Course# AN325 | Advanced 2D Animation
Location: Mac Lab 3 -Room 004
Instructor: Michael Shaw
Time: Monday and Wednesday 9:00 AM | 11:30 AM
Office Hours: Monday and
Wednesday: 11:30 – 12:00 AM Mac Lab 3
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Welcome to AN325! This is an
advanced level course that focuses on producing animation work of the highest
quality, and learning how artists balance large scale projects with personal
and professional development!
This is the course where you
channel your experiences in animation art-creation into making professional
level work by semester’s end! Here, you are a researcher, a theorist, and a
skilled executioner in producing complete assignments. We aim for quality over
quantity in this course, so you will be asked to make multiple revisions to the
projects you have as opposed to working one time through weekly assignments.
By semester’s end, you should be
well versed and comfortable in all the avenues of producing quality 2-D
animation, and ready to make self-directed, higher-level work in the classes
going forward!
In addition to this, we will do
weekly small activities to improve and stretch your drawing and animation
skills! You will refine your portfolio as you continue this course and
strengthen your ability to craft your own professional future! More info below:
Methods of Study – The Flow of Class is as Follows:
Class Readings:
Each topic we cover in class will have an
accompanied reading or video that provides more information and instructions on
the current study. These readings are
meant to give you means to practice in-class content on your own!
Interactive Demonstrations:
The best way to learn how to animate is to
practice hard, and see how others animate! Keep what works, and scrap what does not! This
semester will have many interactive demonstrations on making quality animated
works. The short you create will be
divided into easily digestible chunks for building your animation skills each
week. Each demonstration will focus on specific principles of animation.
Creating a practical project where we can focus in detail on refining
Projects and Workflow
Each week, you will be given an assignment to
accomplish that will investigate the possibilities of story and visual
development of an animated short. The purpose of these assignments is to prove
that the process of making a film is not magic, but a series of calculated
steps that help you hone in and further develop your creativity. You will be able to combine each assignment
into a professional portfolio by semester’s end, and have all the tools needed
to begin applying for internships, and exploring new content that piques your
interests!
Short Weekly Exercises:
In-between your longer weekly and bi-weekly
projects, we will do short 30-45 minute animation exercises as a class! These
will serve as a way to help you actively practice your drawing and animation
abilities, and see very quickly how all of the content of each lesson is
applied in a practical setting! We will do art jams where we will try to make
short-format content (6-10 seconds) in an even shorter working time (30-45
minutes). These projects can also serve as jumping off points to improve your
portfolio outside of class.
The Flow of the core project of this class is
as follows:
2 Weeks to Review and assess you current
abilities with an introductory project.
2 Weeks for storyboarding and film
development.
8 weeks for Animation Development and audio
production at a minimum of 6 seconds a week. The first two weeks will front-load
a lot of audio preparation.
4 weeks (including finals week) for
additional animation production, post production, and editing.
During this time, we will continuously
improve and refine your portfolio, making sure you leave the course as
greater-developed professionals in your respective disciplines!
Fields of Study Include:
I. Assessment:
We will spend a week and a half
assessing your current abilities in animation! This is more for you to know how
well you can preform, and at what level, so you can better learn how you work
as an animation artist!
II. Preproduction and Layout: You will design your story,
its characters, its premise, its environments, and plan for any special
production needs you will have later the semester.
III. Animation/Audio Production: This
semester: We will spend each week covering a couple of the principles of
animation in detail!
IV. Workflow: How to become a more balanced animation
artist. How to design and implement a
successful project, working backwards form the end goal to the beginning!
V. Animation Art and Collaboration: How to properly assess your abilities. Knowing how long it takes you to create a first draft for an animation shot, and how to get resources that are beyond your abilities, whether it’s other people, or new skills.
V. Animation Art and Collaboration: How to properly assess your abilities. Knowing how long it takes you to create a first draft for an animation shot, and how to get resources that are beyond your abilities, whether it’s other people, or new skills.
VI. Post production
and Professional Development: Portfolios, demo reels, applications for internships, film
festivals, and everything else!
DEPARTMENTAL OUTCOMES:
Students will demonstrate
the capability to organize and present concepts verbally.
Students will demonstrate
the capability to organize and present concepts audibly.
Students will produce
evidence of an understanding of the methods of audio production.
Students will be able to
coherently communicate the content their audio productions.
Students will demonstrate
the time management skills necessary to complete the entire sound creation
process.
Students will demonstrate
the capability to effectively publish their audio production via the web, and
integrate it into their current body of work.
PROFESSIONAL OUTCOMES:
Students will demonstrate
the ability to write an artist statement.
Students will demonstrate
the ability to document their work.
Students will demonstrate
basic computer/software literacy applicable to their field.
Students will demonstrate
the ability to give a public presentation about their work.
Students will demonstrate
the ability to research to stay current in their field.
Students will demonstrate
basic knowledge of communication etiquette in their field.
Students
will demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively.
-------Assignments
and Requirements ------
You are required to attend class everyday, on time at 9:00 to
unload your art to our workstations. We will start instruction @ 9:07
every day, unless otherwise noted. As with the Student Handbook, students
who misses 6 days of class will fail the course. This will be strictly
enforced. Prior to this event, any student that must miss a day needs to notify
me ahead of time, long before the start of class. Anyone who wonders into
class at least 30 minutes after class begins (even if your stuff is already in
the classroom) will be considered absent for the rest of the day. 4 absences result
in a reduction of your final grade by one full letter (about 12 points on a
hundred point scale). Three tardies equate to one absence. If you miss, you
must catch up on assignments via consulting other students first, and myself
via email. I reserve the right to notify students ahead of time for any day
that MUST NOT BE MISSED due to course content be it finals, assessments,
midterms, or other coursework.
----Turning in
Assignments -----
Each Assignment will be due on a scheduled date, given at the
beginning of the assignment. Part of your grade will be your review of the
creations of your peers. We will remain objective throughout, even when we are
delving into content that goes beyond our personal taste. If you are absent, notify me ahead of time,
and turn updates of whatever you have. In the event of an emergency, I will
handle situations on a case-by-case basis.
When it comes to late assignments, assignments will drop a letter grade
each day they are late. Coming into class without your assignment
forfeits your ability to turn it in at the end of the semester for an improved
grade.
After 3 days, I will not accept your assignment. As our class
continues to function as a production studio, I rather you do the assignment to
the best of your ability and turn it in at its current state of development, as
opposed to not having it at all. This helps train your professional skills and
keeps you active in your pursuit of your personal goals!
Supplies:
1)
If working Traditionally:
1 ream of 10f Ingram Bond Animation Paper and 1 plastic peg bar Purchased for $50.00 at
the business office. Return to me with a recipt of purchase!
2)
Folder and Notebook for
taking notes, and a print card for printing conceptual art! You are required to keep
track of your notes. You will also be required to turn in your sketches for
review from time to time, so be sure to keep your sketchbook on hand during
class! Design work will need to be printed in color as the course progresses.
We will keep this art in front of you while you create!
3)
$100 Deposit to check out
audio equipment. (optional) Upon completion of the class, or the major, you will
receive this deposit back. This single deposit can count for multiple classes
within the department. If you still have your deposit from last semester, you
can check out as available.
4)
External Hard Drive: Can purchase online and
use with other classes. If you already have it, great! If not, it’s an
investment that can last you long beyond your undergraduate career. The Computers primarily use USB 3.0
connections. The hard drives listed below are examples, compatible with mac and
PC, but require formatting to go cross-platform.
5)
Light Box:
You
will need a lightbox for your animated projects if you choose to work traditionally!
Below are a few very cost effective options for you to use! You need something
big enough to cover a piece of 10f paper, or 8.5” x 11”Huion
L4S: 12.20" x 8.26" Huion
17" With Angled Surface (drawing area
is the same) ME456
Tracer: A4 Size (9" x 12") AGPtek
Light Table (A4 Size)
6) TEXTBOOKS:
The Animator's Survival Kit,
Expanded Edition: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer,
Games, Stop Motion and Internet Animators - Richard Williams ($25.00)
Your Career in Animation: How to
Survive and Thrive - David B. Levy ($14.46)
http://www.amazon.com/Your-Career-Animation-Survive-Thrive/dp/1581154453
Framed Ink: Drawing and
Composition for Visual Storytelling - Marcus Mateu_Mestre (16.00) http://www.amazon.com/Framed-Ink-Drawing-Composition-Storytellers/dp/1933492953/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421179351&sr=8-1&keywords=framed+ink
7)
Pencils, tablets, erasers, etc!
For those that draw traditionally, it may help to obtain a pack of
non-photo blue and blue pencils for sketching characters and drawings!
8)
Pencils, tablets, erasers, etc!
I recommend obtaining a pack of non-photo blue, regular blue, and red
pencils for sketching characters and drawings!
9)
3 Packs of 4x6 Index Cards! (These are great for storyboarding
and rapid idea development.
10) (If you do not want to
check out pens each day) WACOM INTUOS
TABLET PEN. ($58.00) tablet pens
will be provided at the start of class each day, but will need to be returned
at the end. Additional tablet pens can be checked out via the security desk. https://tinyurl.com/wacompen4students
GRADING:
Each assignment will be awarded a grade based on the following
rubric. Plus(+) and minus(-) will denote more or less intricate mastery of
objectives. Students will be allowed to turn in higher-quality versions
of their projects midterm for a higher grade.
Group assignments will be graded on individual achievement, and
group achievement. Both grades count 50% of any group assignment.
A - Excellent. Assignment objectives are completed above and beyond the
course requirements to great effort and great success. Technical and
conceptual skills are on display in a masterfully coherent manner with clean
craftsmanship.
B - Proficient. The assignment completed
demonstrates most mastery of the skills presented, and objectives are completed
beyond course goals. Much effort, and a clear and concise direction shines
through the final result. There are still a few issues that can be pushed
further.
C - Competent. The assignment completed
demonstrates relative mastery of the skills presented, and objectives are
completed to average sufficiency. Assignments are successful, and
craftsmanship and technical skills are on display -- All are completed at an
average level.
D - Deficient. The assignments completed are missing demonstrations of the
skills presented, and/or required objectives have yet to be completed. There
are conceptual and technical flaws and hurdles that have not been overcome.
F - Failure. The majority of the project
is either not completed, and/or objectives for assignment are not met.
Final Grades will be based on a comprehensive average of all of
your projects, as well as midterm and final milestones for blog upkeep.
*Your blog upkeep factors into your grades for each major
assignment handled out of class.*
Assignments are due at 9:07 A.M. on their scheduled dates unless
otherwise noted. Loss of data, files, or other associated items needed for any
assignment or project will require that you recreate your work, with no
exceptions. I can not grade what does not exist! You are solely responsible for the security
of your files. Your files are not 100% secure on the server or computer. You
should have multiple copies on multiple sources at all times. No files are safe
unless backed up to 3 locations. (Example: Personal hard drive or flash drive,
school network, personal computer, or web service. Note: you can store
work on dropbox. We will discuss cloud storage.)
Copyright
You must receive copyright permission for all non-public domain
media used in your film projects. Public domain material can be found at http://www.publicdomain.org/ and http://www.creativecommons.org/. Visit American
University's Center for Social Media Website for detailed information
regarding the difference between rights infringement and fair use.
Accommodations for
Students with Disabilities
Students with a special
learning need are encouraged to let their instructor know at the beginning of
the course. Reasonable accommodations (such as extended time for exams,
readers, scribes, and interpreters) are provided on an individual basis as
determined by documented need. It is the student’s responsibility to provide authorized documentation
to Student Affairs or Achievement
Center Support Staff as early in the semester as possible.
Course Content and Title IX Reporting
Students should be aware
that information disclosed to faculty (whether through assignments or as a
personal disclosure) that indicate experiencing sexual harassment, abuse, or
violence while a student at Memphis College of Art, requires that your
instructor as a “mandatory reporter” disclose this information to Student
Affairs staff to ensure students’ safety and welfare are addressed. Student
Affairs staff will contact you, and/or those involved, to make you aware of
accommodations, remedies, and resources available at Memphis College of Art. You can view this link for more information: http://mca.edu/about/campus-safety/title-ix-information/
HEALTH and SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
As more and more work, education and recreation involves
computers, everyone needs to be aware of the hazard of Repetitive Strain Injury
to the hands and arms resulting from the use of computer keyboards and
mice. This can be a serious and very painful condition that is far easier
to prevent that cure once contracted, and can occur even in young physically
fit individuals. Paul Marxhausen - visit his site below.
http://eeshop.unl.edu/rsi.html
http://www.mydailyyoga.com/yoga/rsi.html
DEPARTMENT AND LAB POLICIES:
· Immediately submit an online tech request to report any problems with a lab
computer or printer.
· Main MCA computing info site = mca.edu/labs -- go here for
answers to frequently asked questions and online tutorials for MCA specific
technologies.
· No Food or Drinks in Lab.
· Keep the Lab Clean. Dispose of
all trash -- Paper scraps, old media etc.
· Leave your workstation in an
orderly fashion. All materials left on the desktop will be deleted. Organize
files within the documents folder on your account. Delete your trash from your
desktop and trash bin.
· Back up work to an external
source. Remember files are only safe if they exist in 3 separate locations. MCA
servers are not to be considered secure and used only for temporary
storage.
· Log Out of your workstation prior
to your departure. Upon your departure, the chair should be pushed in. Your
monitor, keyboard and mouse should be placed in their proper positions.
COPYRIGHT:
You must receive copyright permission for all non-public domain
media used in projects. (Music, film footage, etc.) Public domain
material can be found at http://www.publicdomain.org/ and
http://www.creativecommons.org. Visit American University's Center for Social
Media Website for detailed information regarding the difference between rights
infringement and fair use. We will discuss fair-use policies during class.
EPA MANDATE:
Memphis College of Art students and faculty are required to follow
the standards detailed in the "OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health
Administration) Guidelines” materials located throughout the institution.
Handling Protocols - September 2007"
