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Computer Graphics IV spring, 2005
Fridays, 1-5pm

New York Institute of Technology,
Old Westbury Campus
MacIntosh Lab

Instructor: Terry Nauheim
tnauheim@pratt.edu

office hours by appointment

Tech Notes:

[Starting a Project] [Image Acquisition] [Pixel Stretch (located on classroom server)][Intro to After Effects] [Basic Animation in After Effects] [Audio in After Effects][Compositing from Photoshop][Keying in After Effects] [Masking in After Effects]

COURSE OVERVIEW

This course studies the critical and intuitive advantages unique to digital time-based media. The goal of this course is to lead students into a formal investigation of time and motion as well as a conceptual framework for digital cinematic structures. Through the use of Final Cut Pro, Adobe After Effects and Photoshop, students will create several small digital movies.

Technical concepts include project organization, image acquisition, digital video concepts (frame rate/keyframing/interpreting media/rendering/compression), basic editing, transitions, compositing, effects, masking, alpha modes, sound (editing/sampling/manipulation/sound and image relationships), synchronization, and output.

CLASS EXPECTATIONS

  1. Fulfillment of all assignments on time.
  2. Full participation in critiques and group discussions.
  3. Full attendance:
  • 3 absences result in a maximum grade of D at the end of the semester
  • 4 absences will result in a grade of F at the end of the semester
  • 2 lates equals 1 absence
  • Special exceptions can be made for extreme extended health problems, which must be documented in detail with a doctor's note, or documented personal problems (documentation includes death certificates, obituaries, etc.). In the event of such a problem, the student must inform Terry immediately.

All students must have an active email account.

ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS

1. Label your CD with your name, course # and assignment name

2. Label your file with your first initial, last name and assignment #:

  • example1: tnauheimproj1.mov
  • example2: tnauheimexer2.mov
  • example3: tnauheimexer2re.mov (this signifies a reworked assignment)

3. Please submit a disk that contains ONLY Computer Graphics 2 projects/exercises.

4. Always archive another copy of your files.

5. All exercises and projects should be submitted on either a Mac or hybrid-formatted CD. If you are working on a machine outside of the classroom, test formats before submitting to make sure that it runs from a MacIntosh.

CLASSROOM REQUIREMENTS

7.Turn off cell phones and pagers before class.

8. Absolutely no personal email or instant messenger exchange during scheduled class time.

9. No food or drink in the computer lab.

10. Please do not arrive late or depart early from class meetings.

GRADING CRITERIA

  • 60% Projects
  • 20% journal/sketchbook
  • 20% Course attendance and participation

REQUIRED READING

  • Final Cut Pro 4 for Mac OS X (Visual QuickPro Guide), by Lisa Brenneis, Peachpit Press, 2004. ISBN: 0-321-16223-4

  • Adobe After Effects 6 Hands-On Training, Lynda Weinman, Peachpit Press, 2004. ISBN: 0-321-22854-5

SUGGESTED READING

  • Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects, Vol. 1: The Essentials (3rd Edition, Version 6.5), by Trish Meyer, Chris Meyer, CMP Books, 2004. ISBN 1-5780-249-3
  • Final Cut Pro User Manual
  • others

SUPPLIES

  • blank media (several CD-RW or DVD-R) or a firewire external drive
  • sketchbook
  • headphones
  • mini-DV tape
  • misc. art supplies

WEB RESOURCES

Software & TechnicalTips:

Glossaries & Technical Terms

[1] [2] [3]

CALENDAR
Date Class Assignments

week 1
Jan 28

Introduction to syllabus, Introduce Project #1: Flipbook. Look at Final Cut Pro interface.

purchase course books

Project #1- Flipbook: due week 2

Bring 5 photographs of yourself, due week 2

week 2
Feb 4

Image Acquisition

Review scanning process. Cropping and optimizing images in Photoshop. Organizing Media. Importing into Final Cut Pro.

Share flipbooks

 

read pp. 211-221; 311-315, Visual QuickPro Guide, due week 3.

Read What is Digital Cinema?; answer questions, due week 5.

Project #2 Pixellation, due week 5.

week 3
Feb 11

Working with Time

Frames, frames per second, timecode, navigating the timeline, drag n' drop editing, ripple edit, ripple delete, basic motion.

 

 

week 4
Feb 18

lab: work on Project #2

 

week 5
Feb 25

Look at After Effects Interface, Starting a Project and Composition.

Output and Critique Project #2

Project #3: Text Animation, prepare Photoshop file, due week 6; final, due due week 8.

Read ch's 2 "Interface," ch. 3, "The Project," and ch. 4, "The Composition," H-O-T, due week 6.

week 6
Mar 4

Animation Principles

Integration with Photoshop, Importing a Composition, Basic Properties, Keyframes.

Read ch.5 "Keyframes, Animation, and Timeline," H-O-T, due week 7.

optional: read ch. 6 "Playing with Time"

 
week 7
Mar 11

Audio in After Effects

 

 

 

 

week 8
Mar 18

Critique Project #3

Watch "Fog of War"

read "Thinking in Pictures," due week 9

Do Project # 4 part I

Mar 25 Spring Break

week 9
**MON Mar 28

*Note: field trip,"Designing and Reflecting the Screen"

"CrossRoads" panel series, presented by Digital Communications and Media at the Paul McGhee Division (SCPS/NYU)

6:00PM - 8:00PM, Rosenthal Pavilion at NYU's Kimmel Center

alternative assignment for those who did not attend CrossRoads
week 10
Apr 1

Storytelling Discussion: questions

Watch "Citizen Kane"

prepare still sequence for Preview Days

Voice-overs in Final Cut Pro

Project #4: Digital Narrative, part II, due week 11

Read pp. 247-266, Visual Quick Start and Scott McCloud "Understanding Comics," due week 11.

bring mini DV tape to week 11.
Apr 8 NO CLASS

week 11
Apr 15


Log and Capture Demonstration, Managing Media

Basic Editing Techniques: Working with Footage

Watch Michel Gondry videos

 

Project #4: Digital Narrative, gather source material and create rough cut, due week 13.

Read pp. 281-302, Read ch. 14 "Track Mattes,"H-O-T; optional: read ch. 13 "Masks" H-O-T, due week 13

bring your headphones to week 13
week 12
Apr 22

SOURCE

week 13
Apr 29

Compositing Techniques using After Effects and Photoshop: Track Mattes; Dissolves/Cuts/Fades

Watch more film examples

 

Project #4, *Note New Due Date:* due week 15.

read pp. 617-630; 649-655, Visual Quick Start, due week 14.

optional: read pp. 655-661, Visual Quick Start.

week 14
May 6

Continuation of Compositing Techniques: Masking, Keying, and Blending Modes

work on project #4

 
week 15 (make up day)
May 13		 Critique Project #4