Gavilan College
DM/CSIS/Art 110 Interactive Animation: Flash

 

 

SYLLABUS for Fall '10
Lecture: MW 11:20 - 12:40 AM in room Lib 128 (Studio DM)
Lab: 2.2 hours arranged in room Studio DM (Lib 128)--see schedule.

INSTRUCTOR: Robert Beede
Email: rbeede@gavilan.edu Web: http://hhh.gavilan.edu/rbeede
See instructor’s web page for office hours.

TEXT: Adobe Flash CS5: The Professional Portfolio, Erica Kendra, Pub: Against the Clock, 2010, ISBN #978-1-936201-05-1. Flash help video tutorials are online at www.atomiclearning.com and www.Adobe.com. Handouts and assignments will be available via links on the schedule page. This book in its CS3 version was well liked by the students. It can be demanding at time, but the projects are clear, well-annotated, and give a good sense as to what the real world of Flash is about. The book is required and keeping up with the assignments is an intelligent thing to do.

STUDIO DM (see the Studio Help page for operation assistance): As most professional digital media (including CMAP video) is produced using the Macintosh computer, our lab is equipped that way. On the other hand, we make every effort to be cross platform and applicable to the Windows operating system which you may use at home or work.

LAB ATTENDANCE: Each student must declare a lab attendance schedule by the second week of class. Furthermore, lab time must be reported. The reporting format will also be announced at that time. See lab schedule link at the top of the page.

SUPPLIES: Unfortunately, students in previous classes stole all our headphones. We tried to tie them down, booby trap them with huge nuclear bombs, wired them to shock those who desired to keep them from other students, and even kept replacing the lot with new ones. All this didn't work. I and Gavilan are broke. You must now bring your own. iPod/Phone headphones work fine.

We provide students with their own account. You must log-in/out every session. Doing so gives you your own private space, desktop, and storage (limited to 3 GigaBytes). We have not really lost anyone's data, but we cannot guarantee that this won't happen. In other words, BACKUP YOUR DATA FILES!! We have cheat sheets and links to help you.

You will need 6 or so blank CDs/DVDs or flash memory sticks for storing and backing up your work and project files. Note that Macintosh computers will burn cross platform CDs and vice versa, but multiple sessions should be burned only for a single platform. You will also need one or two DVD-Rs (make sure they are -Rs--read dash Rs) for your final projects. All Macintoshes in the studio can burn DVDs (4 Gigabytes) for archive purposes or Video.

DESCRIPTION: The production of vector graphics, animation, and interactive multimedia in Shockwave-Flash format for web pages and other digital media. Design of highly interactive web site interfaces and animated games using Flash actions (scripting). Useful for web designers/developers, animators, and multimedia authors. This course has the option of a letter or credit/no credit grade.

ADVISORY: CSIS 6 (Web Authoring I). May be transferable: CSU

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course you will be able to:

  1. Understand and draw vector graphic art and import bitmap files.
  2. Explain the basics of Flash animation (e.g., frames, time line, motion/shape tweening, layers, motion guides).
  3. Construct scenes, movie clips, and animated buttons.
  4. Understand/explain audio file types and use them in an artistic manner for enhancing a visual animation.
  5. Publish an animation in an HTML file for use on the WWW.
  6. Use actions and interactive design concepts to construct a multilevel user interface for web site navigation.
  7. Use actions to construct game-type interactive animations.

COURSE SCHEDULE: http://hhh.gavilan.cc.ca.us/rbeede/CSIS110Web/110sched.html

COURSE EVALUATION: Grades will be based on the completion of book chapter assigments (5 points each), minor projects (10 points each). 2 quizzes (20 points each), and 1 major project (50 points). Each assignment and the final grade will be calculated from the following: 90% and above = A, 80 - 89% = B, 70 - 79% = C, 60 - 69% = D, and below 60% means you fail the class. Every consideration will be given to an individual’s art and design skills as well as differences in aesethetics in order to make grading based on the actual learning of interactive design and animation techniques.

ATTENDANCE POLICY: Attendance is crucial to student success. Students missing one more class hour than the unit value for a particular course, without makiing prior arrangements may, at the instructor's option, be dropped without possibility of credit.

ADA ACCOMMODATIONS: Students requiring special services or arrangements because of hearing, visual, or other disabilitiy should contact their instructor, counselor, or Disabled Studnets Services Office.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Occupational/Vocational students - Limited English language skills will not be a barrier to admittance to and participation in Vocational Educational Programs.

STUDENTS HONESTY POLICY: Students are expected to exercise academic honesty and integrity. Violations such as cheating and plagiarism will result in disciplinary action which may include recommendation for dismissal.

Remember, this studio and its capabilities were built for you. Use it often, respect the equipment, be creative, learn everything you can, and have fun.
R Beede, Gavilan