Collaborative Advanced Virtual Production Certificate of Achievement

The Advanced Virtual Production Certificate of Achievement, presented in collaboration with the Regional Virtual Production Academy (RPVA), is designed to equip students with the essential skills for pursuing entry-level careers in virtual production. Within this program, students will focus on a specific segment of the production pipeline and apply a comprehensive set of skills encompassing film production, computer graphics, visual effects, and game engines within real-time processes. Students are afforded the flexibility to choose courses from participating colleges in order to fulfill the requirements for this certificate. Completion of Virtual Production Fundamental Certificate is recommended for the Advanced Virtual Production Certificate of Achievement or have prior learning/experience.

Core Courses in italics

Specialization: Modeling

Semester 1	RVPA Sections	RVPA Enrollment
Scripting for games / Intro to Blueprinting etc.	2	60
3D Modeling	3	90
Digital Sculpting	2	60
Semester 2
Texturing	2	60
Python	3	90
intermediate/Advanced 3D modeling	2	60
Rigging	2	60
Semester 3
Virtual Production B	2	60
Studio practice (1 unit) or internship (1-3 units) or portfolio (1-4 units)	2	60

Specialization: Animation

Semester 1	RVPA Sections	RVPA Enrollment
Scripting for games / Intro to Blueprinting etc.	2	60
2D Animation	3	90
3D Character animation	3	90
Semester 2
Motion capture / performance animation	2	60
Motion graphics	2	60
Layout & Lighting	2	60
Python	3	90
Semester 3
Virtual Production B	2	60
Studio practice (1 unit) or internship (1-3 units) or portfolio (1-4 units)	2	60

Semester 1	RVPA Sections	RVPA Enrollment
Scripting for games / Intro to Blueprinting etc.	2	60
Video Editing	4	120
Intro to Studio Production	2	60
Semester 2
Intermediate Film	2	60
Python	3	90
Cinematography	2	60
Motion graphics	2	60
Semester 3
Virtual Production B	2	60
Studio practice (1 unit) or internship (1-3 units) or portfolio (1-4 units)	2	60

Annual Completers

In order to estimate the number of students who may benefit from  this regional collaborative program, the project team compiled Fall 2023 enrollments in courses in the VP Fundamentals program. These students are on the pathway to the Advanced VP certificate. Total Fall 2023 enrollment in these courses was 1128 and this is the “low-hanging fruit” because they are more likely to be aware of the pathway to VP credentials.

However, there still remains a significant student population taking related courses.

Our team is estimating that 15% of students enrolled in courses in the 8 related TOP codes are potential RVPA students in the sense that they will be made aware of the career opportunities,  have increased access to courses through our collaborative approach, and take action to move in the direction of a career virtual production. 

Total 2021-2022 enrollments in courses in the Bay region was 16,122. Our project will aim to impact 15% of the students in these categories, at a minimum. This gives us a projected impact on 2418 students.

In total, this project is estimated to positively 3,796 students when the program launches in Spring 2024.. Of these approximately 3800 students, we anticipate 2% will complete a certificate in Virtual Production, which equates to 76 annual completers

Bay Area community colleges are recognizing that virtual production is fast becoming an integral part of film, video, and broadcast pipelines, unlocking new doors for our students studying game design, animation, XR/VR, video, IT, and project integration and management. Digital media career education programs have successful linkages with Bay Area K12 AME academies and curriculum, especially in schools with diverse student populations.

There are over 400 virtual production studio facilities across the globe, and that number is quickly increasing. Like all new technology advancement, the demand for qualified talent is high, while the availability of skilled people is low. This situation is compounded by roles that are constantly being refined and redefined. Except for a camera operator and the actors, nearly every other role in virtual production can be performed remotely, either by someone in another room, across the street, or from anywhere in the world. However, virtual production requires a combination of skills and the studio environments that can be costly. A collaborative program addresses the challenges of limited availability of all of the required curriculum or having the studio environment needed for the capstone courses. The requirement that all courses are available online increases student access to courses with the potential to decrease time to program completion. Collaborative programs increase enrollment because synchronized scheduling enables member colleges to fill their offered courses.

Program Learning Outcomes - Advanced Virtual Production

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to: 

1. Evaluate and apply toolsets virtual production specializations

2. Create a portfolio demonstrating knowledge of real-time production

3. Demonstrate enhanced collaborative skills and the ability to engage in effective teamwork in a production environment

Core Courses (4 courses, 10-13 units)
Virtual Production B / Intermediate Virtual Production
Studio practice (1 unit) or internship (1-3 units) or portfolio (1-4 units)
Scripting for games / Intro to blueprinting etc.
Python
Specialization: Modeling (5 courses, 15 units)
3D Modeling
intermediate/Advanced 3D modeling
Rigging
Texturing
Digital Sculpting
Specialization: Animation (5 courses, 15 units)
2D Animation
3D Character animation
Motion capture / performance animation
Motion graphics
Layout & Lighting
Specialization: Film Production (5 courses, 15 units)
Intermediate film production
Cinematography
Intro to studio production
Motion graphics
Video editing

Collaborative Equivalency Table

Core Courses  (4 courses, 10-13 units)	BCC	DVC	LANEY	MISSION	OHLONE	SRJC
Virtual Production B / Intermediate VP			Media 44B
Scripting for games / Intro to blueprinting etc.	mman41A			GDS 082		CS 42)
Python		COMSC 140		CIS007	CS-142	CS 81.41A
Studio practice (1 unit) or internship (1-3 units) or portfolio (1-4 units)	mman 55A		Media 129, Portfolio		DAID - 160	GD 60 (1.5 units)
Specialization: Modeling (5 courses, 15 units)	BCC	DVC	LANEY	MISSION	OHLONE	SRJC
3D Modeling	mman 21a	ARTDM-161		GDS 039A	DAID 122	APTECH 63
intermediate/Advanced 3D modeling	mman21B				DAID 126
Rigging	mman23
Texturing	mman30				DAID 123
Digital Sculpting					DAID 124
Specialization: Film Production (5 courses, 15 units)
Specialization: Film Production (5 courses, 15 units)	BCC	DVC	LANEY	MISSION	OHLONE	SRJC
Intermediate film production	mm:vi 9C	FTVE 161	Media 120			MEDIA 21
Cinematography (lighting)	mm:vi 9B		Media 139
Intro to studio production		FTVE 120	Media 108			MEDIA 19
Motion graphics	mmart 5a	ARTDM 140	Media 140	GDS 081	DAID 112
Video editing	mm:vi 20a	FTVE  165	Media 138	GDS 074		CS 74.22

Specialization: Animation  (5 courses, 15 units)	BCC	DVC	LANEY	MISSION	OHLONE	SRJC
2D Animation	mman3A	ARTDM 166	Media 140		DAID-115
3D Character animation	mman20b			GDS 043A	DAID 125	APTECH 64
Motion capture / performance animation	mman 24		Media 44D
Motion graphics	mmart5a	ARTDM 140		GDS 081	DAID 112
Layout and lighting	mman22a		Media 44C

The RVPA collaborative welcomes additional qualifying Bay Area colleges to join. An associate degree in virtual production is in development.

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