Syllabus

Department of Advertising Design & Graphic Arts

Course Name:	Interactive Animation
Course Number:	ADV 3662
Day & Time:	Tuesday, 6:00PM – 9:20PM
Instructor:	Jerron Smith
Email:	thepixelsmith@gmail.com
Website:	https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/smithadv3662-fa2014

Course Description

Vector-based animation and interactivity are important presentation tools for engaging the user. The goal of this course is to teach the development of time-based animation skills. It will introduce the concepts of the timeline and vector art for use on the World Wide Web using software such as Flash. This course is a prerequisite for the Interactive Art Direction and Interactive Interface Design courses.

Additional Course Description

Animation and interactivity are important presentation tools for engaging the user in online environments. The goal of this course is to teach the development of time-based animation skills and introduce fundamental concepts in programming interactive graphics and computational thinking. Students will engage with real-world assignments that reflect the state of the industry. At the end of the course, students will have developed several highly visual and dynamic examples of interactive animation

Research

A large emphasis will be placed on awareness of the design world by observing the state of design in our community: books, publications, web sources, museums and graphic art organizations. Students are expected to gather reference materials for all their projects and are encouraged to use the college’s library resources. http://library.citytech.cuny.edu

Required Text

None

Student Learning Outcomes:

A student passes this course when she/he:

Create vector graphics for use in animation.
Learn to create reusable elements: Symbols, movie clips and buttons.
Introduction of interactivity: allows the viewer to control the path of the animated story.
Learn how to use simple actionscripting to create basic interactivity.

Attendance (college) and Lateness (department) policies:

A class roster roll will be taken at the beginning of each class. Only two absences may be allowed. After two absences, a student may be withdrawn because of unsatisfactory attendance (code WU). Students arriving after the roll is taken will be marked “late.” Students may be notified at the earliest opportunity in class after they have been absent or late. After being absent two times or equivalent (2 lateness = 1 absence), a student may be asked to withdraw from the class (code W before the College drop deadline) or may be withdrawn from the class (code WU).

Academic Integrity Standards

Students and all others who work with information, ideas, texts, images, music, inventions, and other intellectual property owe their audience and sources accuracy and honesty in using, crediting, and citing sources. As a community of intellectual and professional workers, the College recognizes its responsibility for providing instruction in information literacy and academic integrity, offering models of good practice, and responding vigilantly and appropriately to infractions of academic integrity. Accordingly, academic dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York and at New York City College of Technology and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion.

Instructor’s Recommendations

Come to class on time: Students arriving more than 15 minutes late may be marked absent.

Attend all classes: Each week we will build on the work learned the week before. If you must miss a class, please let me know ahead of time. It is your responsibility to obtain any missed material from your fellow classmates, and to turn assignments in on time even if you are absent. Students missing more than two classes risk failing the course.

Turn in assignments on time: Homework turned in late will lose 10 points for every day that it is late. Work turned in more than two weeks from the due date will not be accepted. Project 1 and Project 2 may not be turned in late. Missing projects may result in a failing grade for the project.

Ask Questions: This is a technical class, and we will be covering a lot of information in a short time. If you are confused, lost, need clarification, etc, please don’t hesitate to ask questions in class. Chances are your fellow students will benefit from the answers AND this will add to your class participation grade! I am also available between classes via email.

Description of Assignments

Project 1: Flip book animation
Project 2: Frame by Frame animation
Project 3: Animated banner ad or Public Service Announcement
Project 4: Animated/Interactive Story or Mini-site
Final Exam
Homework: There may be assorted home works assignments throughout the semester

Grading formula

Grade	Numerical	Meaning of Grade
A (Excellent)	4.0	Represents exemplary work. Work consistently exceeds expectations of professional craft and quality.
B+	3.5
B (Good)	3.0	Work meets basic expectations of professional craft and quality.
C+	2.5
C (Satisfactory)	2.0	Work does not meet professional expectations of craft and quality.
D (Unsatisfactory)	1.0

Grading Criteria

The final grade for this course will be determined by the grades each student earns on the following projects and assignments. The grading is done using a numerical point system with each gradable assignment worth a certain maximum number of points. The maximum numerical value that is possible exceeds 100, allowing a student to make up for a weak showing in one area with a stronger final project.

Project/Assignment	Maximum Value
Project 1: Flip book animation	10 pts.
Project 2: Frame by Frame animation	10 pts.
Project 3: Animated banner ad or Public Service Announcement	20 pts.
Project 4: Animated/Interactive Story or Mini-site	30 pts
Final Exam	20 pts
Homework	5 pts.
Attendance & Participation	10 pts.
Total:	105 pts

The numerical grades are then converted to alphabetical grades based on the following conversion chart:

Rangein %	Letter Grade	Rangein %	Letter Grade
95-100	A	72-77	C
90-94	A-	70-71	C-
88-89	B+	68-69	D+
82-87	B	62-67	D
80-81	B-	60-61	D-
78-79	C+	0-59	F

Each Project is judged based on a rubric like the one below (this is just a sample):

Criteria	Available Pts
Technical Execution	5
Coherence	10
Originally \| Creativity	5
Quality \| Execution	5
Delivery	5
Total:	30

Course Outline

Week 1Review syllabus: attendance and class policies, course objectives, grading — Introduction to interactive animation — Evolving role of animation on the web — Overview of the “12 principles of animation”	Week 9Intro to ActionScript: Understanding Actionscript — the syntax, variables, functions, and events — Testing and debugging code
Week 2Introduction to drawing with Flash: object and merge modes, primitives — Introduction to the timeline: frames, keyframes, blank keyframes, layers — Frame-by-frame animation vs Tweening	Week 10ActionScript continued: navigation and linking, Controlling the timeline — Conditional statementsAssignment: Project 3 Due
Week 3Understanding Symbol types: graphic, movieclip and button — Moving content from Photoshop and Illustrator into Flash — Animated masks.	Week 11ActionScript continued: Controlling audio and video playback
Week 4Quiz: basic timeline and symbol editing — Introduction to tweening: classic, motion and shape — Comping with Photoshop/Illustrator. Assignment: Flip Book Animation Due	Week 12Lab Time: Work on Project 4
Week 5Working with type in Flash — Gradients — blending modes and effects	Week 13Project 4 Review — presentation readyAssignment: Project 4 due
Week 6Integrating Audio in Flash	Week 14Lab Time
Week 7Project 2 presentation Assignment: Frame by Frame Animation due	Week 15Final Exam
Week 8Introduction to UX Design

ADV 3662 Interactive Animation-Fall 2014

A class on animation on the web and beyond