The University of Southern California (USC) has announced the closure of its Expanded Animation (XA) program in June 2026. The decision was made by the deanship of the School of Cinematic Arts without consulting the faculty, generating discontent. Students and professors, including director Sheila Sofian, learned about it abruptly. The program, recognized for its experimental approach, will disappear despite the protests.
A Technical and Artistic Approach That Shuts Down 🛑
The XA program stood out for integrating digital and analog techniques, from stop-motion and direct animation on celluloid to 3D tools and augmented reality. Its curriculum fostered hybridization, training technical artists capable of creating innovative visual narratives. Its closure means the loss of a space where technology served pure experimentation, without ties to conventional industrial pipelines.
Expanded Decision: Without Consulting Those Involved 🤫
The administration has demonstrated masterful control of non-participatory animation. The script, written in secret, had a plot twist no one expected: the professors learned from the students. It is an exercise in disruptive narrative, where the ending is decided by a committee and the main characters are the last to know their fate. A practical lesson in resource management, with a clear focus on saving dialogues.