School of Film and Animation
School of
Film and Animation
Overview
The School of Film and Animation is where the timeless art of filmmaking meets cutting-edge technology. It’s a creative community that allows students to explore their talents in the art of filmmaking or the science and technologies used in the motion picture industry. Students discover their unique potential, experiment with ideas, and express them to the world. Guided by award-winning faculty who exhibit their work around the world, students are prepared to pursue successful careers across a wide spectrum of industries upon graduation: motion picture, television, and non-broadcast. Alumni have gone on to hold research engineering roles at places like Sony and Dolby and have positions in filmmaking and animation at Walt Disney Animation Studios, Lucasfilm, and myriad other reputable companies.
Access to industry-leading software
RIT's School for Film and Animation is a designated Center of Excellence (COE) by Toon Boom Animation, a leading animation and storyboarding software company. Toon Boom software is utilized by prominent studios, such as Disney, DreamWorks, Netflix and more, in the creation of feature film, animation and TV Series. As a Center of Excellence, RIT is recognized as a reliable source of industry-standard training and an enhanced educational environment through exposure to Toon Boom software.
960
The school’s equipment cage has 960 video- and audio-related items available for students to check out in support of projects and other coursework.
77K
Combined, the School of Film and Animation and MAGIC Spell Studios — which expands the capacity of the school while supporting research and entrepreneurial activities in the area — provides 77,000 square feet of facility space.
100s
Alumni have earned hundreds of screen credits for their work on major motion pictures and popular TV shows — from Frozen to Rogue One to The Simpsons and much more.
Latest News
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December 28, 2021
![still from a movie with Spider-Man jumping while holding a woman.]()
Two RIT grads part of production team for ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’
WROC-TV talks to Anna Dining '17 (motion picture science) and Chris Brands '14 (motion picture science) about their work on the latest Spider-Man movie.
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December 10, 2021
![Actor John Lithgow with his book, Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo.]()
RIT professor directs, produces episodes featuring John Lithgow, Angela Bassett for acclaimed series
Assistant professor Amy Adrion—whose work has screened at South by Southwest, Sundance, and Tribeca film festival—recently directed and produced videos for an online streaming series featuring actors reading children’s books brought to life through animation.
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December 8, 2021
![A still from a 2d animation using lots of saturated colors.]()
Alumni contribute to animated film receiving Oscar buzz
Angélica Agélviz, Shana Dixon and Chloe Hayes — all 2019 School of Film and Animation graduates — worked on Nuevo Rico, an award-winning film seen as a potential Academy Award winner.
Featured Work
'Prognosis' - 2D Animation
Ryan Adriandhy ’19 MFA (Film and Animation) created this 2D animation about an unknown, crash-landed space object that helped a boy learn about his father’s unknown grief.
Fallen Leaves
Bo Gao
In this film by Bo Gao, a Chinese painting student seeks the right path, and eventually finds what he really wants.
Video Game Development
“That Damn Goat!” is a party game where chaos reigns, frustrations mount and everything you think you know about your situation is instantly thrown out of whack by a head-butting goat with magical...
Featured Profiles
Building a Virtual Production Curriculum
Supported by a $275,000 MegaGrant from Epic Games, MAGIC Spell Studios has brought groundbreaking research and filmmaking techniques to RIT.
Alumnus' Film Receives High Acclaim
Ali Vatansever '08 MFA is an accomplished Turkish director whose film, "Saf," was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Virtual Reality Film
In making a virtual reality film for their thesis, Emily Haldeman and Tim Stringer — 2019 alumni of the Animation option in the Film and Animation BFA — used...
Undergraduate Programs
The film and animation (BFA) degree offers options in animation and film production, with the curriculum supplying an experience unlike any other that spans the entire creative spectrum. The unique motion picture science (BS) program produces graduates who may not be artists directly involved in the motion picture industry but support the field with the science- and engineering-based education they receive. In the program, students learn how to address complex motion imaging workflow issues.
Graduate Programs
The film and animation (MFA) program is designed to educate complete filmmakers. With four options within the program — 2D animation, 3D animation, production, and screenwriting — students obtain the advanced training required to create remarkable live-action production, scripts, and animations that facilitate career success.
Student Resources
For internal College of Art and Design resources such as academic information, forms, FAQs and more, visit inside.cad.rit.edu. For information about academic advising, visit here.
The 2020-21 School of Film and Animation faculty/staff directory can be found here.