Middle Tennessee State University

Middle Tennessee State University
Department of Electronic Media Communication

Marc J. Barr, Professor
Office Comm 147 Telephone (615) 898-5118 email mjbarr@mtsu.edu

Course Outline

A. EMC 3300 Title of Course: Introduction to Digital Animation Credits: 3

B. Description

This course will serve as an introduction to the development of two and three dimensional computer data and animation. The animations produced are intended for use in the areas of Television News, Entertainment, Advertising, and for Public Service Announcements. The class will emphasize the aesthetics and techniques for building, lighting, assigning surface attributes, and rendering of three dimensional models. These models will be used in the designing and producing of three dimensional computer generated animations. Completed animations will be displayed on the computer monitor and recorded onto videotape.

Students will have a broad survey of the process and techniques involved with creating broadcast quality three dimensional animations. They will also learn the techniques and aesthetics incorporated into traditional methods of animations for contrast and comparison. Frequent review and discussion of current animations will also occur.

C. Topics Covered

Students will gain an understanding in the application of the following concepts:

Unix operating system

Overview of traditional animation

Unique capabilities of computers in animation

Previsualization

Digital Input Devices

Three dimensional modeling space

Curve creation

Lofting

Extrusion

Revolving

Translation, Rotation, and Scaling

Wireframe and Shading models

Boolean operations

Red,Green, Blue, and Spectral color models

Parent/Child hierarchies

Linear and Non Linear Deformation Channels

Camera views

Lighting controls

Motion Timing and Choreography

Keyframing and Inbetweening

Linear and Spline motion

Ease In and Ease Out motion

Bi Pedal Walk Cycle

Shape Interpolation

Texture Mapping and other Surface Attributes

Atmospheres and Environments

Rendering and Display

Frame Buffers

Adding Simple Digital Audio

Optical Disk Storage

Storage, Archiving, and Retrieval of files

D. Activities Required of Students

Attendance at all lectures and demonstrations. You are allowed three missed classes, any more than three will lower your grade. More than a total of six absences will result in an F.

Minimum of six hours per week additional laboratory time

Equipment operation and daily system administration

Tutorial exercises demonstrating competency in the areas of;

a. Hardware and software operations

b. Wire frame modeling

c. Application of surface attributes, shadow, and ray tracing files

d. Assignment of motion paths

e. Lighting of models

f. Rendering to image files

g. Display of image files

h. Compositing

i. Adding digital audio

j. Class presentation of finished animations as quicktime movies

Presentation of finished tutorial exercises viewed on the computer.

E. Evaluation Procedures

Individual testing of students on operating procedures, terminology, and concepts covered

There will be four exams consisting of multiple choice and true false questions. They will count towards 50% of your final grade.

Student journal of activities including evaluation of individual projects from conception to completion

Presentation of completed projects

Individual and group critiques

Grading Criteria

F. Required Text

Introducing Maya 2008 by Dariush Derakhshani

I will be showing a selection of titles that are more general in nature, not software or hardware specific. I suggest that you purchase one or more of them.

G. Materials

Storage media. You are responsible for backing up your files. We do not archive student accounts. I suggest you invest in an external hard disk and backup your work at the end of each session, if you are not able to afford one, then get microdrive of at least 1GB and bring it with you to class.

Journal book

Other items as suggested and required during the semester.

Students are required to be able to receive email from me. It will be sent only to your MTSU account. Information is provided on the Course Links page regarding how to forward email from the MTSU mail server to the email address that you prefer. Receiving and reading email is the responsibility of the student.

The facilities, hardware and software are not to be used for any commercial purposes or used in any manner that may violate MTSU Information Technology Resources Policy. Failure to follow this policy will result in dismissal from class.

Please bring to my attention if you have a learning disability that may interfere with your success in this class.

Do you have a lottery scholarship?

To retain Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship eligibility, you must earn a cumulative TELS GPA of 2.75 after 24 and 48 attempted hours and a cumulative TELS GPA of 3.0 thereafter. You may qualify with a 2.75 cumulative GPA after 72 attempted hours (and subsequent semesters), if you are enrolled full-time and maintain a semester GPA of at least 3.0. A grade of C, D, F, or I in this class may negatively impact TELS eligibility. Dropping a class after 14 days may also impact eligibility; if you withdraw from this class and it results in an enrollment status of less than full time, you may lose eligibility for your lottery scholarship. Lottery recipients are eligible to receive the scholarship for a maximum of five years from the date of initial enrollment, or until a bachelor degree is earned. For additional Lottery rules, please refer to your Lottery Statement of Understanding form, review lottery requirements on the web at http://scholarships.web.mtsu.edu/telsconteligibility.htm, or contact the Financial Aid Office at 898-2830.