The Digital Animation & Visual Effects School (DAVE)

The DAVE School stands out from other schools in a multitude of ways. The school‘s location in Orlando, Florida is on the Universal Studios, Florida© backlot and is housed within Soundstage 25 where students are often able to observe or even contribute to productions, or work on personal side projects using the school‘s resources. This situation offers a unique opportunity to experience hands-on training using state-of-the-art facilities. The 12-month on-ground Game Production and Visual Effects Production programs offers access to the 35,000 square foot studio lot, a massive 65 foot green screen, a voice over booth and motion capture stage.

 

Both on-site and online students study under industry veterans, whose prestigious resumes include A-list projects such as Rogue One, Fantastic Beasts, Doctor Strange, The Walking Dead, Fringe, Lost, Terra Nova, Hawaii 5-O, Battle Star Galactica and Uncharted 2 & 4, and Killzone 2. The intensive program runs six hours per day, five days a week, with project work taking an additional 5-7 hours per day. Each of the four core elements take an individual student 10 weeks, followed by 10 weeks on a collaborative project in a simulated studio environment. Admission includes an annual pass to the park, so if you find you are in need of a little fresh air to clear your head, a quick roller coaster ride works better than coffee! 

The curriculum prepares enrollees of all ages, from novice to advanced, for the real-world challenges of the entertainment industry through programs designed to propel them to their highest capability in the shortest amount of time. Enrollees with little or no experience begin with entry-level fundamentals but are soon called upon to produce the advanced quality that rivals the best schools in the industry. Courses in software and production skills, workflow processes and team creativity, challenges under tight deadlines, and lessons on achieving the director’s vision help round out the curriculum.

Graduates emerge industry-ready with networking and presentations skills and a solid demo reel catered to their career of choice demonstrating any number of technical skills in digital modeling, computer animation, lighting, texturing and compositing, ready for a future in film, games, commercials, music videos or short films. They are frequently rewarded with placement at studios from MPC to Stereo D, who have accepted as many as 65 graduates within a single year. No less than 25 Dave School graduates were hired on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 alone. 

The career services department fosters close ties with studios around the world, giving graduates the opportunity to attend on-site job fairs fully prepared for face-to-face interviews. Assistance doesn’t stop there. Though current graduates take precedence, the DAVE School is on hand to help place previous graduates in new positions as well.