DT 299 syllabus

DT/FM 299-1: Motion Graphics: Concept and Practice
Using After Effects

Greg Lemon
3 Units
greglemonSFAI@gmail.com
Prerequisite: 3 Units of Design and Technology or Film Coursework

This course intersects images, video, typography sound and other aspects to create title design, animation, logo, music clips and experimental work. Motion graphics are unlimited in their creative, practical, and distributive possibilities with the advent of web-based video sharing (youtube, vimeo) and mobile video devices (iPods).

This course enables students to create professional quality motion graphics in Adobe After Effects that can be integrated into film, DVD, and the web for presentation on mobile and stationery devices. Critique is focused on concept as well as the work’s execution and design aspects, including motion, transition, color, and composition. Assignments that incrementally combine these aspects are completed along with a comprehensive final project. As a foundation for studio practice in motion graphics, the evolution of work from the non-narrative experimental films and print work of the 30s to the innovative movie titles of Saul Bass in the 50s and the emergence of MTV in the 80s, plus the influence of new technologies and media artists in the 90s and 00s will be studied. Familiarity with Photoshop and Illustrator is useful.

Students will be required to create a youtube account for project submission. Upon uploading, please email your youtube URL's to greglemonSFAI@gmail.com



Project 1:
Mood Kaleidoscope
Due: Wednesday, January 9 at 4:30 pm

Mood is a critical component of moving images, as it allows an artist to emotionally captivate an audience. This project is designed to familiarize students with the basic AfterEffects workflow, while providing a canvas for the exploration of mood. Students will develop a 15 second animated video comprised of moving images, sounds and effects that convey a particular emotion or feeling that has personal relevance.

Projects should be rendered at 1280x720 and submitted via youtube, dailymotion or vimeo.



Project 2:
Typovideochoreography (music video/spoken word)
Due: Tuesday, January 15 at 11:00 am

The development of music videos provided artists with a radically innovative form of expression. Marrying sound with video, visual effects and typography, music videos allowed a new range of creative expression that could reach an audience of unparalleled size and diversity.

Create a 30 second animated video where both type and video footage are primary elements. Using nested compositions, animated effects, transitions and video footage, students will create a tightly-edited video for a song of their choice. Text can be used as an abstract element, or as an animated narrative illustration.

Projects should be rendered at 1280x720 and submitted via youtube, dailymotion or vimeo.



Project 3/Final Project:
Film Title sequence
Due: Friday, January 18 at 5:30 pm

Title sequences for films provide an excellent method of merging emotional content, overriding themes, and informative text in a dynamic, visceral package. From Saul Bass' pioneering title sequences in 1950's Alfred Hitchcock films, to the pulse-pounding electro-chemical title sequence of Fight Club, title sequences often have a self-contained look and feel, sometimes differing substantially from the direction of the film they describe.

The final project is to create a re-imagined title sequence for a film of your choice. It should be 30-45 seconds long. Using text, images, video, found footage, CGI, etc, recreate and reinterpret your film's title sequence from a fresh viewpoint. You may use any film you like. The only requirement is that your work is dynamically different from the title sequence you are redesigning.

Projects should be rendered at 1280x720 and submitted via youtube, dailymotion or vimeo.