| ART 4401-0010 | Autumn 2020 |
| Days & Time | Tue/Thur 11:10AM–1:55PM |
| Location | Hopkins Hall 356 |
| Virtual Meetings | Zoom Link(Pass: 075686) |
| Instructors | Dalena Tran— osu@dalena.me |
| Hirad Sab— osu@hiradsab.com |
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| Office Hours | By appointment (Zoom Link) |
| Communication | |
| Website | |
| Syllabus | |
| Recorded Lectures | |
Note: Texts in blue are clickable links
Focus on the concepts, aesthetics, processes, and practice of designing and producing 3D computer animation. Theory and techniques of cinematography, video production and sound as related to 3D computer animation will be covered.
This course is an introduction and integration of traditional design tools, camera, and digital technologies for application to multidisciplinary visual thinking, design, communication, and art. Throughout the quarter we will examine the language and histories of 3D animation and how artists have contributed to and utilized them in their work. We will explore, compare, and contrast industry-standard/normative approaches with radical/experimental takes of these various media. Our aim is to establish a rich understanding of the complex and evolving environment in which artists and designers have been creating 3D animation. Students will explore technical, critical, and creative tools to realize animation projects and to gain a deeper understanding of digital moving images as a medium of expression and communication. In a series of mini-assignments and group projects students will explore and study the following:
Through a series of exrcises, projects, readings, and screenings we will explore and study the following:
We will explore the field through lectures, readings, screenings, discussions and student presentations. By the end of the quarter, students should have gained basic production and postproduction skills as well as a good understanding of the key concepts relevant to contemporary film, video, new media, installation and 3D animation.
All students, faculty and staff are required to comply with and stay up to date on all university safety and health guidance, which includes wearing a face mask in any indoor space and maintaining a safe physical distance at all times. Non-compliance will be warned first and disciplinary actions will be taken for repeated offenses.
This is a hands-on, process-oriented studio. It is comprised of presentations, assignments, participatory activities and exercises, individual and group discussions, and reviews. This course is hybrid or in-person. Synchronous Zoom meetings will be used for the introduction of assignments, some demonstrations, breakout group meetings, and group critique discussions. Other activities such as working on assignments and exercises, viewing videos, and reading assignments will be executed synchronously and asynchronously. In-person activities will include demonstrations, presentations, group exercises, and critiques. Weekly announcements will serve to inform when activities will take place.
Departmental Note: A hybrid course provides online learning opportunities for up to 74% of the semester. That means that up to three-fourths of your in-class meeting time may occur at a distance with the expectation that your full attention will be given to this course during the scheduled two hour and forty minute long meeting times, regardless if you are meeting physically or otherwise.
Each unexcused absence (beyong the allowed three) will result in one full letter grade deduction (e.g. B+ to C+). Six unexcused absences (20% of the semester) results in a failed grade. If there is an emergency and you must miss class, contact us beforehand. Absences will not be excused after the fact except in extreme circumstances. Illness requires a doctor’s note. If you are more than 10 minutes late, you will be marked tardy. Three tardies result in one unexcused absence. Any disputes should be discussed within two weeks.
Departmental Note: The Department of Art acknowledges that illness, family obligations, and other conflicts with your classes do occur from time to time and up to three absences are allowed for any reason during the semester without penalty. All absences from class will be counted, however, and in the instance that you miss three class meetings, you are required to meet us to discuss strategies for avoiding additional absences.
Departmental Note: It has been determined that some in-person learning is necessary for you to successfully engage your instructor and peers, course activities, and to meet learning objectives. Timely and consistent contributions are critical in all formats used to deliver the content of this course. In the instance of class-wide quarantine or campus closure, a course contingency plan has been designed so that we can transition to an exclusively on-line format if we are required to actuate one. Attendance will be taken regardless of delivery format.
Attendance, productive class activity and meeting in-progress deadlines are factors in the assessment of your progress. You are expected to be present and active for the entire class period. Participation is critical to passing and enjoying this class. Do the work, share your thoughts, ask questions, prepare for class meetings and discussions, offer feedback during critiques. This class is meant to be a safe space in which you feel encouraged and supported in learning and taking creative risks. This means being aware and considerate of different backgrounds, perspectives, and identities. Respect each other and this space we are building together. Don’t assume, ask. Remain open, be willing to take responsibility, apologize, and learn. Help each other in this. If you have concerns, please let us know.
Discord is used as our primary mode of communication. You are required to signup for an account, join our server, and keep up to date with announcements and group discussions. Discord is also used to organize resources, readings, screenings, and learning materials. Here, you will also submit your assignments.
Ongoing weekly discussions and participation in the Discord server is required. We will use Discord to gather and share resources, respond to readings and peers’ works, and to share your work in progress.
Each week should feature at least:
During the quarter, you will be assigned readings on a variety of topics. The readings are intended to familiarize you with some of the relevant discussions that relate to the field. We will discuss our findings and thoughts with our peers in class. Your participation in these discussions matters. The discussions serve as a dialectical engagement to learn from one another and explore the readings in conversation. Moreover, the readings serve as a foundation for discussing the screenings, which are purposefully picked to convey some of the ideas from the readings in practice.
Projects are due at the start of class on the date assigned. Projects may be turned in up to one week late for a one letter grade deduction off the project grade. Work that is more than one week late will not be accepted. If you are absent, you are still expected to turn in projects online by the deadline. Extra time will not be given for work lost due to save issues, software errors, computer crash, etc. You should regularly backup your files on your desktop, online, and/or on an external harddrive or USB stick in case your computer is lost.
There are 100 possible points, distributed across participation, attendance, exercises, and projects. Individual works will be assessed according to assignment objectives, effort and quality of in-class and online or distance activities, vigor of exploration and research initiative, participation in reviews and discussions, and ability to adapt.
Participation & Discord Interaction: 15 pts
Ecercises: 15 pts
Project 1: 20 pts
Project 2: 20 pts
Project 3: 30 pts
Total: 100 pts
If you miss deadlines due to valid, extenuating circumstances you may submit the required work at a date agreed upon with us. Please contact us to discuss modifying the deadline prior to the original deadline.
| A | (93 - 100) | Work, initiative, and participation of exceptional quality |
| A- | (90 - 92) | Work, initiative and participation of very high quality |
| B+ | (87 - 89) | Work, initiative and participation of high quality |
| B | (83 - 86) | Very good work, initiative and participation |
| B- | (80 - 82) | Slightly above average work, initiative and participation |
| C+ | (77 - 79) | Average work, initiative and participation |
| C | (73 - 76) | Adequate work; less than average level of initiative and participation |
| C- | (70 - 72) | Passing but below good academic standing; less than average level |
| D+ | (67 - 69) | Below average work, initiative and participation |
| D | (60 - 66) | Well below average work, initiative and participation |
| E | (59.9 - 0) | Unsuccessful completion of work. Limited or no participation. |
Our course heavily relies on free, open-source, and libre software. Throughout the semester we will explore modeling, rendering, and animation using Blender, Adobe After Effects, Unreal Engine, Unity, and DAZ, among others. Blender provides a powerful arsenal of tools that enables advanced 2D and 3D exploration, animation, video editing, and compositing among others. Students that are already familiar with other 3D suites such as Cinema4D and Maya are ecnouraged to use their software of choice. Unity and Unreal Engine are game engines using which we will disseminate interactive works of 3D animation.
You are required to signup for an account on Sketchfab, an online 3D model sharing platform. Here you will post your animated 3D models and scenes for assessment and dissemination among your peers. Sketchfab is also used as an AR platform for exercises and projects.
Discord is used as our primary mode of communication. You are required to signup for an account, join our server, and keep up to date with announcements and group discussions. Discord is also used to organize resources, readings, screenings, and learning materials. Here, you will also submit your assignments.
You are required to signup for Youtube. The platform is used to share your 3D animations in video format. You will create an unlisted playlist, to which your peers and us have access to view weekly exercises and larger projects.
All required readings and screenings will be posted on our Discord server. There is no required book for this class. We will coordinate and discuss with the department the possibilitites of lab computer use. However, given our current post-COVID reality, this course is structured such projects and exercises can be completed with consumer-grade PCs and laptops.
This course requires a 3-button mouse (left, right, clickable wheel) and a computer capable of running Blender (or your software of choice).
In light of the pandemic and its imposed limitations regarding space, fabrication, and occupying space, the projects have been designed to permit engagement with space without compromising your health, your peers’, families’, and faculties’. As such, projects that depend on utilizing physical space (projection mapping, augmented reality, immersive media) can be substituted with software-based versions that employ similar techniques in virtual spaces. To this end, those interested can use game engines such as Unity and Unreal Engine, as an architectural playground. We will discuss this together later in class and find compromises that fulfill the conceptual and theoretical requirements of the projects while allowing you to engage architecture, space, and animation in relation to these.
Your first project is an environmental exploration from a first-person point of view. An inanimate landscape, with inanimate subjects. The only thing that moves is you: the creator, the observer, the camera.
In this project, you will begin by building a composite world within Blender or Cinema4D using the method of kitbashing. Kitbashing is a technique of world building that relies on various pre-existing 3D assets that are composed on the fly in the 3D viewport. Kitbashing is the collage or montage for the 3D software. The world you build will rely heavily, if not all, on pre-existing 3D Models that are improvised together. Think of how all the objects relate to each other in your world and how they contribute to a sense of place. Most importantly, be whimsical and fun with this part!
The main part of this project is to add and animate the lights and camera(s). Think of how your lighting, camera angles, location, and movement all contribute to telling a story about the world you’ve created.
To help guide you in this project, you can come up with a loose concept of place/space (i.e. a memory palace, “a place where I would rather be”, a color-saturated grocery store, an apocalyptic train station, a floating castle, hell on earth, a hallucinogenic sand castle, a post-COVID reality, and so on). But allow your concepts to change as you kitbash and develop animations for your camera. The aim of this project is for you to think of mise en scène and cinematography within the 3D software.
If time permits, you can animate objects in your scene or you can also experiment with materials and textures. But your primary focus should be the mastery of camera animation and digital cinematography.
Details:
Your second project is an exploration of sound and moving images in the context of 3D animation. It is also a preparatory step in realizing your final project, either by extension or serving as a technical and conceptual playground. For this project, you will exercise the production of 2 minutes of tightly audio-synchronized visuals. Unlike your first project, you are free from constraints in animating your scene(s). This means that you are in full control of your environments, 3D models, assets (regardless of their medium), cinematography, and lighting. Feel free to play with narrative or lack thereof. Much like your first project, Sonic Optics must be emotionally effective and transmissive, able to capture and evoke.
Beyond the conventional moving parts of realizing a work of animation and moving image, this project heavily relies on sound, audio, and music. Explore and experiment with the free sound resources that are posted on this website and our Discord server. Many of you might be quick to choose a piece of music. We encourage you to refrain from this approach and instead explore field recording and layering found sound. You are certainly permitted to choose a piece of music, whatever it might be, however music should not be the primary component of your audio. A fantastic resource for exploring found audio and field recordings is BBC Sound Effects Library. Splice is another fantastic resource for finding pre-made audio effects. Beyond the available resources, we encourage you to experiment with field recordings of your own. Luckily, the barrier to entry for audio production and experimentation is much lower than computer graphics, and with a few hours of experimentation, you should be able to create enticing soundscapes.
Details:
Update: Due to the unfortunate circumstances of the pandemic, the prospects of projection mapping, physical presentation, and equipment handling seem unlikely. As such we have to abandon the idea of projection mapping for this project.
Your final project is a condensation of the techniques, concepts, and theories that we have discussed in the class. Other than a few technical requirements, you are in full control of every aspect of your project. You are free to use any software/technique that you find appropriate for the realization of your work. Your final piece is a 3-5 minute animation which can be of any of the following forms: linear narrative, non-linear narrative, essay, experimental, or abstract.
You are responsible for the ideation, conceptualization, and execution of your work. Extra credit is given to those whose concepts relate to the readings or relevant contemporary issues. You must be able to discuss and contextualize your concept. In other words, you need to be able to appropriately discuss and justify your ideas. Moreover, the format of your work is also determined by you and can fall within or outside any of the following categories: Non-photorealistic Animation (3D, 2.5D), 3D Animation, Mixed Media Collage, and Experimental Animation among others.
Details & Requirements:
Tentative schedule. Subject to change based on student progress, health and safety policies, discourse, engagement, and demand.
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Please completed, sign, and submit the Release of All Claims Form. In support of the educational activities within The Department of Art, certain equipment is provided which may be used by students, advisor and faculty which, if not used properly, can result in bodily injury to user. By signing the Release of All Claims Form, among other things, you certify that you have full knowledge and understanding of such risk, that you know how to use the equipment in a proper manner, and to follow all appropriate safety precautions. You also agree to take responsibility for leaving this equipment in the same condition in which it is found in order to ensure its ongoing safe operation. In consideration of being granted access to the use of the equipment provided by the Department of Art you assume full and complete responsibility for the use of such equipment for the period from August 25, 2020 to December 11, 2020.
You will need to use BuckeyePass multi-factor authentication to access your courses in Carmen. To ensure that you are able to connect to Carmen at all times, it is recommended that you take the following steps:
For help with your password, university email, Carmen, or any other technology issues, questions, or requests, contact the Ohio State IT Service Desk. Standard support hours are available at ocio.osu.edu/help/hours, and support for urgent issues is available 24/7.
This online course requires use of Carmen (Ohio State’s learning management system) and other online communication and multimedia tools. If you need additional services to use these technologies, please request accommodations with your instructor.
Project grading and feedback can generally be expected within 2 weeks.
You can expect a reply to emails within 24-36 hours Monday - Friday, but no response should be expected between 5pm and 8am.
Carmen (carmen.osu.edu) is used for general communication through announcements. Carmen is where assignment
information, sharing ideas and work, collaborative engagement and assignment development, grades and feedback, readings,
and general course content components are posted.
Not applicable to our course. Refer to Communication section.
Email through Carmen’s inbox function or through your BuckeyeMail will be the only source of private and secure digital
conversations we will use with you. Secure information on general concerns, assignments, class inquiries, or other similar
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Not applicable to our course. Refer to Communication section.
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Safe campus requirements include but are not limited to wearing masks, hand hygiene, physical distancing, health symptom monitoring, participating in contact tracing, quarantine and isolation, and additional safety expectations detailed at safeandhealthy.osu.edu. All Ohio State students, faculty and staff are expected to meet the behavioral and safety expectations under the Safe Campus Requirements when they physically participate in any university activity, on or off campus. All students, faculty and staff also will be required to perform a daily health check to report body temperature each day they intend to be physically on an Ohio State campus. Failure to adhere to these requirements will be addressed through standard enforcement mechanisms, and an approach built on escalation, whereby adherence will be reinforced through education, choice and peer support before escalating to disciplinary action whenever possible. Where violations are serious and/or ongoing, however, they will be addressed as follows:
Students unable to attend class because of positive diagnosis, symptoms, or required quarantine due to exposure will transition course activities to distance learning to the extent that they are able during periods of mandated absence. Students will work with instructors to confirm their ability to participate or alternative learning activities related to course objectives and assignments will be provided.
If an entire class is required to quarantine, instruction will transition to online interactions and learning at a distance will occur. All university standards and policies remain in place as related to Title IX, academic misconduct, allowances for students with disabilities, studio conduct and respect for others, and other related issues. We will be meeting and interacting in an online format, not an anonymous one. We will conduct ourselves and treat others as if we are meeting in person.
If the university suspends in-person classes, this course will transition to an online delivery mode for the remainder of the semester.
If an instructor is unable to attend class in person because of positive COVID-19 diagnosis, symptoms, or required quarantine, a substitute instructor may be assigned to ensure course continuity. If the instructor is able, the course may transition to an online delivery mode temporarily.
It is the responsibility of the Committee on Academic Misconduct to investigate or establish procedures for the investigation of all reported cases of student academic misconduct. The term “academic misconduct” includes all forms of student academic misconduct wherever committed; illustrated by, but not limited to, cases of plagiarism and dishonest practices in connection with examinations and artwork created in studio courses. Instructors shall report all instances of alleged academic misconduct to the committee (Faculty Rule 3335-5-487). For additional information, see the Code of Student Conduct
The Department of Art adheres to all aspects of this Code of Conduct especially in matters relating to the following: Academic Misconduct, Endangering Health or Safety, Sexual Misconduct, Destruction of Property, and Theft/Unauthorized Use of Property.
In general, you are prohibited in university courses from turning in work from a past class to your current class, even if you modify it. If you want to build on past research or revisit a topic explored in previous courses, please discuss the situation with your instructor at the start of the assignment/project.
Cite your sources to back up what you say and write. (Use a citation generator if you are unsure of the proper citation format.) If you use a photograph or are particularly inspired by another work and wish to include, mimic, or apply any part of it to your work, cite it. We will discuss precedent usage and appropriation in class. While precedent usage is expected to inspire new iterations and build skills, you are expected to credit your sources and work to distinct and individual challenge solutions.
The University strives to make all learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience academic barriers based on your disability (including mental health, chronic or temporary medical conditions), please let us know immediately so that we can privately discuss options. To establish reasonable accommodations, we may request that you register with Student Life Disability Services. After registration, make arrangements with us as soon as possible to discuss your accommodations so that they may be implemented in a timely fashion. Fore more information contact the SLDS office.
In-person classes (as well as the in-person components of hybrid classes) are expected to make reasonable accommodations for students who are unable to be safely present in the classroom and have been approved for an accommodation by the office of Student Life Disability Services (SLDS). For a lecture course, such an accommodation might mean streaming lectures on Zoom or making recordings available to the students. For classes that involve laboratory work, studio work, or a mix of lecture and discussion, a reasonable accommodation will not always be possible. Students are expected to work with their advisors and, where appropriate, SLDS to find workable solutions to their scheduling needs.
The Grade Forgiveness Rule allows undergraduate students to petition to repeat up to three courses. The grade in the repeated course will permanently replace the original grade for the course in the calculation of the student’s cumulative GPA.
Only a first repeat can be used this way; all other repeats of the same course will be included under the general course repeatability rule.
The original grade will remain on the student’s transcript and some graduate/professional school admission processes will re-calculate the student’s GPA to include the original grade. See: Grade Forgiveness for more information.
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As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student’s ability to participate in daily activities. The Ohio State University offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus via the Office of Student Life’s Counseling and Consultation Service (CCS) by visiting ccs.osu.edu or calling 614-292-5766. CCS is located on the 4th Floor of the Younkin Success Center and 10th Floor of Lincoln Tower. You can reach an on call counselor when CCS is closed at 614-292-5766 and 24 hour emergency help is also available through the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALKor at suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
Some content of this course may involve media that may be triggering to some students due to descriptions of and/or scenes depicting acts of violence, acts of war, or sexual violence and its aftermath. If needed, please take care of yourself while watching/reading this material (leaving classroom to take a water/bathroom break, debriefing with a friend, contacting a Sexual Violence Support Coordinator at 614-292-1111, or Counseling and Consultation Services at 614-292-5766, and contacting the instructor if needed). Expectations are that we all will be respectful of our classmates while consuming this media and that we will create a safe space for each other. Failure to show respect to each other may result in dismissal from the class.
Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor and may include the student’s legal name unless changed via the University Name Change policy. We will gladly honor your request to address you by another name or gender pronoun. Please advise us of this early in the semester so that we may make appropriate changes to our records.
Tolerance. Required and elective art courses contain content that can include some language, imagery, or dialogue that may be challenging or offend some students. While no student is required to participate in a presentation or discussion of art or design that offends them, it is important to remain open-minded and participate in a cooperative and respectful manner. Art can often challenge our ideas and experiences, and can lead us into some lively discussion, concepts and imagery. Differences (in ideas, perspectives, experiences, etc.) can be positive, productive and educational, challenging and provocative, so please, engage in the exchange of ideas respectfully. Please see us with your concerns as soon as possible.
Please contact us in advance (during the first week of class or as soon as circumstances develop during the term) if you have circumstances that may affect your performance and ability to fulfill your responsibilities in this course.
Back up your work. Inevitably, computers crash. Sometimes they get stolen. There are measures that you can take to prevent significant loss of data. These include Cloud back-ups, external devices or disc storage.