Class schedule and notes

Class notes, links and resources.

Class 01 - Introduction - First Memory

In Class:
* introduction, syllabus, etc
* review/intro to GarageBand
* in class exercise - share first memories with your partner

Links:
http://www.theyrule.net
http://escapelab.com.au
http://svt.se/hogafflahage/hogafflaHage_site/Kor/hestekor.html
http://becominghuman.org
http://teddiesinspace.com
http://homestarrunner.com

places to download sound effects and loops:
http://sounddogs.com
http://flashkit.com

Class 02 - Setting the Stage

In Class:
+ critique ‚Äúretell‚Äù assignment
+ tour of the Flash authoring environment
+ the Stage - movie properties
+ using text - static, broken, dynamic

Links:
http://www.yhchang.com
http://www.6amhoover.com

DUE:

Read:
‚Äì ‚ÄúChapter 2: The Vocabulary of Comics" from Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

Assignment:
"retell" ‚Äì In class you will partner with a classmate and share your first distinct memory. Using GarageBand, "retell" their story in a 1-2 minute audio piece. Your project should be based on this memory, but you are not required to retell the story exactly as it was told to you - you have creative license to embellish, exaggerate, extrapolate, interpolate the story to generate a compelling narrative. That said, you should try to respect the original story (and the person who told it) so as not to misrepresent them. Turn in an MP3 with filename like "retell_your_last_name.mp3" (retell_schwartz.mp3)

Class 03 - drawing a Tween - remix culture

In Class:
+ The Timeline - layers, framerate, keyframes
+ Shapes - properties, grouping, ungrouping breaking apart
+ Tweens - shape, motion [position, scale, color, alpha]

read:
‚Äì ‚ÄúGeneration Flash‚Äù by Lev Manovich

watch:
http://www.whitehouseanimationinc.com/kunstbar.htm
http://www.noiserover.com/thetakeoverscreen.html
http://www.lowmorale.co.uk/

DUE:

t e x t
Select one word and animate it. Your piece should utilize both static text boxes as well as "broken" text. Think about some meanings of the word animate (to enliven, bring to life). To the best of your ability, try to bring to life the meaning of the word your have chosen

Turn in a .fla and a .swf file with the "assignment_lastname" convention (i.e. text_schwartz.fla).

Class 04 - Peanut Butter and Culture Jam

In Class:

importing artwork from illustrator/photoshop
creating masks
using motion paths and guides

Culture Jamming

DUE:

Black Boxes ‚Äì A ballet in 3 parts.

In this exercise you will experiment with changes in timing to suggest different emotional or physical effects.

The Set: Create a document in Flash, 400 by 300 pixels, 24 fps.
The Characters: Make three black squares, 80 x 80 pixels, 60% alpha. Convert each square to a symbol. Place each square on its own layer; place each square in the center of the screen.
Three Acts : Produce three different parts/acts/phases that use time to convey distinctly different attitudes. In addition to changing the timing of the events, you can change alpha, tint, or the horizontal or vertical scale of the squares. Before you begin you might you may want to write up a brief ‚Äúback story‚Äù.
The piece should be a perfect loop (it should end how it begins).

For example, a narrative:

Act 1 ‚Äì the lovers meet
Act 2 ‚Äì the betrayal
Act 3 ‚Äì reunited, happily ever after

or more abstract/emotional

Act 1 - frenetic
Act 2 - sad
Act 3 - calm

! no words/text allowed ‚Äì try to communicate everything visually and temporally

Turn in a .fla and a .swf file with the "assignment_lastname" convention (i.e. blackboxes_schwartz.fla).

Class 05 - incorporating Sound

In Class:

Finding sounds online
Importing sound, recording sound in the classroom
Event sound, streaming sound

http://sounddogs.com
http://flashkit.com

DUE:

‚ÄúBanner Ad Jam‚Äù: Think about the ad banners on websites as public spaces similar to billboards, posters, signs & other advertisements. Plan & design a 468x60 (24 fps) Ad Banner in flash that utilizes images and text and incorporates a corporate logo. The banner can advertise your love for something or someone, can express a political message, can be humorous - keep in mind that this is meant to be presented in a public places. You should be able to make the argument that your piece is an example of Culture jamming.

Link to archive of corporate logos

Class 06 - Animation Tricks

In Class

Animation techniques: easing, blur, gravity
Working with MovieClips

DUE:

‚ÄúMy Life‚Äù - Animate your life story in 30 seconds or less (bunnies optional). For next week, have a storyboard and at least 10 seconds of animation.

Bunny movies in 30 seconds