S Y L L A B U S
THE
Department of
Communication and English
The
learning goals for students pursuing a degree in Communication are meant to
develop and enhance their writing skills, whether expository, reflective or
analytical; or journalistic; or
creative. The program also aims to develop students’ conceptual analysis skills
and critical thinking; and train them in the use of the appropriate/required
tools and technology related to the field of Communication, in selected courses.
The Communication degree program also offers students the opportunity to
benefit from the
Course Title: Animation,
Editing, and Special Effects
Course Number: COM316
Period: Spring 2008
Credits: Three hours.
Professor: Kristen Palana
e-mail: k.palana@aur.edu
office phone. 06/58330919 ext. 323
URL: http://www.kpalana.com
Time: Thursdays 3:30-6:25
Office hours: By
appointment.
My office is located on the first floor of the
Course
Description:
This hands-on course will focus on intermediate and advanced video editing and
special effects techniques. Students will learn how to create and combine 2D
computer animation and stop motion animation with video footage and moving type
to create a range of special effects.
Prerequisite:
COM215 The
Computer as a Media Tool or COM217 Media Technology or previous
video production experience.
Course
Learning Objectives:
In this course students will:
1. Recognize fundamental concepts behind traditional and stop motion animation
including aesthetics, timing, formats, and techniques.
2. Demonstrate the ability to use experimental video
and animation techniques such as rotoscoping, color and chroma keying, blue
screen techniques, masking, etc.
3. Identify and demonstrate how to create
aesthetically pleasing visuals as well as effective sound design for projects.
4. Demonstrate the ability to use the animation and
special effects capabilities of the appropriate software and tools.
Course Learning Activities:
* Project 1 –2D Animation. Students will use the appropriate software to
create a short animation that will later be exported and refined using a video
editing software program. CLO: 1, 2, 4, 5, & 6.
* Project 2 –Stop Motion Animation. Students
will use still imagery to create an animated video short that will be edited
and refined using video editing software. CLO: 1, 2, 4, 5, & 6.
* Final Project –Multimedia Experimental Video.
Students will propose a final project idea and storyboard for their concept.
They will have the option to combine 2D animation and/or stop motion animation
with more traditional video footage. They can also choose to work solely with
traditional video footage, though students will be required to utilize the
special effects capabilities of video editing and video effects software
programs. The goal of this project is to push the boundaries of what can be
done in multimedia video. CLO: 1-6.
*Homework Assignments. -These will be determined
weekly as the course progresses. Usually they are demonstrations of new
concepts learned or as applied to the above projects-in-progress. CLO: 1-6
* Critiques -Students are expected to be able to
articulate what elements are successful and/or what improvements could be made
in their projects as well as their classmates’ projects during class critiques.
CLO: 2
Assessment
Tools
Students will be
assessed by the following:
All projects will be rubric graded.
Items evaluated in the rubrics will be creativity,
exploration of concepts and ideas, technical proficiency, professional
presentation of projects, and effective participation in class critiques.
Homework will be assessed on a pass/fail basis.
Grade
Tabulation:
Final Project: 30%
Project 1: 25%
Project 2: 25%
Homework Assignments: 5%
Critique Participation: 5%
Attendance: 10%
AUR Grade Values
94 –
100 points = A “Excellent”
90 –
93.99 pts = A-
87 –
89.99 = B+
83 –
86.99 = B “Good”
80 –
82.99 = B-
77 –
79.99 = C+
70 –
76.99 = C “Satisfactory”
60 –
69.99 = D “Poor”
59.99 –
0 = F “Failing”
Course
Textbook:
The Animator's Survival Kit: A Manual of
Methods, Principles, and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion,
and Internet Animators by Richard
Williams
All other reading materials
are in the form of hand-outs in class.
Suggested
Visual Quickstart Guide- Flash 8, by
Katherine Ulrich
After Effects
6.5 for Windows and Macintosh: Visual QuickPro Guide. By
Final Cut Pro 5 for Mac OS X: Visual
QuickPro Guide -by Lisa Brenneis
Additional
Costs: The lab fee for this course (50 Euros per
student) is used for the maintenance of the Multimedia Lab and production
equipment.
Courtesy
Policy:
Make sure your cell phone is turned off. If you have
an emergency situation that requires your phone to be on, please speak with me
first.
Ringing cell phones, late arrival, leaving early, and
walking in and out of class while class is in session is disrespectful to your
Professor and to your fellow classmates and will result in the lowering of your
Class Participation Grade and Overall Grade.
AUR attendance policy
“Attendance is required in all classes at The American
University of
Kristen
Palana’s Specific Attendance Policy: Any student with more than two unexcused absences
will get a half letter grade off their final grade for every unexcused absence
beyond two. Please note that each two lates count as one absence.
If You Miss
Class: Please
use the class contact sheet (given out after the add/drop period) to email or
phone a classmate who can lend you their notes and help you get back on track.
In this course it is important to stay on top of material since so much is
covered. *Please do not email your professor for a briefing on what you missed,
as it’s not possible to sum up a three hour class in a short email. After you
have made an effort to contact a classmate and catch up, your professor will be
happy to give you individual help by appointment.
AUR Academic
Integrity Code & Policy against Plagiarism
“Integrity is fundamental to the academic
enterprise. It is violated by such acts
as borrowing or purchasing assignments, including but not limited to term
papers, essays, and reports; lending to or producing assignments for others
(either for or without payment); using concealed notes or crib sheets during
examinations, copying the work of others and submitting it as one’s own; and
otherwise misappropriating the knowledge of others. Such acts are both dishonest and deceptive:
the work submitted to instructors is not the work of the person whose name it
bears. In consequence, the sources from
which one derives one’s ideas, statements, terms, and facts, including internet
sources, must be fully and specifically acknowledged in the appropriate
form. Failure to do so, intentionally or
unintentionally, constitutes plagiarism.”
-- AUR Student Handbook, 2006/2007, p. 15.
Suggestions:
Back-up all work in progress. I recommend saving your projects literally every
time you make a change. It just takes one quick click…and could save you hours
(if not days) of frustration. Always back-up everything!
Expect the unexpected. If you have an assignment due on Wednesday, try to get
it done a few days before. That way, if and when you are having technical
problems, you will have some extra time to fix mistakes and troubleshoot.
Remember: It is always better to show what you are working on than to show
nothing at all. We can try to solve the problem in class if necessary.
-------------
COURSE OUTLINE
*This
outline is subject to change. Tentative: Guest speaker or field trip. TBD.
Schedule
Week 1
Introduction to the course. Samples of multimedia and animated work. Traditional animation techniques. For
next class: Begin creating a traditional animated flipbook. More animation
techniques. Review of flipbooks. Introduction to Flash. Working with layers.
Timelines. Simple cell animation.
Week 2
Introduction to Project #1. More drawing and keyframe animation techniques in
Flash. Motion tweening and morphing. Scenes. Looping. Testing movie. Rotate,
scale, and skew. Grouping, break apart. Tools in depth.
Week 3
Presentation of Project #1 ideas. Informal storyboard sketches. Working with
text and fonts. Library, graphic symbols, movie clips, instances. Using Adobe
Illustrator for keyframe animation in Flash.
Week 4
Adding photographic images to Flash. Go over importing bitmaps, trace bitmap.
Pro’s and Con’s. Working with sound in Flash. Exporting Quicktime movies from
Flash. Importing into Final Cut Pro. Individual Help.
Week 5
Project 1 Due. Critique.
Week 6
Working with Still Images. Jump cuts. Transitions. Using Keyframes to animate
stills. Stop Motion techniques. Sample works that use stills. Introduction to
Project #2. For next class: Use digital camera or video camera to capture
stills of an object or person moving. Have Project #2 ideas and informal
sketches
Week 7
Go over Project #2 ideas and sketches. More tips and tricks. Work in class
time. Go over work in progress.
Week 8
Day 1: Project 2 Due. Critique.
Introduction to Adobe After Effects. Layering, compositing, and special
effects. Working between After Effects and Final Cut Pro. Introduction to Final
Project. For next class, have ideas for Final Project and informal storyboard
sketches.
Week 9
More effects in AE. Tinting, blurring, multiple layers. Keying. Masks. Work in
class. For next class: Have refined storyboards for Final Project.
Week 10
Review storyboards. Continue with After Effects. Day 2: More Special Effects, Motion Graphics, Text, and Sound
Design techniques. Work in class time. For next class: Be started on Final
Project.
Week 11
Advanced topics and special topics covered by request. Work in class on Final
Project. Individual help.
Week 12
Day 1: Advanced topics and special
topics covered by request. Work in class on Final Project. Individual help. Rough Cut of Final Project Due.
Week 13
Day 1: Advanced topics and special
topics covered by request. Work in class on Final Project. Individual help. Fine Cut of Final Project Due.
Week 14
Final Project Due.
Last day to hand in all
revised projects.