Film & Media

The Film & Media department houses three distinct programs offering specialized BFA studies in Animation, Film, and Game Art.

FILM PROGRAM

Film at Cornish focuses on the development of the writer-director’s original vision and, at the same time, ensures that students learn the tools they need to express that vision. They learn to write, to light, to direct actors, to move the camera (and why it must sometimes stay still), as well as the way story works in a variety of film forms.

FILM PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the completion of their program of study, graduates are able to:

Make work in different narrative film styles in fiction and non-fiction
Employ the tools and concepts of film language as part of a symbolic system
Synthesize ideas about complexity in film narrative
Closely analyze and explain why and how the component pieces of film scenes and stories are made
Clearly communicate how their work is situated within contemporary filmmaking practices

ANIMATION PROGRAM

Animation provides a path for students to think critically, creatively, and collaboratively, to develop innovative approaches, and to contribute to cultural dialogue through an informed animation practice. The degree provides students with robust training that will prepare them for a career in animation and related time-based media. Forms of instruction include, but are not limited to studio, lab and lecture courses, industry partnerships, private, independent, or small group study, and internships.

PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of their program of study, graduates are able to:

Create high-quality animated projects using a variety of tools and storytelling methods.
Maintain an informed art practice contextualized by cultural and historical investigation.
Interpret ideas for the screen using the visual language of film and animation.
Understand, adapt, and build upon the production workflows used by professionals.
Clearly communicate conceptual and technical ideas in writing, in presentation, and with peers in a collaborative setting.

GAME ART PROGRAM

Game Art provides a dynamic and balanced education for students interested in careers in the game industry or other professional fields engaged in the creation of interactive visual media for entertainment, education, and cultural communication. Students learn how to create game art and develop games informed by a critical understanding of games as cultural media using a variety of aesthetic strategies. Game artists at Cornish learn to work at the intersection of art and design, experiment with game technologies to pursue new expressive goals, and collaborate with other artists to realize game projects.

GAME ART PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of their program of study, graduates are able to:

Create game art projects that support a variety of aesthetic strategies.
Collaborate with diverse artists and designers to realize game projects.
Design innovative game art that reflects a critical understanding of games as cultural media, including the historical, political, and aesthetic aspects of creating game art.
Communicate effectively about game art to professional and public audiences.
Practice technically sound, adaptive workflows and revise artwork in response to project constraints to produce functional game art.
Develop career strategies informed by cultural research and analysis of the contemporary game industry.

FACULTY & STAFF

Charles Poekel Assistant Professor & Department Chair
MFA Godard College
BA St. Lawrence University

Alexandra Barsky Assistant Professor, Program Director (Animation)
MFA School of Visual Arts
BFA School of Visual Arts

Terrence Schenold Assistant Professor, Program Director (Game Art)
PhD University of Washington
MA University of Washington
BA Whittier College

John Bond Instructor

Neely Goniodsky Assistant Professor
MFA Royal College of Arts
BFA Concordia University

Warren Etheredge Instructor

Stefan Gruber Instructor

Simran Jagnik Assistant Professor
MA Parsons School of Design
BA National Institute of Technology Karnataka

Britta Johnson Instructor
BA Carleton College

Rachel Kessler Instructor
BA University of Washington

Lucas Marchi Instructor
BFA Art Center College of Design

Isabella Medina Instructor
BFA

Charles Mudede Instructor
BA Fairhaven College at Western Washington University

Nikki Rice Instructor
MA

Lael Rogers Instructor
BA Seattle University

Jennifer Roth Instructor
MA

Nick Shadel Instructor
MA

Charles Sheaffer Instructor
PhD University of Minnesota
MA University of Minnesota
BA University of Washington

Boya Sun Instructor
BFA

Darcey Zoller Instructor