ANIMATION PROGRAM

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At John Paul the Great Catholic University, we believe in the power of beauty to transform culture. We’re shaping the next generation of artists and innovators with academic excellence, unparalleled creativity, and an authentic community centered on Jesus Christ.

Overview

 

JPCatholic’s Animation program features industry professionals, hands-on projects, and rigorous preparation for your career in creative media. Our unique curriculum model combines a well-rounded overview of the entire Animation pipeline with the flexibility to specialize in your area of interest by taking a track of courses suited to your goals.

 

Choose from Animation electives within four different tracks: Story Art & Directing, 3D Art, Animation, and Producing. In addition to the the hands-on coursework in Animation, you’ll also take our core curriculum which includes Theology, Philosophy, Humanities, and Business.

Animation Tracks

STORY ART & DIRECTING

3D ART

ANIMATION

PRODUCING

Focus your Animation electives on Drawing, Screenwriting, Story Development, Storyboarding, and Directing.

Focus your Animation electives on Observational Drawing, Life Drawing, 3D Modeling, Texturing, Lighting, Character Modeling, and Environment Design.

Focus your Animation electives on Life Drawing, Storyboarding, Character Rigging, 2D Animation, and 3D Animation.

Focus your Animation electives on the Business side of Animation - Film Finance, Producing, Distribution and Marketing Strategies - along with Story Development and Adaptation.

Catholic Liberal Arts Core

THEOLOGY & PHILOSOPHY

BUSINESS

HUMANITIES

Grow in faith and understanding, with a rich sequence of coursework in Scripture, Theology, and Philosophy.

Prepare yourself for the industry with foundational skills in marketing, management, and entrepreneurial thinking.

Study the human condition by actively engaging in an exploration of art, literature, culture, politics, economics, and more.

What Makes Us Different?

Our Authentically

Catholic Community

 

Our campus is a place where students can grow both professionally and spiritually. We’re a unique community of artists and innovators, centered around our faith in Jesus Christ and the beauty of the Catholic faith. Immerse yourself in an abundance of opportunities for spiritual growth, including Daily Mass, Confession, Adoration, Rosary, Retreats, and Service Projects.

Our Small Campus Environment

 

With a total student body under 300, JPCatholic offers a warm, tight-knit campus community. Foster lifelong friendships, form creative partnerships, and surround yourself with a supportive environment that encourages your growth in both virtue and artistic excellence.

 

Our small classroom sizes offer the chance for one-on-one mentorship from industry professionals who have worked at Pixar, Warner Bros., Disney, and Hanna-Barbera Studios.

Graduate in 3 years

 

Our unique academic model prepares students for the real-world pace of professional life in the industry, with a focus on hands-on projects, internships, and portfolio preparation. The program is structured on a year-round quarter system, and you graduate with your Bachelors Degree in just 12 quarters. Each quarter is 10 weeks long, with about 3 weeks of break between each quarter.

Located in San Diego County

 

John Paul the Great Catholic University is centered in north county San Diego, just a 35-minute drive from downtown in America's Finest City. Southern California is famous for its fantastic weather, beautiful beaches and mountains, and bustling metropolitan areas. Our campus is just 15 miles from the beach, a short trip by car or train. And with Los Angeles and Hollywood within striking distance, students have even more opportunities for internships and networking.

Quarter in LA

 

Fall of junior year, media students have the opportunity to study at a satellite campus in Burbank, located right up the street from the Warner Bros. studio lot. These 10 weeks open up a host of new opportunities for internships, networking, and experiencing life in the entertainment capital of the world.

Meet the Faculty

CHRIS RILEY

Professor of Story

A screenwriter with 20 years of experience, whose first film, After The Truth, an award-winning courtroom thriller written with his wife, Kathleen Riley, sparked international controversy when it was released in Germany.

A veteran of the Warner Bros. script department, Riley is the author of The Hollywood Standard: The Complete and Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style. From 2005 through 2008, he served as director of the acclaimed Act One Writing Program in Hollywood, which trains Christians for careers as writers and executives in film and TV.

JACQUELINE NICOLINI

Professor of Art

Jacqueline provides instruction in Life Drawing, Portrait Drawing and Painting and Anatomy in her San Diego studio and providing instruction with life drawing and anatomy to the in-house animators at Sony Online Entertainment. She has worked as an illustrator for a product manufacturing company whose clientele included such well-known motion-picture studios as Disney, Warner Brothers and Lucas Films. There she applied her talents to designing products related to such films as The Little Mermaid, Hercules, Pocahontas, Winnie the Pooh, and the Star Wars Trilogy.

NATE SARTAIN

Professor of Art and Design

Nate is a 3d artist currently working on Destiny content, with 7+ years experience in the industry. He has worked on six shipped titles with such clients as Bungie/Activision, SyFy, Disney/Pixar and Cartoon Network/D3. (Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare with High Moon Studios/Activision; Defiance with Trion Worlds; Cars Mania- Maters Tall Tales, Ben 10 Ultimate Alien - Cosmic Destruction, and Ben 10 Alien Force-Vilgax Attacks, all with Papaya Studio). Nate specializes in environment and prop art with strong skills in modeling, texturing, lighting, special fx, animation and setup.

MAX HULBURT

Professor of Animation

Max is a JPCatholic alumnus and was one of the first students of the school’s Animation and Game Development programs.

Max worked for CBS Interactive - GameSpot.com, creating motion graphics and animations in addition to live video and graphics production at E3 and ComicCon.

Max works as a 3D artist for 'Junior Giants Foodiecats,'. He specializes in 3D modeling and texturing with additional skills in rigging, lighting, animation, and rendering.

CHRIS RILEY

JACQUELINE NICOLINI

NATE SARTAIN

MAX HULBURT

Professor of Story

Professor of Art

Professor of Art and Design

Professor of Animation

GEORGE CASTRO

Professor of Animation

George is a Senior Cinematic Artist at High Moon Studios since 2006 and has been part of a team that has shipped three titles since then, with more on the way.

He began his career in 2003 working as character animator and pre-viz artist at Sony Cinematics Solutions Group in San Diego. He worked next as a Character Finaler on the movie 'The Barnyard' at Omation Studios.

He seeks to create short films with a positive messages that can express God's will in his life and to share His message of hope and love for all.

COLIN BRADY

Professor of Animation

Colin Brady is a director, creative producer and animation supervisor who has worked at Pixar, Industrial Light and Magic, Imagi Studios, Rhythm and Hues, and Pixomondo.

He has directed animation for Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ang Lee, John Lasseter and Martin Scorsese, and on such films as Everyone's Hero, Astro Boy, TMNT, and Toy Story 2. He supervised scenes for The Hunger Games, Hugo, Green Lantern and Spiderman.

He is the head of story and animation for Light Chaser Studios in Beijing working remotely from his home in Los Angeles.

ERIC VAN HAMERSVELD

Professor of 2D Animation

Eric has worked for over 30 years in the entertainment industry as an animator with Warner Bros., Walt Disney, J. Ward Productions and Hanna-Barbera studios. His credits include: "The Pink Panther"; "Road Runner"; "George of the Jungle"; numerous TV series; and several commercials including "Capt'n Crunch" and "Star Kist-Charlie The Tuna".

Currently, he is an Animator/Animation Director working on children's games and direct-to-videos for Mattel Toys, Fisher-Price Toys, McGraw/Hill Publishers, and many more.

GEORGE CASTRO

COLIN BRADY

ERIC VAN HAMERSVELD

Professor of Animation

Professor of Animation

Professor of 2D Animation

© 2017 John Paul the Great Catholic University

155 W Grand Ave // Escondido, CA 92025

CHRIS RILEY

Professor of Story

A screenwriter with 20 years of experience, whose first film, After The Truth, an award-winning courtroom thriller written with his wife, Kathleen Riley, sparked international controversy when it was released in Germany.

A veteran of the Warner Bros. script department, Riley is the author of The Hollywood Standard: The Complete and Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style. From 2005 through 2008, he served as director of the acclaimed Act One Writing Program in Hollywood, which trains Christians for careers as writers and executives in film and TV.

JACQUELINE NICOLINI

Professor of Art

Jacqueline provides instruction in Life Drawing, Portrait Drawing and Painting and Anatomy in her San Diego studio and providing instruction with life drawing and anatomy to the in-house animators at Sony Online Entertainment. She has worked as an illustrator for a product manufacturing company whose clientele included such well-known motion-picture studios as Disney, Warner Brothers and Lucas Films. There she applied her talents to designing products related to such films as The Little Mermaid, Hercules, Pocahontas, Winnie the Pooh, and the Star Wars Trilogy.

NATE SARTAIN

Professor of Art and Design

Nate is a 3d artist currently working on Destiny content, with 7+ years experience in the industry. He has worked on six shipped titles with such clients as Bungie/Activision, SyFy, Disney/Pixar and Cartoon Network/D3. (Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare with High Moon Studios/Activision; Defiance with Trion Worlds; Cars Mania- Maters Tall Tales, Ben 10 Ultimate Alien - Cosmic Destruction, and Ben 10 Alien Force-Vilgax Attacks, all with Papaya Studio). Nate specializes in environment and prop art with strong skills in modeling, texturing, lighting, special fx, animation and setup.

MAX HULBURT

Professor of Animation

Max is a JPCatholic alumnus and was one of the first students of the school’s Animation and Game Development programs.

Max worked for CBS Interactive - GameSpot.com, creating motion graphics and animations in addition to live video and graphics production at E3 and ComicCon.

Max works as a 3D artist for 'Junior Giants Foodiecats,'. He specializes in 3D modeling and texturing with additional skills in rigging, lighting, animation, and rendering.

GEORGE CASTRO

Professor of Animation

George is a Senior Cinematic Artist at High Moon Studios since 2006 and has been part of a team that has shipped three titles since then, with more on the way.

He began his career in 2003 working as character animator and pre-viz artist at Sony Cinematics Solutions Group in San Diego. He worked next as a Character Finaler on the movie 'The Barnyard' at Omation Studios.

He seeks to create short films with a positive messages that can express God's will in his life and to share His message of hope and love for all.

COLIN BRADY

Professor of Animation

Colin Brady is a director, creative producer and animation supervisor who has worked at Pixar, Industrial Light and Magic, Imagi Studios, Rhythm and Hues, and Pixomondo.

He has directed animation for Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ang Lee, John Lasseter and Martin Scorsese, and on such films as Everyone's Hero, Astro Boy, TMNT, and Toy Story 2. He supervised scenes for The Hunger Games, Hugo, Green Lantern and Spiderman.

He is the head of story and animation for Light Chaser Studios in Beijing working remotely from his home in Los Angeles.

ERIC VAN HAMERSVELD

Professor of 2D Animation

Eric has worked for over 30 years in the entertainment industry as an animator with Warner Bros., Walt Disney, J. Ward Productions and Hanna-Barbera studios. His credits include: "The Pink Panther"; "Road Runner"; "George of the Jungle"; numerous TV series; and several commercials including "Capt'n Crunch" and "Star Kist-Charlie The Tuna".

Currently, he is an Animator/Animation Director working on children's games and direct-to-videos for Mattel Toys, Fisher-Price Toys, McGraw/Hill Publishers, and many more.

CHRIS RILEY

Professor of Story

A screenwriter with 20 years of experience, whose first film, After The Truth, an award-winning courtroom thriller written with his wife, Kathleen Riley, sparked international controversy when it was released in Germany.

A veteran of the Warner Bros. script department, Riley is the author of The Hollywood Standard: The Complete and Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style. From 2005 through 2008, he served as director of the acclaimed Act One Writing Program in Hollywood, which trains Christians for careers as writers and executives in film and TV.

JACQUELINE NICOLINI

Professor of Art

Jacqueline provides instruction in Life Drawing, Portrait Drawing and Painting and Anatomy in her San Diego studio and providing instruction with life drawing and anatomy to the in-house animators at Sony Online Entertainment. She has worked as an illustrator for a product manufacturing company whose clientele included such well-known motion-picture studios as Disney, Warner Brothers and Lucas Films. There she applied her talents to designing products related to such films as The Little Mermaid, Hercules, Pocahontas, Winnie the Pooh, and the Star Wars Trilogy.

NATE SARTAIN

Professor of Art and Design

Nate is a 3d artist currently working on Destiny content, with 7+ years experience in the industry. He has worked on six shipped titles with such clients as Bungie/Activision, SyFy, Disney/Pixar and Cartoon Network/D3. (Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare with High Moon Studios/Activision; Defiance with Trion Worlds; Cars Mania- Maters Tall Tales, Ben 10 Ultimate Alien - Cosmic Destruction, and Ben 10 Alien Force-Vilgax Attacks, all with Papaya Studio). Nate specializes in environment and prop art with strong skills in modeling, texturing, lighting, special fx, animation and setup.

MAX HULBURT

Professor of Animation

Max is a JPCatholic alumnus and was one of the first students of the school’s Animation and Game Development programs.

Max worked for CBS Interactive - GameSpot.com, creating motion graphics and animations in addition to live video and graphics production at E3 and ComicCon.

Max works as a 3D artist for 'Junior Giants Foodiecats,'. He specializes in 3D modeling and texturing with additional skills in rigging, lighting, animation, and rendering.

GEORGE CASTRO

Professor of Animation

George is a Senior Cinematic Artist at High Moon Studios since 2006 and has been part of a team that has shipped three titles since then, with more on the way.

He began his career in 2003 working as character animator and pre-viz artist at Sony Cinematics Solutions Group in San Diego. He worked next as a Character Finaler on the movie 'The Barnyard' at Omation Studios.

He seeks to create short films with a positive messages that can express God's will in his life and to share His message of hope and love for all.

COLIN BRADY

Professor of Animation

Colin Brady is a director, creative producer and animation supervisor who has worked at Pixar, Industrial Light and Magic, Imagi Studios, Rhythm and Hues, and Pixomondo.

He has directed animation for Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ang Lee, John Lasseter and Martin Scorsese, and on such films as Everyone's Hero, Astro Boy, TMNT, and Toy Story 2. He supervised scenes for The Hunger Games, Hugo, Green Lantern and Spiderman.

He is the head of story and animation for Light Chaser Studios in Beijing working remotely from his home in Los Angeles.

ERIC VAN HAMERSVELD

Professor of 2D Animation

Eric has worked for over 30 years in the entertainment industry as an animator with Warner Bros., Walt Disney, J. Ward Productions and Hanna-Barbera studios. His credits include: "The Pink Panther"; "Road Runner"; "George of the Jungle"; numerous TV series; and several commercials including "Capt'n Crunch" and "Star Kist-Charlie The Tuna".

Currently, he is an Animator/Animation Director working on children's games and direct-to-videos for Mattel Toys, Fisher-Price Toys, McGraw/Hill Publishers, and many more.