ANI 240 Intro to Animation Production
Summary
DePaul University
Fall 2019
ANI 240 Animation Production I SYLLABUS
Meeting time: M, W 1:30 – 3:00
Location: Room 527
Instructor: Lisa Barcy
Office: CDM rm. 502
Office Hours: Mon., Wed., 11:45 – 12:45, 3pm – 4pm, Fridays 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 short 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. Students will create four projects, all with varying perimeters and technical expectations. Be prepared to spend a large amount of time outside of class finishing the assignments and the final project. Through a combination of lectures, demonstrations, and critiques students will take short animation works from concept to completion.
What You Need to Bring to Class Each Week
- A strong work ethic, patience, and enthusiasm
- All your files, backed up, emailed, or otherwise. Not bringing anything to work on to class means no credit for the day.
- Any art materials needed in order to make the best use of your class time.
- Your assignments on the due date.
GOALS/OBJECTIVES
- To explore different avenues of expression through the completion of class assignments
- To explore various approaches to storytelling
- To experiment with and refine new techniques
- To become comfortable giving and receiving critiques
- To become comfortable organizing and creating an independent animated project from start to completion
Course Schedule
|
Week 1 Sept. 11
Introductions, review syllabus.
Project #1 Warm-up assignment. Alphabet! – let’s see what you can do. You may use the medium of your choice for this one. See assignment requirements on D2L. Post final to D2L. Demos on software as needed.
|
|
Week 2 9/ 16
Monday
View Alphabet projects in progress – work in class
Wednesday 9/18
Assignment Due: View first assignment and give feedback.
Project #2 - Photo Assignment given. (Pick from one of the found photos in class) Medium of your choosing – Begin boarding for Photo Animation. Post 3 different sets boards to D2L for Wednesday. Start animating – Think of this as more of a portrait or a poem than a linear narrative that requires a lot of exposition – you don’t have time for that.
|
|
Week 3 9/23
Monday
Photo Storyboard Presentations. Demos as needed and as time allows
Lecture: TV Paint tricks, setting up your projects in After Effects, render settings
Work in class - Individual meetings
Wednesday 9/25
Work in class – Individual meetings, Demos as time allows.
Assignment Due: Photo Project Milestone Check-in
|
|
Week 4 9/30
Monday
Work in class – Individual meetings, Demos as time allows.
Wednesday 10/2
Assignment Due: Final Photo Animation / Screen and group critique
|
|
Week 5 10/7
Monday
Lecture: What makes a good animatic?
Project #3 – The Way Things Work (according to your 5 year-old self)
TWTW assignment given – Medium of your choice
Wednesday 10/9
Assignment Due: TWTW Animatics / Screen and group critique
|
|
Week 6 10/14
Monday
CDM CLOSED FOR HOLIDAY
Wednesday 10/16
Work in class / Individual meetings
Assignment Due: TWTW Milestone Check-in
|
|
Week 7 10/21
Monday
Work in class / Individual meetings
Assignment Due: Final TWTW Style Frame due during class
Wednesday 10/23
Assignment Due: The Way Things Work Animations Due / Screen and group critique
|
|
|
|
Week 8 10/28
Monday
Final Assignment –Sound First! Technique must one you have not yet made a film with. Discuss medium and sound possibilities
Wednesday 10/30
Work in class – Building soundtracks
Creating your animatic with sound
|
|
Week 9 11/4
Monday
Work in class / Individual meetings
Wednesday 11/6
Work in class / Individual meetings
Assignment Due: Final Project Milestone Check-in #1
|
|
|
|
Week 10 11/11
Monday
Work on Final – Individual meetings
Wed. 11/13
Work on Final – Individual meetings
Final Critique Day and Time is
Wednesday Nov. 20 – 11:30 – 1:45
Do not be late.
No one is still animating, editing, works are uploaded and ready to go. We will screen films and critique and celebrate.
|
***Schedule subject to change – Check D2L for changes!**
GRADING BREAKDOWN
|
Alphabet Animation 5
|
|
Photo Anim. Storyboards 5
|
|
Photo Final Animation 10
|
|
TWTW Animatic 5
|
|
TWTW Final Style Frame 5
|
|
TWTW Final Animation 15
|
|
Final Animatic 10
|
|
Final Project Style Frame 5
|
|
Final Animation with sound 20
|
|
Milestones met 15
|
|
|
|
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 and Supplies:
The Animators Survival Kit by Richard Williams
External hard drive and flash drive
COURSE POLICIES
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.
- certain exceptions, assignments in this class will be submitted digitally either via D2L 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-res 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. Make your travel plans accordingly. 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.
AND NOW FOR THE LEGALLY MANDATED FINE PRINT:
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.
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.
CELL PHONE POLICY: Use of cell phones in the classroom and the lab is prohibited. Please turn your phone off before entering class. Mistakes will happen, but repeated failure to turn your phone off will result in a lowered grade for the class. No texting is allowed during class. If I have to ask you to stop texting more than once, there will be a full letter grade taken off your final grade.
CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR: If I feel that your behavior is interfering with the professionalism of our classroom (disruption, talking, napping, texting, etc.), I will adhere to the following 3--step protocol: warning email and personal meeting, meeting with advisor or Student Advising, action taken to remove you from the class.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Work done for this course must adhere to the DePaul University Academic Integrity Policy, which you can review in the Student Handbook or by visiting:
http://studentaffairs.depaul.edu/homehandbook.html
LEARNING DISABILITIES: Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential. To ensure that you receive the most appropriate reasonable accommodation based on your needs, contact me as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that you have contacted the following offices:
PLuS Program (for LD, AD/HD) 773--325--1677, Student Center #370
The Office for Students with Disabilities 773--325--1677, Student Center #370
Emergency Plan. An emergency can occur at any time, suddenly and without warning. Proper planning is essential to minimize the impact of any emergency on the university community, operations and facilities. The following link provides detailed information on Emergency Evacuation and Fire Alarm safety: https://resources.depaul.edu/emergency-plan/emergency-evacuation/Pages/Evacuation.aspx. The University will use the DPU Alert to announce school closing or other emergencies. In the event of an emergency evacuation, the primary outdoor assembly area for CDM will be Grant Park (Southeast corner of Jackson and Michigan Ave).
Preferred Name & Gender Pronouns. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender, gender variance, and nationalities. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the quarter so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. Please also note that students may choose to identify within the University community with a preferred first name that differs from their legal name and may also update their gender. The preferred first name will appear in University related systems and documents except where the use of the legal name is necessitated or required by University business or legal need. For more information and instructions on how to do so, please see the Student Preferred Name and Gender Policy at http://policies.depaul.edu/policy/policy.aspx?pid=332
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
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.
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.
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.
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 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