ISA Course Guide CUF60107 Animation VFX

COURSE GUIDE

CUF60107

Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media

(Animation & VFX)

International Screen Academy CUF60107 Animation & VFX Course Guide - Correct as at 15 April 2015 Version 1 Approved by: Head of Film and Animation 2 Data:General:Animation:ISA Course Guide CUF60107 Animation-VFX Apr 15.docx

Table of Contents Overview ...................................................................................................................... 3 Delivery Mode .............................................................................................................. 3 Contact Hours .............................................................................................................. 4 Assessments ................................................................................................................ 4 Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer ...................................................... 4 Course Structure .......................................................................................................... 5

First Year, Semester 1: Animation 1 ........................................................................ 5 First Year, Semester 2: Animation 2 ........................................................................ 6 Second Year, Semester 1: Animation 3 ................................................................... 7 Second Year, Semester 2: Animation 4 ................................................................... 7

Course Completion ...................................................................................................... 8 Course Evaluation ........................................................................................................ 8 Course Software .......................................................................................................... 9 Careers in Animation and Visual Effects ...................................................................... 9


Overview The International Screen Academy delivers the Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media (CUF60107) tailored for animators and VFX artists and providing graduates with the skills and knowledge required to:

• work independently on small to medium screen and media productions, across different genre and content types, and performing a range of tasks in animation and visual effects

• work in specialist areas of character animation or visual effects animation on large screen and media projects, and

• build a sustainable career in the animation and visual effects industries. The Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media is offered over four semesters, with a total duration of two years of fulltime study. Registered Training Organisation (RTO): RTO ID No:

International Screen Academy 40725

CRICOS No: 03361F ANZSCO (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations) Code:

212100 Artistic Directors, And Media Producers And Presenters 212311 Art Director (Film, Television or Stage) 232413 Multimedia Designer 261211 Multimedia Specialist

ASCED Code (Field of education): 1007 Communication And Media Studies

National course code: CUF60107

Delivery Mode Delivery will be mainly workshop based and through face-to-face training in small or large groups (i.e. 6, 12 or 24 individuals). The delivery method is designed to be flexible and may change according to particular project or participant requirements. The concept of contract-based learning is used as an educational support in all units of competency. Contract-based learning simulates the real world obligations of animators, creative artists and filmmakers in production contracts, industry protocols and employment contexts. In a training environment contract-based learning promotes management and negotiation skills that are critical to fostering effective, collaborative creative work. Many areas of the course include collaborative work and where appropriate assessment activities will be undertaken in groups in a manner designed to reflect actual industry practice. Particular emphasis will be placed on the need to articulate personal creative goals within a collaborative undertaking, with a strong focus on flexible work processes in project-centred, self-organising teams. Participants will create four substantial projects throughout the course, one per semester. Each project is designed to develop knowledge and skills while simulating industry protocols. These projects provide a framework for assessment against units of competency, but artistic merit is not assessed and creative risk-taking is encouraged. The projects are supported with a production budget, as well as access to ISA's state-of-the-art equipment and facilities.


In the first three semesters of the course the relationship between trainers and participants will be one of guidance. In the final semester of the course the relationship will be one of mentoring. Mentoring will be undertaken as participants are encouraged to become more independent in working on group projects and other activities leading to the completion of a graduation/showreel production and a portfolio of work and concepts for presentation to industry. At this stage a range of specialists and guests will supplement contracted trainers – e.g. producers, directors and high-level specialists. This is designed to encourage mature and professional behaviours between participants that align with the day-to-day protocols and practices of the industry.

Contact Hours The full-time study program comprises four semesters of 20 weeks duration delivered over two years. Each semester has a mid-semester break. The program is vertically integrated and requires satisfactory progression in all units of competency before proceeding to the next unit of study. The week is based on 21 contact hours and 2–3 plus hours of contract-based learning per week over the two-year course.

Assessments A range of assessment activities are incorporated into the course including:

• written and oral questioning • observation of performance during practical work/presentations • review of documented logs maintained by candidates • effective participation in groups/teamwork • workplace simulations • third party reports regarding operations in specialist facilities and resources

Assessment will be based on activities carried out over a period of time. Assessment will ensure access to a range of specialist facilities and resources, written documentation and industry documents. Simulations will be based on industry practice and/or include instruction from working professionals. Even though production activities provide the context for many of the assessment tasks, the artistic merits of projects are not judged. Some specialist and guest trainers may participate in assessment teams. The completion of all assessments is compulsory and they must be completed in the format requested by trainers. Assessments allow trainers to evaluate competency for a unit of the course. If a student does not complete the required assessment they may be assessed as ‘not yet competent’ for a unit of competency. To be awarded the Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media students must have successfully completed all sixteen units of competency delivered and assessed.

Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Participants may be able to have skills and knowledge they have gained through work or other learning recognised against units of competency in the Advanced


Diploma of Screen and Media. Participants are encouraged to review the Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer policy and procedures, available on the ISA website (www.isasydney.com.au).

Course Structure The two-year Advanced Diploma is structured across four semesters and participants progress through units of study, each comprising four units of competency. Each semester includes a project around which learning and assessment activities take place.

First Year, Semester 1: Animation 1 Animation 1 guides participants in the journey from ideas and concepts to a finished screen project. Ongoing work will be presented as “dailies” to peers and mentors, and the finished project will be screened to an audience.

Participants will develop a range of concepts into narratives and visuals targeted to specific audiences, taking one of these through to production as a 6-second short film or animation. Throughout the semester participants will learn the underlying technical skills and knowledge required for creating animation, 3D and visual effects for a short film, while also practising the industry protocols for working in a production pipeline and in creative teams. Work health and safety matters that confront animators and effects artists will be considered throughout. Students will be guided through issues of copyright and intellectual property as they develop work which will form part of their showreel and portfolio.

To facilitate effective teaching/learning outcomes the timetable is structured with the units of competency grouped into subjects. In Animation 1 the Units of Competency and relevant Subjects are:

Unit of Competency Subject BSBCRT501A Originate and develop concepts Concept Development for

Animation CUFANM503A Design animation and digital visual effects Principles of Animation CUFLGT501A Conceive and develop lighting designs 3D Form, Space & Lighting CUFWRT501A Develop storylines and treatments Short Form Video Project Animation 1 Short Form Video Project Participants will be encouraged to bring a wide range of project concepts for presentation and development at the beginning of the semester. Throughout the first half of the semester these concepts will be researched, tested, and refined, with some being developed into narrative treatments and storyboarded. One concept will be taken further to a pitch, script and schematic for production. In the second half of the semester students will complete pre-visualisation, production and post-production on the project, regularly presenting their work-in-progress for review and feedback. This review process simulates industry standard “dailies”, and is essential to developing a positive culture of peer review and learning to work in a collaborative environment. Each final project will be shown as part of a screening to an invited audience.

This process, along with the portfolio of work including the finished project, provides the framework for assessment of the four units of competency delivered in the semester.


Animation 1 Outcomes By the end of Animation 1, students should have completed all learning and assessment tasks for these units of competency:

• BSBCRT501A Originate and develop concepts • CUFANM503A Design animation and digital visual effects • CUFLGT501A Conceive and develop lighting designs • CUFWRT501A Develop storylines and treatments

First Year, Semester 2: Animation 2 Animation 2 emphasises continued development of a peer culture, creative collaboration and innovation, leading to a project which allows exploration of concepts developed through research, testing and review.

Participants will examine the creative works and processes of landmark artists, animators and filmmakers as a basis for reviewing and challenging their own approaches to work and to project development. They will focus on collaborative practice in production environments and extend their technical skills in compositing, 3D and animation, while being encouraged to take creative risks and test new techniques of visual storytelling. Participants will enhance their creative skills through learning more about idea generation and the process of creating and refining characters. They will examine how well-developed characters contribute to successful narratives that keep an audience engaged and entertained.


Unit of Competency Subject BSBDES501A Implement design solutions Character Design CUFANM402A Create digital visual effects Compositing BSBCRT601A Research and apply concepts and theories of creativity

Creative Project

BSBPMG510A Manage projects Creative Project Animation 2 Creative Project Participants will develop and create a project based on an enquiry into creativity and innovation. The project will draw on historic influences and be inspired by the work of today’s leading digital artists and visual storytellers. Participants will be challenged to turn their thinking toward the future of storytelling while keeping character and narrative central. By examining and testing new modes of production and creation, participants will prepare themselves for changing and increasingly complex work processes in an industry that is constantly moving in new directions.

The creative research process and the development and production of the project will contribute to assessment of the four units of competency delivered in the semester.


• BSBDES501A Implement design solutions • CUFANM402A Create digital visual effects • BSBCRT601A Research and apply concepts and theories of creativity


• BSBPMG510A Manage projects

Second Year, Semester 1: Animation 3 Animation 3 develops creative leadership skills and continues to stress innovative practice as participants work to produce a character-based narrative project.

Participants will work with producers and actors in the creation of characters and use these to develop character-driven narratives. As they interpret these narratives for the screen they will take charge of their production environment and processes in a way that allows them to develop leadership skills, while also supporting the learning and collaboration of all team members. Throughout this process participants will continue to advance their technical skills in compositing, 3D and animation, as well as learning about voice recording, dialogue editing and sound design.


Unit of Competency Subject CUFPOS501A Edit complex screen productions Advanced Compositing CUFWRT601A Write scripts Visual Storytelling CUSSOU501A Develop sound designs Sound Design SCRPSF610A Produce a short film Short Film Project Animation 3 Short Film Project Participants will develop a narrative project through collaborative processes involving producers, actors and other members of the production team. The project will act as a vehicle for exploring how creative leadership and the daily review process encourage innovation in a team production environment. Participants will be required to demonstrate strong visual storytelling skills in support of a substantial narrative work.

The project development process, the finished script, portfolio of pre-production materials and production of the project will contribute to assessment of the four units of competency delivered in the semester.


• CUFPOS501A Edit complex screen productions • CUFWRT601A Write scripts • CUSSOU501A Develop sound designs • SCRPSF610A Produce a short film

Second Year, Semester 2: Animation 4 In Animation 4 participants create a major project and portfolio aimed at showcasing their talents and strengths, and which they will use to launch their career.

In this final semester participants will be expected to work with a high degree of autonomy while being mentored by teaching staff and industry experts. They will create a fully resolved film or animation to industry standard. Participants will also conduct market research to inform them of industry opportunities and to set their individual career goals. This research will assist them in selecting and developing


appropriate work for their portfolio in a way that showcases their skills and talents, aligned with their career aspirations.


Unit of Competency Subject CUFDRT604A Devise camera coverage Advanced Digital FX CUFDRT502A Direct performers Major Project CUFPPM602A Plan and manage film and media post-production

Major Project

BSBMGT616A Develop and implement strategic plans Career Strategy (Portfolio) Animation 4 Major Project Participants will use market research to identify specific industry opportunities that match their career goals, and then create a fully resolved major project (film or animation) showcasing their skills and knowledge. This research will continue to serve as a clear point of focus throughout the project’s development and production, and underpin the final visual realisation of the film or animation. The finished project will sit alongside other work in each participant’s portfolio, highlighting their unique artistic voice as well as their talents and abilities as animators and/or visual effects artists.

The market research, project plan, storyboard, previsualisation materials and the finished project will contribute to assessment of the four units of competency delivered in the semester.


• CUFDRT502A Direct performers • CUFDRT604A Devise camera coverage • CUFPPM602A Plan and manage film and media post-production • BSBMGT616A Develop and implement strategic plans

Course Completion On successful completion of all sixteen units of competency participants will be issued with the Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media (CUF60107). Students who do not complete the entire course of study will be issued a Statement of Attainment for individual units of competency successfully completed.

Course Evaluation At the end of every semester ISA will evaluate the course as part of ISA’s continuous improvement process. This is done with participants completing a Learners Engagement Survey and trainers completing an Employer Satisfaction survey. The survey gives ISA staff valuable feedback from participants and trainers. ISA will provide participants and trainers with a response on the feedback from the surveys and outcomes they can expect from ISA staff to continually improve ISA’s education, training and participant support services.


Course Software All training and assessment at ISA is conducted using current and industry relevant software and equipment. The exact software tools may vary from time to time according to industry practice, but training is currently based on these applications:

• Photoshop (Adobe) – Concept art and surfacing/texturing • Illustrator (Adobe) – Concept development and storyboarding • After Effects (Adobe) – VFX, motion graphics, compositing, keying, tracking,

rotoscoping and animation • Premiere Pro (Adobe) – Film and video editing • NUKE (The Foundry) – Compositing and match-moving • MODO (The Foundry) – Modeling, sculpting, painting, animation • MARI (The Foundry) – 3D painting • RenderMan (Pixar) – Rendering animation and visual effects • Houdini (Side Effects) – Modeling, rigging, animating, lighting and rigging • Maya (AutoDesk) – Modeling, rigging, animating, lighting and rigging • MotionBuilder (AutoDesk) – Motion capture and character animation • Mudbox (AutoDesk) – Digital painting and sculpting • Pro Tools (Avid) – Sound editing, mixing, recording, design

Careers in Animation and Visual Effects The industry is changing rapidly, but potential job roles include:

• Compositor • Digital environment artist • Digital matte painter • Special effects artist • Texture/lighting technical

director • Roto artist • Stereoscopic artist • 2D animator • 3D animator • Stop motion animator • Character designer • Character animator • Previz artist • Digital media designer

• Production designer • Game artist • Layout artist • Storyboard/concept artist • CG Modeler • Environment Modeler • Model maker • Surface artist • 3D tracker/match mover • Rigger • VFX producer • VFX supervisor • Simulation/visualisation

designer

Industries and employers that actively use visual effects artists and animators include:

• Film production • TV production • Animation studios • Online entertainment • Advertising • Architecture • Medicine • Fashion • Game design • Interactive design development

• Military • Education

Documents

ISA Course Guide CUF60107 Animation VFX