The BFA in Animation, Film, Photography and Motion Design (AFP&MD) teaches all aspects of the production process. AFP&MD classes are structured around experiential learning, providing students with extensive hands-on practice with individual and collaborative projects that reflect industry standards.
AFP&MD encourages students to explore their passions and interests by allowing certain projects to be customized to their individual career goals. AFP&MD cultivates a positive learning environment for experimentation and exploration with an emphasis on the study of time, motion and light in regards to various narrative, non-fiction, and experimental entertainment fields. Students develop into critical, analytical, and independent problem solvers, thinkers, and creators.
The program offers cross-disciplinary coursework, which emphasizes the relationships between Animation, Film, and Photography so that each course enhances the others. The program begins with foundation courses in 2D Design, Sculpture, Drawing, and Art History, which provides solid skills and historical context to their major. As early as Freshman year, students create short films, animations, and photographs.
Travel opportunities and field trips are available. AFP&MD students partnered with the CMU Biology students to study and photograph butterflies in Peru, which culminated in a student photo and video exhibit at the CMU Art Gallery
View the program sheet for Animation, Film, Photography, and Motion Design Program Sheet
Assistant Professor of Animation and Digital Filmmaking
Example of Evan Curtis' Animation and Digital Filmmaking:
Instructor of Photography, Forrest Zerbe
Forrest Zerbe's Biography:
The arts have always played a major role in my life. I grew up in a family that held education and culture in high esteem. As a youth, I spent a lot of my time working in the wood shop and darkroom. I loved these two places because they allowed me to be creative and work with my hands. My undergraduate years were spent studying a variety of subjects and discovering my passions. I finished my undergraduate with an emphasis in wood working and decided to attend graduate school at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) for furniture design.
I never stopped doing photography, but it would take venturing back into the darkroom at SCAD for formal photography courses for me to decide that it would be my primary medium and focus moving forward. I devoted my time and energy to mastering the techniques of the art form and enjoyed being back in the darkroom. I earned my MFA in Photography from SCAD and spent the next six years traveling and working as a professional photographer. My bread and butter was portraiture, but I also did commercial product shooting and website construction. I had the privilege of being a part of the photography industry during the early 2000’s when technology revolutionized the art form. I began teaching at Colorado Mesa University in the Art & Design Department in 2013. Along with teaching, I still enjoy traveling and my days spent in the darkroom and studio.
Example of Forrest Zerbe's Photography work: 
Instructor of Filmmaking, Jeff Gustafson
Jeff Gustafson's Biography:
Jeff has worked as a director of photography from Maine to Hawaii and everywhere in between. He has shot feature films, directed commercials and short-form videos, and worked on projects ranging from Oscar-nominated movies and international car commercials to independent films and late-night infomercials. His resume includes films such as Napoleon Dynamite, 127 Hours, and High School Musical 2 and 3.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University with an emphasis in cinematography and a Master of Fine Arts in Visualization from Texas A&M University. He has been mentored by artists from Disney Animation, interned at Adobe headquarters, and worked for the Sundance Film Festival. His work in 3D animation has been exhibited at SIGGRAPH, the world’s largest computer graphics and animation conference.
When he’s not teaching, Jeff works from his home studio as an editor and colorist, allowing him time to be with his wife and two children.
Example of Jeff Gustafson's Filmmaking work:
ARTA 123 Lights! Camera! Action
Exploration of fundamental components of animation, digital filmmaking, and motion design. Students explore character design, styles of animation, digital filmmaking, and motion design while focusing on the elements of light, sound, and motion as key time-based design factors. Individual and group projects.
ARTA 222 Principles of Digital Photography
Exploration of photographic principles through the use of the digital single lens reflex camera.
ARTA 223 Image and Motion
Introduction to tools, techniques, and practices relating to images and time-based media. Integration of images, typography, digital film, and sound.
ARTA 224 Principles of Film and Motion Design
Exploration of motion design and time-based visual imagery. Includes history of motion design, application of motion design as visual communication, and the integration of animation, film, images, typography, and sound. Current trends in motion design media and technologies.
ARTA 225 Principles of Animation
Introduction to the creation of animated works. Survey of animation principles, history, tools, and techniques. Additional focus on story development, storyboarding, and stop motion animation.
ARTA 322 Intermediate Photography
Discovery of vision and the art of seeing through the lens of a camera.
ARTA 323 Character Design and Story Concepts
Animators, filmmakers, and motion designers tell stories. Stories have scripts, characters, props, and environments. This course is designed to guide students in developing their stories, characters, and the related content. It is also an area of specialization within time-based media.
ARTA 324 Two-Dimensional Animation and Motion Design
Exploration of the creation of two-dimensional animation and motion design utilizing multilayered time-based compositions, compositing, special effects, puppet animation, and time manipulation. Additional focus on storytelling, storyboards, pre-production, production, and post-production.
ARTA 325 3D Digital Modeling
Exploration of the basics of 3D animation. Focus on modeling, texturing, lighting, cameras, animation, and rendering. Emphasis will also be on creative expression in these areas.
ARTA 326 Digital Filmmaking
Exploration of advanced motion design techniques. Manipulation of related audio, image, animation, typography, and visual effects. Focus on movement, cutting, shot selection, timing, rhythm, matching action, story arc, typography, choreography, light, and color. Historical progression of editing techniques. Production includes output to various web, mobile, or digital devices.
ARTA 327 Sound Principles and Production
Examination of techniques and applications of sound as a component of time and time-based media. Technical, historical, aesthetic, conceptual, recording, and editing issues will be explored in depth. Designed to introduce the student to some of the major modes of working with sound through projects that explore the relationship of sound to image.
ARTA 421 Advanced Filmmaking
Advanced studies in digital filmmaking focusing on each student's individual creative interests such as experimental filmmaking or the combination of film with additional media.
ARTA 422 Advanced Photography and Studio Lighting
Exploration of light and the development of a studio lighting portfolio.
ARTA 424 Animation, Film, Photography and Motion Design Studio I
Exploration of advanced individual projects in animation, film, photography, and motion design. Students are encouraged to focus on advanced individual projects based on perfecting their personal interests and focusing on career goals.
ARTA 425 Animation, Film, Photography and Motion Design Studio II
Continuation of ARTA 424. Students submit proposals for individual projects focusing on singular or combined work in animation, film, photography, and motion design. Emphasis is placed on the professional presentation of finished projects.
ARTA 426 Advanced Motion Studio
Development of emerging personal direction. Opportunities for unique, experimental, and personal projects working individually or in collaboration with other students.
ARTA 427 Portfolio and Demo Reel
Preparation of demo reel, resume, and promotional materials for entry into the professional job market.
- Two Mac labs.
- The Mac labs are equipped with Wacom Cintiqs, Adobe Creative Cloud, Autodesk Maya, Blender, and DaVinci Resolve. - A photography studio.
- Photography classes include traditional Film processing and digital photo. - Two small stop-motion studios.
- DSLR cameras and a Black Magic 6K for Digital Film classes.
- For information on equipment and resources students need when entering the program click the link below.
AFP&MD Starter Kits
If you are interested in joining the Animation, Motion, Photography Club (AMP), or for more information please contact Professor Evan Curtis.
Animation Showreel 2019
Animation Showreel 2021
She Kills Monsters
CMU's Art & Design Department partnered with CMU's Performing Arts Department for the production of She Kills Monsters. Watch this video of student Catrina Odom discussing the animation process.
Examples of Student Work
Artwork by student Catrina Odom with Animation
and Digital Filmmaking Professor Evan Curtis.
Filmmaking Courses with Instructor Jeff
Gustafson:Director Taylor Yates takes a
moment to look over the script
Character Design by student Jinglin Huang with Animation
and Digital Filmmaking Professor Evan Curtis.
Director of photography Aaron Lewis
and director Taylor Yates discuss a shot
Filmmaking Courses with Instructor Jeff Gustafson:
Victor Richardson and Mikel Keeler-Howarth
apply some special effects makeup
Character Design by student Catrina Odom with Animation
and Digital Filmmaking Professor Evan Curtis.
and Digital Filmmaking Professor Evan Curtis.