The Digital Visual Effects concentration gives students the background necessary to work with moving images to create short form work. Students will work with the full production process, from ideas and script, to shooting and editing, and post production with compositing, visual effects, and color grading. Students in the Digital Visual Effects concentration would typically be preparing for careers in motion graphics, compositing, shooting and editing digital film for creative productions.

 
 

Curriculum

What Classes Will I Take in Visual Effects?

The Digital Media Core is required by all digital media majors, regardless of concentration. These classes develop skills required of professionals across all areas of digital media. The last class in this series, Portfolio Development (DIGM4930) prepares students to transition from college life to professional life by working on resumes, cover letters, presentation skills, and most importantly: developing a professional digital media portfolio.

ENTC 1510 Student in University

This course is meant to provide guidance to first-year university students as they begin their search for directions to take in self-definition, intellectual growth, career choices, and life skills. (fall, spring) (There are substitutions available for students in the University Honors or Fine and Performing Arts Scholars Programs)

DIGM1400 Principles of Visual Effects and Motion Graphics

Introduction to practical techniques and awareness in video production, motion design and visual effects as related to motion picture and commercial production.

DIGM1500 Principles of Digital Game Design

Provides students with an awareness of the gaming, interaction and other 3D industries as well as preliminary hands-on experience in the interactive and gaming fields.

DIGM1800 Principles of Digital Animation

Provides students with an awareness of animation and other 3D industries, as well as preliminary hands-on experience in animation production.

DIGM1900 Principles of Visualization

An introduction to practical and theoretical knowledge in visualization. Through lectures and studio application of the underlying principles, students will gain an understanding of visualization through 2D, 3D and moving imagery.

DIGM2990 Mid-Point Review

Students produce a digital media portfolio for presentation and evaluation in preparation for upper level coursework and careers in digital media.

DIGM2660 Topics in Digital Media History

Special topics of interest concerning digital media discipline history. Students learn to apply digital media historical concepts to their specialized disciplines.

ARTH4077 Contemporary Art

A survey of art from Surrealism to the present day. Offered every spring semester.

MATH 1710 Precalculus I or higher

Functions and their graphs, including polynomial, rational, exponential and logarithmic functions.

DIGM 4930 Portfolio Development for Digital Media

Prerequisites: Senior status and within two (2) semesters of completing all requirements for graduation. Permission of instructor is required. This course provides the opportunity to review and refine selected examples of work for the creation of a digital media portfolio. Topics include industry research, job searching techniques, interview preparation, group projects, presentation skills, and portfolio development and refinement. Lecture and lab. (fall, spring)

Digital Visual Effects Concentration:

ARTA3401 Typography

A studio course in typography for graphic design. Design projects explore type form and content relationships. Projects emphasize type design, page layout, and font manipulation to bring visual resonance to a written message. The course explores creative uses of type with graphic design software.

DIGM2720 Raster-Based Imaging

Study of digital imaging and processing as related to contemporary practices in digital media. Areas of study include methods for manipulating images, and the use of digital formats. Image design, color usage, and computer-based production for both traditional and digital publication are studied.

DIGM2900 Editing for Digital Media

Digital video basics including basic compositing and an overview of the motion production process. Topics include pre-production, storyboarding, audio/video capture, editing of raw content into multi-layered final products, post-production processing of audio/video files for various delivery scenarios, and a review of historical motion picture and motion graphics production compared with recent technology innovations in the production process.

DIGM3410 Visual Effects Compositing

Techniques and theory of motion graphics and compositing for video. Instruction is designed to bridge the gaps between 3D production rendering and final output, live action, and computer generated imagery. Work is project based and provides students with short, demo-reel quality pieces. Though not required, skills in vector-based imaging and advanced 3D are helpful. (May be repeated for credit).

DIGM3420 Motion Graphics

Techniques and practices of animated graphic design using industry standard software and exploring a variety of techniques geared toward the professional graphics animator.  (May be repeated for credit).

DIGM4410 Digital Media for Film and Effects

A study of the computer as a tool for acquiring, editing and compositing a wide range of source media into high resolution video programs. (May be repeated for credit)

The Digital Visual Effects concentration also has 12 credit hours of guided electives, and 9 hours of related electives.

 

Meet a Visual Effects Alumn

Jensen 
Rendering & Lighting, various visual effects studios in the Los Angeles area

“I graduated from ETSU in 2015 with a B.S. in Digital Media and interned with Ingenuity Engine in LA doing lighting and rendering in the summer before my senior year.  After graduating I went back to work with Ingenuity.  Now I’m full time freelancing in LA. I’d say my favorite job was working on the Xbox One S reveal for E3.”

 

 
 
 

SAMPLE VISUAL EFFECTS PROJECTS

 

SENIOR VISUAL EFFECTS DEMO REELS

Clayton Walker

Zack Wright

Justin Burgan

Jessica Galloway

Cody Cornelius

Zachary Vanhoy

Jensen Abler