.

Second Year
Classes during your second year will include in-depth studies in engineering and infrastructure of animatronic figures, while expanding on fundamentals of design. You will design lifelike and imagined animated figures. You'll increase your technical knowledge of relevant software, helping you to select the best software titles for each project you pursue.

Third Year
Your final year in the Animatronics concentration will prepare you with in-depth projects designed around your goals and specialties. Additionally, you will become adept at animatronic programming—a practice rooted in animation functions, range of motions and speeds. Your time in the concentration will culminate with a research-based thesis project, conducted under the supervision of a thesis advisor.

Careers

Nearly all of UNCSA alumni start careers in their chosen field. The Animatronics concentration will provide you with the tools, experience and guidance needed to enter the professional world, and with the ability to serve an array of projects across many disciplines. Students spend summers working in major Animatronics shops, many of which turn into full-time jobs upon graduation. Our students work and have worked for companies such as Disney, Universal Creative, Animax, and LF Studios, as well as local films.