2017/18 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

COMM1770 Animation and Interactivity

20 creditsClass Size: 48

Module manager: Mr Andrew Sykes
Email: a.t.sykes@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2017/18

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module introduces students to animation as a creative technological practice that has specific purposes and impacts in society. The module aims to equip students with professional, creative and technical skills to design, create and critically evaluate web-based animations. The module covers the history of animation and examines the strengths and weaknesses of using animation as a communication tool; examines how modern on-line animated advertising has developed, the standards and forms it takes and it presents case studies of successful campaigns; explores animation techniques and design principles and focuses on practical skills required to devise and develop ideas for animation.This module serves as a prerequisite to the level 2 module COMM2715 Digital Storytelling (also a Discovery Module) that covers more advanced content in animation and narrative.

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should be able to:
This module aims to equip students with professional, creative and technical skills to design, create and critically evaluate web-based animations. The module covers the history of animation and examines the strengths and weaknesses of using animation as a communication tool; examines how modern on-line animated advertising has developed, the standards and forms it takes and it presents case studies of successful campaigns; explores animation techniques and design principles and focuses on practical skills required to devise and develop ideas for animation in response to a set brief.

Learning outcomes
1. Generate ideas suitable to a given audience and communication problem
2. Develop animation storyboards suitable for a range of communicative purposes
3. Demonstrate proficient skills in animating text, character and image
4. Demonstrate professional approach to tool use.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of the conventions of non-linear narratives; Produce informed and clear flowchart designs for interaction;
6. Demonstrate key coding skills for developing interactive applications.

Skills outcomes
Specific skills in new media animation and interactivity are delivered in this module, as outlined in ‘outline syllabus’ above.

Syllabus

This module integrates the theories and practices of animation and interactivity. Specific skills taught include:
Animation techniques and design principles such as use of copy, pace, action, flow and character; storyboarding techniques; the 'Disney' steps to animation; methods for devising characters, implementing lip synching methods and examining various methods to replicate movement, in particular walk cycles and facial expressions.
Techniques such as motion tweening, shape tweening, masking and frame by frame animation; approaches to handling type, drawing methods (working with vector strokes and fills) and working with bitmap imagery; the ways in which sound can be integrated into animations; distribution methods including compression techniques and loading sequences.
Advanced coding skills, including: using events, accepting input, variables, movieclips and movieclip paths, decision making, loops, sound objects and arrays. Producing animated elements via code is taught, involving understanding the use of movieclip properties in conjunction with events. Principles of storing data, and the dynamic generation of movieclips is taught.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	20	1.00	20.00
Practical	20	1.00	20.00
Private study hours			160.00
Total Contact hours			40.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Students will develop storyboards (20 hours), animated (70 hours) and interactive (70 hours) artefacts in their private study time.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Storyboard crit sessions in weeks 5 and 9.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Project	Animated Piece	40.00
Project	Interactive piece	60.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Resit instructions: In the case that a student fails to produce a storyboard/animation or that failure in the storyboard/animation element produces a fail in the overall mark, the student must complete the storyboard/ animation to a standard that meets the basic assessment criteria.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 08/05/2017

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