DMST 3900

2.5D Poetics - Fall 08

Catalog Description:

Weaving multidimensionally active poetic orchestrations for the 2D screen. Explorations in text, video and audio using post-processing and animation tool After Effects. Prerequisites: Video Experience or instructor's permission. 4.000 Credit Hours


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Contact information

Assistant Professor Chris Coleman

Office: Room 216A Sturm Hall

Office Hours: Tuesdays 4pm-6pm or by appointment

Email: Christopher.Coleman@du.edu


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Course Overview

Today's moving images, from movies to ads to video games, are nearly overwhelming in depth, speed, and complexity. Our eyes and image processing cortices have been developed and trained to deal with what would have seemed a chaotic mess only ten years ago. Now that we are accepting so much more information from every second of this visual barrage, the question is not "How can we stop this," for surely it is too late, but "How can it be used to convey something else?" Something which questions everyday assumptions, wakes the viewer from passivity, provides new insights into their life. This is your challenge. Take this tool, After Effects, "Photoshop with a timeline," and utilize the language of motion graphics to convey the poetic, the sublime, or even a truth undefinable by fact.


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Course Objectives

By the end of this course you will:

  • Think critically about the moving image
  • Have knowledge of the history and future of motion graphics/animation
  • Consider all facets of industrial and creative motion graphics/animation in developing your work
  • Have working knowledge of AfterEffects as a tool for media creation
  • Understand the process of planning and executing motion/animation work
  • Understand working with multiple and embedded timelines
  • Create meaningful content laden media experiences

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Materials

  • The required text for this course is "Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects: Essential and Advanced Techniques, 4th Edition (Paperback) by Chris and Trish Meyer. It is available here from amazon.com or other retailer of your choice.
  • You will need at least 20GB of portable storage (ipods, portable hard drive, etc.)
  • You must have or purchase a sketchbook approx. 8.5"x11"
  • Email address and web space through the school or other server

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Policies

This class will combine individual work in the lab with individual and group instruction. Students must come to class prepared to work. Showing up without necessary files or equipment is the same as not attending. Although students may also use their home computers to work on projects, this is not a valid reason to not attend. It will be necessary to work outside of class to complete all projects and assignments. A minimum of eight hours per week of work outside of class is suggested to get an average grade of a C. Computer failure, equipment malfunction, and file corruption are not accepted as excuses for late or unfinished work so BACK UP YOUR WORK. The computer labs are used by many students, so the labs are in high demand. Budget time accordingly as "unavailable computer time" will also not be accepted as an excuse. Participation in all class discussions and critiques as well as constructive use of lab time is considered in the final grade for each project. At any time in the creation process students should be able to produce notes, drawings,charts etc from their sketchbooks, as well as discuss and articulate the nature of their work to their peers as well as to the instructor.

Attendance is mandatory. Attending class is the responsibility of the student. Lectures and demonstrations may be given or changed without notice and every class will start with professional examples of relevant work so punctuality is essential. An individual who is absent, late or sleeps during class will be responsible for getting the information missed. Students will be allowed two (2) absences without penalty. Any absence in excess of two will result in a 10% grade reduction of the final grade for the course per absence. All absences will be counted. A student who misses 15 minutes or more of a class (late or leave early) is considered absent. A student who sleeps will be considered absent. A student who will acquire absences due to a University sponsored activities must provide necessary documentation from the appropriate office prior to the absence to make any special arrangements for missed work.

For any absence due to religious beliefs, written notification should be provided in the first two weeks of the quarter; the student is responsible for any missed work. Any special medical or personal problems that occur, where absenteeism will exceed the allowed two, will require verification by a physician or emergency medical association (a letter from Student Affairs merely explains an absence, and will not qualify as an excuse). These situations may require course withdrawal or "Incomplete" status on the final grade. Six absences mandate an automatic grade of "F." Three late arrivals (less than 15 min.) will equal one absence.


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Grading

Grades will consist of the following:

  • Assignments @ 35%
  • Reading Responses @ 10%
  • Project 1 @ 20%
  • Project 2 @ 25%
  • Participation @ 10%

Projects and assignments will be graded on the following basis, listed in order of importance.

  • Development, creativity and originality of concept or problem solution
  • Technical development and demonstration of skills
  • Craftsmanship and presentation of work
  • Participation in classroom discussions and critiques in connection with the work

Your grade will be calculated according to the following standards:

  • A = Excellent (100-90%)- work pushes far beyond the project stipulations and shows clear evidence of extreme time, dedication, care and thought about the project as evidenced in effective execution of original/thoughtful ideas.
  • B = Good (80-89%)- work exceeds the basic criteria, provides creative solutions to the problems and shows technical proficiency. Student has made the project "theirs" in that they do not need to explain project stipulations before showing the work.
  • C = Average (70-79%)- work fulfills all requirements, does not expand on techniques shown in class, ideas are close derivations of popular culture.
  • D = Unsatisfactory (60-69%)- work might meet basic criteria but in a careless and/or thoughtless way. Technical proficiency is rudimentary and no chances were taken.
  • F = Failure (0-59%)- the work does not meet the basic criteria.

Late projects will be penalized a letter grade for every class period they are late. Turning a project in after the beginning of the critique counts as one class day late.


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Lab Rules

It is your responsibility to adhere to all rules regarding the use of the DMS labs and equipment. You will be given a sheet stating all rules. Please see Kate Burns in the DMS office before class if you need a form to access the DMS lab.


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Plagiarism

Solutions to assignments you submit will be your own work. A student who is discovered to have plagiarized another's work will immediately receive a grade of F for the course, and a recommendation for disciplinary action will be forwarded to the Dean of Students.


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Software

While you are not required to purchase the software that we are using, not having the software is no excuse for failing to complete your projects. It is your responsibility to work out times when you can use the DMS labs or to make other arrangements for doing your work. Please do not download and/or install trial versions of this software or any other onto campus computers. Adobe After Effects can be purchased at academic pricing at the University Bookstore and online retailers for about $350.


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Course Outline

(The following schedule is open to revision at any point in the quarter.)


09/09 - Introduction

09/11 - Intro to AE, Assignment 1

09/16 - animating, keyframing, Assignment 2

09/18 - Project 1 assigned, animation techniques, timeline control

09/23 - importing files and parenting

09/25 - Present ideas for Project 1, parenting, track mattes, stencils

09/30 - Text, controlling and animating

10/02 - Present all source material for project 1

10/07 - Work Day

10/09 - Pre-Crit

10/14 - Project 1 Due

10/16 -

10/21 - Project 1 Due

10/23 - Project 2 assigned, Intro to 2.5D

10/28 - Present ideas for Project 2

10/30 - Guest from Giant Interactive

11/04 - Tips, work day

11/06 - project walkthrough, Work Day

11/11 - Pre-Crit

11/13 - Work in Progress

11/18 - Final Critique 2:00pm - Project 2 Due


  • Project 1 Control and Chaos
    Create 30 seconds on the themes of control and chaos. You can make one long piece or several smaller ones totaling 30sec. The 30 sec. cannot include any credits or titles but you can use text for conceptual purposes. think about how to effectively use images, text and minimal amounts of video to speak about these themes. You do not have to keep the themes symbolic and disconnected; think about the clash/contrast/connections between control and chaos in the world around you or even in the ant hill on the sidewalk in front of your house.
  • Project 2

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Resources

Links:

- Lecture One


- Lecture Two


- Lecture Three


- Lecture Four


- Lecture Five


- Lecture Six


- Lecture Seven


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