| Unit name | Character Animation |
|---|---|
| Unit code | FATV30021 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Moen |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of Film and Television |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Character animation means to give personality or life to an animated figure. From early examples such as Felix the Cat or Mickey Mouse to more contemporary examples such as Wallace and Gromit or Olaf in Frozen, the creation of vivid characters is central to the appeal, aesthetics and storytelling of animated film. This unit examines the history and aesthetics of character animation, exploring issues such as how motion and design are used to create expressive characters, how characters relate to wider social and cultural contexts, and how personality and consciousness can be created through animation. The unit includes a practical project where students make a short animated film which involves a character of their own devising. This will include developing a storyboard, constructing and designing the character and their story world, and animating through stop motion.
Unit Aims:
To introduce students to the history and aesthetics of character animation
To explore how animated characters relate to wider social and cultural contexts
To examine how personality and consciousness can be created through animation
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
First 4 weeks of teaching: 2-hour seminar + 3-hour screening with introduction
After the first 4 weeks of teaching have finished: production work, with scheduled supervision meetings, tuition and supervised practice
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Reflexive Account, 2500 words (50%) [ILOs 1-5]
Short Animated Film (50%) [ILOs 1-3, 5-6]
This assessment consists of 30-60 seconds of finished animated film per student, whether working individually or in a group.
When assessment does not go to plan:
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. FATV30021).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
