Augusta University offers animation summer camp to high school students

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Georgia is a hub for animation in the film and entertainment industry, which is why the animation program at Augusta University has grown exponentially.

It started off small but now has more than 100 students.

Now, Augusta University is opening its doors to high school students to show them what the animation program is like.

Students are going to step into another world with the Augusta University animation summer camp.

“They’re going to get the pose the character, make it move, model the character and then they’re going to set up lights and go through this process called rendering to make it look really cool at the end of it,” said Animation Director A.B. Osborne. “They want to nerd out, and they want to figure out how to do that for a living. Then, they hear the word starving artists, but animation is a big multibillion-dollar industry. So, once they start to figure that out, they often find that this program is a great fit for them.”

The program focuses on many preparing students for careers in many fields, not just film and entertainment.

“We’re going to really be jumping into things like game design, simulations, marketing type applications for animation and also medical applications. So, what they’ll have is this unique experience and a series of choices they can have coming through our program,” said Scott Thorp, Augusta University Chair of the Department of Art and Design.

Thorp also discussed why this program is beneficial for students in Georgia.

“Georgia is really a hub for animation because of the film and entertainment industry that we have here. So, we’re really fortunate they’re going to step right into a local industry that can really them,” said Thorp.

“We’re one of two public institutions that have our program. The differentiating factor from us is we’re offering both 2D and 3D animation. Parents come through and tour and the price differences are incredible. I mean, we’re like 1/5, the price of a private school, and then also we’re offering the same kind of experience,” said Thorp.

Osborne was recently awarded the Individual Teaching Excellence Award at AU.

“I don’t want to take too much credit. If I’m doing well, it’s because my students are doing well. I’ve got a good infrastructure here. I mean, we’re making cool things. I never sugarcoat it. I have very high standards, and I hold them to that standard. But I think we have fun while we do it, right? We’re making things that we’re excited about every day,” said Osborne.

The summer camp is July 15-19.

The camp’s original deadline to sign up was June 30, but it was so popular that all spots are now full.

Due to the popular demand, it will be offered at least twice next summer.

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