Undergraduate Course: Animation Elective 4A: Research & Pre-Production (DESI10102)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 40 |
ECTS Credits | 20 |
| Summary | This course enables students to carry out research into method and content necessary to create ambitious, complex and original animated projects. It allows them to develop the skills necessary to create a skeletal structure for their film and a prototype where design decisions can be made before committing to time consuming and labour intensive production quality animation. The course follows established industrial workflows for animation and prepares students to engage with these upon graduation. |
| Course description |
This is an advanced animation course that concentrates on allowing students to develop the preparatory processes necessary for large-scale animation production. It supports the generation of persuasive and viable project proposals, and introduces students to the rigors of pitching a film idea to peers.
The course will cover topics such as:
Developing a viable proposal for film development
Project planning and project management for longer productions
Technical and material research
Workshops in pitching and presentation techniques
Preparing presentation work to collaborating artists (i.e junior animators, sound designers, composers)
Project documentation and film bibles
This course will result in the production of a series of individual artefacts that collectively form the framework for the next stage of the film making process. These artefacts will consist of the following, at least:
Research sketchbooks (digital or otherwise) demonstrating evidence of the research contributing towards a proposed project
Storyboards, demonstrating evidence of shot planning and plot progression
Animatic/s demonstrating pacing and timings for subsequent film production
A proof of concept shot and stills demonstrating the intended final production quality
A project schedule for the rest of the academic session
A presentation for invited guests* from the animation industry in PDF form
A reflective journal
The learning experience will consist of weekly production meetings where students outline their production plans in progress in addition to weekly 1:1 meetings with course tutors to give feedback on the work in progress. Given the nature and scope of the project there is an expectation of sustained research and development time either in the animation studio or in the student¿s own working space as agreed with the full programme team including our specialist technician.
*where appropriate/when available.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Animation 3A: Animation For Clients (DESI10095) AND
Animation 3B: Experimental Animation (DESI10096) AND
Animation 3C: Disseminated Animation (DESI10097)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Equipment and software: Most equipment and software required will be provided by the School, but the Student will be expected to provide some specialist equipment including a laptop.
Materials: Students will be expected to fund the purchase of general art and design materials, such as sketchbooks, paper and pens. Students will be expected to fund the purchase of some specialist materials required by their course e.g. peg bars, plasticine, animation paper etc.
Course Organisers will support you in meeting intended learning outcomes while keeping material costs to a minimum, but students will be expected to fund optional material costs as necessary for their own project work.
Printing: Students are expected to fund occasional printing and binding of work.
To fully participate in this programme students are recommended to budget a minimum of £50 for each year of study
BA(Hons) Animation
Year 1 - £50.00
Year 2 - £50.00
Year 3 - £50.00
Year 4 - £50.00 |
| Additional Costs | Equipment and software: Most equipment and software required will be provided by the School, but the Student will be expected to provide some specialist equipment including a laptop.
Materials: Students will be expected to fund the purchase of general art and design materials, such as sketchbooks, paper and pens. Students will be expected to fund the purchase of some specialist materials required by their course e.g. peg bars, plasticine, animation paper etc.
Course Organisers will support you in meeting intended learning outcomes while keeping material costs to a minimum, but students will be expected to fund optional material costs as necessary for their own project work.
Printing: Students are expected to fund occasional printing and binding of work.
To fully participate in this programme students are recommended to budget a minimum of £50 for each year of study
BA(Hons) Animation
Year 1 - £50.00
Year 2 - £50.00
Year 3 - £50.00
Year 4 - £50.00 |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
400
(
Lecture Hours 10,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 28,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 40,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 4,
Formative Assessment Hours 2,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 8,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
306 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
This course has 1 assessment has component.
100% Portfolio which should include the following items:
Documentation of research include visual, material, technical prototyping and critical reflection.
Project proposal which includes pitch synopsis, treatment and viability for a short animated film.
Planning and development work including schedule, scripting, storyboards, concept art and model sheets.
Animatic and test animation ¿ to test for both viability of method and timing for planning and sound design.
This can be compiled into one PDF document or in a live link to your online journal if appropriate and agreed with course staff.
This will be submitted at the end of the course and assessed across all learning outcomes equally. |
| Feedback |
Formative Feedback
Formative feedback is given at multiple points throughout the course. In week 3 there is an informal pitch session where students outline their projects in a mock pitch ¿ they are given verbal staff and peer feedback on the overall project. In weekly 1:1 and group tutorials, they are given verbal feedback on the quality and direction of the research and planning. In week 6 they are invited to submit a draft animatic in progress for guidance on direction of work to support their final submission at the end of the course.
Summative Feedback
Summative feedback will be given in writing by the course tutors on the VLE at the end of the course.
This feedback will be instructive as feedforward to the semester 2, production course. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Assemble appropriate research materials, curated and selected to justify and support their animation proposal.
- Conceive, plan and develop an original animation project which employs their animation skills.
- Construct an animatic which successfully communicates intended timings and visual design for their animated film.
- Compose an appropriate project proposal to be communicated in a professional manner.
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Reading List
Dunlop, Renee. Production pipeline fundamentals for film and games. Focal Press (2014)
Glebas, F. Directing the Story: Professional Storytelling and Storyboarding Techniques for Live Action and Animation Focal Press (2008)
Maclean, F. Setting The Scene Chronicle Books (2011)
Rea. P. Producing and Directing the Short Film and Video Routledge (2015)
Priebe, Ken A. The advanced art of stop-motion animation. Course Technology (2011) |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Material research: identifying the best and most appropriate production methods and materials to make the graduate film(s) based on prior learning and acquired skills will equipe you to scope future projects in your professional life.
Project initiation: Using personal and intellectual autonomy to initiate a new and original project with open-mindedness and a critical consideration of previous experience will enhance your confidence in planning your work.
Pitching: Using communication skills to present project ideas to peers and industry using a combination of visuals and writing in a convincing and succinct way to make you a more effective communicator.
Resource management and scheduling: to manage time and material requirements within the limitations of available resources and negotiate their use in a professional manner will develop your professional practice and ability to take responsibility for your working practices. |
| Keywords | Animation,Project planning,Pre visualisation,Concept art |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Alan Mason
Tel: 0131 221 6135
Email: alan.mason@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Laura Duff
Tel:
Email: lduff4@ed.ac.uk |
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