Inspired by one of the most inventive and prolific Disney artists and Imagineers, the John C. Hench Division of Animation + Digital Arts embraces diversity of genre, topics, culture and animation approaches. The program focuses on creative collaboration and critical thinking and attracts top students from around the world who aspire to be the next generation of filmmakers and storytellers. Here, you will learn the many facets of the art, from hand-drawn and stop-motion animation to digital design and effects. You can take courses in character animation, performance capture, projection mapping, motion graphics, virtual reality, visual effects, research, and more.

The faculty admissions committee reviews applications for originality, clarity, personal insight, artistic excellence and collaborative spirit. Considerable importance is placed on the Cinematic Arts Portfolio, Personal Statement, responses to all application questions and letters of recommendation. There are no admission interviews. By limiting the evaluation to the items listed, the committee ensures that all applicants are judged by the same criteria.

*Note: The undergraduate Animation + Digital Arts program is a four-year sequential program of study. Thus, transfer students will be required to study at USC for four years to complete program.

Access the Animation + Digital Arts B.F.A Program - Current USC Transfer SlideRoom Application here.

  1. Cinematic Arts Personal Statement (Must be uploaded in PDF format only)

    The Cinematic Arts Personal Statement should reflect your individuality and explain why you would like to study Animation + Digital Arts at USC. The faculty admissions committee will review this statement as a measure of your creativity, intelligence, self-awareness, determination and vision. We are looking for a sense of you as a unique individual and how your distinctive experiences, identities, values, and/or views of the world have shaped who you are. The statement should be a page and a half, and it should give the committee a sense of your long-term goals and artistic ambitions.

  2. Portfolio (Upload in Portfolio section)

    The Portfolio may consist of Still Images (10-15 pieces) and/or Moving Image Files.

    • Life drawing or painting examples
    • 2D/3D digital artwork and/or animation
    • Integrated live action/animation
    • Motion graphics work
    • Or any other samples that represent the applicant's aesthetic sense and capabilities.

    STILLS

    • All stills must be uploaded as JPG files at 2k resolution.
    • Please ensure that individual images are uploaded at full screen size within SlideRoom and not displayed as a tiny collection of images which are difficult to zoom in and review.
    • For sketches, please select your best ones and upload them as stills.

    MOVING IMAGES

    • All moving images should be in MP4 file format limited to 10 Mbps. H.264 compression is preferred to stream properly for our review.
    • Please upload all video content and not embed any links that require reviewing outside of SlideRoom.
    • They should be uploaded as individual files not to exceed a total of 15 minutes of material. Please do not upload one single large file.

    For any joint projects, please specify your role in the production. AI may be used as reference or inspiration for your work but we do not accept AI-generated art as your own original work as it is deemed derivative of other works whose originators may not have granted permission for its use.