Animation BA (Hons)
UCAS Code: WW2P BA/An

You will learn about key themes related to historical, theoretical, and critical developments in and influences on contemporary art practice relevant to an understanding of recent debates and developments. You will develop the ability to reflect critically on the historical and contemporary relationship of artists to society at local, national and global levels, and develop competence in skills enabling you to undertake critical visual analysis, independent research, and present findings through the medium of discursive writing. You will learn how to contextualise your own studio practice within the terms of history and theory in preparation for level 6 and the Extended Study in Fine Art module (VA6001). You will therefore be exposed to a series of topics which are aimed to aid you in identifying a theme or issue of historical, theoretical or critical significance that is relevant to your own particular concerns as a practitioner to inform and support further exploratory research and practice at level 6.

Lectures will explore major historical, theoretical and critical themes influencing the production and reception of art practice in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Topics covered in the lectures may include:

- modernity/modernism;
- postmodernity/postmodernism;
- gender, social and ethnic identities and the visual arts;
- the social construction of taste;
- customs through which contemporary art is displayed and exchanged;
- contemporary photography;
- surveillance;
- aesthetics;
- sound art;
- the state of art education.

You will refine and build on skills gained in Level 4 to develop character designs through an historical overview of relevant literature, art, animation, games, film and advertising. This will help to form a broad understanding of character design. More specific principles of character design and branding, using characters, will also be introduced.

You will then learn how to generate ideas for contemporary character design influenced by social, political and cultural research for the development of the ‘back story’, through drawing and written work. You will create and present, character design sheets, including suggested movement, expressions, silhouette, negative space and bone structure and create early prototypes of characters using found materials.

You will learn to understand and execute the principles of 3D computer modelling and the principles of 3D texture mapping with a view to establishing an in-depth, practical knowledge of 3D modelling and texturing techniques (using Autodesk Maya), in support of the design and production of original content. You will also learn how to manage 3D CGI assets and realise character design ideas in a range of media to create a character led brand.

The module provides an opportunity for you to learn which skills and attributes are considered most important by employers, in the animation industry, and to reflect and set targets to address any skills gaps, to boost your employability before you graduate.

Module tasks will include researching into the local, national and international animation industry to begin to understand where you could see yourself working. You will learn how to create a portfolio that includes personal promotion information such as a Linked In profile/CV, Vimeo account, web presence and showreel. You will learn how to write a written reflective piece that analyses your skills and attributes.

In this module, you will learn how to research, refine and produce performance in animation, through a process of deconstructing and reconstructing movement with a range of animation processes. You will learn how to generate ideas for character animation influenced by social, political and cultural issues and historical and contemporary knowledge of character-led animation, and to produce a short form animated film.

This will be taught through practical workshops inclusive of technical demonstrations, seminar sessions and lectures to support you in gaining a critical understanding of animation skills evidenced through animation outputs of a sophisticated level. Through these sessions, you will explore how movement can be captured and used as the basis for generating compelling and original character animation, how to adapt and use a 3D-computer generated rig for manipulating characters and realise high-quality animated digital characters.

The animation skills, critical understanding and contextual studies will also be framed through lectures that illustrate how animation is used in the industry as a prime method of communication, along with discussion of current and forward-looking practices and processes that the contemporary character animation industry is developing and pioneering.

On this module you will learn the fundamental principles of compositing for animation. Compositing is a crucial skill within the animation industry and can open up employment opportunities within the TV, Film and VFX industries. Contemporary animation is often comprised of images from different sources, be it live action, hand drawn or computer generated. You will gain technical knowledge of how to composite 2D, 3D and live action elements, using a range of industry techniques. This will include channel operations, masks, rotoscoping, tracking, green screen, keying and matte painting. Following on from the visual scripting aspect of the 3D Games module, you will learn node-based compositing, and how this is helpful for non-destructive workflows. These processes are crucial for live projects in which the client requires last minute changes.
You will continue to develop an overview of how different software packages relate to each other and how to capitalise on the strengths of each package to support the creative use of technology in the animation process. Compositing processes can be utilised in order to generate unique visual styles, which you will be asked to explore throughout the module.
You will learn how to plan animation in a more optimal way, using compositing strategies to save time and build editable projects. The module is underpinned by a critical approach to thinking about hybrid animation aesthetics and what it means for multiple image sources to be combined in the production of a single animation.

Building on the level 4 module, Introduction to Motion Graphics, this module will consider the communication of information and ideas through the application of experimental motion graphic design principles.

You will consider several areas of communication such as information design, branding and advertising. By combining these divergent fields into one module, it is anticipated that you will learn how to intellectually and practically negotiate the challenging communication continuum between informing and manipulating an audience.

Through a project brief you will be introduced to an issue that requires a coherent design solution that may encompass information design, branding and advertising. Central to this design solution will be a significant piece of motion graphics design, which will be developed through an experimental approach to design.

You will be supported through lectures, and group discussions within workshop activity in both the areas of communication design, (information design, branding and advertising), and the practical motion graphics software.

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’
• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
• Listening skills for lectures.
• Speaking in seminar presentations.
• Presenting your ideas
• Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
• Speed reading techniques.
• Developing self-reflection skills.