An intimate school nestled beside one of England's most beautiful beaches is no doubt a popular choice of many young scholars. Add to that an impeccable reputation, famous alumni, and state-of-the-art facilities and it's easy to see why The Arts Institute at Bournemouth is attracting top creative talent from around the world. When it comes to teaching art, design, and media, the Institute takes a handson approach, offering students the very best in resources and tools.

"We pride ourselves on being a community of makers and doers," says Liam Scanlan, Director of the School of Media at the Institute. "We are reflective practitioners where theoretical studies underpin our practice rather than pre-empting or displacing it."

This hands-on approach requires tools that are up to the job, such as Autodesk® Maya® and Autodesk® 3ds Max® software applications. For years, the Institute's esteemed lecturers have been teaching the fundamentals of computer graphics using these two industry-leading solutions.

"Autodesk is the way forward," says Scanlan. "Their solutions are the most configurable and the most powerful out there."

Currently, Maya and 3ds Max are used in the following courses at the Institute: BA (Hons) Animation Production, BA (Hons) Film Production, BA (Hons) Model-Making for Design and Media, FdA Interactive Media, and FdA Interior Architecture and Design.

The Arts Institute at Bournemouth has not always had to concern itself with leading-edge technology in order to foster the creative talent of its charges. Having been around since the late nineteenth century, the Institute built its reputation with a focus on creating exceptional art. And art for art's sake is not something on which the Institute is willing to compromise as the world around it becomes more automated and high tech. "We chose Autodesk solutions because they allow us to keep the focus on teaching the arts, film, and animation," says Scanlan. "The software never gets in the way of creativity." The growing list of award-winning, talented alumni confirms that the Institute knows what it's doing. The first drafts of the script for the immensely successful film The Full Monty was written by former student Simon Beaufoy on the Institute's very own campus. And film directors Sara Sugarman and Suri Krishnamma are other prominent graduates who've gone on to achieve great success.

With this solid foundation, the Institute is able to take its methodologies and training to the next generation of artists. Most of the students at the Institute are 18 years old or older, working toward a degree, but the Institute also offers weekend classes for children as young as eight as well as post-graduate courses. Everyone benefits from the school's commitment to excellent teaching and its high-tech Autodesk environment.

"Learning Maya was very important to me because the companies I want to work for are using it," says Ashley Boddy, a Level 3 BA (Hons) Animation Production student. "Having this main tool of the industry on my C.V. is very important to me."

Another student, Paul Han, is a Level 1 BA (Hons) Animation Production student and a secondgeneration Maya user. He already knew Maya coming into the program and was ready to take his knowledge to the next level. "I was looking forward to applying my skills and getting myself up to a professional level," says Han.

The students at the Institute continue to take the professional world by storm, with many landing positions at leading companies such as Cosgrove Hall Films, Aardman Animations, ILM, Electronic Arts, and Framestore CFC.

A school as mature and reputable as The Arts Institute at Bournemouth could easily rest on its laurels, benefiting from its past successes and solid reputation. But nothing could be further from the truth. The staff and students are always pushing the boundaries and staying on top of technology and innovation.

"More integration and more expansion, that's what's on our horizon," says Scanlan. "In the next few years we'll go totally digital in terms of post-production." They are also looking at adding more courses and degrees, including Masters programs in animation, direction, cinematography, and production (all subject to validation). Staying true to the tools that have helped bring them to where they are today is definitely part of their overall plan, and talks are already in the works to integrate Autodesk® MotionBuilder® software into their curriculum.

"We see Autodesk solutions being key to our future development as one of Britain's leading specialist institutions for arts, design, and media," concludes Scanlan.