CR6001 Specialism Module Starts Sept 2026

1. 3D Character Animation
2. 3D Animal & Creature Animation
3. 3D Games Animation
4. Character Rigging
5. Motion Capture Animation
6. Producing Animation

2D Animation Students generally choose from the following:

Character Animation

Animal & Creature Animation 

Students wishing to specialise in Animal & Creature Animation will bring animals and creature to life. Usually this specialism will involve the use of live-action reference.  

Games Animation 

Spidey animation by Giorgos Konstantinou

Students wishing to specialise in Games Animation should animate around 7-11 seconds of a character doing some kind of physical action, or a series of physical actions.  Games animators tend to animate looping cycles and character actions, such as stunts, and combat moves.

2D Animation 

2D Animation can be done in Adobe Animate, TV Paint or Toonboom Harmony – we have licenses for all of them.  Students wishing to specialise in 2D Animation should animate around 7-11 seconds of a character doing some kind of physical action, or perhaps delivering a line of dialogue, most likely entering the monthly 11 Second Club Competition. 

Character Rigging & Product Visualisation 

Cinematography

A Cinematography Specialism also encompasses 3D Layout and Previsualisation. To see an example of what a submission in Cinematography might look like, see the video by Sebastian Kuder below. Cinematography is all about the art of animating movie cameras, using the camera to tell a visual story. 

Storyboarding is one of the most important skills needed for the creation of out short films.  A submission in this are will include the creation of a storyboard animatic, including sound effects, narration (where needed) and music. To see an example of a successful storyboard animatic, watch Brodiaga by Anastasia Gurova. 

Production Design

Concept Art by Xu Xing

Production Design is another skill that is vital to the making of short films.  The Production Designer or Art director will create mood boards, and (later) concept art and colour keys, which will establish the look and feel of the project. 

Performance Capture Animation (MoCap)  

Editing and Sound Design

Every short film needs an Editor. The Editor is responsible for cutting and timing the edit, working with the director to tell the story. A good editor gathers up the animator’s shots at the end of every day and cuts the new shots into the reel, adding sound effects, foley, narration and voice over to bring the project to life.

Producing Animation

Concept Art by Francesco Leoni

Self-Study Module
CR6001 is very much a self-study module; students identify their area of specialism and find learning resources to develop their skills, with support from tutors.   Each student will choose their own individual specialism, in a field of their choice. 

Students should not expect that the classroom teaching will necessarily map directly onto their chosen area of specialism.

Portfolio
The module culminates in the presentation of a portfolio of work in the student’s chosen field. 

Experimentation
Specialism Module CR6001 is a great opportunity to try out different ideas, and
explore a wide range of creative choices. It’s where the focus of the course starts to change from “top-down” (do what you’re told) to “bottom up” (learn to become a creative artist).

Vimeo Tutorials

Motion Graphics

We have hundreds of tutorials at our Vimeo Tutorial Channel to support our students. For example, for Motion Capture, Rigging and Dynamics, we recommend the following:

Specialism is due 20 November 2026

Schedule

Teaching starts in September 2026. The deadline for submission of the final portfolio for 2D Animators is 20 November 2026. 

Tutors

1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th years at Escape Studios
To see what’s in the first, second, third and fourth years at Escape Studios, follow the links below: