Course Syllabus

Spring 2023 | ART-1420-VO01 - Digital Animation

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Darren Spafford
View Faculty Credentials

Hiring Coordinator for this course: Dana Lee

General Education Requirements

Arts & Aesthetics

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course is a hands-on introduction to creating simple animations. Students gain proficiency with illustration and animation concepts and import images and sounds. Students also learn the correct usage of frame actions.

Essential Objectives

1. Demonstrate proficiency in the animation development environment including managing the workspace, usage of stage properties, timelines, and property panels.
2. Demonstrate importing graphic, audio, and video content.
3. Design an object using drawing tools and layers to prepare for animation.
4. Define effective use of storyboards and animatics to deliver a compelling story, and explain the movements of animated objects and characters.
5. Demonstrate proficiency in animating graphics using tweens and frame by frame animation, and apply blurring, selective animation, speed lines, onion skinning, and squash/stretch effects to add convincing or exaggerated motion to characters and objects.
6. Demonstrate synchronization by animating dialog, sound effects, and/or music soundtrack.
7. Discuss the artistic and design considerations of creating effective presentations.
8. Examine, discuss, and critique animated works including some reference to historical, social, and cultural contexts.
9. Display finished works as a digital deliverable.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

*** This is a low cost ($50 or less) textbook or resource class ***

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Methods

• Weekly Discussions
• Video Resources withText Outlines/Descriptions
• Step-by-Step Video/Text Demonstrations
• Examples
• Assignment Comments/Communication/Reflections
• Additional Communication (as needed) like emails and Zoom sessions

Evaluation Criteria

This course will be divided into the following evaluation criteria categories:

• Assignments- 60%
• Participation & Discussions- 30%
• Midterm/Final Project- 10%

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

In order to participate:

• THIS COURSE REQUIRES AN ADOBE CREATIVE CLOUD LICENSE
• The Textbook is highly recommended but optional

If this were an “in-person” course, we’d arrive at a location, spend 3 hours talking about a topic that is interesting to us, learn a bunch of stuff, ask questions, and get enough information to try a project on our own. Online learning is a bit different but in many ways the same:

• Contribute to Weekly Discussions- to share ideas, ask questions, help one another out and talk about a subject we are all interested in with other professionals, just like we would in a 3-hour weekly class!
• Read and Understand All Weekly Resources- In that same 3 hour class, the instructor would spend a lot of time sharing what you need to do. Instead of being there in person, all of this has been recorded in an easy-to-follow, pausable format with notes for you to follow.
• Try and Complete Weekly Assignments (on time!)- Use each week’s assignments to demonstrate what you learned in the resources to the best of your ability. Just like going home to do your homework, use what you learned in the weekly resources to try a new skill on your own.
• Ask Questions When You Need Help- Just like an in-person class, you will have access to help here as well in the form of emails, discussions, and live zoom sessions with the instructor if needed.
• Try Your Best- Try each week’s assignment/resources enough times to get comfortable, ask for help if needed, and then turn in your best attempt each time.

Missing & Late Work Policy

In this course, each week builds on the last so it is very important we keep up with assignments each week. Otherwise the next week won’t make sense. In order to help out, the following policies will be in place:

• Only work submitted on time will be considered for full credit
• Work up to one week late will be considered for a maximum of 50% credit
• Work after one (1) week late can no longer earn credit
• Every participant has one (1) free pass to redo an old assignment for full credit consideration
• Discussions posts/replies must be submitted on time in order to count
• If you know you are going to be out, please plan on getting a week ahead or making plans with the instructor prior to the absence

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity