Overview
This unit will teach you how to design and develop motion graphics and visual effects for film, television, video and the web. Through a series of practical projects, you will learn how to apply principles of motion graphics and visual effects to visual design challenges. Using industry-standard software tools such as Adobe After Effects, you will create visual compositions using layers, transparency and hierarchies. You will learn how to animate text and graphic elements in 2D and 3D space using keyframes and motion paths, and how to create visual effects using techniques such as motion tracking and colour keying.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: DGTL11001 Foundations of Animation
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2017
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
- apply principles of motion graphics and visual effects to visual design challenges
- create visual compositions using layers, transparency and hierarchies
- animate text and graphic elements in 2D and 3D space using keyframes and motion paths
- create visual effects using techniques such as motion tracking and colour keying.
Not applicable
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 30% | ||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 30% | ||||
| 3 - Practical Assessment - 40% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Practical Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
After Effects Apprentice (CC Ed 4)
Edition: 4 (2016)
Authors: Meyer, Trish ; Meyer, Chris
Routledge
New York New York , NY , US
ISBN: 978-1-138-64398-6 / 978-1-315-62954-4
Binding: Hardcover
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- 7-Zip
- Adobe After Effects CC
- Adobe Audition CC
- Adobe Illustrator CC
- Adobe Media Encoder CC
- Adobe Photoshop CC
- Adobe Premiere CC
- Audacity, a free open source, cross-platform audio software for multi-track recording and editing available from http://www.audacityteam.org/
- Celtx, free scriptwriting software available from http://celtx.com/
- HandBrake, a free open source video transcoder available from http://handbrake.fr/
- Microsoft Office
- Videolan VLC, a free open source media player available from http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
- Video recording equipment. This is available for loan on some campuses. Please consult the course web site or teaching staff for details.
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.martin@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Intro to Motion Graphics + VFX / Assessment #1 briefing
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Visual Style
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Motion Design
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Assessment #1: Screening Video Previz
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
No classes this week
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Assessment #2 briefing
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment #1: marks released
Module/Topic
Make it Sync
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Advanced Motion Design
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Assessment #2: Screening Proof-Animatic Video/ Milestone meeting
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Assessment #3 briefing
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Legends of Motion Design
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment #2: marks released
Module/Topic
Assessment #3: Screening Final-Cut
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment #3: marks released
1 Practical Assessment
The ultimate goal for this unit at the end of week 12 is for students to produce 2 minutes of motion graphics video with VFX. Students have the option of creating either:
-
a set of FOUR 30 second Identity videos (Idents) for Queensland Community Radio Station 4zzz using provided music
OR - ONE 2 minute Music Video in response to one of provided songs.
All video production involves 3 specific stages of pre-production, production and post-production. The assessments for this unit will follow the same standard industry workflow. The first assessment task specifically involves the pre-production stage of this process. Your Video Previz must include the analysis of at least 3 video references and an explanation of compulsory topics of pre-production for you Final-Cut submission. As part of this assessment you are also required to conduct an online Peer Review of 3 other student Video Previz submissions. Please read the brief of all assessments before beginning this task. Please note: you must use the music provided on the Unit Moodle site for your Final-Cut assessment. If you don't follow this mandatory requirement you will likely receive a fail grade for the final assessment.
Week 5 Friday (7 Apr 2017) 9:00 pm AEST
Video Previz to be uploaded to Vimeo for Peer Review prior to deadline
Week 6 Friday (21 Apr 2017)
Video Previz (60%): Clarity of concept, Quality of research and analysis (min of 3 video refs), Scope and scale, and logical structure
Technical Skills (30%): Demonstration of ability proportional to task completion of Video Previz - AV editing, inclusion of video refs, images, text and adherence to technical specifications.
Peer Reviews (10%): Adherence to the required discussion topics. Quality and completeness of task. (ie. 3 online Peer Reviews / 50 words each)
- apply principles of motion graphics and visual effects to visual design challenges
- create visual compositions using layers, transparency and hierarchies
- animate text and graphic elements in 2D and 3D space using keyframes and motion paths
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Practical Assessment
This assessment is the production/proof of concept milestone for your project. You are required to submit a Proof-Animatic for your Final-Cut for a meeting with your lecturer during week 9. The goal of this meeting is to ensure your video/s communicate its message clearly to its audience, give technical advice and ensure your project is achievable. This is a milestone meeting designed to review your progress and it is therefore advisable that all production be completed by this time. As part of this assessment you are required to conduct an online Peer Review of 3 other Proof-Animatic submissions.
Week 9 Friday (12 May 2017) 9:00 pm AEST
Proof-Animatic to be uploaded to Vimeo for Peer Review prior to deadline
Week 11 Friday (26 May 2017)
Proof-Animatic (60%): Demonstration of ability proportional to task completion of Proof-Animatic - Clarity of concept, Quality of visual design, sequencing and motion design and Scope and scale
Technical Skills (30%): Demonstration of ability proportional to task completion of Proof-Animatic - Application of Adobe After Effects, AV editing, images, text and adherence to technical specifications.
Peer Reviews (10%): Adherence to the required discussion topics. Quality and completeness of task. (ie. 3 online Peer Reviews / 50 words each)
- apply principles of motion graphics and visual effects to visual design challenges
- create visual compositions using layers, transparency and hierarchies
- animate text and graphic elements in 2D and 3D space using keyframes and motion paths
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Practical Assessment
For this assessment you are required to finalise your video/s and submit a Final-Cut of your 2 minute music video or four x 30 second 4zzz idents (title and credits for video/s are not included within these 2-minutes). Your Final-Cut will include motion graphics sequences synced to music selected from the Unit Moodle site. Please see Unit materials and ‘Assessment Criteria’ table for a breakdown of requirements. As part of this assessment you are also required to conduct an online Peer Review of 3 other student Final-Cut submissions. Please note: you must use the music provided on the Unit Moodle site for this assessment. If you don't follow this mandatory requirement you will likely receive a fail grade for your Final-Cut.
Week 12 Friday (2 June 2017) 9:00 pm AEST
Final-Cut to be uploaded to Vimeo for Peer Review prior to deadline
Exam Week Friday (16 June 2017)
Quality of Visual Communication (30%): Effective communication of cohesive message through level of application of visual design elements and principles, use of genre symbols, use of assets created by student for the purposes of this project (ie. graphics, photos, video)
Standard of Timebased Attributes (40%): Quality of meaningful motion design and sequencing in response to brief: Motion design: appropriate and consistent animation style applied to visual objects, motion direction, parallex, VFX etc and Sequencing: appropriate selection and order of shots, effectively synced to music
Technical Skills (20%): Demonstration of ability proportional to completion of Final-Cut
Peer Review: (10%): Adherence to the required discussion topics. Quality and completeness of task (ie. 3 online Peer Reviews / 50 words each)
- apply principles of motion graphics and visual effects to visual design challenges
- create visual compositions using layers, transparency and hierarchies
- animate text and graphic elements in 2D and 3D space using keyframes and motion paths
- create visual effects using techniques such as motion tracking and colour keying.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
