USC Expanded Animation Research + Practice

Congratulations to our amazing MFAs who presented their films at our Endless Frames showcase this past Sunday! We are so proud of you and your accomplishments, and we know you will continue growing in your practice and artistry well beyond your time on campus. And thank you everyone who came out to watch and support our visionary artists! ❤️✨

With much love,
USC Expanded Animation Research + Practice

HAPPENING TOMORROW!

Join us for Endless Frames: XA Showcase 2026, a screening and celebration of awe-inspiring projects created by students in the USC Expanded Animation Research + Practice (XA) MFA Thesis class!

In addition to these visionary thesis projects, the showcase also includes a collaborative film made in the XA Documentary Animation Production class.

Works created in the XA program span a broad spectrum of genres and techniques, including character and experimental animation, traditional and non-linear narrative, documentary, stop motion, motion capture, VR, 2D, 3D, AI, and handmade animation.

After the screening, please join us for a reception directly outside the theater in Queen’s Courtyard.

Get your free ticket at https://bit.ly/XAshowcase2026 , and we can’t wait to see you!

Congratulations to our XA MFAs graduating yesterday! We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see your graduation showcase tomorrow ❤️✨

to our CTXA 547 and session a few weeks ago!

Our XA MFA 1s are working hard to finish their Production 1 short films, and they’ll be showcasing their films on Tuesday, May 12th at 5pm in SCB 104.

Join us for the extinction burst of CTXA 547 as we screen 11 animated film from some of the best animators in their first year of XA.

ExtinctionBurst

Thank you for highlighting our XA students and faculty trailblazing the intersection of and !

Read the full article at https://bit.ly/XA-barrons

Did you miss the last time was on campus?

Then check her out in the SCA Gallery today courtesy of CTXA 588: Animation for Virtual Characters, Robotics, and AI!

The exhibit is free and open until 6pm. Take a moment from study week and enjoy a peak into the future of and 🤖✍️

Congratulations to XA students Ziyun Xiao and Jiaxi Wu for their well-deserved recognitions at the SCA Impact Awards!

Ziyun is completing her second year in the Expanded Animation MFA program and received the SCA Impact Award. Her work combines animation, speculative design, robotics, environmental visualization, and socially engaged storytelling. In all of her work, she demonstrates a deep commitment to inclusion, rigorous research, and meaningful community impact. In her creative practice, she often thinks about broader goals such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and how art and media can respond to real social, cultural, technological, industrial, and environmental questions.

Jiaxi is finishing her third and final year in the Expanded Animation program and was nominated for the SCA Impact Award. Her thesis film "Lazy Eye" challenges stigma around disability and foregrounds the emotional realities of both the child and her mother. Jiaxi creatively engages with social issues not typically explored through animation in such a personal, documentary-driven form. Her use of multiple animation techniques and strong visual metaphors is extremely innovative in both form and approach.

While the Expanded Animation Research + Practice program has been shut down, its philosophy continues through its students, and our students embody the very best of XA: innovation, experimentation, and a deep commitment to ethical responsibility.

Congratulations Ziyun and Jiaxi! We are so proud of you ❤️

With love,
USC Expanded Animation Research + Practice

Join us next Tuesday, May 12 at 5pm in SCB 104 for the extinction burst of CTXA 547!

We’ll be screening 11 animated films from some of the brightest animators in their first and final year of XA. For some, it’s their last year at USC, so join us to celebrate their visionary works!

Thank you to everyone who came out to see Concrete Oasis 3.0 at The Grand LA April 23 and 30! This event was created by USC CTXA 575 Cinematic and Media-based Installation students under the guidance of Expanded Animation professor Lisa Mann

Swipe to see pictures and snippets from the program, and be sure to check back on our social media for more clips from the installation!