class syllabus

The Art Institute of California

Course Syllabus

Course Number: EM4402

Course Title: Motion & Shot Design

Class Meetings:

Session/Year:

Instructor Name:

Email Address:

Instructor Availability Outside of Class:

Please feel free to contact me if an individual appointment time needs to be arranged. Also, always feel free to contact me at my above mentioned email with any questions you may have as you work on your projects throughout the week.

Motion & Shot Design

Course Description:

This course explores the unique aesthetics of synthetic moving images. A more refined review of 2-D design and color will be combined with an in depth study of perceptual psychology to inform the technical and creative decision making and problem solving process. Coherence, aesthetics, and semantics will be discussed both in the abstract and in the context of the student's work process with the aim of developing a more sophisticated motion graphics and visual effects style. Historical, current, and future trends will also be covered.

Course Length: 11 Weeks

Contact Hours: 44 Hours

Lecture: 2 Hours per week

Lab: 2 Hours per week

Credit Values: 3 Credits

Course Competencies:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Define technical and aesthetic terms and jargon as they relate to art direction for visual effects and motion graphics
2. Explain historical and current trends in the aesthetics of moving images
3. Demonstrate the ability to make informed creative decisions and explain how those decisions will affect the viewer
4. Show a clear progression in personal style
5. Adapt historical and current styles from other media and apply them to the creation of the moving image.
6. Understand and appreciate digital animation in the continuum of traditional animation and time-based media concepts and practices.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of basic techniques of character and narrative development as applied to digital animation.
8. Demonstrate skills in preparation of digital animation for a variety of output formats.
9. Create storyboards that effectively document narrative and/or concept development.
10. Apply visual and time-based design principles to the creation of digital animation.

Course Prerequisite(s): MA4405 Intermediate Motion Graphics

Required Text(s): None

Materials and Supplies: Various art supplies

Estimated Homework Hours: 8 Hours per Week

Technology Needed: Access to video cameras, still cameras, scanners, capture systems & to computers.

Assessment Criteria & Methods of Evaluation:

Assignments and Exercises 70%

Final Project/Examination 30%

100%

Grading Scale:

All assignments must have clear criteria and objectives to meet. All students shall be treated equitably. It will be that student’s right to know his/her grade at any reasonable point that information is requested by that student. The criteria for determining a student’s grade shall be as follows (on a percentage of total points basis):

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 66-60

F 60 or below

Classroom Policies:

• Class time will be spent in a productive manner.
• All work must be received by the set deadlines.
• On-time projects may be redone with instructor approval.
• No food allowed in computer labs at any time. Drinks in recloseable bottles allowed in classroom.
• If student elects to eat/drink outside class or lab door, missed time is recorded as absent.
• Attendance is taken on a regular basis. Tardiness or absence is recorded in 15-minute increments.
• Break times are scheduled by the instructor at appropriate intervals.
• No private software is to be brought to lab or loaded onto school computers.
• No software games are allowed in lab (unless in course curriculum).
• Headphones are required if listening to music in computer labs. No headphones are allowed during lecture.
• To receive special accommodations for a documented disability, the student must present their letter of accommodation to the instructor by the end of the first day of class. This letter should be obtained each quarter from the Student Affairs department. Any resulting class performance problems that may arise for those who do not identify their needs will not receive any special grading considerations.
• ID Badges must be visible at all times on campus.

Students with Disabilities:

The Art Institute of California is committed to providing qualified students with a disability an equal opportunity to access the benefits, rights and privileges of school services, programs and activities. The Art Institute of California provides reasonable accommodations to students with documented disabilities.

Accommodation requests should be submitted as far in advance as possible. It is the responsibility of the student to contact the Student Services Department to initiate this process. The Student Services Department will assist qualified students with disabilities in acquiring reasonable and appropriate accommodations.

Attendance Policy:

Successful completion of a course is dependent upon regular attendance in the classroom. Critical information is delivered through lecture, critique and student interaction. Missing more than 20% of the course hours (or 2 weeks) is fundamentally prohibitive to student success.

It is strongly recommended that any student who – for ANY reason – misses more than 2 weeks worth of instructional hours meet with their instructor for an evaluation. The instructor reserves the right to determine the feasibility of the student potential for avoiding a failing grade and successfully demonstrating all of the gradable course competencies within the class time remaining. If the instructor determines that the student still retains the potential to demonstrate all of the gradable course competencies then the student will be granted the option of attempting a passing grade. If an evaluation meeting has not taken place before 30% or 3 weeks of absence, the student can receive a failing grade for the course.

Student Conduct Policy:

The Art Institute of California expects its students and employees to conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. In addition, the Art Institute has a strict policy which disallows sexual harassment of either students or employees. All students or employees are encouraged to report any professional or sexual misconduct to the Director of Student Services.

Academic Dishonesty:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty while pursuing their studies at The Art Institute. Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to: plagiarism and cheating, misuse of academic resources or facilities, and misuse of computer software, data, equipment or networks.

Plagiarism is the use (copying) of another person’s ideas, words, visual images, or audio samples, presented in a manner that makes the work appear to be the student’s original creation. All work that is not the student’s original creation, or any idea or fact that is not “common knowledge,” must be documented properly to avoid even accidental infractions of the honor code.

Cheating is to gain an unfair advantage on a grade by deception, fraud, or breaking the rules set forth by the instructor of the class. Cheating may include but is not limited to: copying the work of others; using notes or other materials when unauthorized; communicating to others during an exam; and any other unfair advantage as determined by the instructor.

Commitment to Excellence – Reading/Writing/Comprehension:

While the principal goal of this course is the acquisition of knowledge in the subject area, students should be aware that The Art Institute of California – Orange County requires that research on a particular topic, and clear and effective writing be an integral part of the learning process.

Library Assignment:

All students will need to utilize the Library for research and reference throughout the quarter. The Library is a valuable source for finding design ideas that will be needed for this course, i.e.: inspiration and design fundamentals for mid-term and final projects; locating popular trends in design, illustration and photography; referencing past award winning designs which may be used as a guide; identifying benchmarks or referencing competent design works. 

Student Art Work:

All student work, which has not already been returned during the quarter, will be available for pickup no later than 5:00 pm, Monday of the first week of break. Any work NOT picked up by that date and time will be discarded unless other arrangements have been made. Students must take responsibility for their art work.

Suggested Weekly Outline:

Week 1:	Lecture: Syllabus and Expectations. What is Shot design?
	Lab: View examples of recent award winning shots
	Homework: Create a portfolio of the 5 shots you are most proud of. Bring Project files and all associated materials.
Week 2:	Lecture: Crit of student portfolios. What is Wrong and right? Why fix it?
	Lab: Rework 1 shot based on class crit.
	Homework: Finish lab work and rework another shot.
Week 3:	Lecture: Crit of Reworked shots. Approaches to previs and story boarding.
	Lab: Demonstration of previs and story boarding
	Homework: Previse 5 MG or VFX shots
Week 4:	Lecture: Crit of Previs. What is working? Discussion of presentation and style
	Lab: Rework Previs
	Homework: Continue lab
Week 5:	Lecture: Crit New previs choose the best of 5.
	Lab: Start to carry out design
	Homework: Finish design, this is the mid term project
Week 6:	Lecture: Crit Mid Term Project
	Lab: Exchange shots and rework previs or other students
	Homework: Continue lab
Week 7:	Lecture: Crit. Present reworking of other students work. What is it like do show someone else idea?
	Lab: Discussion and work in small groups
	Homework: Rework midterm for grade change.
Week 8:	Lecture: Crit of redos. German Expressionism now and then
	Lab: Find examples of German Expressionism in a current work of media
	Homework: Design a shot showing elements of German Expressionism
Week 9:	Lecture: Crit of German Expressionism Designs. Screen additional examples.
	Lab: Continue work on German Expressionism Designs
	Homework: Finish designs
Week 10:	Lecture: Crit of Designs. Discussion of finals. Screening of other historical styles
	Lab: Decide on finals and start working
	Homework: Finish finals
Week 11:	Lecture: Crit Final
	Lab: Last minute changes based on Crit.