The CMDC s Program Goals At the completion of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Digital Technology and Culture, students should be able to:

What is the goal of the third goal?
What does the goal of the course do?

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1 DTC 335: Digital Animation: Story, Narration, and Production Fall units Tuesday/Thursday 10:35-11:50am, VMMC 111 Professor Brenda Grell bgrell@gmail.com Teaching Assistant: Sue Park Sue.park@wsu.edu Office: VMMC 211A Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday: 12:30-1:30am & by appointment Course website: Course server space (access through Cyberduck or another FTP program):: dtc-wsuv.org user: dtc335 password: animation Please make sure you put your work in the proper semester/homework week folder. Course Description Digital animation for creative and professional presentations and videos using various 3D modeling and animation software and tools, with an emphasis on art skills, storytelling, and problem-solving techniques. The CMDC s Program Goals At the completion of a Bachelor of Arts degree in Digital Technology and Culture, students should be able to: 1. Demonstrate competency with computers for designing and distributing digital works in various mediums for effective human-computer interactions 2. Synthesize media forms for multimedia contexts 3. Employ the principles of visual form for sophisticated image manipulation 4. Understand the production and assessment of media objects 5. Identify and explain key principles of information architecture, effectively manage knowledge for both information retrieval and archival purposes, and evaluate and choose appropriate information architecture and knowledge management strategies for a given situation 6. Question the way digital media functions in multiple cultural contexts 7. Recognize various forms of language processing and their implications for media authoring 8. Appreciate the history of technological development, from local to global perspectives, and its implications for a variety of mediums 9. Utilize an interdisciplinary perspective in order to understand the basics of social, economic, and education changes brought about by digital media 10. Be practiced and capable communicators in all mediums

2 Learning Goals for this Course: University Learning Objectives At the end of this course, you should be able to: Required Course Activities that Advance Learning Goals and Method of Assessment CMDC Goals & Objectives Critical and Creative Thinking Define, analyze, and solve problems Integrate and synthesize knowledge from multiple sources Assess the accuracy and validity of findings and conclusions Understand how one thinks, reasons, and makes value judgments, including ethical and aesthetical judgments Combine and synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways Homework Assignments Quizzes on key concepts and terms Animation Project #1 and #2 Goal 1: Demonstrate competency with computers for designing and distributing digital works in various mediums for effective humancomputer interactions Goal 2: Synthesize media forms for multimedia contexts Goal 3: Employ the principles of visual form for sophisticated image manipulation Goal 4: Understand the production and assessment of media objects Goal 7: Recognize various forms of language processing and their implications for media authoring Think, react, and work in an imaginative way characterized by a high degree of innovation, divergent thinking, and risk taking. Communication and Information Literacy Determine the extent and type of information needed In class discussions, critiques and written project production statements Goal 3: Employ the principles of visual form for sophisticated image manipulation Access information effectively and efficiently from multiple sources Assess credibility and application of information sources Use information to accomplish a specific purpose Access and use information ethically and legally Goal 4: Understand the production and assessment of media objects Goal 6: Question the way digital media functions in multiple cultural contexts Goal 7: Recognize various forms of language processing and their implications for media authoring Goal 8: Appreciate the history of technological development, from local to global perspectives, and its implications for a variety of mediums Communicate in various authored digital formats, & both formal & Goal 9: Utilize an interdisciplinary perspective in order to understand the basics of social, economic, and

3 informal speech to convey meaning, significance, views, and values in peer groups & beyond. education changes brought about by digital media Goal 10: Be practiced and capable communicators in all mediums Visually express ideas in coherent, concise, and technically correct forms effective with audiences in a variety of digital, multimodal texts. Identify, explain, compare, apply, argue, interpret, and evaluate information in a variety of digital forms. Engage effectively with diverse groups through listening & speaking one-on-one, in small groups, & in large groups, both online & face to face. Required Materials 3D Art Essentials: The Fundamentals of 3D Modeling, Texturing, and Animation by Ami Chopine (Focal Press, 2012) ISBN: (approx. $34.99) (this book is on course reserves in WSUV s Library) Lynda.com 3 month subscription used to access training videos on SketchUp and Maya (approx. $75). Flash/USB or External Hard Drive at least 16GB (approx. $20) Dropbox account Free cloud service for backing up your work. Always back up your work!! Sketchbook/Notebook/Pens/Pencils Recommend Materials (for in depth coverage of animation techniques) Digital Modeling by William Vaughan (New Riders Press, 2012), ISBN: (approx. $55) The Animation Survival Kit by Richard Williams (Faber & Faber, 2012), ISBN: X (approx. $25) Assignments To satisfy requirements of this course, students are expected to complete: 2 Assigned Projects 13 Weekly Assigned Homework Exercises/Quizzes Assessment Students will be assessed in this way: 13 Homework exercises & 2 pts each = 26 pts Project 30 pts = 30 pts Project 34 pts = 34 pts Class 10 pts = 10 pts Total Number of Points: = 100 pts Methodology In this course we will be using the digital animation tools of Trimble SketchUp and Autodesk Maya to develop narrative and story production techniques. This course requires students to spend a significant

4 amount of time outside class working on projects and homework assignments. To complete all these requirements, students are encouraged to take advantage of the computer labs on campus that are equipped with Trimble SketchUp, Maya, AfterEffects, and Garageband. Check out DTC s free, drop-in workshops on Mondays from 2:10-4:10pm on various topics throughout the semester on various topics such as Augmented Reality, video & audio editing and Illustrator. Attendance Policy More than four unexcused absences will result in a final grade being lowered by one letter grade. Excused absences are defined as absences due to documented illnesses or deaths of close family members. Vacations, scheduled doctor visits, family reunions, weeklong getaways, forgetting the semester has already begun, or that we are meeting for class, do not count as excused absences. Students need to be in class on the days indicated in the Course Schedule. No exceptions. If students miss more than two weeks in a row, for any reason, students will be asked to drop the course and retake it when they are better able to participate. Excused absences are, while understandable, must be documented in order for students to have them counted as such. Tardiness is both disruptive and like missing class, albeit part of it. For that reason, students will accumulate absences with tardiness. 3 tardiness = 1 absence. Make Up Work in Case of Absence(s) Work missed during an unexcused absence cannot be made up. Students with excused absences must be prepared to make up all work within a week of the class she or he missed. Missed Assignments or Exams All assignments must be completed and submitted by the designated due date and time. If an assignment/project is turned in late, each day reduces your project grade by 10% points. For example, if you earn a 90%, your late project (by one day) would now receive 80%, or two days late will be reduced to 70%. Please submit all projects by the beginning of class on the due day; any projects submitted after the start of class will be considered 1 day late. Please communicate your situation with me in case of illness or justifiable circumstances that may prompt you to turn in late projects or miss an exam. Grading Scale Plus/Minus grading will be used, according to the following system: A 93% - 100% C+ 77% % A- 90% % C 73% % B+ 87% % C- 70% % B 83% % F 69.99% or below B- 80% % University Policies I encourage you to work with classmates on assignments. However, each student must turn in original work. No copying will be accepted. Students who violate WSU's Standards of Conduct for Students will receive an F as a final grade in this course, will not have the option to withdraw from the course and will be reported to the Office Student Standards and Accountability. Cheating is defined in the Standards for Student Conduct WAC (3). It is strongly suggested that you read and understand these definitions. Student with Disabilities: Reasonable accommodations are available for students with a documented disability. If you have a disability and need accommodations to fully participate in this class, please contact the Access Center at or van.access.center@wsu.edu. Accommodations may take some time to implement so it is critical that you contact the Access Center as soon as possible. All accommodations must be approved through the Access Center, located in the Classroom Building, Room 160, at or van.access.center@wsu.edu. Emergency Notification System: WSU has made an emergency notification system available for faculty, students and staff. Please register at Zzusis with emergency contact information (cell, , text, etc).

5 Students may have been prompted to complete emergency contact information when registering for classes on RONet. In the event of a Building Evacuation, a map at each classroom entrance shows the evacuation point for each building. Please refer to it. For emergency weather closure policy, see: Individual class cancellations may be made at the discretion of the instructor. Each individual is expected to make the best decision for his or her personal circumstances, taking safety into account. Safety plan website - Students are encouraged to refer to the academic calendar often to be aware of critical deadlines throughout the semester. The academic calendar can be found at Students are encouraged to refer to the academic calendar often to be aware of critical deadlines throughout the semester. The academic calendar can be found at Final exams are scheduled the last week of the semester; the Registrar will send out an informing students of the day/time for your exam. Tentative Weekly Syllabus *always check the class website for homework and readings Week 1A: August 25 Syllabus and overview of class Week 1B: August 27 Intro to SketchUp, model a simple chair, render an image of the chair Week 2A: September 1 Model a bathroom, intro to Project #1, interior modeling, checking measurements Week 2B: September 3 Interior modeling with assets from the SketchUp 3D Warehouse, interior architectural measurements Week 3A: September 8 Architectural terms and modeling, more interior modeling, Week 3B: September 10 Exterior modeling, working with images and textures Week 4A: September 15 More exterior modeling Week 4B: September 17 Q&A and in class work day Week 5A: September 22 Critique Project #1 Week 5B: September 24 Intro to Maya interface and modeling methods Week 6A: September 29 Modeling in Maya more on modeling methods, working with materials and textures Week 6B: October 1 Modeling in Maya working with lights and rendering Week 7A: October 6 Chess Board Modeling in Maya environments with textures and materials Week 7B: October 8 Chess Board 101 Animating in Maya animation principles, keyframes Week 8A: October 13 Chess Board 101 Animating in Maya refining motion

6 Week 8B: October 15 Chess Board 101 Animating in Maya - animation principles, using keyframes Week 9A: October 20 Chess Board 101 Animating in Maya more on animating and working with cameras Week 9B: October 22 Chess Board 101 Animating in Maya working with cameras, refining motion Week 10A: October 27 Chess Board 101 Advanced modeling in Maya - simple rigging techniques Week 10B: October 29 Chess Board 101 Advanced modeling in Maya - more on rigging techniques Week 11A: November 3 Chess Board Advanced modeling in Maya - more on rigging techniques Week 11B: November 5 Chess Board Advanced animating in Maya working with rigged characters Week 12A: November 10 Working with audio and refining motion Week 12B: November 12 Chess Board 101 More on lighting and texture rendering in Mental Ray Week 13A: November 17 Chess Board 101 More on refining camera motion Week 13B: November 19 Chess Board 101 Work in Progress due November Thanskgiving Break NO CLASS Week 14A: December 1 Chess Board 101- Troubleshooting Week 14B: December 3 - Chess Board 101- Rendering and compiling in After Effects Week 15A: December 8 Q&A and in class work day Week 15B: December 10 - Q&A and in class work day Week 16 : Finals Week Final exam day/time: TBA