55502 Studio: Animation Project/Production

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Communication: MAP and Sound and Music Design
Credit points: 24 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 55500 Studio: Advanced Animation Practice AND 55501 Studio: Animation Project Pre-production
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 82800 Animation Studio: Animation Project/Production

Description

This subject builds upon the work developed in 55501 Studio Animation Pre-Production. Students will have achieved a ‘green-light’ stage of development in 55501 and now begin final production phase of their capstone animation projects. Projects are developed as innovative, creative solutions to a self-initiated animation proposal investigated over the whole course and completed in this subject. These projects are typically an animated film or related work of broadcast or public exhibition standard that engages with conventions, emerging aesthetics, theoretical ideas and professional production practices.

At the commencement of the subject students should have a fully resolved creative package of pre-production work typically including key assets, a production bible, concept design artwork, a final animatic, temp soundtrack, a list of creative collaborators, and a production schedule, ready to begin production.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

a.	Execute a highly crafted animation film or related work at a professional production level.
b.	Shape coherent and engaging narrative and non-narrative outcomes, which communicate effectively with the intended audience.
c.	Explore outcomes that go beyond mainstream ideas and aesthetics, show real originality and challenge contemporary practice.
d.	Manage complex technical and organisational challenges within a strict time frame.
e.	Recruit and nurture fruitfully relationships with key creative partners in order to facilitate a high level of production in areas such as sound and music design, voiceover, specialist animation, and postproduction. This may be from peer networks, professional contacts in association with teaching staff, alumni contacts, visiting animation professionals, or other external and affiliated industries, communities of practice and institutions.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:

Apply theoretically informed processes to production practice, including managing complexity and collaboration, incorporating research into development, active iteration and critique, clarity in communication, delegation, and resource management. (1.2)
Demonstrate reflexive critical thinking as creative practitioners who are intellectually curious, imaginative, and innovative, with an ability to evaluate their own and others' work with candour. (2.1)
Present work with precision and relevance to contemporary industry practice and contextualise work within current and historical animation knowledge and theory. (2.2)
Re-imagine human practices through storytelling, performance and communication. (2.3)
Demonstrate an awareness and knowledge of contexts and openness to cultural exchange as a global citizen. (3.1)
Act transparently and demonstrate an awareness of ethical practice and integrity across civil society's personal, political, and professional contexts, including cultural and gender diversity. (5.1)
Communicate with a high degree of sensitivity, precision and technical proficiency when presenting narrative, complexity and abstraction to a broad audience. (6.1)
Demonstrate proficiencies in communication to professionally develop, and critically reflect upon and find solutions through collaborative work (6.2)

Teaching and learning strategies

As animation is a highly collaborative and quite slow practice, time spent monitoring, managing and communicating complexities, problems, and overall progress is a key aspect for success. Students work as the key creatives driving the project forward through weekly reviews, meeting with staff in formal production and technical meetings to assess progress. This agile approach to production is critical for success as each project will have different challenges and needs, reflecting an industry-like experience in a busy animation studio.

Students will need to work closely with multiple tutors and collaborators (peers, animation professionals and academics). This session-long conversation is the place to continually assess that the strategies for production are on track and effective and bearing results.

Learning activities occur on a weekly basis with each project team meeting for a formal production meeting and a formal technical meeting with staff. In these sessions progress and outcomes are assessed against the schedule and production plan. For projects that are cinematic, as shot based work nears completion, weekly reviews of the evolving whole film in the cinema become an important conversation, also reflecting standard industry like experiences.

Students are required to defend the creative merits of their project in a final symposium.

Content (topics)

The content for this subject focuses upon production and practical realisation of the capstone project devised in the subject 55501 Studio Animation Project Pre-Production. Throughout the semester students will practice and refine the professional skills developed throughout the course in order to achieve the learning outcomes in a professionally oriented production environment.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Major Project Production Milestone A

Objective(s):

a, b, c, d and e

Weight:

40%

Length:

Trailer Deliverable:

15-30 seconds of completed animation using final assets as a marketing short film aka a trailer.
A final production bible or style guide that defines the aesthetic and approaches that will be used in production.

Evidence of Full Film Progression in Shotgrid:

Project defined with shot based project management setup in Shotgrid (production tracking system), including a detailed shot based production schedule and shot based tasks created.
Then using Shotgrid, evidence of current wip production assets, final animatic with temp sound and completed production bible asset.

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Appropriateness of work as trailer or abstract.	20	b	2.2
Evidence of constructive project management	20	d	6.2
Evidence of constructive Creative Partnerships	20	e	5.1
Impact of aesthetics and clarity of performance supporting the narrative.	20	a	2.3
Professional standard of direction delivering clarity of intent, and an awareness of audience.	20	c	6.1

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Major Project Production Milestone B

Objective(s):

a, b, d and e

Weight:

60%

Length:

Project Deliverable:

Final production to be screened in a theatrical cinema or equivalent format. Duration as agreed at approval stage dependent on genre and size of team.
Marketing and promotional package including a website and typical short film finalist director’s info pack.
Production process journal.
15-30 minute public presentation in symposium.

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Effectiveness of collaboration with co-creators	20	e	3.1
Application of technical skills and project management	20	d	1.2
Innovation in animation production processes and outcomes	20	b	5.1
Evidence of Process in process journal	20	a	2.1
Clarity and detail of symposium presentation	20	b	2.2

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

Students must have fewer than 5 unexplained absences to ensure that staff can accurately assess assignments because, in this subject, a majority of the grades are awarded to creative process. Teachers seek evidence of research, concept development and reflexive iteration over the course of the semester during feedback and discussion each week in class. We are unable to accurately assess the rigour of process in student work if they are not available for discussion and feedback during class time. Attendance will be marked at the beginning of each class and in interactive lectures. Students who have more than five absences from class will be refused to have their final assessment marked (see Rule 3.8).

Required texts

There are no required texts for this subject. Recommended readings will be available via UTS Library and through the subject site.

References

Blazer, L. (2015). Animated Storytelling: Simple Steps for Creating Animation and Motion Graphics. Peachpit Press.

Furniss, M. (2007). Art in motion: animation aesthetics (2nd ed.). John Libbey.

Buchan, S. (2006). Animated ‘worlds’. John Libbey.

Madden, M. (2005). 99 Ways to tell a story: Exercises in style, Penguin.