Go here to review the Fall Greenlight Pitch Criteria

Welcome to the Senior Thesis Exploration Page! This is an experiment on stirring up ideas, concepts and potential partners for your upcoming senior thesis year. Think of this as somewhere between a Pictionary game with some really talented friends and participating on The Great British Bake-off show. The theory we're working with is this; the sooner we set aside space to explore ideas, consider projects, and audition potential partners, the more likely we will have strong Thesis Projects going into the Fall.

Over the course of fall and spring Junior Studio semesters we will be setting aside regular times from your production duties to explore potential ideas, projects and partners. For the fall, keep things loose and playful. . . and stay open to see what possibilities emerge. As we move into the spring semester, ideas will become more concrete, projects and/or technical strategies may emerge, and your assigned partners may gel into thesis production teams. Any or all of these can be presented at the end of Junior Studio II as a "Soft Pitch" for your Spring Semester Final Exam. Ideas that don't mature fully into actual Thesis Projects might turn out to be great candidates for a Personal Research Project.

FALL SEMESTER: The goal here is to stumble across interesting possibilities for potential Thesis and Personal Personal Research projects. Exactly where they lead us is a question we can deal with in the spring semester. There will be at least two this semester so if you're feeling too stressed by your assignment load (or by life in general) you may want to sit one prompt out.

1. Stay Curious, Open, and Keep things Playful. Bring in simple sketches, character designs, early storyboards, etc.. Anything that might spark into a larger project or an area for further exploration.

 

2. Stay Positive and Take Risks. The best part of "blue sky" exploration is that it doesn't have a predetermined result. This means suspending judgment in the short term to see where the craziest ideas may lead.

 

3. Not everyone will be author a Project and that's OK. By definition, launching team-based thesis projects means that we're going to need some strong supporting roles. Don't be so caught up in your own ideas that you miss what someone else brings to the pitch. You may find that supporting roles are really your thing!

 

 

SPRING SEMESTER: Exploration during the spring semester means concepts and ideas should start to gel into cohesive teams and projects. For those passionate about moving their projects forward, this will mean dedicating time for preliminary research, and even recruiting potential partners.

Mid-Semester Pizza Pitch: The first spring pitch will take mid-semester, once the Jr. projects are well under way. This pitch will primarily be dedicated to identifying a handful of projects with potential to grow into a Thesis Project, and which projects are best suited towards a Personal Research Project.

 

End of Semester Soft Pitch/Final Exam: One week before the end of the spring semester, we'll wrap up the Junior Productions leaving time to prepare for the End of Semester Soft Pitch which will be your Final Exam for 422. Click on the link for details on what you should be presenting.

 

 

 

SENIOR THESIS YEAR GOAL

"To graduate with a comprehensive project and a professional portfolio that best reflects your areas of artistic interest and professional expertise."

THESIS PROJECT vs. PERSONAL RESEARCH PROJECT

Over the course of your senior year each of you will participate in two projects.  A comprehensive "Thesis Project" will be the central focus of your senior year, while a smaller "Personal Research Project"  will be included as break from production duties, and ideally an opportunity to rejuvenate creativity and bring some diversity to your portfolio.

The content and form of these projects should reflect each animator's proven track record and personal interests.

 

A. THESIS PROJECT

Thesis Projects are designed to create showcase-worthy animation at a near-professional level.  They must be a comprehensive work of art with potential for festival entry, gallery exhibition or pitch competitions. 

The Fall Semester "Green-light" Process is designed to support concepts that show particular artistic merit, reasonable production challenges, and a clear path towards completion.  These projects will function in a studio-like environment with students fully dedicated to the project.

A successful pitch for Thesis Projects must clearly address the following concerns:

1. Visually Interesting: How does your project reflect the artistic skills you have developed in the Animation Program and how will they be showcased in the final outcome?

2. Conceptually Engaging: What's unique about your particular project, what are the questions lying just beneath the surface? . . . and why should we dedicate valuable resources toward its completion?

3. Ultimately Achievable: What are the challenges your forsee in the execution of your project? Does your pitch reflect a clear understanding of them? and have you addressed how you (and your partners) will meet them?

All Animation Seniors will be required to have direct involvement in a Thesis Project performing as a principle, or supporting artist/animator.  We encourage students to work in small teams to maximize man-hours and creative potential, however, in some instances solo Thesis Projects may be considered.  Typically team sizes can range from two partners to teams of four animators. Three animators is kind of a sweet spot. 

Thesis Projects will primarily surface as animated productions executed in a variety of media.  Other forms of visual story such as; interactive game play, or kinetic sculpture may be accepted provided a case is made for their potential success. We are open to see what the future holds as technology and student interest continue to expand our options. 

Thesis Options to-date Have Included:

• Animated short film (1-3 minutes)
• Animated series pitch with short short teaser/pilot (1 minute or less)
• Video Game (1-2 Levels)
• Music video (1-3 minutes).

 

B. PERSONAL RESEARCH PROJECT

The Personal Research Project is designed for students to explore a single area of interest unencumbered by production pipelines and group dynamics. 

This project may be tailored towards filling out a professional portfolio, creating a low-budget micro-short, or developing a web comic. For some, the option of freelancing on an existing Thesis Project may sound attractive.

The following options are examples of acceptable Research Projects:

Focused Portfolio Building & Freelance Opportunities: 3D Character Modeling, 2D Character Animation, Character Design, 2D Character Rigging, 3D effects, Color Scripting, Background Painting, Storyboarding, etc.

Creative Research: Structured exploration in traditional media, Kinetic sculpture/Zoetrope construction, Animatic, Design Workbook, Web comic, Simple Game dynamics, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. MID-SPRING SEMESTER PIZZA PITCH

This will be the last Pizza Pitch before your one-week of prep for the End of Semester Soft Pitch/Final Exam. Do you best to make these pitch as concrete as possible with getting lost in the details.

Here are some suggestions on what to bring:

1. Narrow down your options ahead of time - Bring no more than two options.

• A Thesis Pitch option if you have one.
• One option that would work as a Personal Research Project.

2. Keep things Concise - We don't have a lot of time so please keep each pitch under 5 minutes. We can unpack the details in Q & A if needed.

3. Write down your thoughts - Working Title, a brief project description, artistic or technical goals, production partners, potential challenges.

4. Visuals are extremely helpful - Character sketches, Story beats, Inspiration from existing artwork, and even examples of previous work.

5. Presentation - Organize your thoughts ahead of time and then sequence your materials in a way that you're comfortable with.

• Begin with your Thesis option (if you have one)
• At this point, sequential .jpg images and movie files presented via Adobe Bridge will give you the most flexibility.
• Finish with Research proposals.

Above all . . . relax. The Pizza Pitch is designed to be a collaborative discussion exploring the best possible options for your coming year.

 

4. SOFT PITCH - SPRING SEMESTER EXAM (under construction)

 

This opportunity is for animators to present proposals and seek advice as to how best proceed over the summer in preparation for their senior thesis year. While we recognize that plans may definitely change over the course of the summer, the Soft Pitch is your chance to present a concrete project, and to solicit preliminary feedback on your Senior Thesis and Research Project plans.

The Soft Pitches will be structured around Thesis projects with time set aside to briefly address Personal Research. We have set aside 20 minutes to listen to your thoughts, view your materials, and discuss your options. Please come ready to discuss both your Sr. Thesis and Research Project. The more concrete your proposals are the more we can help to shape a strategy to move them towards a successful pitch during the summer months.

Here are some suggestions on what to bring:

Narrow down your options ahead of time - Bring no more than two options. A Thesis Pitch option if you have one and an option that would work as a Personal Research Project.

Write down your thoughts - Working Title, a brief project description, artistic or technical goals, production partners, potential challenges.

Visuals are extremely helpful - Character sketches, Story beats, Inspiration from existing artwork, and even examples of previous work.

Presentation - Organize your thoughts ahead of time and then sequence your materials in a way that you're comfortable with. Begin with your you're most promising Thesis option (if you have more than one) and finish with Research proposals. PowerPoint or PDF files are easiest to navigate. If possible, avoid digging around in folders on OneDrive.

 

Above all . . . relax. The Soft Pitch is designed to be a collaborative discussion exploring the best possible options for your coming year. Nothing is binding. No grades will be levied.

 

See you at the pitch!

 

Stephan Leeper/Central Michigan University 2025