Maya Certification Program - Summer 2008

Overview

Digital Media Academy Certifications are recognized by both industry and education as a standard of excellence. Over the past 7 years DMA has earned a reputation of providing some of the highest-level instruction in the quick moving and ever-changing world of Digital Media. DMA’s Maya Certification Program is created from 4 unique weeklong courses that together cover all of the major components of the professional modeling and animation workflow with Maya Unlimited®.

Because DMA’s Maya Certification Program is built from multiple courses students can attend one, two, three or the entire four weeks in one summer or over multiple summers. This gives students flexibility on how many weeks they choose to attend. Each week stands alone as a complete learning experience with a defined set of objectives and a final project. Students who choose to, can then move on over multiple weeks and earn certification.

Outcome

Being (DMA) Maya certified means that not only has the student touched on all major parts of the Maya software and work flow, but that he/she has completed an animated short film. The knowledge gained in Maya I, Maya II, and Maya III is illustrated through a completed narrative-driven short completed at the end of Maya IV. This short will be a student designed, modeled, textured, lit, animated, and directed project — many of which will be ready for the animation festival circuit. The project is a tightly constructed project showing mastery of the art and tools of Maya animation.

 

Highlights 

• Flexible-modular program
• Earn DMA Maya Certification
• Complete a portfolio of your work and an animated short film2
• Learn professional modeling & animation techniques and workflow with Maya Unlimited
• Earn (optional) Stanford continuing studies credit

 

Week-by-Week Curriculum Overview

Week	Course Title	Learning Objectives	Outcome
Week I	Maya I	Explore the Maya interface, workflow, and production pipeline In-depth analysis of the modeling and texturing process Basic rigging and character animation	Completed, fully modeled, textured, lit and rendered interior set design.
Week II	Maya II	Explore the high-end aspects of Maya’s animation package. The dope sheet and graph editor will be explored in depth Custom character control systems, rigs and skinweigts	Completed multiple animation projects
Week III	Maya III	Advanced character animation Customized facial animation Core issue of arcs, spine and hip placement, weight shift, and other character animation techniques will be explored.	Several completed mini-scenes in which a character or characters walk, talk, and speak.
Week IV	Maya IV	Narratives & storyboarding Framing, Cinematography Animation animatics Creation of custom characters rigged to interact with their environments	Completed Animated Short Film

 

 

 

Staff Bio

Adam Watkins