Program Overview

FDMA - Film and Digital Media Arts

The Film and Digital Media Arts (FDMA) program offers a comprehensive curriculum that covers various aspects of film, digital media, and animation. The program aims to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the film and digital media industry.

Course Offerings

The FDMA program offers a wide range of courses, including:

• FDMA 1110: Film History - A survey of the history of cinema, investigating the process by which the original "cinema of attractions" evolved into a globally dominant form of visual storytelling.
• FDMA 1120: Desktop Publishing - An introductory course to designing and creating publications and presentations with layout software.
• FDMA 1210: Digital Video Production I - An introduction to digital video production, covering camera operation, lighting, and audio equipment.
• FDMA 1220: Introduction to Digital Video Editing - A course that teaches the basics of non-linear video editing, covering media management and professional terminology.
• FDMA 1260: Introduction to Digital Media - An exploration of the concepts of how text, graphics, sound, images, and video come together in a digital media program.
• FDMA 1360: Web Design I - An introduction to web development techniques, theory, and design, covering HTML, CSS, and industry-standard web editing software.
• FDMA 1410: Audio Production I - A course that teaches the essential tools and techniques of analog and digital audio production.
• FDMA 1415: Principles of Sound - A course that gives an overview of creating sound for digital media, covering acoustic principles, sound design, and audio hardware.
• FDMA 1510: Introduction to 3D Animation - A course that provides an overview of 3D animation production processes, covering basic story development and computer-generated assets.
• FDMA 1515: Introduction to Digital Image Editing - Photoshop - A course that teaches the tools and techniques of Adobe Photoshop, covering selections, layers, and adjustments.
• FDMA 1531: Evolution of Electronic Games - A course that focuses on the evolution of video games and their impact on mainstream entertainment.
• FDMA 1535: Introduction to Illustrator - A course that teaches vector graphics creation using Adobe Illustrator, covering basic shapes, drawing, and typography.
• FDMA 1536: Advanced Computer Illustration - A course that covers advanced techniques in 2D vector drawing and fundamentals of 3D illustration.
• FDMA 1545: Introduction to Photography & Digital Imaging - A course that covers the principles and techniques of photography using digital equipment.
• FDMA 1555: Introduction to the Creative Media Industry - A course that provides an introductory overview of the media industry, covering marketing, production, history, and jobs.
• FDMA 1630: Principles of Design - A course that explores the principles of design history and theory, covering visual communication and design elements.
• FDMA 1710: 2D Animation - A course that covers the concepts and techniques of storyboarding and creating interactive 2D animations.
• FDMA 1715: 2-D Compositing & FX - A course that teaches the process of compositing and creating special effects for animation using industry-standard software.
• FDMA 1720: 3-D Character Design - A course that focuses on designing a character and building it in 3D using intermediate modeling techniques.
• FDMA 1996: Selected Topics - A course that covers specific topics in film and digital media arts, announced in the Schedule of Classes.
• FDMA 2120: Film Crew I/Introduction to Film and Media Workflow - A course that introduces the film industry, covering film production processes, crew hierarchy, and set safety.
• FDMA 2125: Film Crew II - A course that trains students to become working members of film crews, covering hands-on production and post-production techniques.
• FDMA 2150: Desktop Publishing II - A course that enhances and builds upon student layout and design skills, covering intermediate to advanced concepts in typography and layout design.
• FDMA 2210: Digital Video Production II - A course that covers advanced techniques of digital video production, including scriptwriting, storyboarding, and editing.
• FDMA 2241: Advanced Camera Techniques - A course that teaches professional camera techniques and training for electronic news gathering and studio filmmaking.
• FDMA 2285: Digital Video Production and Editing II - A course that covers advanced features of digital video, audio, and titling production software.
• FDMA 2287: Digital Design Studio - A course that provides real-world experience in designing and building a web presence for small businesses.
• FDMA 2310: History of Cinema I - A course that surveys the history of cinema, covering the development of cinema as an art form and industry.
• FDMA 2311: History of Animation - A course that explores the history of animation as an art form and industry.
• FDMA 2312: History of Media Design - A course that introduces the principles of design history and theory within a chronological framework of historical and emerging media.
• FDMA 2325: Advanced Photoshop - A course that expands on the Photoshop skill set, covering advanced techniques and applications.
• FDMA 2326: Digital Photography and Imaging II - A course that provides understanding and skills needed for advanced digital capture, editing, and manipulating photographic images.
• FDMA 2360: Web Design II - A course that refines skills in coding and web graphic design, covering methods in constructing sites that adhere to the standards of responsive web design.
• FDMA 2365: Web Design for Small Business - A course that teaches technology and techniques for designing and building a web presence for small businesses.
• FDMA 2381: Storyboarding - A course that examines effective writing principles to create storyboards that communicate the overall picture of a project.
• FDMA 2382: Principles of Story Across the Media - A course that helps students understand the basic elements of narrative structure and how they are used effectively in media expression.
• FDMA 2410: Audio Production II - A course that teaches advanced audio production techniques, covering analog and digital audio hardware and software.
• FDMA 2510: Introduction to Sound Design for Film - A course that introduces the principles, techniques, and applications of sound design and film scoring.
• FDMA 2520: Introduction to Cinematography - A course that introduces students to the technical and aesthetic fundamentals of creating, developing, and collaborating on the visual elements of storytelling.
• FDMA 2530: Introduction to 3D Modeling - A course that introduces 3D modeling methods and current practices, covering preliminary and detailed modeling techniques.
• FDMA 2535: Digital Illustration Techniques - A course that examines traditional artistic expressions and translates visual art experiences into a digital art medium.
• FDMA 2570: Creative Media Studio - A course that provides a studio environment where students specialize in creating film-festival quality and portfolio-ready projects.
• FDMA 2710: Beginning 2-D Animation - A course that teaches the basics of digital 2D animation, covering industry-standard software and techniques.
• FDMA 2715: Special Effects - A course that teaches advanced virtual special effects for both rigid and soft bodies, covering MEL, dynamic principles, and particle systems.
• FDMA 2720: 3D Animation - A course that covers the essentials and principles of 3D animation, including keyframe and curve animation, kinematics, and dynamics.
• FDMA 2725: Rigging for 3D Animation - A course that introduces principles and practices of current 3D animation rigging, covering character rigs and optimization concepts.
• FDMA 2730: Advanced Character Animation - A course that focuses on complex rigging techniques and advanced animation functions, covering blending multiple animations into complex animations.
• FDMA 2735: Advanced 3D Animation Workshop A - A course that provides a program capstone, where students utilize skills learned in the program to produce their final animation.
• FDMA 2740: Advanced 3D Animation Workshop B - A course that provides a program capstone, where students utilize skills learned in the program to produce their final animation.
• FDMA 2745: Light, Shade, Render - A course that explores the theory and practice of 3D lighting and rendering methodologies, covering cameras, lighting sources, textures, and surface-mapping.
• FDMA 2750: Digital Sculpting - A course that introduces students to 3D sculpting programs, covering complex high-polygon sculpts and normal maps.
• FDMA 2755: Drawing for Animation - A course that provides an introductory study of the human and animal form in relation to animation, covering fundamentals and exaggeration of the figure.
• FDMA 2770: Critical Game Studies - A course that focuses on creating a complete design document utilizing techniques and standards used in the industry today.
• FDMA 2775: Game Tools and Techniques - A course that covers the different engines and gaming technologies that power the games of today.
• FDMA 2785: Level Design Concepts - A course that focuses on the design and creation of video game levels, covering challenges and pitfalls of different video game genres.
• FDMA 2993: Workshops (Advanced Photography) - A series of workshops offering specialized and intense advanced skill training and upgrading applications of photography for commercial purposes.
• FDMA 2994: Portfolio Design & Development - A course that provides personalized design and creation of the student's professional portfolio, including hard-copy, demo reel, and online.
• FDMA 2995: Film Crew Cooperative Experience - A course that provides industry production experience in specific craft areas for film crew technicians.
• FDMA 2996: Special Topics - A course that covers specific topics in film and digital media arts, announced in the Schedule of Classes.
• FDMA 2997: Independent Study - A course that provides individual studies directed by consenting faculty with prior approval of the department head.
• FDMA 2998: Internship - A course that provides work experience that directly relates to a student's major field of study, providing an opportunity to explore career paths and apply knowledge and theory learned in the classroom.