Sheridan Course Outlines

ANIM44049
Digital Methodologies: Final 3D Frame Creation

I: Administrative Information II: Course Details III: Topical Outline(s) Printable Version

Section I: Administrative Information

Total hours: 42.0
Credit Value: 3.0
Credit Value Notes: N/A
Effective: Fall 2013
Prerequisites: (ANIM34310)
Corequisites: N/A
Equivalents: N/A
Pre/Co/Equiv Notes: N/A

Program(s): Bachelor of Animation
Program Coordinator(s): Mark Mayerson
Course Leader or Contact: Mark Mayerson
Version: 4.0
Status: Approved (APPR)

Section I Notes: N/A

Section II: Course Details

Detailed Description
Students concentrate on the production of 3D computer animated films. Topics include surfacing, lighting, rendering and compositing, enabling students to build on their knowledge of modeling, rigging and animating by producing professional quality final images. Students work intensively in the animation studio honing their Digital Methodologies skills.

Program Context

Bachelor of Animation

Program Coordinator: Mark Mayerson

Students choose one of two core component specialized courses in the fourth year of the Bachelor of Applied Arts (Animation) Program. It is the seventh in a series of Digital Methodologies courses whose development reflects comprehensive and thoughtful scope, content analysis, and sequence in the delivery within the Digital Methodologies stream. In addition, it reflects continuity, integration and balance through the other streams at an introductory level and reflects the complexity and logic of the design of the BAA (Animation) Program. The course guides students from 2D to 3D applications. It prepares students for the creation of fourth year films using computer animation.

Course Critical Performance and Learning Outcomes

 Critical Performance
By the end of this course, students will have demonstrated the ability
to produce professional quality images using 3D animation software.

1. Orient textures on an object through a variety of projections.
2. Create various surface types based on texture, bump and
   displacement maps and the use of different shaders.
3. Light a scene with a variety of lights, including point light, 
   spot light, area light, volume light, directional light and global
   illumination.
4. Generate shadows through a variety of software techniques.
5. Create images using different rendering software tools.
6. Use motion blur, depth of field, and focal lengths to mimic live 
   action cinematography.
7. Composite elements to create final images.

Evaluation Plan
Students demonstrate their learning in the following ways:

Students demonstrate their learning in the following ways:
Assignment #1 - Surfacing - 25%
Assignment #2 - Lighting - 25%
Assignment #3 - Rendering - 25%
Assignment #4 - Compositing - 25%

Late Policy

Late Policy for all courses in the program: All assignments are due
within the first 15 minutes after the start of class on the due date.
Late projects, submitted after the first 15 minutes of the start of
class will receive a 20% grade reduction. Late projects submitted the
following week will receive a 30% grade reduction. There will be no
submission of work after the last day of semester unless arrangements
have been made and documented by the professor. Work that is more than
one week late will not be graded unless a prior arrangement has been
made with the professor; the arrangement must be documented on email
or a memo, with the new due date identified. There will be no
resubmission of work unless, under exceptional circumstances, this has
been agreed to or suggested by the professor. Again, a hard copy of
the agreement is necessary. If there is a valid reason for the late
project, the student must email the professor at least 3 days before
the due date. If the reason is deemed to be valid, there will be no
late penalty. A new due date with be set by the instructor. 

The basic late policy as laid out above will be followed, except in
the instance that an instructor requires a variation in policy. That
variation will be provided to the student in writing as part of the
actual assignment, which will be handed out by the instructor.

Provincial Context
The course meets the following Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities requirements:

Essential Employability Skills
Essential Employability Skills emphasized in the course:

	Communication		Critical Thinking & Problem Solving		Interpersonal
	Numeracy		Information Management		Personal

Notes: N/A

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
PLAR Contact (if course is PLAR-eligible) : Office of the Registrar
Students may apply to receive credit by demonstrating achievement of the course learning outcomes through previous relevant work/life experience, service, self-study and training on the job. This course is eligible for challenge through the following method(s):

Challenge Exam	Portfolio	Interview	Other	Not Eligible for PLAR
	X	X

Notes: Both are required.

Section III: Topical Outline

Some details of this outline may change as a result of circumstances such as weather cancellations, College and student activities, and class timetabling.
Effective term: Fall 2013
Professor: Multiple Professors
Textbook(s):

Textbook(s): N/A

Recommended Reading:	
Birn, Jeremy (2006).  Digital Lighting and Rendering (2nd ed.).  
Berkeley, CA: New Riders Press.

Applicable student group(s): All 4th Year BAA Animation Students
Course Details:

Instructor: Mark Palowich

Week 1
Mapping methods and types of maps.  UV Texture editor.

Week 2
Surface attributes, materials, shaders and shader networks

Week 3
Mudbox

Week 4
Types of lights
Surface assignment due, 25%

Week 5
Typical lighting approaches 

Week 6
Shadows

Week 7 
Lighting for mood, time of day, realism

Week 8
Rendering editor
Lighting assignment due, 25%

Week 9
Mental Ray renderer

Week 10
Global Illumination, Caustics HDRI

Week 11
Sun and sky settings, motion blur, atmosphere, render layers, Z depth

Week 12
afterFX review for compositing, colour correction
Rendering assignment due, 25%

Week 13 
Mattes, transparency, file Management

Week 14
Course wrap-up
Compositing assignment due, 25%

Sheridan Policies

All Sheridan policies can be viewed on the Sheridan policy website.

Academic Integrity: The principle of academic integrity requires that all work submitted for evaluation and course credit be the original, unassisted work of the student. Cheating or plagiarism including borrowing, copying, purchasing or collaborating on work, except for group projects arranged and approved by the professor, or otherwise submitting work that is not the student's own, violates this principle and will not be tolerated. Students who have any questions regarding whether or not specific circumstances involve a breach of academic integrity are advised to review the Academic Integrity Policy and procedure and/or discuss them with the professor.

Copyright: A majority of the course lectures and materials provided in class and posted in SLATE are protected by copyright. Use of these materials must comply with the Acceptable Use Policy, Use of Copyright Protected Work Policy and Student Code of Conduct. Students may use, copy and share these materials for learning and/or research purposes provided that the use complies with fair dealing or an exception in the Copyright Act. Permission from the rights holder would be necessary otherwise. Please note that it is prohibited to reproduce and/or post a work that is not your own on third-party commercial websites including but not limited to Course Hero or OneNote. It is also prohibited to reproduce and/or post a work that is not your own or your own work with the intent to assist others in cheating on third-party commercial websites including but not limited to Course Hero or OneNote.

Intellectual Property: Sheridan's Intellectual Property Policy generally applies such that students own their own work. Please be advised that students working with external research and/or industry collaborators may be asked to sign agreements that waive or modify their IP rights. Please refer to Sheridan's IP Policy and Procedure.

Respectful Behaviour: Sheridan is committed to provide a learning environment that supports academic achievement by respecting the dignity, self-esteem and fair treatment of every person engaged in the learning process. Behaviour which is inconsistent with this principle will not be tolerated. Details of Sheridan's policy on Harassment and Discrimination, Academic Integrity and other academic policies are available on the Sheridan policy website.

Accessible Learning: Accessible Learning coordinates academic accommodations for students with disabilities. For more information or to register, please see the Accessible Learning website (Statement added September 2016)

Course Outline Changes: The information contained in this Course Outline including but not limited to faculty and program information and course description is subject to change without notice. Any changes to course curriculum and/or assessment shall adhere to approved Sheridan protocol. Nothing in this Course Outline should be viewed as a representation, offer and/or warranty. Students are responsible for reading the Important Notice and Disclaimer which applies to Programs and Courses.

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