Mission Statement of the College:
The Savannah College of Art and Design exists to prepare talented students for careers in the visual and performing arts, design, the building arts, and the history of art and architecture. The college emphasizes learning through individual attention in a positively oriented environment.
Quarter/Year:Spring 2005 (Monday/Wednesday classes)
Course Number, Title, and Section:VSFX 210 – 01 & 02 / Digital 3-D Visual Effects
Course Description:This course explores space environments, including the foundations of modeling techniques for the creation of digital sets and effects. Shading techniques and natural and studio digital lighting are introduced. Motion studies specific to camera animation, special effects motion, complex parenting techniques, key frame interpolation techniques are covered.
Prerequisite (s):CMPA 110 and VSFX 130
Professor’s Name: Kirt Witte -
Department:Visual Effects
School:Film and Digital Media
Phone number:(912) 525-8534
E-mail:
Office Hours: TBD
Course Goals: The following course goals articulate the general objectives and purpose of this course:
Though technical proficiency is expected, Digital 3-D Visual Effects primarily emphasizes the study of digital aesthetics. Digital 3-D Visual Effects seeks to develop technical and conceptual abilities that lead to content delivery in a linear, cinematic context. Professional work habits, techniques, and results are expected. I will help you to develop these skill sets.
Course Outcomes: The following course outcomes indicate competencies and measurable skills that students develop as a result of completing this course:
Students are expected to demonstrate expertise, through both in-class work and outside assignments, in the following areas:
Polygonal and Nurbs Modeling, Deformations, and Texturing
Procedural and Bitmapped Shaders
Lighting & Animation
Cameras & Rendering techniques
Presentation & Critical discussion
Required Text(s):Learning Maya 6 – Foundation
Alias , 2004. (ISBN: 1-894893-61-1)
Software manuals to be checked out from “The Cage” as needed. If the student has limited 3D software skills, the recommended texts should be purchased. Training DVDs are also now available for checkout and online viewing.
Recommended Text(s):The Art of Maya, (ISBN# 0-9685725-1-0)
Visual Quickstart Guide: Maya 6, by Danny Riddell, (ISBN: 0321247469)
Creating Striking Graphics with Maya and Photoshop
(ISBN: 0-7821-4274-5)
Digital Texturing and Painting, by Owen Demers
(0-7357-0918-1)
Digital Lighting and Rendering, by Jeremy Birn (1-56205-954-8)
DVD – Learning Maya | Beginner’s Guide
Legal Guide for the Visual Artist (4th Ed.) Tad Crawford
(ISBN# 1-58115-003-2)
Recommended URL’s: (Maya tutorials)
(visual effects industry news)
(game developer industry tips, tricks, & articles)
(THE best 3D resource on the internet)
(blueprints)
(HDR, image-based lighting, image-based modeling)
Required Materials:Appropriate removable media of your choice
2+ VHS blank tapes (with labels!) (Optional)
2+ Blank DVDs (Optional)
10 - CD-R blanks (no cases are necessary)
1 - Sharpie (to label CD-Roms) Must be permanent ink.
Learning Support Resources:
Learning Assistance Center: Trained tutors at the center provide students with assistance on a walk-in basis. One-on-one peer tutoring is available upon request. This service is free to all enrolled SCAD students. Requests are handled through the office of student employment in Corbin Hall, first floor, 600 E. Broughton Street. For more information, contact the office of student employment at 525-4652.
Jen Library: A focal point for information, study and research, the Jen Library is located at 201 E. Broughton Street. Also, SCAD subscribes to Material Connexion, an online materials database featuring over 1,400 materials originating from a large spectrum of industries. Students can access the Jen Library resources and Material Connexion through an electronic resources link on MySCAD. For more information, contact the Jen Library at 525-4700 or visit
Writing Center: For assistance with course-related writing assignments, contact the Writing Center located in the Jen Library at 525-4707 or e-mail .
SCAD Helpdesk:
The Help Desk is the first point of contact for any assistance or request concerning college technology. The hours of assistance while classes are in session are: 6am - 6pm,M-F at the American Building, and 6pm - 10pm M-F, and 1pm - 10pm Sat/Sun atDyson Hall. Contact the help desk by phone at 525-4567 or by email at . SCAD computerusers are encouraged tovisit the help desk web site at .
SCAD Attendance Policy:
There are no excused absences. The accumulation of more than four absences will result in the student’s failure for the class. Tardiness - Arriving more than 10 minutes latecounts as one absence. I will not take roll more than once per day.
Grading Opportunities:
Breakdown of assignment weights/values:
Learning Maya 6 tutorials (Projects: Bouncing Ball & Spaceships) 0%*
Class participation20%
High Resolution Still Render project(4000 x 2250 pixels)20%
Group project20%
Final Animation project20%
Midterm + Final Exam20%
You will NOT be graded according to your peers work. Do not be concerned on how much better or worse another student is doing in relation to your work. You will be graded on an individual basis.
(NOTE – All assignments are due at the beginning of class. Projects not completed on time will automatically be reduced by –10 points. Each subsequent day (not class! This also includes weekends) your grade will be reduced by an additional –10 points. All assignments must be turned in, even if they are late. TUTORIALS will not be accepted late.
(* Also note - if you do not complete both tutorials, then your final grade will automatically be reduced by one letter. If you are late turning in a tutorial, not only will you have to do that tutorial, you will also be required to do ONE ADDITIONAL tutorial for EACH late tutorial: Project 2, 4, or 5 from the Learning Maya 6 <tutorial> book.)
(Also see – Teacher Expectations in Classroom.)
Grading Standards:
Letter grade: A = excellent
Letter grade: B = good
Letter grade: C = average
Letter grade: D = passing (undergraduate only)
Letter grade: F = failing
Incomplete:
A grade of incomplete may be granted to students who have suffered serious personal illness or critical, emergency circumstances during the academic term, resulting in failure to complete all assignments by the end of the quarter. Please refer to the college catalog for additional information.
Schedule of Classes:
Assignments/Project Due Dates/Exam Dates
Class 1:(Mon Mar 21)Class introductions & course overview. Maya Pre-Test given. Introduction to the Maya UI.
Class 2: (Wed Mar 23)Maya Preferences from A to Z.
Creating/setting projects in Maya.
Class 3: (Mon Mar 28)Maya instruction.
(Project ONE - Bouncing a Ball tutorial due)
Class 4: (WedMar 30)Maya instruction.
Class 5: (Mon April 4)Maya instruction.
(Project TWO - Spaceships tutorial due)
High-Res Projectassigned:Polygon Modeling, Texturing, and Rendering. You will pick from a list of models that I will show you. I will assign you something to model and texture. You will render a single frame from an ideal camera angle (Beauty Shot) at 4000 x 2250 pixels, with anti-aliasing turned on. (No alpha channels please.)
File will have the following naming convention:
lastname_high_res_project.tif (Tiff format ONLY! No alpha!)
No capital letters, no spaces, no numbers, no hyphens, etc.
Only lowercase letters and underscores. If you do not get the name right or the file format right, you will automatically lose 10 points.
Class 6:(WedApril 6)Maya instruction.
Class 7: (Mon April 11)Maya instruction.
Group Projects assigned.You will be able to choose your own groups of 3 to 5 people. I will show you samples student group projects and discuss my expectations.
Class 8: (WedApril 13) Maya instruction.
Class 9: (Mon Apri1 18)Critique: High-Res Project Due: BEGINNING of class.
I also need a CD-rom(s) with all of your project related assets: All scenes, SourceImages, images (renders), etc. Please label your CD-Roms with your full name, class number and section, date, project name. Also, ONLY burn CD-Roms in an ISO-9660 format. No JOLIET formatted CDs will be accepted. No CD’s with truncated file names will be accepted. Long file names MUST BE used when burning your CDs. (For example: smith_hi_res_project_v97.mb)
Class 10: (WedApril 20)MIDTERM EXAM due by end of class.
Class 11: (Mon April 25)Midterm Conferences
Class 12: (WedApril 27)Maya instruction.
Final project topics/options are discussed and assigned.
Product TV spot, Hourglass on desk, TV Channel logo/bumper, architectural fly through, continue working on Group project, and I am open to your ideas for a project as well on a one by one basis. Class members can also team up for this project if desired, with my prior approval.
Class 13: (Mon May 2)Maya instruction.
Class 14: (WedMay 4)Maya instruction.
Class 15: (Mon May 9)Maya instruction.
Class 16: (WedMay 11)Group Projects due at the BEGINNING of class.
(720 x 480 resolution at 30/fps) Final Quicktime or MPEG movies must be 30 seconds or more in length. I also need a CD-rom(s) with all of your project related assets: All scenes, SourceImages, images (renders), etc. Please label your CD-Roms with your full name, class number and section, date, project name. Also, ONLY burn CD-Roms in an ISO-9660 format. No JOLIET formatted CDs will be accepted. No CD’s with truncated file names will be accepted. Long file names MUST BE used when burning your CDs.
(For example: group_one_project_v53.mb)
TEST YOUR CDs and DVDs before giving them to me.
Extra Credit Options – A) Lay off your animation to VHS tape or DVD.
B) Add audio to your animation
C) do both!
NOTE – VHS tape (or DVD) MUST BE labeled correctly AND a CD-rom of all assets will ALSO be required.
Class 17: (Mon May 16)Maya instruction.
All extra credit and make-up tutorials due.
Class 18: (WedMay 18)Studio – In class pre-critique – preparing for final renders.
Class 19: (Mon May 23)Final Projects due at the BEGINNING of class.
(720 x 480 resolution at 30/fps) Final Quicktime or MPEG movies must be 30 seconds or more in length.
I also need a CD-rom(s) with all of your project related assets:
All scenes, SourceImages, images (renders), etc. Please label your
CD-Roms with your full name, class number and section, date, project name. Also, ONLY burn CD-Roms in an ISO-9660 format. No JOLIET formatted CDs will be accepted. No CD’s with truncated file names will be accepted. Long file names MUST BE used when burning your CDs.
(For example: smith_final_project_v897.mb)
Extra Credit Options – A) Lay off your animation to VHS tape or DVD.
B) Add audio to your animation
C) do both!
NOTE – VHS tape (or DVD) MUST BE labeled correctly AND a CD-rom
with all assets will ALSO be required.
Class 20:(WedMay 25)Final Exam and Post-test due by the end of class.
Field Trip (s):
TBA
Extra Help Session (s):To be scheduled on a group or individual basis as needed.
Conference (s):To be scheduled on a group or individual basis. Contact me via e-mail anytime if you have questions or concerns.
Right to Use Artwork:
The college reserves the right to use student work and photographs or videotapes of students and their work for display, documentation, instruction and in publications or other materials about the college. Only SCAD faculty or authorized staff may remove work from displays.
Academic and Safety Policies
Academic Integrity:
Under all circumstances, students are expected to be honest in their dealings with faculty, administrative staff, and fellow students. In speaking with members of the college community, students must give an accurate representation of the facts at hand. In class assignments, students must submit work that fairly and accurately reflects their level of accomplishment. Any work that is not a product of the student’s own effort is considered dishonest. Students may not submit the same work for more than one class. A student may be suspended or expelled for academic dishonesty. Please refer to the Student Handbook for additional information regarding the policy on academic integrity.
Americans with Disabilities Act:
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, SCAD offers integrated educational services to assist students with disabilities to obtain a college education. For more information on services for students with disabilities, please contact the coordinator of disability services at 525-4665 or visit the office in the Jen Library.
Classroom Building Safety - Evacuation Information:
It is important that each student familiarize himself or herself with the most appropriate route to emergency exits in the classroom building. Emergency exits are indicated on charts posted in classrooms, hallways, or in the stairwells. Should a drill or emergency occur that would require evacuation, the class is to meet in a predetermined location away from the building. Professors will take attendance in an effort to account for all students.
Classroom Building Safety -College Identification Badges:
All students must present a valid SCAD photo ID card to enter all college buildings. Additionally, all faculty and staff are to wear visible identification badges whenever on college property. These procedures are intended to help ensure the safety of all students and college personnel at SCAD.
Classroom Building Safety -Material Safety Data Sheets:
The College is committed to providing a safe environment for students and staff. This commitment is reflected in the development of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) on file in each building. Chemicals and solvents utilized in the building must have an MSDS on file. Please consult the MSDS log before using any chemicals or solvents. The departmental administrative assistant can advise students of the location of the building log. Students and staff who wish to use chemicals and solvents not currently in the MSDS log, must provide appropriate MSDS information to the departmental administrative assistant and receive approval for use.
Teacher Expectations in classroom
Cell phones and pagers will be turned off during entire class period.
Instant Messaging and “Surfing the Net” will not be allowed during instructor lecture.
Professional courtesy towards the professor and other students is expected at all times.
Class participation is expected. A good overall attitude towards the professor, class projects, and other students is expected throughout the quarter.
I am here to help you learn as much as you can. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Also on this note, if you do not let me know that you are having problems, I will assume that everything is fine and you are learning the material. If you are not, you can very easily fall behind. Therefore, please let me know if you have questions. I check my e-mail many times a day. Feel free to e-mail me any time.
Note - This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of instructor. Some or all of the content covered in this class may or may not be covered, based on the overall needs of the class.