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Foundation Studies

This module provides the foundation level Art and Design skills. Students are taught a range of creative process that will introduce them to visual enquiry and self expression. Students are encouraged to use these processes and strategies to generate ideas, design concepts and generate compositions for design briefs given to them.

You will learn

• Ideation through Mind map, Mood board, Semiotics, Metaphor, Themes and Styles
• Developing Visual observation through Drawing
• Exploration of Volume, perspective, structure and form
• Introduction to colour, colouring and shading methods
• Introduction to Set Designing
• Introduction to Photography and Lighting
• Researching, Referencing and Writing
• Introduction to Reflective practice and Assessment process
• Assessment process

Visualisation

The module further develops drawing and design methods by extending the students awareness and technical understanding of Life Drawing as well as generating ideas, concepts, storyboards and colour schematics that will aid in the content production.

You will learn

• Perspective
• Gesture
• Markmaking
• Colour & Medium
• Char dev
• Storyboard
• Study of Human Figures
• Drawing the human figure with emphasis on gesture, proportions and form development
• Basic structural and anatomical concepts
• Design of Costume and Standard props
• Detailed study of different parts of human anatomy
• Character design
• Concept Art and Storyboards
• Clay modeling
• Color and Texture
• Basic of 2D Animation

Design Fundamentals

This module is designed to provide the underpinning knowledge of graphic design, the principles of various elements of design and related applications and technologies. It includes an overview of design principles, the development of Digital Media industry and the applications that have been developed.

You will learn

• Elements and Principles of Design
• Visual perception & illusions
• Simplification of Graphic Rendition
• Symbol and Icon Design & Construction
• Basic Typography.
• Colour theory and physiology.
• Interpreting & responding to a brief
• Research and apply the history and theory of design to design practice.
• Apply the design process to 2-dimensional & 3-dimensional work in response to a brief.
• Project planning and implementation

Critical & Media Studies

This module is part of the trans-disciplinary foundation program in nature and is intended to complement the Communications, Art Fundamentals and Design Fundamentals. We will start with cinema as a medium since it encompasses all the other forms of artistic expression with shared vocabulary, analytical skills, ability to critique and articulate one's ideas and perspective. This course will expand on the vocabulary and introducing other forms of artistic and creative expressions.

You will learn

• Art & style app
• Development of Art & Design
• Style & Medium of Art
• Renaissance to Impressionism: Changing perspectives in painting
• Fauvism to Cubism: Demise of the realistic perspective
• Art and social change: Futurism, Constructivism
• Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism: Beyond representation
• History of Cinema/animation/game
• Different film movement
• Relation between social, political and economics and films
• Genre & transition
• Film/animation/game App.
• Looking at film/game craft
• Linear & non linear narrative structure
• Story app.
• Style substance
• use of color,
• Use of sound
• Introduction to “media” as a product of culture
• Analyze impact of media on our perceptions
• Evolution of Cinema & Cinematic Visual Effects
• Linear and non-linear narratives
• Appreciation of moving images and sound
• Origin and evolution of Animation
• animation app-flip/stop motion/stereoscopy/cutout
• Development of Interactive Art
• Game development History & Evolution
• Game appreciation

Communication Studies

This module is to enable students to develop their research techniques and introduce them to academic referencing system. It introduces the student to a range of research methods and practices, strategies and approaches used by Art & Design practitioners leading to the application of research competences in subject study. This module also enables students to develop their abilities to express themselves via spoken & written communication and through their chosen specialisation communication..

You will learn

• Types of stories in short story format
• Skills in storytelling
• Dialogue writing
• Continuity
• Shot, Scene, Sequence
• Screenplay writing
• Direction Practical
• How to find stories
• Basic of Writing new stories and features
• 5W's 1H
• Animation principle
• Story telling for animation
• How to build characters
• Script for animation
• Story telling for animated PSA
• Experimental animation Script
• Body language and acting
• Communicating through Stop-Motion Animation
• Communicating through Experimental animation

Digital media techniques I

This module is linked to Design Fundamentals module and is designed to introduce students to the techniques of using computer software to produce digital content in response to design brief. This module also introduces students to 3D Computer Imagery and Animation process.

You will learn

• Digital Manipulation techniques such as enlargement, reduction, transformation and reshaping
• Using filters for effects
• Scanning, storing and transporting Digital images
• Colour systems (RGB, grey scale, CMYK)
• Understanding Colour & Colour Correction
• Palette, mode and image attributes, file formats
• Colour depth, image size and file sizew
• Creating Backgrounds
• Matte painting
• Digital painting
• Design of 3D artefact based on reference images in response to project briefs
• Inorganic & Props modelling using techniques of NURBS & Polygon
• Applying Materials and creating Textures
• Basic Rigging using Props Model
• Basic Animation using Key frame animation technique and editing in graph editor
• Basic lighting techniques
• Essential Camera movements

Pre Production

The module further develops drawing and design methodology and extends students awareness and technical understanding of drawing in their related field of specialisation. This module also introduces student to the concepts and practice of Match moving from the preproduction stage to be taken forward by working in Media Production until final compositing

You will learn

• Claymation
• 2D Animation
• Miniature modeling
• Character Design
• Animation Story Board
• Preproduction for Match moving

Media Production I

This module exposes the students to a variety of non Digital approaches to film making. It offers cross-disciplinary study within the multi-disciplinary media environment so as to widen the scope of their visual research base. Through broad themed assignments set within subject named routes, students will learn to critically analyse works of pioneers and work in teams to contextualize their studio practice in relation to historical and contemporary practice.

You will learn

• Dramatic tension in the stories
• Characters and dialogues
• Introduction to Film production
• Types of films
• Introduction to Cinematography
• Camera Movements
• Basic Composition
• Introduction to Direction
• Designing of the scene
• Sets,
• Lighting Styles
• The role of sound in direction
• Screenplay

Media Production II

This hybrid - theory and practical module will provide students with the opportunity to investigate and practise rendering, editing and compositing the three essential parts of Post Production. Students will learn both the theoretical and practical aspects of editing, compositing and rendering in order to understand the cultural, social and cognitive effects of the editor's/compositor's art on the cinematic form. Introduction to Editing

You will learn

• Principles of Editing
• Types of Editing
• Video Capturing
• Understanding Tools and concepts
• Adding Effects and Transition
• Concept of Multipass
• Rendering multiple Layers in Passes
• Introduction to Compositing
• Compositing Techniques
• Multi layer Composting
• Colour Correction
• Introduction to Matchmove Process
• Matchmove Pipeline
• Basic Matchmove Scene with Perspective matching
• Scene geometry controls
• Setting up Camera and Rigs
• Working with Camera and on-set measurements
• Object tracking

Digital media techniques II

This module further develops the Computer assisted design and development knowledge, and extends the students awareness and technical understanding of the 3D Modelling skill as applicable to the design of Computer generated Characters.

You will learn

• Advanced Modelling
• Vehicle Design
• Rendering Techniques
• Texturing for Unwrapping
• Mapping
• Character skin study
• Creation of skin
• Lighting concepts
• Exterior lighting setup
• Interior lighting setup

Digital Media Techniques III

This module develops the student's awareness and technical understanding of the principles of Animation and its adaptation for producing Computer assisted Animation. This module is linked to the Digital Media Techniques II module and is designed to extend the students study of the development process.

You will learn

• Principles of Animation
• Acting for Animation
• Body Mechanism
• Character Animation
• Introduction to Rigging and Constrains
• Character Rigging
• Facial Rigging
• Organic Rig
• Vehicle Rigging
• Dynamic Rigging
• Introduction to Dynamics

Collaborative Project

This module provides an opportunity for the student to engage in a group in an extended self managed project and to demonstrate the ability to integrate the various elements of the course. The Collaborative Project is intended to further develop the student's ability to identify a topic relating to a problem or an issue in an area of interest developed through studies in the specialist pathway.

You will learn

• Apply a range of research activities leading to the development of solutions to a design problem
• Design development and use of appropriate visual language skills
• Demonstrate a high level of competence in the use of an extended range of media techniques and practices.
• Effectively manage time in achieving objective during production
• Develop collaborative projects, team skills, and multi-disciplinary communication and establish common empathies amongst peers

Major Project

This module extends knowledge of media, methods and process development within the individual to form an informed and critical approach to specialist practice. Students must excel in the production of their individual programmes of work using a range of media and techniques and by researching conceptual/technical aspects and contexts at the leading edge of the subject study. This module forms a major element in the final stage assessment for the honours award and is weighted accordingly.

You will learn

• Initiate assignments, manage own learning and investigate appropriate research methodology and reflective practice
• Independently analyse and evaluate own work and the work of others and show extensive knowledge within a specific area of subject study
• Investigate concepts and practices involved in sustaining their individual areas of specialist practice
• Prepare for career as practising artists and designers, as is appropriate to their needs

Dissertation

This module is intended to provide students the opportunity to undertake a substantial research project in an area of their interest and prepare them to work independent of tutors.

You will learn

• Develop own individual approach to research, planning and writing a Dissertation
• Develop the capacity for study independent of tutors
• Independently analyse material from a range of sources, primary as well as secondary, relevant to the topic undertaken
• Organise the material in a well structured, logical way in order to present a well informed argument
• Methods and conventions of scholarly research, with accurate paratextual information, correct presentation and documentation

Portfolio Presentation

This module prepares the student's ability to communicate their work and progress in a professional manner. Students prepare a portfolio of their work, by authoring an individual, reproducible DVD. This is intended to be reviewed by their peers and potentially sent to production houses as an elegant and sophisticated digital portfolio for their comments.

You will learn

• Demonstrate ability to understand and articulate, through drawings, concepts sketches, design documents and present an understanding of the design elements of the medium of their specialisation
• Demonstrate the critical aspects of development of a media professional in the medium of your specialisation.
• Respond effectively to questions following oral presentation

Professional Practise

This module provides an opportunity for students to work for an external client in the creation of Digital Media content to address a real world problem. Students will intern collaboratively in a Digital Media development team and apply or further develop their problem solving, design, development and evaluation skills.

You will learn

• Professional approach in developing good working relationship with Clients
• Develop a clear understanding of the relationship between design, production and commerce in various aspects of a business organisation
• Methods and techniques to review, consolidate and extend the application of knowledge and understanding in solving real world problems
• Deal with external parties appropriately and professionally (e.g. client, users) and to use the input gathered from them in a useful way
• Make trade-offs during design and development process (including understanding of various parameters such as technical quality, aesthetic quality, conceptual quality, quality of media asserts, quality in terms of content and in interface design etc)
• Develop a multitude of creative concepts as possible solutions to a real world problem
• Report and present work that has been done, appropriately and professionally
• Work collaboratively in a small development team (i.e planning and organising project work, managing intra-group conflicts and developing negotiation skills)
• Further develop skills in terms of problem-solving, design, development, testing and evaluating

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