MONDAY, 6:00 PM -9:15 PM
H123

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD SYLLABUS

CLASS 3 9/24/07

In Class Today : Critique student projects; review of class 1; in class hands-on exercises of GarageBand; text transformations versus layer transformations; blur effect, subtle motion, range select.

Homework :

Task 1:
Work on PHASE 2 of the teaser you created last week. Correct the tempo as the titles display. Read them out loud to yourself to determine where you need to pause or accelerate the motion of the frames, i.e., how long a set of text frames should appear on the screen. As they are at present (referring to Monday's critique), the timing in many of your teasers makes them ineffective and fails to create the proper sense of suspense and excitement. Most of you need to spend time on repairing your work. You can all do a better job in the second phase but you have to work at it. I want to see a marked improvement on your work in class 4.

Also, identify the appropriate sound if you have not already done so. If you use sound effects, don’t make them sound like a Halloween fright scream that came from some cheap toy. If it’s a cheesy sounding scream, be prepared to apply an effect of some sort on it like reverb, echo, and/or changing the pitch to fix it to make it sound more believable. These can be added in GarageBand.  Click here for directions on how to add an effect to a sound clip in GarageBand.

Remember, you are trying to create an intense feeling and reaction to your teaser. So far, most of your teasers are not there yet, and you have a lot of work to do.  This work will be representative of your skills so take this project seriously and devote the time to getting it done right.  Don’t wait until the last minute. These are potential reel and/or portfolio samples. When complete, upload it to the server (drop homework) as an mpeg-4 file using the proper naming convention.

Task 2
Complete the tutorial located at the following URL: http://www.adobe.com/uk/tips/aft6text1/index.html

This tutorial teaches you how to use the range select feature as we reviewed in class 3.  Do the tutorial but use your own words and design. Keep it simple. When complete, upload it to the server (drop homework) as an mpeg-4 file using the proper naming convention.

HOW TO ACCESS ADDITIONAL SOUND EFFECTS
For hundreds of sound effect samples, go to following path in the BBlake folder on slice:
TITLE DESIGN FALL 2007>SOUND LOOPS-EFFECTS.

Drag the entire folder to the WORK folder on the computer you’re working on. DON”T navigate sounds from MY BBlake folder. IMPORTANT: If you use a  sound file in your project from the SOUND EFFECTS FOLDER on the WORK folder, MAKE A COPY OF the sound first (Option+Drag or File>Duplicate or Command+D) and save it in your project folder. THEN import it into GarageBand or After Effects.

CLASS 4
10/01/07

Announcements:

Class cancelled for today Continue to work on your new teasers. They should be further along, near complete.

Goals in the first three classes:

• Understand importance of type in communicating feelings, emotions. Type as message and type as object
• Grasp some elementary technology in After Effects
• Understand how Photoshop is used in conjunction with Photoshop
• Understand how to work effectively within a genre to engage audience

Homework:
Click here to download tutorial on animated text on a circle. If you have problems following it, let me know and I can help you.

Complete tutorial and when done, go back and adjust some of the properties to customize the composiiton. For example, you can change the color, font, words, tracking. You can duplicate the text and overlap, add images or video to the background, etc. Be as creative as you like. When modifying your original, try to think about the design element. In other words, try as best you can to make it appear asethetically appealing. When done, save and use the class naming convention. Then export as an MPEG 4 file and upload to the server.

NOTE: If you don't use the class naming convention, points will be taken off the project for not following directions. It makes it near impossible for me to identify your project among many others using this folder.

FOR NEXT WEEK: Bring in a DVD-R disk. We're going to burn a DVD from your latest project in class.

CLASS 5
10-8-07

CLASS 6
10/15/07

CLASS 7
10/22/07

Topics Today:
Quiz, critique on current projects, efects hands-on instruction (scribble, moving type along an open pat, write on)h

HOMEWORK:
In classes 7-9 you’ll be working on projects based on the following themes: dark comedy and action/adventure

Task 1, Research:
Do some channel surfing this week and identify two or more program(s) and/or film(s) that you feel are visually well designed and engaging. you’ll be using these examples to glean creative inspiration for your next project.  In this project, you’ll practice the art of “borrowing” a style or combining several styles to create your own. Alternately, you can watch previews, programs, and films on the web.

Articulate in writing why you selected the two or more programs you did and itemize the visual elements you felt an affinity towards and why.

Your charge is to capture the visual flavor of existing work and borrow visual elements (without ripping off what you're borrowing from; rather you're getting ideas from researching) and techniques.

You could also gain inspiration from film's or programs that are not of the same genres as your assignment. For example, you may watch a preview for “Fear Factor” and decide to do a spoof on this show. In other words, your inspiration does not have to be genre specific. This writing assignment is due next week as part of task 2.

Task 2: Implementation
Based on your research, come up with your own original spin on the idea. Your task is to create a 30 second (or less) dark comedy or action/adventure preview for either a TV program or a new film.  You can use an existing title or create your own.  By next week, have your idea formulated, your first storyboards sketched out, your assets collected and prepared (try to include your own images and/or footage) and begin building this project in After Effects. We will spend a little time working on this in class next week.

You are encouraged to use the techniques learned in class this week.

Click here for a tutorial on how to erase objects (to create a “write-on” effect) and how to reverse frames in a timeline.

CLASS 8
10/29/07

Agenda: Review of student team work; hands on instructions on random numbers, fractal noise, partical playground.

Homework:
Create a 10-60 second piece that serves as a commentary on a contemporary issue. Pick one you’re interested in. Ideas include Chinese imports, MRSA epidemic, illegal immigrants, gay marriage, rising college costs. Try not to pick the same old global warming, drunk driving, topics. Try for something a little different and more current. Your treatment can be ironic/comical (as in John Stewart or Colbert), serious, artistic, poetic. Piece should demonstrate your understanding of techniques effects and things you have learned in the last several weeks. your work must include a substantial amount of type in the design. you also must use After Effects to make this project.

Next week have your idea worked out, a storyboard prepared, assets, and the beginnings of project laid out in After Effects. If you have a problem thinking of an idea, contact me.

Agenda:
One on one production class today; various effect techniques discussed

Homework:
Bring your current project to phase 3. Begin work on experiential component and final project.

Agenda:
Instruction on DVD authoring; production class

Homework:
Bring your current project to phase 3. Begin work on experiential component.