KNB215 Animation Performance

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit advances knowledge on animation performance, including your ability to create complex animations by applying relevant processes and theories. To bring a character to life requires an animator to create more than a sound illusion of movement, you have to communicate and engage a viewer through an animated performance. This unit builds upon the fundamental content from KNB135 Animation Aesthetics, refining and further expanding on simple mechanical movements to focus on expressive communication and characterisation for storytelling.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Discern, critically analyse and synthesise pre-production documents to plan and execute.
2. Demonstrate an ability to animate the personality of a character through motion gesture and expression using 3D software.
3. Plan and animate a believable performance in response to recorded audio track with dialogue.
4. Apply knowledge and skills to constructive critiques of projects for the purposes of critical reflection and iterative design.

Content

Learning Approaches

The teaching and learning approaches of this unit combine theory and practice. They incorporate mentoring through the delivery of lectures and tutorials. Production teaching is structured around an intensive production environment, where your work will be supported by ongoing processes of reflection and critique. From time to time, there will be opportunity to work on University or Industry-based research and/or production tasks.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:

• criteria sheet grading of summative pieces
• feedback on your progress towards completing both formative and summative work conducted through Individual class discussions
• comments on summative assessment outcomes in addition to criteria sheets via in class discussions and/or QUT Canvas
• general comments back to the cohort via QUT Canvas and within classes.

Assessment

Overview

For this unit, you are required to create a series of animated performances as a means to further develop your understanding of, and ability with animated performance. With the resulting outcomes displayed both in class and as submitted videos. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your ability to apply the theories and methods of animation in the production of an animated character.   

Faculty Assessment Information

To access complete Creative Industries Faculty Assessment Information please refer to the Canvas site for this unit.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Character Study

Explore character by animating a character performance in response to a clip from a film/TV show with dialogue.

This is an authentic assessment because it models the creative process for exploring characterisation in a professional setting.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Character Performance

In response to a supplied audio track with dialogue, animate a character performance involving two characters.

This is an authentic assessment because it models the creative process for exploring characterisation in a professional setting.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

All students and staff who access campus buildings and facilities are required to complete the Tier 1 General Health and Safety Induction. This must be completed online.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Hooks, E., (2011). Acting for animators. Taylor and Francis.

Williams, R. (2009). The animators survival kit. London: Faber and Faber.

Recommended text(s)

Beiman, N., Johnston, L., (2010). Animated performance: bringing imaginary animal, human and fantasy characters to life. AVA Publishing.

Kerlow, I. (2009). The art of 3D computer animation and effects (fourth edition). New Jersey: Wiley.

Roberts, S., (2004). Character animation in 3D: use traditional drawing techniques to produce stunning CGI animation. Elsevier.

Thomas, F. and Johnston, O. (1981). The illusion of life. New York: Walt Disney Productions.

Risk Assessment Statement

For risks associated with using campus buildings or facilities, refer to the Tier 1 General Health and Safety Induction.

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.

Course Learning Outcomes

KK34 Bachelor of Fine Arts

1. Demonstrate technical proficiency in at least one area of your field of creative practice.
   Relates to: ULO2
2. Discern, critically analyse and synthesise knowledge in complex creative practice settings.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO3
3. Formulate and apply an independent perspective through reflection and by acting on the informed critique of others.
   Relates to: ULO4