Animation

The Department of Animation was established at the Estonian Academy of Arts in 2006 and since 2007 it has offered a two-year MA in Animation (taught in English) curriculum. The main goal of the programme is to successfully educate creators of animated films, providing them with theoretical knowledge and practical skills. The further aim is to contribute to the global development of animation as an art form.

Animation is a thriving medium and developing at greater pace than ever before. It has become a part of mass culture as well as one of its principal forms. Animation can be seen in digital screen graphics, computer games, music videos, films, etc.

As our master students come from very different parts of the world and have different educational backgrounds we try to encourage their individual approach to filmmaking. The films vary from narrative to more experimental. Most of the works are executed in traditional 2D or stop motion techniques. Recently we have started to offer more thorough CGI courses as well. We invite several well-known animation artists to give workshops where they offer their inspiration and different approaches to animation.

Upon completion of the MA in Animation programme, students have acquired in-depth theoretical and practical animation skills. Students can specialise in specific animation techniques and create individual projects in the appropriate technique. After graduation, our students are qualified to realise themselves as animated film creators, professionals in creative industries or teachers in their field. Students who have completed the master’s programme are also qualified to continue their studies and pursue a doctoral degree.

The Department of Animation also offers a BA in Animation curriculum in Estonian language.

The classes were amazing. I learned how to tell stories, how to analyse films (not only animation), write scripts. I was fascinated by the teachers. They were professionals, not pedagogues. The programme made me an animation film director. My life has been tied to animation ever since. I also gained a huge circle of contacts, wonderful people I met during the course and after. I always tell people they should study animation in the Master’s programme at EKA if they want to be animation directors. Urte Oettinger MA Animation ‘10 Co-founder of WIRED FLY