Academics > Undergraduate

BFA 3D Animation and Visual Effects

Open double quoteOpen double quote
The work our students produce shows their ability to be creative, work collaboratively, and master complex technologies.
Close double quoteClose double quote
Jimmy Calhoun
Chair

BFA 3D Animation and Visual Effects combines the power of CG and VFX with active imaginations, captivating stories, and skilled artistry.

Student Work
test

More About the Department

The work our students create can be seen in TV shows, films, commercials, and video games. This is where you belong if you are interested in the animated films of Pixar, Disney, Dreamworks, and Sony Pictures Animation; the photo-real VFX work by Framestore, Technicolor Creative Studios, Industrial Light and Magic; or the art of video games from Rockstar Games, Activision Blizzard, Epic Games, and more.

3D Animation and Visual Effects majors are highly skilled artists who are adaptable and capable of solving the most complex visual challenges. Our students have the ability to anticipate and adapt to advances in applied technologies.

We teach the same advanced digital applications used in the film industry to give you the competitive edge to stand out in the creative fields of animation, VFX, virtual and augmented reality, and other emerging platforms. Your work might even do more than entertain us: you might also visualize complex medical procedures or architectural designs, create informational graphics or perform scientific simulations.


You will learn to think about your productions holistically, from inception through the pipeline, to completion and delivery. Your experiences are enhanced by fully equipped green screen, motion capture, sound recording, and color correction studios. You work with professional artists in professional-caliber production labs where you learn narrative and story development skills that will last a lifetime.

Learn More

@sva3danimationvfx

Featured Work & Festivals

Alumni Work

Film, Television, and Video Games

  1. In the Heights

  2. Raya and the Last Dragon

  3. Dune

  4. Encanto

  5. Stranger Things

  6. The Mitchells vs. the Machines

  7. WandaVision

  1. Spider-Man: Far From Home

  2. Luca

  3. Summer of Soul

  4. Turning Red

  5. Russian Doll

  6. Top Gun: Maverick

  7. Solo: A Star Wars Story

  1. Strange World

  2. Overwatch 2

  3. Diablo IV

  4. Spider-man: Across the Spiderverse

  5. Elemental

  6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

  7. Barbie

Festival Participation

Our award-winning students, alumni and faculty have screened their projects at the following international festivals:

  1. Animafest Zagreb

  2. Animation Dingle

  3. The American Pavilion at Cannes

  4. Annecy International Animation Film Festival

  5. Cannes Short Film Corner

  1. Hiroshima Stars of Students Showcase

  2. Siggraph and Siggraph Asia

  3. Tricky Women Festival and Tricky Realities Festival

  4. Student Academy Awards

  5. New York International Children's Film Festival

Facilities

  • computers on desk
    Credit: Photo by Tatiana Kireicheva
    classroom of computers
    Credit: Photo by Tatiana Kireicheva

    Our classes are taught in computer labs using hardware and software that are used by professionals in the animation and visual effects industry and can be accessed remotely off-campus by our students. The computers are kept up-to-date by a dedicated team of system administrators.

  • three people in front of an audio mixing board and display

    Our Sound Studio has a mixing room and recording booth that are both acoustically treated for optimal sound quality. Foley pits in the recording booth include many textures such as sand, gravel, and metal which give the students the ability to create sound effects for their projects. 


    Built for the demands of audio, editorial and finishing workflows, this studio combines a multitrack audio recording facility with a professional edit and color bay. 


    Capture the best sound with our 24 track recording and mixing console complimented with outboard analog audio processing gear. A spacious live room is ready for voice actors or musicians along with multisurface foley pits for sound effects performance. 


    For colorists, achieve the best final looks with trusted reference scopes and monitoring plus versatile control surfaces. Speed through your edit workflow with Mac Pro or Threadripper PC. 

  • three people in front of a green screen with cameras and motion capture equipment

    Whether your actors are real or virtual, our studio can get them on camera or in a MOCAP suit. Our seamless chromakey cyclorama will assist with easy background replacements. Our multi-camera motion capture volume captures actor performances, which can be assigned to 3D characters. Versatile cameras and lights are available to get that impossible shot, as well as the capabilities to capture it virtually with the latest in VR and mixed reality gear. 

  • Our dedicated color grading suite is accurate, efficient, and comfortable, accommodating collaborative teams or individuals. Calibrated reference displays and reliable scopes ensure confidence in the final look of your work. Powered by the latest Mac Pro, Sony displays, along with Tangent control surfaces and Blackmagic scopes, help create a fast editorial or colorist workflow.

  • Data sever.
    Eduardo Lytton
    Data server.
    Eduardo Lytton

    We render over 600,000 frames a year on our multicore renderfarm infrastructure operating 24-hours a day. Maya, Arnold, Nuke, After Effects and Houdini jobs are rendered with distributed computing and active monitoring.

Students in a green screen room.

Virtual 360º Tour: 3D Animation and VFX Facilities

Tiktok thumbnail in which a person is preparing food for themselves.

Follow us on TikTok @svanyc!

BFA 3D Animation and Visual Effects
133/141 West 21st Street, 2nd and 3rd floors
New York, NY 10011
Tel: 212.592.2524
Students working in the 3D Animation and Visual Effects Green Screen Studio.

Learn more about BFA 3D Animation and Visual Effects

By completing this form, I agree to receive communications from SVA and understand that such communications are subject to SVA’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.