Vanessa Sweet
Assistant Professor
School of Film and Animation
College of Art and Design
907-538-8158
Office Location
Vanessa Sweet
Assistant Professor
School of Film and Animation
College of Art and Design
Education
BFA, University of the Arts; MFA, California Institute of the Arts
Bio
Vanessa Sweet is an artist, illustrator, and animation filmmaker. She has created work for such clients as Fandango, Hallmark, the BBC, and more. Vanessa's independent work highlights social, environmental, and woman issues via the use of 2D animation. In 2017 she won the Rasmuson Individual Artist Grant for her film Wild Woman; screened in over 50 festivals across the globe and won numerous awards, including the 2020 Gold Award in Animation at the UFVA Conference. In 2021 she was a fellow of the Constance Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts in Ithaca, NY. Vanessa is a graduate of the University of the Arts and California Institute of the Arts. She teaches in the School of Film and Animation at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).
907-538-8158
Areas of Expertise
Animation
2D Animation
Select Scholarship
Shows/Exhibits/Installations
Sweet, Vanessa. Amplifying Feedback Loop. 21 Jul. 2023. 2023 University Film/Video Association Conference. Georgia Southern University, Savannah, GA. Exhibit.
Sweet, Vanessa. Amplifying Feedback Loop. 21 Oct. 2023. Honolulu Museum of Art, Honolulu, HI. Exhibit.
Sweet, Vanessa. Amplifying Feedback Loop. 9 Nov. 2023. Chicago International Children's Film Festival, Chicago, IL. Exhibit.
Sweet, Vanessa. Amplifying Feedback Loop. 7 Nov. 2023. Big Apple Film Festival, New York, New York. Exhibit.
Sweet, Vanessa. Amplifying Feedback Loop. 26 Oct. 2023. Animae Caribe International Animation & Digital Media Festival, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Exhibit.
Sweet, Vanessa. Amplifying Feedback Loop. Oct. 2023. Green Film Festival San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. Exhibit.
Sweet, Vanessa. Amplifying Feedback Loop. Oct. 2023. SF Indie Shorts Fest, San Francisco, CA. Exhibit.
Sweet, Vanessa. Amplifying Feedback Loop. 20 Nov. 2023. Waterford International Film Festival, Waterford, Ireland. Exhibit.
Sweet, Vanessa. Amplifying Feedback Loop: Works in Progress Screening. 20 Sep. 2022. RIT City Art Space, Rochester, NY. Exhibit.
Sweet, Vanessa, Nina J. Ross, and Meg Bartlett. Bridging the Gap. 8 Mar. 2021. BBC 4- Online, London. Exhibit.
Sweet, Vanessa. Wild Woman. 4 Feb. 2021. MANIPULATE Puppet Scotland Film Festival, Edinboro, Scotland. Exhibit.
Sweet, Vanessa. Wild Woman. 18 Sep. 2021. Breck Film Festival, Breckenridge, CO. Exhibit.
Sweet, Vanessa, Nina J. Ross, and Meg Bartlett. Bridging the Gap. 5 Nov. 2021. REEL Recovery Short Film Festival, Studio City, CA. Exhibit.
Sweet, Vanessa, Nina J. Ross, and Meg Bartlett. Bridging the Gap. 2 Nov. 2021. Aesthetica Short Film Festival, York, UK. Exhibit.
Sweet, Vanessa. Wild Woman. 25 Oct. 2020. Milwaukee Film Festival (MFF), Milwauwkee, WI. Exhibit.
Invited Keynote/Presentation
Sweet, Vanessa. "Ungrading: Making the Leap." 2023 University Film/Video Association Conference. Georgia Southern University,. Savannah, Georgia. 20 Jul. 2022. Conference Presentation.
Sweet, Vanessa. "Advocacy in Animation." CAPA Conference 2023: Mountains High, Valleys Deep. Griffith University. Brisbane, Australia. 22 Sep. 2023. Conference Presentation.
Sweet, Vanessa. "Animated Amplification of Advocacy." a2ru 2022 National Conference: Exploring Artistic Research. University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, Michigan. 3 Nov. 2022. Conference Presentation.
Sweet, Vanessa. "Design/Tech/Management presents:." Storyboarding Masterclass. University of Wisconsin. Online, due to COVID-19. 3 May 2021. Guest Lecture.
Sweet, Vanessa. "School of Design presents." Guest Animator- Vanessa Sweet. South Dakota State University. Online- Brookings, SD. 22 Mar. 2021. Guest Lecture.
National/International Competition Award Winner
Sweet, Vanessa. University Film/Video Association (UFVA). Gold Award for Animation- WILD WOMAN. Online, due to COVID-19, 2020.
Currently Teaching
SOFA-108
Drawing For Animation
3 Credits
This course focuses on the mechanics of motion as applied to animated characters, both human and non-human. Working directly from a live model, costumed and nude, and also employing visualization techniques, students will apply figure-drawing skills along with gesture drawing, focusing on the correct representation of weight, energy and force in sequential poses. Specific attention is paid to improving drawing skills in order to create stronger storytelling poses for animated properties. A variety of drawn animation examples will be screened in class.
SOFA-224
2D Digital Animation
3 Credits
This course will introduce students to two-dimensional computer animation, adapting traditional techniques to the digital production environment. Students will learn how to use specialized 2D animation software to produce short exercises adapted from traditional animation techniques. Students should be able to apply 2D digital animation tools into their own work.
SOFA-323
2D Animation II: Performance
3 Credits
This course will focus on the continued development of students’ skills in the two-dimension animation medium, using computer software. As an intermediate course, students will build on the skills they accrued as well as learn new, advanced techniques. A variety of examples of 2D computer animation will be screened in class.
SOFA-412
Animation Capstone II
4 Credits
This course will lead students toward the completion of their capstone. Students will take part in weekly critiques to present their work and discuss the work of their classmates. At the completion of this course, students will complete their capstone and take part in a public screening of their finished work.
SOFA-599
SOFA Independent Study
1 - 6 Credits
SOFA Independent Study will provide students with the ability to study in a specialized area with an individual faculty member. Students, with the assistance of a faculty adviser, should propose a course of study or project with clearly defined deliverables. Students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Permission Form to enroll. Student must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to apply.
SOFA-603
2D Animation I: Fundamentals
3 Credits
This course will introduce graduate students to the concepts and mechanics of movement for animation, focusing on, but not limited to, character based movement. Animation principles and theories on movement and acting will be introduced and applied using hand-drawn methods, which will serve as the foundation for their application in any desired medium. Various styles of animation timing will be examined and students will have the opportunity to develop their own sense of timing and movement. Multi-week exercises will be recorded using standard animation software, and will be reviewed, discussed and open to group critique.
SOFA-604
2D Animation II: Mechanics
3 Credits
This course will build on information gained from foundation animation courses. Multi-week assignments will allow students to fully grasp the production process involved in hand-drawn animation and develop an understanding of different parameters commonly found in animated films, including but not limited to character interaction, emotion and animal movement. Students will have the opportunity to explore various approaches to timing, movement, acting and characterization. Character design and solid drawing skills are highly recommended.
SOFA-790
Research and Thesis I
4 Credits
This is the first of two courses designed to advance a student towards completion of their thesis. Students will work independently on their approved plan of work for their thesis while meeting on a regular basis with their committee chair. They are required to meet at least twice with their full committee during the semester.
SOFA-799
Film and Animation Graduate Independent Study
1 - 4 Credits
Film and Animation Graduate Independent Study will provide students with the ability to study in a specialized area with an individual faculty member. Students, with the assistance of a faculty adviser, should propose a course of study or project with clearly defined deliverables. Students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Permission Form to enroll. Student must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to apply.
SOFA-890
Research and Thesis II
4 Credits
This is the second of two courses designed to advance a student towards completion of their thesis. Students will work independently on their approved plan of work for their thesis while meeting on a regular basis with their committee chair. They are required to meet at least twice with their full committee during the semester as well as present a final screening of their thesis.
In the News
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September 9, 2022
![group of 16 students dressed in various forms of drag.]()
RIT offerings at this year’s Rochester Fringe Festival
RIT students, faculty, and staff will contribute music, dance, comedy, poetry, photojournalism, and more during the 11th annual Rochester Fringe Festival, which begins Sept. 13 and continues through Sept. 24 in downtown Rochester.
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August 19, 2020
Sweet wins award for short film
Featured Work
2D Animation 1: Fundamentals (MFA) - Animal Locomotion Studies @ Seneca Park Zoo (2022)
Vanessa Sweet
2022. 1st Yr MFA Animation students partake in an animal locomotion project and strike out to the Seneca Park Zoo to learn about the mechanics of different animals as well as partake in observational...
Combining Animation Techniques
Mattea Guldy and Youmee Lee
"For this project, we were required to use five animation techniques: sand, charcoal, paint on glass, stop motion and drawn on film. This animation was inspired by the history of...