Motion Design
Fall 2018 | 1:30–4:10

Syllabus

Prerequisites

AVT 215: Intro to Type & 311: Graphic Design Methods and Principles — or permission of instructor.

Course Description

Motion Design introduces the theories, techniques and practices of motion design and the integration of design, image, sound, video and animation.

Overview

This is not a software training course. Although there will be occasional in-class software demos a majority of the skill with the software will need to be self taught. Through the exercises, in-class workshops, projects, and critiques the students will learn the fundamental principles of time-based design grounded in traditional design principles.

Participants should finish the course with a working knowledge of motion design principles and methods as well as a better understanding of the production side of the medium.

Objectives

  • To improve general design skills
  • To have an understanding of storyboarding
  • To understand the technical aspects of motion design
  • To analyze how motion can enhance a narrative
  • To understand how static design principles apply to a motion-based medium

Content

This course consists of many shorter exercises and a few longer projects. The exercises are to begin to familiarize students with specific concepts and ideas and the projects combine many concepts and ideas.

Project 1: Type In Motion
To make something move, a series of frames is put into a sequence. Students will create a short, animated typographic composition to begin to explore the medium.

Project 2: Event Poster
Posters are no longer just a print medium. As screens become more and more ubiquitous in our daily lives the opportunity to create a more engaging and dynamic object is even greater. Students will create a 30-second poster for an event or exhibition on campus.

Project 3: Title Sequence
The titles of a film or a show can reveal themes and ideas through imagery and typography. Students will design a 1–2 minute title sequence for a film or show.

Project 4: Motion System
Award ceremonies have a variety of motion based needs. Students will create a series of different motion based collateral pieces for an awards ceremony of their choosing.

attendance and participation

You must be physically, mentally and verbally present and prepared. Punctuality is of prime importance. There are few good excuses for being late to class, try and be as early as you can. Tardiness will also affect your final grade—three late arrivals equals an absence. Please come to class prepared and ready to work for the entire scheduled time. Being prepared includes having all work printed or uploaded and ready to discuss.

You are expected to attend all meetings of each class. I understand that sometimes issues arise that prevent you from making it to class. It is your responsibility to send me any work that was due that day and talk to a classmate to go over what you missed. You cannot participate if you are not in class. Every absence after three will drop your grade by 5 points. Again, participation in class is extremely important.

Discussion of Work

You will need to take an active role in both the presentation and discussion of your work. We will review projects in a variety of ways and you are expected to be able to talk about your own work and give feedback to your peers about their work. The ability to talk about your work and other student’s work is a very important part of your education at GMU. Use this class to improve on those skills too.

Grading

Your grade will depend on your participation (35%), your craft (15%), your process (25%), and the completion of all the projects by the end of the class (25%).

University and School of Art Policies

In accordance with George Mason University policy, turn off all beepers, cellular telephones and other wireless communication devices at the start of class. The instructor of the class will keep his/her cell phone active to assure receipt of any Mason Alerts in a timely fashion; or in the event that the instructor does not have a cell phone, he/she will designate one student to keep a cell phone active to receive such alerts.

Commitment to Diversity

This class will be conducted as an intentionally inclusive community that celebrates diversity and welcomes the participation in the life of the university of faculty, staff and students who reflect the diversity of our plural society. All may feel free to speak and to be heard without fear that the content of the opinions they express will bias the evaluation of their academic performance or hinder their opportunities for participation in class activities. In turn, all are expected to be respectful of each other without regard to race, class, linguistic background, religion, political beliefs, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, veteran’s status, or physical ability.

Statement on Ethics in Teaching and Practicing Art and Design

As professionals responsible for the education of undergraduate and graduate art and design students, the faculty of the School of Art adheres to the ethical standards and practices incorporated in the professional Code of Ethics of our national accreditation organization, The National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Open Studio Hours

SOA teaching studios are open to students for extended periods of time mornings, evenings and weekends whenever classes are not in progress. Policies, procedures and schedules for studio use are established by the SOA studio faculty and are posted in the studios.

Artsbus Dates for Fall 2018

  • September 22
  • October 20
  • November 17

ArtsBus Credit

Each student must have up to 5 AVT 300/Artsbus credits before graduation. For credit to appear on your transcript you must enroll in AVT 300. This also applies to anyone who intends to travel to New York independently, or do the DC Alternate Assignment.

If you plan/need to go on multiple Artsbus trips during a semester and need them towards your total requirement, you must enroll in multiple sections of AVT 300. Please go to the Artsbus website: http://artsbus.gmu.edu "Student Information" for additional, very important information regarding Artsbus policy.

Non-AVT majors taking art classes do not need Artsbus credit BUT may need to go on the Artsbus for a class assignment. You can either sign up for AVT 300 or buy a ticket for the bus trip at the Center of the Arts. Alternate trips must be approved by the instructor of the course that is requiring an Artsbus trip.

Visual Voices Lecture Series Fall 2018

Visual Voices is a year-long series of lectures by artists, art historians and others about contemporary art and art practice. Visual Voices lectures are held on Thursday evenings from 7:20- 9:00 p.m. in Harris Theater

Important Deadlines

  • TBD Consortium Registration Deadline
  • August 27 First day of classes; last day to submit Domicile Reclassification Application; Payment Due Date
  • September 3 Labor Day, university closed
  • September 4 Last day to add classes—all individualized section forms due
  • September 9 Final Drop Deadline (no tuition penalty)
  • September 10–September 30 Web Withdrawal Period (100% liability)
  • September 24–October 19 Midterm progress reporting period (100-200 level classes)—grades available via Patriot Web
  • October 1–October 28 Selective Withdrawal Period (undergraduate students only) (100% tuition liability)
  • October 8 Fall Break—Monday classes/labs meet Tuesday. Tuesday classes do not meet this week.
  • October 26 Incomplete work from spring/summer 2018 due to instructor
  • November 2 Incomplete grade changes from spring/summer 2018 due to Registrar
  • November 21–25 Thanksgiving recess
  • December 7 Dissertation/Thesis Deadline
  • December 8 Last day of classes
  • December 10–11 Reading Days—Reading days provide students with additional study time for final examinations. Faculty may schedule optional study sessions, but regular classes or exams may not be held.
  • December 12–December 19 Exam Period
  • December 20 Winter Graduation Ceremony
  • December 22 Degree Conferral Date

Once the add and drop deadlines have passed, instructors do not have the authority to approve requests from students to add or drop/withdraw late. Requests for late adds (up until the last day of classes) must be made by the student in the SoA office (or the office of the department offering the course), and generally are only approved in the case of a documented university error (such as a problem with financial aid being processed) , LATE ADD fee will apply. Requests for non-selective withdrawals and retroactive adds (adds after the last day of classes) must be approved by the academic dean of the college in which the student’s major is located. For AVT majors, that is the CVPA Office of Academic Affairs, Performing Arts Building A407.

Students with Disabilities and Learning Differences

If you have a diagnosed disability or learning difference and you need academic accommodations, please inform me at the beginning of the semester and contact the Disabilities Resource Center (SUB I room 234, 703-993-2474). You must provide me with a faculty contact sheet from that office outlining the accommodations needed for your disability or learning difference. All academic accommodations must be arranged in advance through the DRC.

Official Communications via GMU E-Mail

Mason uses electronic mail to provide official information to students. Examples include communications from course instructors, notices from the library, notices about academic standing, financial aid information, class materials, assignments, questions, and instructor feedback. Students are responsible for the content of university communication sent to their Mason e-mail account, and are required to activate that account and check it regularly.

Attendance Policies

Students are expected to attend the class periods of the courses for which they register. In-class participation is important not only to the individual student, but also to the class as a whole. Because class participation may be a factor in grading, instructors may use absence, tardiness, or early departure as de facto evidence of nonparticipation. Students who miss an exam with an acceptable excuse may be penalized according to the individual instructor's grading policy, as stated in the course syllabus.

Honor Code

Students in this class are bound by the Honor Code, as stated in the George Mason University Catalog. The honor code requires that the work you do as an individual be the product of your own individual synthesis or integration of ideas. (This does not prohibit collaborative work when it is approved by your instructor.) As a faculty member, I have an obligation to refer the names of students who may have violated the Honor Code to the Student Honor Council, which treats such cases very seriously. No grade is important enough to justify cheating, for which there are serious consequences that will follow you for the rest of your life. If you feel unusual pressure about your grade in this or any other course, please talk to me or to a member of the GMU Counseling Center staff.

Using someone else’s words or ideas without giving them credit is plagiarism, a very serious Honor Code offense. It is very important to understand how to prevent committing plagiarism when using material from a source. If you wish to quote verbatim, you must use the exact words and punctuation just as the passage appears in the original and must use quotation marks and page numbers in your citation. If you want to paraphrase or summarize ideas from a source, you must put the ideas into your own words, and you must cite the source, using the APA or MLA format. (For assistance with documentation, I recommend Diana Hacker, A Writer’s Reference.) The exception to this rule is information termed general knowledge—information that is widely known and stated in a number of sources. Determining what is general knowledge can be complicated, so the wise course is, “When in doubt, cite.”

Be especially careful when using the Internet for research. Not all Internet sources are equally reliable; some are just plain wrong. Also, since you can download text, it becomes very easy to inadvertently plagiarize. If you use an Internet source, you must cite the exact URL in your paper and include with it the last date that you successfully accessed the site.

Writing Center

Students who are in need of intensive help with grammar, structure or mechanics in their writing should make use of the services of Writing Center, located in Robinson A116 (703-993-1200). The services of the Writing Center are available by appointment, online and, occasionally, on a walk-in basis.

The Collaborative Learning Hub Located in Johnson Center 311 (703-993-3141), the lab offers in-person one-on-one support for the Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, Blackboard, and a variety of other software. Dual monitor PCs make the lab ideal for collaborating on group projects, Macs are also available; as well as a digital recording space, collaborative tables, and a SMART Board. Free workshops are also available (Adobe and Microsoft) through Training and Certification; visit ittraining.gmu.edu to see the schedule of workshops and to sign up.