Computer Arts

The purpose of the course is to give the student a holistic experience with a larger computer arts production involving their specialization.

The student will plan and carry out a comprehensive production in a group, and will receive training in both interdisciplinary teamwork and the use of modern techniques, methods and tools used for the organization and production of a large scale project. The student will be able to understand the different phases of production and how each group member contributes, as well as the different team roles.

Media Art Innovation Lab (MAIL) is an interdisciplinary joint course at Westerdal's Institute for Film and Media (WIFM).

This course acts as a laboratory for innovation, promotes new ways of thinking and collaborative methods, and gives students the opportunity to explore innovative, creative and experimental approaches within the field of media and art.

A central part of the course is interdisciplinary collaboration. Students from several study programs work together in groups to plan, develop and implement project work. This helps to develop the students' cooperation skills, and gives them the opportunity to respond to and comment on social issues and the times we live in.

The students will also be introduced to value perspectives such as sustainable assessments and principles for green production, as well as principles for diversity and integration.

In this course, it is the students who drive innovation and creative processes, and develop knowledge and new insight in a teaching context where they are active participants in the learning process.

The subject is about how to create good and aesthetic design and interactions in prototypes made with real-time 3D graphics. The students become familiar with the possibilities of the development environment and effective use of this. Students learn to use advanced materials and lighting in interactive scenes.

In this course students will learn how to visualize architecture or constructions in the different phases of a project. They are introduced to tools that are used for architectural visualization, and techniques applied for this.s.

The course explores how acting techniques can be used in animation. To create characters with emotions and empathy, students are introduced to various aspects of acting techniques, including facial expressions for scenes with dialogue and improvisation. Through practical exercises, students will develop a deeper understanding of how to create scenes with characters that think, breathe, feel, and act.

Students will also learn how to film themselves for reference and how to effectively use this material by analyzing and applying these insights to their animations.

Animation 3 builds on the principles from Animation 1 and Animation 2. This course takes you deeper into the fascinating world of storytelling, acting techniques, and dramaturgy to create engaging scenes.

During Animation 3, you will not only learn advanced animation techniques, such as facial animation, but also how to bring characters to life and imbue them with empathy throughout their journey. From miming to lively scenes with dialogue, we explore how to convey conflict, emotions, and personality through animation.

We focus on detailing and polishing in the final phase of the animation process. Here, you will fine-tune asymmetry in posing, both in the body and face, as well as variations in curves, spacing, and all the small details that bring the character to life.

Students will gain extensive experience in giving and receiving constructive feedback on their work.

This course covers the fundamentals of system, UX, and UI design. Students learn to create, implement, and evaluate scalable game systems and intuitive, player-focused interfaces through prototypes. Emphasizing the connection between systems and UX/UI, the course teaches how to build gameplay-enhancing, usable designs. Projects include requirements analysis, human-centered design principles, flowcharts, wireframes, and progress from early prototypes to refined designs and user testing.

In this course, the student will get a basic introduction to narrative structures linked to level design and visual storytelling techniques in games. The student will explore how video games tell stories, and how well-known principles from game and level design can enhance the narrative through mechanics, theme and mood. Through the course, the student will be introduced to narrative and level design, and gain practical experience with the design, development and iteration of virtual areas.

The course gives students an introduction to photographic technique with a focus on composition and exposure/lighting. Students will learn to see subjects through the camera lens. Students also learn film as visual storytelling and how to use image composition, lighting and camera movement to tell a story. By filming their own VFX sequences, the students will increase their understanding of film and VFX techniques.

In this course the students will get an introduction to 3D graphics used as a tool towards work with visual effects (VFX). The students will gain basic skills in lighting and rendering of digital 3D objects with a view to integration in a VFX work process.

See elective courses.

This course will provide students with relevant experience in executing a major practical project within their field of study, with high standards for quality and execution. The production could be a large-scale game, film/animation, VFX, or visualization project.

The student will gain professional experience by completing a project in a company, establishing their own business, or participating in a self-defined comprehensive research project. In a practical research project, the student will demonstrate broad knowledge of central topics and research methodology, and show skills in teamwork, project management methods, and relevant tools. The project should have a professional character and be of high quality.

The course also includes a practical introduction to prepare the student for the industry. The student will gain knowledge about industry-specific law, the industry’s institutions and working methods, as well as tools such as application writing and self-presentation.

The course is an advanced animation course focusing on dramaturgy and behaviour for humans, animals, and creatures. The student will have the opportunity to develop their own expression and style. High standards are set for quality and execution in the last animation polishing phase. 

This course aims to provide students with a deeper understanding of system design through the lens of game balancing. Students will be introduced to advanced system design, which will be explored in detail. The course will cover various game mechanics, focusing on how these can be utilized, combined, and balanced to create a meaningful experience for the player.

Compositing 3 builds on the Compositing 2 course. The focus is on more advanced projects and typical advanced compositing tasks the students will encounter in the industry as well as completion of shots. Students will get to know some of the latest techniques and be able to make the final touches needed to deliver professional shots.