ClassInfo

ANI 240 Intro to Animation Production

Lisa Barcy

Office: CDM 502
Fall 2013-2014
Class number: 11244
Section number: 401
MW 11:50AM - 1:20PM
CDM 00527 Loop Campus

Summary

DePaul University
Fall 2013

ANI 240 Animation Production I SYLLABUS

Meeting time: M,W 11:50 ? 1:30
Location: Room 527

Instructor: Lisa Barcy
Office: CDM rm. 454
Office Hours: Monday, 1:30 ? 2:30, Wednesday, 2:30 ? 5, Friday, by appointment (best to email me first)

Contact: 312-362-5982
Email: lbarcy@cdm.depaul.edu



COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will concentrate on facilitating the student's production of animated projects. The topics of idea generation, experimentation, problem solving, planning and time management, and the process of critical analysis will be applied to the student's work, with the choice of animation technique, content and form left to the individual. Students will learn the importance of bringing projects to completion. Be prepared to spend a large amount of time outside of class finishing the assignments and final project.

FORMAT

Through a combination of lectures, demonstrations, and critiques students will take a film from their initial idea all the way through the presentation of their completed work.

GOALS/OBJECTIVES

? To explore different avenues of expression through the completion of class assignments
? To work in a studio environment, where students and instructor share their knowledge and impressions
? To encourage a curiosity for different types of animation
? To become comfortable giving and receiving critiques
? To become comfortable organizing and creating an animated project from start to completion



Course Schedule

Week 1
9/11 Wednesday
Introductions
Review syllabus
Project #1 Warm-up assignment. Pick a letter of the alphabet? lets see what you can do.


Week 2
9/16 Monday
Assignment Due: View warm-up assignments and give feedback
Project #2 - Photo assignment given ? storyboards due Wednesday
Watch examples in class

9/18 Wednesday
Assignment Due: Photo Storyboard Presentations (5-8 panels)


Week 3
9/23 Monday
Continue Storyboard Presentations
Lecture: Setting up your project in After Effects, render settings & Vimeo
Work in class

9/25 Wednesday
Work in class ? Individual meetings
Assignment Due: Photo Project Milestone Check-in

Week 4
9/30 Monday
Assignment Due: Final Photo Animation / Screen and group critique

10/2 Wednesday
Continue critiques

Week 5
10/7 Monday
Lecture: What makes a good animatic?
Project #3 ? The Way Things Work (according to your 6 year-old self)
TWTW assignment given

10/9 Wednesday
Work in class: Pick animation technique and start building animatic

Week 6
10/14 Monday
Assignment Due: TWTW Animatics / Screen and group critique

10/16 Wednesday
Continue group critique of TWTW Animatics

Week 7
10/21 Monday
Work in class / Individual meetings
Assignment Due: TWTW Milestone Check-in

10/23 Wednesday
Work in class / Individual meetings
Assignment Due: Final TWTW Style Frame due during class

Week 8
10/28 Monday
Assignment Due: The Way Things Work Animations Due / Screen and group critique


10/30 Wednesday
Continue group critiques
PSA assignment given

Week 9
10/28 Monday
Work in class

10/30 Wednesday
Work in class / Individual meetings
Assignment Due: PSA Milestone Check-in #1

Week 10
11/4 Monday
Assignment Due: PSA Animatics / Screen and group critique

11/6 Wednesday
Continue group critiques

Week 11
11/11 Monday
Assignment Due: Final PSA Style Frame due
Assignment Due: PSA Milestone Check-in #2
Individual meetings

*You should be focusing on rendering, final sound and editing this week*

Week 12- 11/20
Final Critique Time is Wednesday November 20, 11:45 a.m.
Do not be late.
No one is still animating, editing, works are uploaded and ready to go.

Assignment Due: PSA Final Animation / Screen and group critique and celebrate.


'Schedule subject to change**





GRADING BREAKDOWN

Alphabet Animation 5
Photo Anim. Storyboards 5
Photo Final Animation 10
TWTW Animatic 10
TWTW Final Style Frame 2
TWTW Final Animation 15
PSA Animatic 10
TWTW Final Style Frame 3
PSA Final Animation 15
Milestones 20
Class Participation 5
Total 100
A =100-93 A- = 92-90
B+ =89-87

B = 86-83
B- =82-80
C+ =79-77

C =76-73
C- =72-70
D+ = 69-67

D =66-63
D- =62-60
F = 59-0


**Your grades are based upon completion of assignments when due, quality of work, active class participation and attendance.**

TEXTS AND MATERIALS

Recommended Text:
The Animators Survival Kit by Richard Williams

External hard drive and flash drive:
For this course I encourage you to purchase an external firewire drive. I will go over options in class.

COURSE POLICIES

In addition to DePaul University course policies (see student handbook), the following special policies will apply to this course:

Class/Workshop Rules - there will be no net surfing, phone calls, email checking, text messaging, or IMing during class at any time, except when I give you permission to do so.

Attendance ? is mandatory; 3 unexcused absences will result in a lowering of one letter grade (from A to B, for instance). Any student missing 4 unexcused classes will be given an F for the quarter. An excused absence is allowed in the case of a medical or personal emergency (illness with doctor?s letter; death in the family). An absence is defined as not showing up for class or showing up 10 minutes or later for class. A tardy is defined as showing up after role has been taken. Being tardy twice will equal 1 absence.

Extra Credit - If you have not been tardy or missed a class during the quarter AND you actively participate in critiques and discussions you will receive extra credit points on your final overall grade for the quarter.

Assignments and Exercises ? must be completed by the due date as indicated in the syllabus. Late work will not be accepted without prior consent of the instructor.

With certain exceptions, assignments in this class will be submitted digitally either via COL web or vimeo. The instructor will specify the preferred method of submission for each assignment.

All assignments submitted in digital format online, are due a minimum of 2 hours prior to class. Assignments may be submitted earlier, however.

Milestones- This assignment is a check-in so I can monitor the progress of your projects. Please post a lo-rez quicktime of your work-in-progress animation before class on the dates listed in the syllabus. In order to receive maximum credit for your milestone your work-in-progress must demonstrate a considerable amount of time and effort. If your milestone is not turned in on time you will receive zero points.

Class Participation - is encouraged and students will be graded on the extent to which they are involved throughout the quarter. Participation is an amazing tool for learning and should be done in a constructive way, especially when giving or receiving project critiques.

Final Class Exam - Attendance is mandatory. Students who do not show up for the final critique will get their final grade reduced by 1 letter grade. If for some reason you cannot attend, contact the instructor before the final class. Excuses after the class will not be accepted.

Changes to the Schedule ? Depending on time factors, the assignments projected for the term may require slight alteration or rescheduling.





School policies:

Changes to Syllabus

This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.

Online Course Evaluations

Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation. Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

This course will be subject to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/ If you have any questions be sure to consult with your professor.

All students are expected to abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered to be providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy. Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity.

Academic Policies

All students are required to manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the University Academic Calendar. Information on enrollment, withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at http://www.cdm.depaul.edu/Current%20Students/Pages/PoliciesandProcedures.aspx.

Students with Disabilities

Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at:
Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
Phone number: (312)362-8002
Fax: (312)362-6544
TTY: (773)325.7296