ARTM3710 Interactive Animation

Description

Students will work with a variety of animation softwares to develop animations and interactive narratives. Students will explore basic scripting behaviors and work with navigational elements and multimedia files, including sound and video to create professional and engaging content.

Objectives

Students will (1) use their drawing, design and digital editing skills to create comprehensive solutions using interactivity and narrative; (2) create fully developed projects that will be delivered online and projected in space; (3) think critically about interactive behaviors, and animation aesthetics.

Skills to be mastered:

(1) Animation Design and Development

  • Use storyboards to design and plan animations
  • Create a use case-scenario for an interactive narrative

(2) Editing and Animating techniques

  • Describe and apply various approaches to animation aesthetics
  • Demonstrate hand drawn and  intermediate digital drawing skills for animating
  • Implement interactivity from a designer’s perspective
  • Optimize animations for various platforms

(3) Critical thinking, problem solving, and aesthetics

  • Apply basic principles of narrative in developing and evaluating animation
  • Give and receive criticism that improves the narrative, interactivity and animation of a project and that respects the dignity of clients and colleagues

Required Materials

  • Sketchbook
  • Hard drive for storing projects

Optional Materials

Structure

Each week will begin with reviewing experimental animations, lecture/ class discussion or demonstration, then transition into studio time. There will be regular homework assignments that will need to be completed and uploaded to my submit folder or class blog before the start of each class.

Projects 50% (O.1, O.2)

There will be 3 projects assigned throughout the semester, 2 will be completed. Collectively they account for 50% of your final grade. Projects are due at the beginning of the class period for which the critique is assigned.

  • Looping Narrative
  • Interactive Narrative
  • Interactive Environment (AR or VR)
  • Animated Interface

These will be assessed on Narrative, Animation, Interactivity, Aesthetics.

Process Documentation 25%

With each project you must show evidence of your process, evidence includes storyboards, notes, writings, photos, user flow diagrams, etc. At the end of the semester you must hand in either a hard copy or a pdf of this evidence. These will be assessed on Preparedness, Overall Presentation and Aesthetics.

Experimental Looping Animations 10% (O.1)

Weekly 3 to 12 frame animation experiments will focus on motion. Experiments must be uploaded to your personal web space or social media and a link posted to the class blog. Experiments will account for 10% of your final grade. Note: that experiments can be used to further your larger projects, which can then be part of your process documentation. Each completed experiment is worth 1 point, 10 points are required for an A, additional experiments are extra credit.

Critique and Participation 15% (O.3)

Critiques play a crucial role in any design practice. Group and individual meetings take place through out the semester. Students encounter numerous situations where it becomes necessary to evaluate, work and rework projects in order to achieve the highest possible standards. Verbal and written skills are important, students are required to explain and write about their design decisions in front of the instructor, clients, and peers.

Unless otherwise specified, each project will be turned in by uploading to my submit folder or class blog. Everyone will use a uniform folder structure and naming system. All projects and exercises are due at the beginning of the class for which the critique is assigned.

Critiques and class discussions, will become helpful tools only through your participation. Participation in class and in this fora will count for 15% of your final grade.