Undergraduate Course: Animation 2B Narrative (DESI08076)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course will develop students understanding of key animation principles, methods and techniques to an advanced level, building on student learning already undertaken in Animation 2A Character. The course provides fundamental animation-specific knowledge and understanding that is vital for sustained practice as an animator. |
| Course description |
This advanced animation course that focuses upon the rapid prototyping of film ideas, and an exploration of animated performance and interplay between characters.
The course will cover:
Historical and contemporary precedents in short and ultra-short form filmmaking
Historical and contemporary precedents in story breakdown, narrative structure, screen grammar, composition and layout of shots
Historical and contemporary precedents in character design and development
Technical workshops in subjects including composition, rapid animation production methods, 3D pre-visualisation techniques, and layout
Film dissemination and distribution practices
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): 24-hour creation of short films for online dissemination; practices of literary adaptation; reinterpretation and re-imagining of classic film scenes; exploration of non-verbal communication modes.
Documentation of collaborative process, development of ideas, research, and self-reflection will come from the on-going design journals submitted alongside completed films.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Animation 1B Principles (DESI08077)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | If this course is Core to your programme, you will automatically be enrolled. For all other students, including Design students, the course is open on a first come, first served basis until the course is full. This course may have limited availability for non-Design students. Please contact the Course Organiser if you wish to enrol. |
| 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. |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 5,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 15,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 20,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 1,
Formative Assessment Hours 1,
Summative Assessment Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
153 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
SUMMATIVE Assessment
Portfolio (100%) submitted at the end of the course and evidencing all Learning Outcomes.
Learning Outcomes are weighted as:
LO1 20%
LO2 40%
LO3 40%
All Learning Outcomes must be passed to pass the course.
SUMMATIVE Assessment details
Portfolio should include:
- Filmmaking and animation - Completed and WIP Films
- Development work and research - Sketchpads, drawings, storyboards, animatics, and online design journal
- Reflection - self evaluation
Resit Information
The resubmission assessment is the same as the original submission for this course. |
| Feedback |
FORMATIVE
Formative feedback will be offered throughout the course and in a variety of formats, including written and/or orally at formative submission point(s), tutorials, and other activities.
SUMMATIVE
Final course grades and written feedback will be provided at the end of the course. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- PLAN: Demonstrate the ability to generate a range of appropriate, time-sensitive approaches for animation production.
- DEVELOP: Demonstrate the ability to build a diverse range of practical and material methods of animation.
- PRESENT: Communicate personal creative processes and results of animation practice in an appropriately professional manner.
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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. Adobe (2013)
Katz, S. Film Directing Shot By Shot. Michael Wiese Productions (1991)
Proferes, N. Film Directing Fundamentals. Focal Press (2001) |
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, creative and organisational flexibility. |
| Keywords | Animation,Film,Research,Collaboration,Teamwork,Composition,Layout,Character Design,Pre-Visualisation |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Alan Mason
Tel: 0131 221 6135
Email: alan.mason@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Carrie Parker
Tel:
Email: Carrie.Parker@ed.ac.uk |
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