History 1996

Originally the formation of CADA was the idea of Dean Gerald Heeger and Silicon Graphics Inc. Hardware and facility creation was supervised by Vice Dean Fran Gottfried and academic and administrative guidance was provided by Dean William Cipolla. The philosophy of the curriculum, direction and courses were designed by CADA's then Coordinator and Master Teacher of Digital Production, Peter Bardazzi. One of the most important decisions Peter Bardazzi made that set the fundamental tone at CADA was that the Center would be guided by artists.

Important to current and continued success of CADA is the relation it has with the digital post production industry. CADA is a joint venture between NYU's School of Continuing Education, the hardware and software makers, and the digital post production industry. Peter Bardazzi chaired CADA's Advisory Board that regularly meets to discuss how CADA can compliment the rapidly expanding digital post-production industry. The board then consisted of: Bob Greenberg, President of R. Greenberg Associates, Ed McCracken, CEO of Silicon Graphics, Dean Winkler, President of Post-Perfect and Martin Nisenholtz, President of New York Times Electronic Publishing.

Peter Bardazzi co-founded and directed the Center for Advanced Digital Applications at New York University in 1996 - 2004, developing the curriculum, the facility design, concepts and guided it to maturity and resigned protest in 2004. In the beginning I focused on digital animation and special effects for film and video, which expanded into digital visualization for all the arts and broadcasting. At its core was the complete digital production process for filmmaking and entertainment including courses like Pre-Visualization, Literacy and the Moving Image, the History of digital Special Effects, Making a Digital Movie, Design for TV Broadcasting, Animation, Compositing etc. Some of his concepts for the use of advanced technology in education and the arts stem from my early collaborations with friends at Industrial Light & Magic, Silicon Studios LA, his work with the Art & Technology Movement NY, his experience with artists and filmmakrs, and his interest in the original Bauhaus. Later In 2000 he created the structure and philosophy for the Master’s Program in Digital Imaging and Design and wrote the complete curriculum.

Peter Bardazzi:Original Director of the Center for Advanced Digital Applications, New York University