Course Title: Design animation and digital visual effects

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2012

Course Code: COSC5381C

Course Title: Design animation and digital visual effects

School: 345T Media and Communication

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6087 - Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media

Course Contact : Program Administration

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4815

Course Contact Email:mcvet@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Teacher: Trewlea Peters
Phone: 99258011
Email:
trewlea.peters@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 80

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

none

Course Description

This course covers the skills and knowledge required to design animation and digital visual effects for screen productions.

Designers who specialise in animation or visual effects apply the skills and knowledge described in this unit. They work closely with people such as directors or producers to prepare design specifications for animation or visual effects for projects, which range in scope from television commercials to aspects of feature films, an entire animated film or interactive games.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CUFANM503A Design animation and digital visual effects

Element:

1 Clarify design Requirements

Performance Criteria:

1.1
With reference to production documentation identify the scope of design projects
1.2
Identify factors that may have an impact on the design process
1.3
Participate in preliminary concept meetings to clarify understanding of design requirements
1.4
With reference to production documentation, itemise elements that need to be addressed during the design phase

Element:

2 Generate and assess ideas.

Performance Criteria:

2.1
Generate a range of design ideas that respond sympathetically to the brief and provide creative solutions to design issues
2.2
Assess ideas and collaborate, as required, with relevant personnel to maximise contribution of ideas to initial concepts
2.3
Continuously reflect on and appraise ideas for implications on cost, technical feasibility, and creative requirements

Element:

3 Conduct research and experimentation.

Performance Criteria:

3.1
Research aspects of content and target audience characteristics that might influence production styles and techniques
3.2
Trial various techniques to test the suitability of their use in given design projects
3.3
Organise research and experimentation material for ease of access by relevant personnel during the design development process
3.4
Analyse and document research and experimentation findings for use during the design phase

Element:

4 Produce draft design specifications

Performance Criteria:

4.1
In consultation with relevant personnel, evaluate initial concept ideas in light of research and experimentation findings and select the most appropriate approach
4.2
Ensure that agreement is reached with relevant personnel on a consistent interpretation of design and visual details
4.3
Create storyboards as required
4.4
Prepare or supervise the preparation of sample material to be included in design specifications as required
4.5
Write draft design specifications to include relevant advice to design and development teams
4.6
Discuss draft design specifications with relevant personnel to ensure that all requirements have been addressed

Element:

5 Finalise design specifications.

Performance Criteria:

5.1
Present draft design specifications to relevant personnel for review
5.2 Participate in the initial and ongoing evaluation of design specifications
5.3 Negotiate and agree to additions or modifications and amend design specifications as required.
5.4 Clarify the ongoing role of the designer during the production phase and in the evaluation of the final animations or digital visual effects.
5.5 Review process of designing animation and digital visual effects and note areas for future improvement.

Learning Outcomes


On successful completion of this course, you will be able to undertake design specifications for animation and digital visual effects.


Details of Learning Activities

In-class learning activities include, but are not limited to:
• demonstration and practical application
• lab work
• peer teaching and class presentations
• group discussion
• online research
• independent project based work
• teacher directed group activities/projects
• workshopping of students’ own projects

Out-of-class activities include, but are not limited to,
• online research
• work shopping
• group project based work


Teaching Schedule

Please note: While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the weekly order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of speakers and resources.

 

Week Class Content Exercises Elements
1  Overview of After Effects. Demonstration and discussion of the interface and effects tools available in After Effects.    2,3.
2  Introduction to Photoshop and using Photoshop with After Effects.    2,3.
3  Brief history of animation. Animating in Photoshop and AE. Formative task  2,3.
4  Understanding Alpha channels, Masks, Mattes and blend modes in AE.  Formative task  2,3.
5 Keying – matching lighting, framing and colour on a green screen studio production. Creating stop motion animation.  Formative task  2,3.
6 Keying and Colour correction in AE. Using Keylight, Chroma keying and advanced colour correction in After Effects.  Formative task  2,3.
7  Masks, effects, 3D layers and parenting.  Formative task  2,3.
8 Motion Tracking, animating masks and rotoscoping. Formative task 2,3.
9  Analyse the pre-Visualisation of different genres (composition, lighting, framing, mise en scene and movement), breaking down a script, analysing FX requirements and digital storyboarding.    1,2,3,4.
10 Present designs and documents for animation and visual effects task. Submit an outline specifying the aims and possible outcomes of the animation and visual effects experimentation.  Summative task 1,2,3,4.
11  Production for VFX project. Acquire and create footage and images to proceed with experimentation.  Summative task  1,2,3,4.
12  Production for VFX project. Acquire and create footage and images to proceed with experimentation. Summative task  1,2,3,4.
13 Analyse raw materials and discuss approach to post production and visual effects experimentation with VFX supervisor. Begin experimentation. Keep records of steps taken during experimentation and analyse results for each experiment.  Summative task  1,2,3,4.
14 Continue experimentation. Keep records of steps taken during experimentation and analyse results for each experiment.  Summative task  1,2,3,4.
15 Continue experimentation. Keep records of steps taken during experimentation and analyse results for each experiment. Isolate the most and least successful experiments and discuss findings with peers and supervisor.  Summative task 1,2,3,4,5.
16  Focus on most successful experiment and continue VFX refining task til completion. Submit experimentation and recorded analysis of VFX at the end of the session  Submit Summative task  1,2,3,4,5.


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Resources provided in class


References

You are advised to look at the course Blackboard site for ongoing updated information.


Other Resources

You require a personal hard drive to store class materials and exercises.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment for this course is ongoing throughout the semester.

Your knowledge of course content is assessed through the application of learned skills and insights to your projects and through:
• evaluation of material created by the candidate
• direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence
• observation of the candidate compositing material for visual effects
• written or verbal questioning to test knowledge as listed in the required skills and knowledge section of this unit.


Assessment Tasks

FORMATIVE TASKS

All formative tasks are in class exercises that you will receive verbal feedback and guidance to make sure your skills and knowledge are at a competent level before developing the summative graded task.

Assessment tasks in this unit are either ungraded or graded. Ungraded tasks provide the basis for ongoing feedback and can be considered as essential building blocks for more substantial (graded) assessment tasks.

To demonstrate competency in this course, you will need to complete the following pieces of assessment to a satisfactory standard. You will receive feedback on all assessment.

For further information on the grading system and criteria used, please refer to the course blackboard site.


SUMMATIVE TASK

1. Planning and Organising
2. Communication
3. Teamwork
4. Problem Solving
5. Initiative and Enterprise
See rubric for detailed description of each

Grades which apply to courses delivered in accordance with competency-based assessment, but which also use graded assessment:
CHD Competent with High Distinction
CDI Competent with Distinction
CC Competent with Credit
CAG Competency Achieved - Graded
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit for Assessment

Grades which apply to courses delivered in accordance with competency-based assessment (not graded)
CA Competency Achieved
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit For Assessment


Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix demonstrated alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant Unit of Competency. These are available through the course contact in Program administration

Other Information

Feedback:
You will receive verbal and written feedback by teacher on your work. This feedback also includes suggestions on how you can proceed to the next stage of developing your projects.

Late Submissions
Please refer to the course blackboard site for policy information including information on late submissions and plagiarism

Plagiarism
RMIT has a strict policy on plagiarism. Please refer to the website for more information on this policy.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview