Visual Storytelling
15 Credits
Module code: COMP1825
Level: 4
Credits: 15
School: Liberal Arts and Sciences
Department: Computing and Mathematical Sci.
Module Coordinator(s): Martyn Broadhead
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Aims
The aim of this course is to develop the skills necessary to create visual narratives across a range of gaming and digital media applications. It aims to address how to produce conceptual design documentation in response to a brief. Students will be able to analyse their aesthetic decisions and how they function in relation to narratives found in games and other digital media artefacts.
The course will identify and explain the importance of design documentation, and how it fits within the production cycle for video games and digital media applications. In addition, it will address intellectual copyright and legal standards related to digital and none digital sources.
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Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this course a student will be able to:
Discuss and interpret the basic theories and concepts of visual storytelling
Produce designs using appropriate software and techniques to communicate a visual idea or concept
Produce documentation for visual storytelling that demonstrates standard conventions of production processes
Create visual media artefacts using a variety of media that demonstrate a command of visual storytelling techniques
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Indicative Content
• How to communicate a narrative visually
• Narrative arcs and structures
• Component of images
• The language of the images & video
• Different types of animation - single cell, stop motion, 2D & 3D
• Storyboarding
• Sequential Images
• Pre-production documentation
• Audio recording and editing
• Semiotics
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Teaching and learning activity
The learning and teaching activities will be divided evenly between lectures, lab sessions & seminars. Lectures will be provided to present & explain key concepts & techniques. Lab sessions will enable students to gain practical software skills. Seminars will develop ideas & practical skills that do not require the use of software.
Students produce a portfolio across both 2D and 3D applications, work may include digital illustration, photography and graphic design. The students will attempt to communicate a clear and unambiguous narrative across digital media such as a web application, film, animation or video games.
Lab tasks address the skills the techniques across a range of industry standard software.
The lectures cover the theories and methods used in visual communication. This is achieved by the deconstructions of examples.
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Assessment
Portfolio - 100%
LO - 1, 2, 3, 4
Pass mark - 40%
2000 words.
A portfolio of products including video, photography, animation and digital illustration. The portfolio will document development, communication and evaluation of an idea or
concept.
Nature of FORMATIVE assessment supporting student learning:
Weekly tasks will be completed and uploaded through the VLE, the students receive verbal feedback on this work during lab sessions. VLE also includes a series of online Quizzes which are used to track progress. Socrative is used in lectures as a method of tracking progress and promoting engagement.