TITLE OF COURSE: Introduction to 2D Animation
COURSE NUMBER & SECTION: MMP260-0900, Fall 2023
SCHEDULE: Friday, 9AM-12:40PM
CREDITS: 3| CLASS HRS: 2| LAB HRS/WEEK: 2
BASIC SKILLS: ENG 088 or ESL 062, ACR 094 | PRE-REQUISITE: MMP 100| CO-REQUISITE: MAT 051
DESCRIPTION: Students will learn to design and create motion graphics for multimedia, building projects appropriate both for Internet applications and for film and video. Students will learn to how to use Animate, a vector-based animation program, and After Effects, an animation and visual effects compositing program to create narratives through the use of storyboards.
COURSE STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
| Description | Measurement |
|---|---|
| 1. Understand how to create and develop a narrative with storyboarding | Animate assignment |
| 2. Analyze motion and recreate realistic movement studies | Studies |
| 3. Use tweening and keyframe animation | Animate assignment |
| 4. Modify properties and adjust motion paths | After Effects assignment |
| 5. Create and apply effects to compositions in After Effects | After Effects assignment |
| 6. Export animation to the correct format and share it on the web | Final project |
GENERAL EDUCATION LEARNING OUTCOMES
| Description | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Communication Skills – Students will write, read, listen and speak critically and effectively. Student behaviors include being able to: Express ideas clearly in written form; Employ critical reading skills to analyze written material; Exhibit active listening skills; Give an effective oral presentation. | Final project |
| Information & Technology Literacy – Students will collect, evaluate and interpret information and effectively use information technologies. Student behaviors include being able to: Conduct research using appropriate research strategies; Make effective use of technology. | All projects |
REQUIRED TEXT: There is no required textbook for this course. Slides, web resources and tutorials are available for free at http://openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu/ani-260-fall-2023/
OTHER RESOURCES: Portable media for storing projects, such as a flash drive will be necessary. Students are advised to set up a cloud storage accounts such as Dropbox or Google Drive. Sketchbooks are recommended for taking notes and brainstorming ideas.
USE OF TECHNOLOGY: We will be working with Adobe Animate and Adobe After Effects. Other software, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, may be used to create graphical content. Audacity will be used to edit audio. Computers with all software required for the course are available outside of class in room S-510C (199 Chambers Street). Visit https://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/students/lrc/lab-services/ for a list of rooms and schedule.
Students will use Blackboard to post their assignment. Faculty will upload grades and comments there too, along with any other course material they see fit. To login to blackboard, go to https://cunyportal.cuny.edu/, login and click on the Blackboard menu item.
Students will use Open Lab to post work in progress. Each student should create an Open Lab profile at the beginning of the semester and join the course page. Please follow these instructions.
Students will need to login to the classroom computer and blackboard every time the class meets. If you do not have (or cannot remember) your id and password for both/either, contact the BMCC helpdesk right away: 212-220-8379 helpdesk@bmcc.cuny.edu ; RoomS141 (199 Chambers Street). You may also reset your password by going to https://cunyportal.cuny.edu/and clicking on “Account & Password Reset”
TUTORING: Take advantage of BMCC’s one-on-one tutoring services (free!). Go to the Learning Resource Center Reception Desk in S-510 (199 Chambers Street), or call (212) 220-1383 for more information
GRADING: Grading is based on successful completion of all projects, class participation and attendance. Students are expected to attend every class, to partake in the in-class tutorial, in-class workshops and crit sessions. Failure to do so will affect the “teacher evaluation and class performance” grade. Projects must be handed in on time. Points will be deducted for work that is handed in late. Assignments many not be accepted for grading if they are late.
- Teacher evaluation and class performance: 10%
- Studies: 40%
- Final project: 50%
PHONE/TABLETS: Using your phone or tablet for talk or text is not allowed during this class. You may use headphones, but only during work periods, not when the teacher or other students are presenting.
BMCC is committed to the health and well‐being of all students. It is common for everyone to seek assistance at some point in their life, and there are free and confidential services on campus that can help.
Single Stop www.bmcc.cuny.edu/singlestop, room S230, 212‐220‐8195. If you are having problems with food or housing insecurity, finances, health insurance or anything else that might get in the way of your studies at BMCC, come by the Single Stop Office for advice and assistance. Assistance is also available through the Office of Student Affairs, S350, 212‐220‐ 8130.
Counseling Center www.bmcc.cuny.edu/counseling, room S343, 212‐220‐8140. Counselors assist students in addressing psychological and adjustment issues (i.e., depression, anxiety, and relationships) and can help with stress, time management and more. Counselors are available for walk‐in visits.
Office of Compliance and Diversity www.bmcc cuny.edu/aac, room S701, 212-220-1236. BMCC is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive learning environment free of unlawful discrimination/harassment, including sexual harassment, where all students are treated fairly. For information about BMCC’s policies and resources, or to request additional assistance in this area, please visit or call the office, or email olevy@bmcc.cuny.edu, or twade@bmcc.cuny.edu. If you need immediate assistance, please contact BMCC Public safety at 212-220-8080.
Office of Accessibility www.bmcc.cuny.edu/accessibility, room N360 (accessible entrance: 77 Harrison Street), 212-220-8180. This office collaborates with students who have documented disabilities, to coordinate support services, reasonable accommodations, and programs that enable equal access to education and college life. To request an accommodation due to a documented disability, please visit or call the office.
BMCC Policy on Plagiarism and Academic Integrity Statement Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s ideas, words or artistic, scientific, or technical work as one’s own creation. Using the idea or work of another is permissible only when the original author is identified. Paraphrasing and summarizing, as well as direct quotations, require citations to the original source. Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional. Lack of dishonest intent does not necessarily absolve a student of responsibility for plagiarism. Students who are unsure how and when to provide documentation are advised to consult with their instructors. The library has guides designed to help students to appropriately identify a cited work. The full policy can be found on BMCC’s Website, www.bmcc.cuny.edu. For further information on integrity and behavior, please consult the college bulletin (also available online).
WEEKLY BREAKDOWN (Subject to change)
Week One ~ Friday 8/25
- Overview of course and class site
- What is animation: Different approaches, basic principles, early history
- Assignment: Animated GIF
Week Two ~ Friday 9/1
- Introduction to Adobe Animate: interface, frame-by-frame vs. tweening, paint vs. symbols, file format, exporting.
- Key concepts: frames, FPS, working on 1s and 2s
- 12 principles applied: squash & stretch, slow-in & slow-out
- Assignment: bouncing ball #1 (up and down)
Week Three ~ Friday 9/8
- Tween assignment
- Bouncing ball #1 assignment due
- Key concept: straight ahead vs. pose to pose, in-betweens and breakdowns, timing charts
- 12 principles applied: arcs, timing
- Assignment: bouncing ball #2 (arc)
Week Four ~ Friday 9/22
- Bouncing ball #2 assignment due
- Key concepts: review straight-ahead, loops
- Assignment: looping effect
Week Five ~ Friday 9/29
- Looping effect assignment due
- Assignment: flour sack
Week Six ~ Friday 10/6
- Flour sack assignment due
- Character design for animation
- Final project – step 1: character design
Week Seven ~ Friday 10/13
- Character design due
- Storyboarding
- 12 principles applied: staging
- Final project – step 2: storyboard walk cycle
Week Eight ~ Friday 10/20
- Storyboard due
- Walk cycles
- Final project – step 3: walk cycle (rough)
Week Nine ~ Friday 10/27
- Rough walk cycle due
- 12 principles applied: follow through & overlapping action
- Final project – step 3: walk cycle (revised)
Week Ten ~ Friday 11/3
- Revised walk cycle due
- Introduction to After Effects
- Final project – step 4: creating a background
Week Eleven ~ Friday 11/10
- Background due
- Camera in After Effects
- Importing an Animate project into After Effects
- Saving, moving and submitting your After Effects project
- Final project – step 5: adding a background and applying After Effects’ camera to the walk cycle
Week Twelve ~ Friday 11/17
- Background + camera -enhanced walk cycle due
- Effects in After Effects
- Final project – step 6: Adding effects to the walk cycle
Week Thirteen ~ Friday 12/1
- Effects-enhanced walk cycle due
- Animating text in After Effects
- Nesting compositions in After Effects
- Final project – step 7: Creating animated title and credits for the walk cycle
Week Fourteen ~ Friday 12/8
- Sound and animation
- Adding sound in After Effects
- Final project – step 8: Adding sound to the walk cycle
Weeks Fifteen ~ Friday 12/15
- Final project presentations
