Course Curriculum

In the first year of the Bachelor of 2D Animation at AIT, students are introduced to core creative and technical skills essential for a career in animation. The journey begins in Trimester 1 with Creative Drawing Lab, where students learn foundational drawing techniques, explore different genres and styles, and understand how to apply drawing skills to animated storytelling. They build important professional habits such as responding to feedback, iterative design, and concept communication. In Screen Evolution, students gain an understanding of film and animation history, genre, and style. They study the evolution of visual storytelling and the impact of technology on the moving image, developing research and reflection skills. Visual Storytelling teaches students how to create compelling narratives using scriptwriting, drawing, storyboarding, and animatics. They also learn camera composition techniques and begin structuring scenes and characters across various media formats, building creativity and presentation abilities.Trimester 2 focuses on refining these skills. In Concept Design, students develop characters and environments for animated worlds. They explore how character expression and setting design contribute to storytelling, while enhancing skills in research, communication, and visual narrative development. In 2D Animation Mechanics, students apply the principles of animation to create both simple and complex animations. Using industry-standard software, they develop short animations through keyframing, tweening, and frame-by-frame techniques, and learn to manage their time and production workflow effectively. The final subject of the trimester, Screenwriting, helps students expand their understanding of narrative construction. They focus on character development, subtext, scene structure, and the use of film language to create tension and mood. Throughout the subject, students are encouraged to seek feedback, reflect, and adapt their work. Altogether, the first year lays a strong foundation in creative thinking, technical skill, and storytelling, preparing students for more advanced production work in the following years.