1. DEMONSTRATE AND UTILISE ANIMATED TECHNIQUES WITH ADVANCED COMPETENCE, CONTROL AND RELVANCE IN-LINE WITH YOUR CAREER GOALS AND AMBITIONS.
1 – KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING

2. EMPLOY A RANGE OF METHODS AND SKILLS LEARNED FORM PREVIOUS MODULES TO CREATE A SET OF NARRATIVE IDEAS FOR DEVELOPMENT AS SHORT ANIMATION SEQUENCES, ANTICIPATING PROBLEMS, AND EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE POSSIBILITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ACHIEVABLE ANIMATED PROJECT AND SUPPORTING BODY OF PRE-PRODUCTION WORK
5 – PROBLEM SOLVING

3. DEMONSTRATE SKILLS IN CONCISE AND CLEAR COMMUNICATION OF CREATIVE IDEAS IN A RANGE OF PRESENTATION METHODS: WRITTEN, SPOKEN AND VISUAL
6 - COMMUNICATION

4.CONSOLIDATE AND APPLY ALL PRIOR LEARNING ACROSS THE AWARD TO THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A SUBSTANTIAL BODY OF NEGOTIATED WORK WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF COMMERCIAL AND FREELANCE MARKETS WHICH SUPPORT YOUR EMPLOYABILITY AS A PRACTICING ANIMATOR.
7 – APPLICATION

5. USE QUESTIONING, CRITICISM AND SPECULATION ABOUT GENRE, THEORIES AND TECHNICAL ISSUES AFFECTING ANIMATION PRODUCTION AND RELATE THIS TO YOUR DEVELOPMENT AS AN INDIVIDUAL ANIMATOR
8 - REFLECTION

Students will be expected to attend all module sessions in order to benefit from the delivery and understanding of new material, gain understanding of module expectations / tasks and to engage in weekly peer-to-peer and tutor feedback.

PITCH. PRESENT. COLLABORATE. includes assessment components:
Short animations – on-line submission of 3 completed short animated sequences.
(10% of overall module mark)
Learning Outcomes: 1, 5, 6, 7, 8

Individual Pre-Production - Portfolio – on-line submission evidencing your individual ideas generation, industry standard pre-production planning, storyboard and animatic development (and iterations) – supporting the development of a short-animated scenario / film.
Learning Outcomes: 1, 5, 6, 7, 8

Pre-Production Project: Pitch & Present – a formal 10-minute presentation of completed pre-production development work for a simple short animated scenario, which clearly communicates your creative ideas to a group of peers and Course staff.
Presentations will be filmed for review and feedback.
(40% - combined assessment with Pre-Production Project: Portfolio)
Learning Outcomes: 1, 5, 6, 7, 8

Collaborative Production: Portfolio
Completed short animated scenario as completed by the group (duration to be confirmed)
All students will be expected to submit completed screen-based Portfolios for assessment via the professional video-sharing platform Vimeo (www.vimeo.com)
Learning outcomes: 1, 5, 6, 7, 8

Collaborative Production: Report
500-word documented and illustrated evidence of your individual contribution to the group project in the successful completion of a professional animation collaboration and effective working with others.
This must also include evidence of your application for a specific production role and related justification.
Supporting work will be submitted via a professional, appropriately formatted and organised on-line BLOG.
(50% - combined assessment with Collaborative Production: Portfolio)
Learning outcomes: 1, 5, 6, 7, 8

All students will be expected to submit completed screen-based Portfolios for assessment via the professional video-sharing platform Vimeo (www.vimeo.com)
Supporting work will be submitted via a professional, appropriately formatted and organised on-line BLOG.

Please see module handbook for further details. It is expected that you will understand digital formats for submission of digital work.

This is a specialism-skills module designed to support you in your chosen specialism of animation production: STOP MOTION.
As part of the ‘REFLECT. SELECT. EVOLVE.’ process at the end of each Semester and with negotiation with your personal tutor or Award Leader you will identify and select your chosen method of animation to respond to the module requirements to support your career goals and ambitions.

Building upon all your prior learning and skills development and strengths and weaknesses identified in Collaborative Production Project, this module will develop your professional practical skills further in the advanced concepts of pre-production planning, ideas generation and communication.
The module focus is on the creation of storyboards, animatics and pre-vis material to support the pitch and presentation of a short character-led animated sequence.

The module will include:

SEMESTER 1
COMPONENT 1: 3 short animations
The creation of 3 short, animated sequences ranging from 5-15 seconds each, based on given themes and concepts. These may be created using bespoke or existing assets.

COMPONENT 2: Individual Pre-Production - Portfolio
You will work individually or in collaborative partnerships to create industry standard storyboard, animatic, pre-vis material to support the ‘pitch & presentation’ of a short-animated sequence /film.

COMPONENT 3: Pre-Production Project: Pitch & Present
At the end of the Semester all students will take part in the ‘Pitch & Present’ sessions, where you will formally present your completed pre-production portfolio of ideas to the group. Presentations must include clear description of the industry expected pre-production material to support a short-animated sequence.
At this point you will be marked on your ‘Individual Pre-Production Portfolio’.

Based on the ‘Pitch & Present’ process course Staff will select a number of sequences.
Selected or ‘Green-lit’ projects will go into production as a key focus in Semester 2 of this module.

The pitching and presentation of ideas is a fundamental aspect of the moving image industries – a process that we want our graduates to be experienced in before entering the world of employment.
Talking in public and sharing ideas can be challenging – but also equally rewarding – and is a key skill for your future career as an animator.
Whilst the ‘Green-light’ selection process may seem harsh, it replicates the reality of Industry practise and standards, where creative competitiveness is expected and as such is something that we want our Graduates to be prepared for.

SEMESTER 2
COMPONENT 4: Collaborative Production Project
Following the selection of ‘Green-lit’ projects at the end of Semester 1 individual students will be expected to formally apply for specific role(s) on specific production(s) – after which students will be aligned with industry-facing creative roles to form professional production teams in which you will collaboratively complete the short-animated sequence / film you are selected to work on.

Completed work will be finished to a professional, Industry standard as though for broadcast or Festival distribution and for inclusion in your professional portfolio. These may be created using bespoke or existing assets.

It is important to note - the contribution that you make in this module will form a vital part of your showreel that you will be formally presenting to a panel of Industry professionals as part of ‘Portfolio Week’***. It is important that you make your contribution count and that you produce work you are proud of and willing to share in a professional forum.

A series of supporting Technical Instruction sessions (T.I.’s) will also be available to all students to further promote individual learning, knowledge and understanding of Technical software.

***Portfolio Week is the culmination of your three-year programme of study and a key focus throughout the course. It is proposed and designed as an opportunity for Graduating students to meet with invited members of the moving-image Industries to present their completed portfolio / showreel for discussion and direct industry feedback.
Whilst this does not guarantee immediate employment, it is intended to set our students up with face-to-face engagement with local and global recruiters.

There are few formal lectures during this module as the main emphasis is on a student’s self-management.¿

The main contact time spent with staff will be during weekly Seminars and Peer Reviews where the progress of the project(s) can be measured against the project proposal(s).

There will be bi-weekly screenings (Rushes) of work-in-progress from pre-production through to post-production in order for staff to ascertain whether the project is on track as detailed in the original proposal.

Additional tutorials can be scheduled by staff and students to meet with individuals or teams as relevant.
It is expected that as a Final Year student that you will fully self-manage your time schedule in the realisation of the module outcomes.

Final Assessment should include all components of the module submitted via Presentation, Vimeo or BLOG.

Your work will be supported by online resources from a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) providing resources for study. As the majority of completed work is submitted digitally this is an integral part of learning on the course.¿

Where required, booking of equipment and facilities may be necessary by the student.
Traditional and digital tools will be available to use throughout the module and students should explore a range of techniques appropriate to the given task and specialism pathway.

Your work will be supported by online resources from a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) providing resources for study. As the majority of completed work is submitted digitally this is an integral part of learning on the course.¿

Students will also have access to a range of video tutorials from online learning resource providers.

Group critique and discussion will support your studio practice through weekly formative evaluation and will take place throughout the module as well as at critical points of the semester to review your working progress. Students are expected to engage in this process as part of the module feedback cycle.
Summative assessment takes place at the end of the module where digital / online portfolios will be presented for final assessment.¿

ON-LINE READING LISTS WILL BE UPDATED ANNUALLY.
THIS IS AN INDICATION OF REFERENCE TEXTS REQUIRED FOR 2019-20 ONLY.

KATZ, S (1991) Film Directing Shot by Shot: Visualising from Concept to Screen. Michael Wiese Productions

MARK, S (2012) ‘Storyboards, Motion in Art’, Butterworth-Heinemann

MILIC, L & McCONVILLE, Y (2006) ‘The Animation Producer's Handbook’, Open University Press

Links:
www.vimeo.com
www.11secondclub.com
www.vimeo.com/channels/fullsecs

Animation Studio facilities.
2D line testers and light-boxes.
A3 scanners.
Digital Animation Suite – Toon Boom Harmony. Storyboard Pro. Autodesk Maya. Adobe Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects.
Seminar / Lecture room with projector.
Stop Motion Animation studios – Dragon Frame. Canon SLR digital cameras. Lighting.
VLE: Blackboard / Digital Tutors / Lynda.com¿/ other supporting Online resources
Vimeo.com – to be used for display and submission of completed work.


University Library resources: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/uniservices/infoservices/library/¿
Reference books / DVD collection / Journals and periodicals (physical & online)