THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2017/2018

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Edinburgh College of Art : Design

Undergraduate Course: Animation 2A: Character (DESI08098)

Course Outline
SchoolEdinburgh College of Art CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course will serve as a primer in key animation principles, production methods and techniques. The course provides fundamental technical and conceptual knowledge and understanding that is vital for sustained practice as an animator.
Course description The course will cover:

1) Historical and contemporary precedents in material-based and virtualised animation methods;
2) Technical workshops in 2D and 3D physical and digital animation techniques;
3) Comparative analysis and practical synthesis and hybridisation of different production methods;
4) Analysis of movement and performance;
5) Training in relevant compositing, sound recording and editing techniques;
6) Production scheduling and management.

This course will comprise multiple projects, usually, but not exclusively, three, students will receive verbal feedback during each project, but they will receive written feedback upon a portfolio submission of all available projects in a formative assessment that takes place in the middle of the semester, and a final portfolio submission for summative assessment at the end of the semester.

Illustrative examples of possible projects include (but are not limited to): the study of a set of animation principles and their application through mirrored physical and digital workflows. This could consist of an exploration of the basic animation requirement for a simulation of human movement, a walk cycle. The creation of a convincing walk through the use of physical puppets, their attendant armatures, and the use of an actual camera, and its development through a disembodied mirror of this method, through the use of CGI models and their associated rigs, using virtualised cameras.

Development of projects, and evaluation of production method and personal performance with them, will be documented via a continuous online design journal.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Animation 1A Introduction (DESI08078) AND Animation 1B Principles (DESI08077)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements The pre-requisites above are for continuing Animation students from first year
For direct-entry second-year students: no pre-requisites.
Additional Costs No additional costs to students beyond basic animation materials. Students will be required to provide:
Drawing and painting materials (pens, pencils, crayons, charcoal, markers, paper, sketch pads for example.)
Sculpting materials (wire, modelling clay, balsa wood for example.)
Animation supplies (Peg bar, animation paper and cels for example.)
The list above is an example, and is by no means exhaustive.
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate the competent use of a range of physical and digital production methods appropriate to animation.
  2. Demonstrate a considered exploration of the relative merits of different physical and digital animation production methods.
  3. Demonstrate an ability to independently manage time and resources across multiple film projects and their associated production methods.
Reading List
Purves, B. Basics Animation 04 Stop Motion, AVA Publishing (2010)
Pikkov, U. Animasophy, Estonian Academy of Arts (2010)
Palamar, T. Mastering Maya 2016, Autodesk Official Press (2015)
Adobe Creative Team, Adobe After Effects CC Classroom In A Book (2013)
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Organisation, evaluation, problem solving, self-reflection, critical thinking, collaboration, practical camera, lighting, sound recording and non-linear editing skills, creative understanding of cinematic grammar and production technologies.
KeywordsAnimation,Film,Research,Collaboration,Teamwork,production technique
Contacts
Course organiserMr Alan Mason
Tel: 0131 221 6135
Email: alan.mason@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Karolina Mazur
Tel: (0131 6)51 5712
Email: Karolina.Mazur@ed.ac.uk
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