Start your journey with the experts

Start your
journey with
the experts
academy
academy of
of interactive
interactive entertainment
entertainment
SEATTLE,
WA &
& LAFAYETTE,
Seattle, WA
Lafayette, LA
LA
SYDNEY MELBOURNE CANBERRA ADELAIDE ONLINE
Sydney Melbourne Canberra Adelaide Online
Student work by Alexia Zantides
Learn from the
industry experts
AIE is an education leader, specializing in games,
animation and visual effects. We offer accredited
education that equips you the cutting-edge skills
you need to be a success.
AIE was established as a non-profit educator in 1996. Our mission is to train students for
employment and career opportunities in 3D animation, game development and related fields
through the provision of world class education as well as acting as a catalyst to build these
industries.
As one of the first colleges in the world to offer specialized training for 3D animation and video game
development, our graduates are working in the top studios around the world including Bungie,
Dreamworks Animation, Bioware, Weta Digital and Rockstar, to name a few.
Our teachers are a highly qualified team of industry veterans who’ve built their names creating the
games you’ve played and the movies and film visual effects you’ve watched. It’s this experience
that enables staff to link graduates with real work experiences and opportunities — if you’re
awesome, the industry wants to know about it.
Let our industry success build your industry success.
Front cover:
Student work by Sonia Fornasari
2
 www.aie.edu
Why study at AIE?
At AIE innovation is its own reward, our success
is measured by your success, and experience
counts for everything.
Level up by completing industry-standard projects taught by teachers with hundreds of years of
collective experience making games and films. When you join us, you enter a realm of possibilities
where you learn how to create new worlds, stories, and experiences.
We’ve got the industry connections
AIE is one of the oldest, most experienced educators in the industry and has built strong ties to many
world-famous companies. Our curriculum advisory board members come from such companies as
Valve, Hidden Path, PopCap Games and Epic.
Curriculum focused on industry skills
Our programs are taught in a hands-on, studio-style setting that simulates actual industry
environments. During 1,600 contact hours with AIE faculty, students create show reels, complete
team projects, and learn everything they need to know through a task-based learning system.
Teachers who have “been there and done that”
AIE faculty are experienced industry veterans credited on numerous game and film projects. They
offer invaluable insight into the world of games and film.
We are where the action is
Seattle has long been a hub for the video game industry, home to Microsoft, Bungie, Nintendo, Valve
and many emerging independent game studios. Our Lafayette campus is located in the state-ofthe-art LITE Center, home to both industry and academic institutions, where collaborations and
connections happen every day.
Known around the world
Renowned for the quality of its education and close ties to industry, AIE has been fueling the industry
with highly skilled artists, programmers and designers since 1996. Our alumni are working in the top
studios around the world.
“The strength of the AIE program lies in
its structure which mimics a real studio
setting led by industry professionals
with impressive amounts of experience.
Learning in this atmosphere prepared me
not only to land a job by knowing what
studios are looking for, but to also hit the
ground running and have an impact in the
studio within my first few weeks.”
Patrick Ryan
Technical Artist, Microsoft
4
 www.aie.edu/whyaie
Your Pathway into
Games, 3D and VFX
Demand and opportunity continue to grow for
graduates as the fields of animation, simulation
and 3D design evolve.
3D Animation & VFX for Film
Game Art & Animation
Game Programming
Advanced Diploma of
Screen and Media
Advanced Diploma of
Professional Game Development
Advanced Diploma of
Professional Game Development
Learn advanced animation techniques; concept art and
production planning, lighting, rendering, visual effects,
compositing and post production.
Learn 3D tools to concept, model and animate characters, create
environments, and create art assets for game development
within the context of level and game design.
Learn C++, C# and industry standard game engines, game
libraries and version controls as well as artificial intelligence,
networking, console hardware and managing medium to large
scale software projects.
Career Pathway
Career Pathway
Career Pathway
The interactive game sector has rapidly expanded over the past three years due to the rise of
accessible platforms and technology. The TV and film industry is undergoing the same transition
as the internet brings producers and consumers together.
Today, AIE graduates are just as likely to be found in the world’s top simulation, training and
design visualization companies as they are at the top game, film and VFX studios. A selection of
AIE graduate destinations and the names of some of the movies and games they have helped
develop are listed on page 18.
* Please note that salaries vary
between US states and studios.
Applicants are encouraged to do
their own research into the career
opportunities and salaries in the
locations and industries they wish
to pursue a career in.
6
 www.aie.edu/programs
SPECIALIZING IN 3D ANIMATION & VFX
SPECIALIZING IN GAME ART & ANIMATION
SPECIALIZING IN GAME PROGRAMMING
¡ Character Animator
¡ Modeler
¡ 3D Animation
¡ Technical Artist
¡ Game engine programmer
¡ Environment Modeler
¡ 3D Tracker/Match Mover
¡ Environment Modeler
¡ Character Animator
¡ Physics engine programmer
¡ Artificial intelligence
programmer
¡ Technical Director
¡ Digital/Matte Painter
¡ Texture Artist
¡ Rigger
¡ Graphics engine
¡ Gameplay programmer
¡ Fur/Feathers FX Artist
¡ Surfacing/Texture Painter
¡ UI Design
¡ 2D Artist
¡ Water FX Artist
¡ Level Designer
Attributes
Attributes
¡ Can envisage finished
animation or effect
¡ Can meet challenging
deadlines
¡ Vivid and unique
imagination
¡ Creative problem-solver
¡ V ivid and unique
imagination
programmer
¡ Software engineer
¡ UI programmer
Attributes
¡ Understands player
relationship with visual
elements of game
¡ Technically-oriented
¡ Can think logically and
¡ Always learning
¡ Collaborative
"outside the box"
¡ Collaborative
Salary Trends*
Salary Trends*
Salary Trends*
According to the US Bureau of Labor, Multimedia Artists and
Animators working in the motion picture and video industries
earned an annual average wage of $70,300 in 2015.
www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes271014.htm
Game artists in the U.S. made an average of $74,349 in 2013.
The average salary for game artists with under three years
experience in 2013 was $50,463.
www.gamasutra.com/salarysurvey2014.pdf
Programmers are often the highest-paid in the game industry.
The average U.S. programmer’s salary in 2013 was $93,251. The
average pay for U.S. programmers with less than three years
experience in 2013 was $70,637.
www.gamasutra.com/salarysurvey2014.pdf
 www.aie.edu/3danimation
 www.aie.edu/gameart
 www.aie.edu/gameprog
“The Womps”
student work by
Monika Batchelor, Jemima
Gulliver, Serena Hack and
Stephen O’Callaghan
3D Animation & VFX for Film
Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media
CIP CODE 10.0304
“AIE has proved to be an invaluable
catalyst for my career. The industry
veteran teachers and staff went above
and beyond. I would not be anywhere near
where I am if it wasn't for my AIE family.”
Want to develop photorealistic visual
effects for film, TV or animation for cartoons?
Do you want to develop photorealistic special effects for the cinematic special effects industry, television editing or
animation for cartoons? The two-year, full time Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media, specializing in 3D Animation &
VFX for Film is a practical course, designed by industry experts to give you the best technical training to work as a 3D
artist using industry standard technology.
Vinessa Mayer
Visual Effects Artist, Turn 10 Corporation
Year 1
Students will concept, model and animate characters, design real-time environments, create high detail creatures and
craft a short animated movie. Students develop skills in 3D modeling, Texturing, UVW Unwrapping, Rigging, Animation,
Lighting, Using Cameras, Rendering and Compositing.
Year 2
Students will work in teams which emulate real-world industry workplaces. Skill base will expand to include Advanced
High Polygon Modeling, Lighting, Texturing, Advanced Character Animation, Time and Project Management,
Compositing and Storyboarding.
Major Screen Projects and Showreel
Students are required to complete two major group projects during the second year creating spectacular visual effects
and a short animated film. These projects along with individual projects will supply impressive footage for graduate
showreels.
Portfolio Requirements
We're looking for evidence of your creative ability. If you have explored animation and/or visual effects, provide your
best examples. If you have a strong interest in the area, but do not have previous experience, use your portfolio to
demonstrate your ability to imagine and realize a creative piece of work in media that you are more familiar with. For
more information, follow the link at the bottom of this page.
Software Skills
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Maya — Modeling, rigging, animation rendering
ZBrush — High detail sculpting
Photoshop — Concept art and texturing
After Effects — Compositing and lighting
Nuke — Compositing and match-moving
Adobe Premiere — Video editing
 www.aie.edu/3danimation
"TERMINAL the Janus Conspiracy" by Nathan
Camp, Kat Lynn, Vic Bonilla and David Burns
Student work by Kirk Smith
Game Art & Animation
Advanced Diploma of Professional Game Development
CIP CODE 11.0803
Create 3D environments and characters
for game worlds from your imagination.
Develop your special creativity in modeling, texturing, and animation or level design. You will work with other artists and
programmers to design and create your own unique entertainment experience wielding cutting-edge game technology
used in the industry. The two-year full time Advanced Diploma of Professional Game Development, specializing in Game
Art and Design, has been developed in response to industry needs.
Year 1
Students will concept, model and animate characters, design game levels, create high-detail creatures, build realistic
environments and craft a short animated movie, developing skills in 3D Modeling, Texturing, UV Unwrapping, Rigging,
Animation, Lighting, Using Cameras, Rendering and Compositing.
Year 2
Students polish their 3D skills while working on art assets for game development. All facets of 3D game modeling and
animation are covered including Character Creation, Level Design, Environment Modeling, Game Design, Concept Art,
Animation and Custom Texturing.
Major Game Project
In the last half of the second year, game art and game programming students work together in development teams to
design and produce a playable video game demo. The training environment closely mirrors the real-world production
cycle in an industry development studio, from pitching the game idea to delivering commercial quality artwork and
animation. Students graduate with an extensive showreel of 3D game art.
“AIE provided a curriculum that allowed
me to learn in my own way and at a pace
that was comfortable for me. The course
also allowed me to branch out into more
specific areas that interested me and I
wanted to learn.”
Portfolio Requirements
We're looking for evidence of your creative ability. If you have explored game art and 3D animation, provide your
best examples. If you have a strong interest in the area, but do not have previous experience, use your portfolio to
demonstrate your ability to imagine and realize a creative piece of work in media that you are more familiar with. For
more information, follow the link at the bottom of this page.
Software Skills
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Maya — Modeling, rigging, animation & rendering
ZBrush — High detail sculpting
Photoshop — Concept art and texturing
Unreal Engine — Game level design
Unity — Game design and prototyping
10
Emma Koch
Game Artist, Halfbrick
 www.aie.edu/gameart
Student work by
Perry Zielonka
Game Programming
Advanced Diploma of Professional Game Development
CIP CODE 11.0804
Drive the development process and
be the creative engineer of the game.
Game programmers write the code that brings games to life. They may design the overall framework for a game, or
create the artificial intelligence programs to power characters in the game and make them react and respond to other
characters. They test to see how games are working and make necessary corrections. The two-year, full time Advanced
Diploma of Professional Game Development specializing in Game Programming, has been developed in response to
industry needs.
Year 1
The first year is a foundation year. The course takes students through languages and technologies used heavily by the
gaming industry, including C++, C#, OpenGL, game libraries and version control as well as developing math, problem
solving and practical programming proficiency.
Year 2
The second year builds on the students’ core language skills with more advanced techniques and development using
industry standard game engines. Students focus on polishing their skills in all aspects of C++ programming before
focusing on specialized areas and develop on multiple platforms. By the end of the second year, students will have
experience in 3D Graphics, Artificial Intelligence, Networking, Physics and Collision, Console Hardware, Profiling and
Project Management
Major Game Project
“Game development for many graduates
is just a pipe dream. The AIE provided
me with the skills and knowledge to
realise that dream. With such close ties to
industry, the AIE provided students with
not only the best training but also a foot
in the door to network directly with game
companies to help land that elusive job.”
In the last half of year 2, game art and game programming students work together in development teams to design
and produce playable video game demos. The training environment closely mirrors the real world production cycle as
it would occur in an industry studio, covering the entire process from pitching and evaluating technical requirements,
managing workload, meeting deadlines, bug-fixing and QA testing.
Portfolio Requirements
Portfolios should include actual code samples as well as compiled working applications. Good grades in math,
physics, information technology, and other computer-related classes are useful indicators of an aptitude to learn how
to program and may be used in lieu of a portfolio for individuals with no previous experience. For more information,
follow the link at the bottom of this page.
Software Skills
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Visual Studio — Programming in C++ and C#
Open GL — Graphics development
Unity — Game Design and Prototyping
GITHUB — Collaboration and version control
12
"Necroman" student work by Joel Gordon,
Brendan Sullivan and Taighe Warner-Hunt
 www.aie.edu/gameprog
Thomas Johnstone
Game Programmer on GTAIV,
Midnight Club: LA, MotorStorm
Summer Camps
Not quite entering college yet, but want to get your
feet wet in programming or animation? Join us for
our Summer Camps!
›› High School level introductory courses in programming and animation
›› Offered in both Seattle and Lafayette
›› Week-long day camps — multiple sessions throughout the summer
›› Take your completed game or animation home with you at the end of the week
Check out some of the camps previously offered by AIE below. Please contact the appropriate
campus to learn more about our current offerings.
2D Animation
Level 1 Programming
›› Foundation skills in traditional animation
›› Create a hand-drawn animated walk cycle
›› Transfer your creation onto a computer
and animate with Toon Boom Studio
›› Foundation skills in C# programming language
›› Create a playable game
›› Learn the basics of the game engine software Unity
3D Animation Level 1
›› Foundation skills in 3D computer animation
›› Create facial expressions and poses for your
own character
›› Computer animate a walk cycle with the program Maya
3D Animation Level 2
›› Learn advanced modeling techniques using Zbrush
›› Use projection painting and texturing to build
high detail sculpts
›› Learn basic rigging skills
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Level 2 Programming
›› Advanced C# programming language
›› Create a multi-level game
›› More tips and tricks in Unity
Game Level Design
›› Introduction to the Unity Game engine
›› Build your own video game level
›› No programming experience required
These are examples of camps, please check our website
for availability, dates and locations.
 www.aie.edu/camps
Student work by Tom Spratt, Mathew
Korver, Parisa Nafis, Alex Short
Student work by Lauren Wakley
AIE Campuses
Founded in 1996, AIE has grown to two campuses
in the United States and four in Australia.
Lafayette
Founded in 1996, AIE continues to grow in line with industry demands. AIE has campuses located in
Australia, the United States as well as an online campus.
AIE campuses are centrally located in their respective cities, all with state of the art facilities,
including; hardware, software and everything students need to become successful in the industry.
Seattle
AIE Seattle and AIE Lafayette are accredited by the
Commission of the Council on Occupational Education.
Council on Occupational Education, 7840 Roswell Road,
Building 300, Suite 325, Atlanta, GA 30350, Telephone:
770-396-3898 Fax: 770-396-3790, www.council.org
Our Seattle, WA campus is located in the
Seattle Center Armory — right next to the iconic
Space Needle. One of the fastest growing
hubs of the video game industry, Seattle is
home to over 300 game companies of all sizes,
like Valve, Nintendo, Bungie, Microsoft Game
Studios, PopCap Games, Harebrained Schemes,
and Hidden Path Entertainment, not to mention
numerous emerging independent game studios.
The Seattle campus hosts a weekly Industry Speakers series, a
monthly Art Group (TAG), an annual indie games Festival (iFEST) and
Global Game Jam. These events and meetings of the local chapter
of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) are all
opportunities for students to network with members of the local game
community which can lead to internships and jobs.
With input from our local industry Advisory Committee, AIE offers
exciting courses in 3D Animation and Visual Effects (VFX), Game Art and
Game Programming taught in studio style with emphasis on hands-on
practice with industry standard technology and software.
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 www.aie.edu/seattle
 www.aie.edu/lafayette
AIE’s Lafayette campus is located in the state-ofthe-art LITE(Louisiana Immersive Technologies
Enterprise) Center, home to both digital and
technology based industries and academic
institutions, where collaborations and connections
are made every day. Lafayette, considered to
be the center of Cajun and Creole culture in the
United States, is also rapidly becoming home to
an array of video game development studios as
well as software development and visual effects
companies.
AIE Lafayette’s partnership with the Opportunity Machine (OM) and the
Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA) gives us the tools and
resources needed in order to train students efficiently and effectively in
a production studio environment.
The city of Lafayette has officially been named the “Happiest City in
the U.S.” and is one of the fastest growing mid-size cities in the country.
Lafayette hosts a range of technology-industry events including
INNOV8 Lafayette, ArtCade, Global Game Jam and Cajun Code Fest which,
combined with the growth in local technology companies, has given the
region the name “Silicon Bayou”.
AIE’s mission is to be the catalyst in Lafayette’s interactive digital media
industry and is proud to be a part of a growing center of technology, arts,
music, food and culture!
Where can AIE take you?
You could join AIE graduates at the top studios in
United States and around the world.
Games
Films
Studios
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Destiny
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
L.A. Noire
Dead Space
Dragon Age
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Jetpack Joyride
Fruit Ninja
Bioshock 1 & 2
Bioshock: Infinite
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto Online
World of Tanks
Fallout Tactics:
Brotherhood of Steel
Shadowrun Returns
Tribes: Vengeance
Guitar Hero
de Blob
Brink
Ski Safari
Puzzle Quest
Neopets
Battlefield
The Legend of Spyro
Call of Duty
Batman: Arkham Origins
Flick Kick
Need for Speed
Dirty Bomb
Armello
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Mad Max: Fury Road
Avatar
300
Terminator: Salvation
Harry Potter
Happy Feet
Lord of the Rings
The Hobbit
Iron Man
X-Men
The Wolverine
The Avengers
Man of Steel
The Hunger Games
Enchanted
The Great Gatsby
Divergent
The Lego Movie
Guardians of the Galaxy
Happy Feet 2
Gravity
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2
SpongeBob SquarePants
Captain America
Planet of the Apes
Walking with Dinosaurs
Ted
Insurgent
Divergent
Ant-Man
Unbroken
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Industrial Light & Magic
Epic Games
Bungie
Konami
Animal Logic
UbiSoft
Visceral Games
BioWare
Weta Digital
BigWorld
Hare Brained Schemes
Sony Computer
Entertainment Europe
Flat Earth Games
Deep Fried Entertainment
Jim Henson Creature Shop
LucasArts
Micro Forté
EIDOS
Dreamworks
Splash Damage
Rockstar Games
NINJA THEORY
Autodesk
EA Games
Halfbrick
Big Ant
Riot Games
Blow Fish
Wargaming
NaturalMotion
 www.aie.edu/graduates
AIE's Mission Statement
AIE trains students for employment and career
opportunities in 3D animation, game development
and related fields through the provision of world
class education as well as acting as a catalyst to
build these industries.
 www.aie.edu/mission
Non-discrimination Policy
The Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) is committed to an inclusive and welcoming
environment for students, employees, and visitors. As such, AIE does not discriminate in
administration of its educational policies, admissions, policies, scholarships, loans and any other
programs or activities administered by AIE based on, but not limited to, the following: class,
sex, gender identification/expression, sexual identification, nation, religion, race, color, creed,
ethnic origin, veteran/military status, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability,
education, age, domestic/marital status, and any other perceived differences. AIE encourages
individuals from all backgrounds to be themselves and feel welcome at our campuses and at
AIE sponsored events.
 www.aie.edu/ndp
20
“New Ground” by Daniel Nees,
Kirk Smith and Romiga Graham
Application Process
FAQ
Do you have scholarships?
1
Apply online
Submit an Application Packet to the campus
of your choice (online, mail or in-person).
›› AIE application forms are at www.aie.edu/apply
›› High school diploma OR GED certificate OR college
diploma — current High School Seniors provide latest
transcript
›› 250 word personal statement: What draws you to
Game Programming, Game Art or VFX as a career?
What have you already accomplished? What do you
hope to do in the industry?
Yes! Please check www.aie.edu/scholarships for more information.
Is AIE accredited?
Yes! The Seattle and Lafayette campuses are accredited .
Academy of Interactive Entertainment is accredited by the Commission of
the Council on Occupational Education. Council on Occupational Education,
7840 Roswell Road, Building 300, Suite 325, Atlanta, GA 30350, Telephone:
770-396-3898 / FAX: 770-396-3790, www.council.org.
Do you accept FAFSA?
2
We will arrange an interview
We will contact you to schedule an interview
at a time that suits you. Interviews can be in
person or over Skype.
AIE admission interviews are relaxed and informal.
This is your chance to ask questions and demonstrate
your interest, enthusiasm and potential to complete
the program to a high standard. You’ll also have the
opportunity to tour the campus and see our students in
action.
Common questions discussed in the interview relate to
teamwork, educational history, what you want to gain
from the program and your long-term career aspirations.
During the interview you’ll also need to show examples for
your work from your portfolio. We will assess which level
of the course would best suit you and let you know if you
need to submit further materials.
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3
Interview
4
Accepted!
Yes! Our Federal School code for the Seattle campus is: 042236.
AIE Lafayette’s school code for FAFSA is 042484.
Still have more questions?
Visit our full FAQ at www.aie.edu/faq or contact us using the details on
the back cover of this viewbook.
 www.aie.edu/faq
Tuition Fees
The tuition fee per year for the Advanced Diploma programs is:
›› $17,500 for 2016-2017; and
›› $18,000 for 2017-2018.
Come in for your interview and show us your
portfolio of art or programming work.
Please note:
›› Financial aid is available for eligible students.
›› Students may be eligible for a payment plan, which allows tuition to be
paid via installments. Contact us for more information.
›› AIE's enrollment fee of $100 is applied towards the tuition.
After your interview, we’ll let you know if
you are accepted, and send enrollment
materials.
 www.aie.edu/fees
 www.aie.edu/apply
Back Cover:
Student work by Damien Lam
Seattle
Lafayette
305 Harrison Street, Suite 405
Seattle, WA 98109
537 Cajundome Boulevard, Suite 211
Lafayette, LA 70506
 (206) 428 6350
 (206) 428 6354
 seattle@aie.edu
 (337) 456 1848
 (337) 232 0790
 lafayette@aie.edu
 AIEUSA
 AIE_USA
 AIEedu

www.aie.edu
academy of interactive entertainment
24
SEATTLE LAFAYETTE SYDNEY MELBOURNE CANBERRA ADELAIDE ONLINE
All information correct at time of printing, 14 April 2016