Learning Contract (first draft)
Module Code: AG1084A
Module Title: Honours Project
Student Name: Iain J McCallum
Student Number: 0904111
Telephone Number: 07512711818
Email Address: IJMcCallum@hotmail.co.uk
Project Title:
An investigation of the impact on mood in short films by visual design.
Project Aim:
To investigate how the visual design and style of short films can impact on spectator interpretation of mood
Objectives:
Review and evaluate existing literature on visual style and design in short films.
Critically analyse existing short films with a strong visual style
Conduct practice based research and critically discuss the results.
Create and critically evaluate a stylised short film
Methodology:
1.1 Research Diary
1.1.1 Review literature to form a brief history of stylised short films
1.1.2 Review literature to identify trends of visual style
1.1.3 Review literature to identify uses of visual style that have significant
effect on the audiences interpretation of mood
1.1.4 Reflect on literature and discuss the most prominent / successful styles
of visual design
1.1.5 Write a review of the literature for the dissertation
1.2 visualisation
1.2.1 Collect example frames of stylised short films
2.1 Sketch book
2.1.1 Obtain and view the examples of stylised short films identified in 1.1.3
2.1.2 Select specific scenes within the short films where the visual style
strongly impacts the mood, add stills with annotations to the blog
2.1.3 Analyse and discuss the ways in which each scene impacts mood
2.1.4 Write a critical evaluation of the impact visual design has on
interpreted mood within the context of the examples used and research from
the first objective
3.1 Media tests
3.1.1 Create illustrations depicting the style each test will be aiming for
3.1.2 Storyboard each test to match visual design and mood
3.1.3 Develop / apply appropriate techniques required to produce each test
3.1.4 Produce documentation detailing the processes used to achieve each
style
3.1.5 Critically analyse the effect of each style on interpretation of mood
3.1.6 Produce documentation detailing the influence each style had on the
interpretation of mood.
3.1.7 Write an account of the process and how the visual style of each test
influenced the interpretation of mood
4.1 Practical
4.1.1 Identify the most influential visual style on mood interpretation
4.1.2 Refine the processes used to produce the style
4.1.3 Produce / refine an appropriate storyboard to match the mood and
visual design
4.1.4 Produce an animatic, send to audio
4.1.5 Prepare the scene for animation
4.1.6 Animate the scene
4.1.7 Render and edit the short
4.1.8 Write a critical evaluation of the short for the dissertation
Submission Deliverables:
1.1 Research Diary
Online diary documenting research activities undertaken for Objective 1.0 (Part of the Honours blog)
1.2 visualisation
Collection of stills with annotations picking out relevant information posted with the
research diary on the Honours blog.
2.1 Sketch book
Digital sketch book containing links to footage discussed and relevant documentation for Objective 2.0.
3.1 Media tests
Physical sketch book of Illustrations and storyboards.
Online links to the results of media tests (Part of the Honours blog)
Online documentation of activities for Objective 3.0 (part of the Honours blog)
4.1 Practical
Final story board
Final animatic link (Part of Honours blog)
Final edited render of the short
Documentation evaluating the short
Resources:
Autodesk Maya
Autodesk Smoke
Houdini
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe after effects
Adobe Premier
Toon Boom
Access to maya pc's for rendering
