MDIA 2211 - CGI and Visual Effects III

Tea Tree Gully - Semester 2 - 2017

In this course students will be learning advanced techniques used within the cqi and vfx industries including: Advanced compositing skills such as Green screen, tracking in Nuke and photorealistic lighting and rendering in Autodesk Maya using the Mental Ray rendering engine.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code MDIA 2211
    Course CGI and Visual Effects III
    Coordinating Unit Media
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s Tea Tree Gully
    Units 6
    Contact 6 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Prerequisites Successful completion of MDIA 2210 CGI and Visual Effects/Game Art II
    Incompatible Not available to students who have entered BMedia program via TAFE articulation
    Assumed Knowledge Competent in Adobe Photoshop, After Effects, Autodesk Maya and Nuke
    Restrictions Available to BMedia students only
    Quota A quota of 22 applies
    Course Description In this course students will be learning advanced techniques used within the cqi and vfx industries including: Advanced compositing skills such as Green screen, tracking in Nuke and photorealistic lighting and rendering in Autodesk Maya using the Mental Ray rendering engine.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Peter Pugsley

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

    WK01

    (Nuke)

    (Maya)

    Project brief, outcomes and schedule explained –

    Introduction to Nuke, interface, node graph, viewer

    Greybox layout of virtual set

     

    WK02

    (Nuke)

    (Maya)

    Compositing CG element into background plate

    Refinement of virtual set, asset list, allocation of modelling tasks

     

    WK03

    (Nuke)

    (Maya)

    Rotoscoping, masks, transforms

    Environmental animation (Cloth simulation)

     

    WK04

    (Nuke)

    (UDK)

    Compositing render passes

    Environmental animation (Cloth simulation)

     

    WK05

    (Nuke)

    (Maya)

    Introduction to green/blue screen keying

    Animated Texture Effects (holographic screen)

     

    WK06

    (nuke)

    (UDK)

    Utilising different keyers video tutorials

    Advanced Animated Materials (holographic screen)

     

    WK07

    (nuke)

    (Maya)

    Utilising different keyers video tutorials

    Preparing virtual set for test shots

     

    WK08

    (Nuke)

    Green screen practical video shoot in studio

    (closed toe shoes)

     

    WK09

    (Maya)

    (UDK)

    Lighting/rendering virtual environment

    Virtual set in engine

     

    WK10

    (Nuke)

    (UDK)

    Keying green screen footage

    Lighting virtual set in engine

     

    WK11

    (UDK)

    Unreal Front End – creating an install of your game levels

     

    WK12

    (Maya)

    (Nuke)

    Composite final render passes and green screen elements

     

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes

    1.Integrate 3d into live action footage

    2.Create and manipulate high polygonal and subdivision meshes

    3.Lighting principles and associated rendering techniques.

    4.Apply advanced texturing techniques

    5.Apply animation principles to 3d models

    6.Apply advanced compositing skills


    University Graduate Attributes

    No information currently available.

  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Facilities and resources will be provided through the Creative Industries Centre, Tea Tree Gully; some additional resources will be available to students through the Discipline of Media, University of Adelaide
    Recommended Resources
    Access to following applications: Autodesk Maya, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe After Effects
    Online Learning
    Students will be provided with access to the online system used at the Creative Industries Centre. Essential information on enrolment and other administrative information will be provided via MyUni.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    Practice based learning
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    72 hours class teaching; approximately 210 hours of independent work to complete assignments
    Learning Activities Summary
    This is a practice-based course that provides a thorough grounding in the essential skills required to use industry-standard, computer graphic applications. Students complete tasks assigned in workshop classes under the active instruction of members of CIC staff
    Specific Course Requirements
    Attendance at classes conducted at Creative Industries Centre, Tea Tree Gully
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Formative: Lecturer led software demonstrations with students submitting files at end of lessons

    Summative: Individual projects demonstrating knowledge acquired during formative exercises Assessment is entirely determined by teaching staff of the Creative Industries Centre and identical in every respect to the approach and standards used in the equivalent qualifications regularly taught through the CIC. A joint management group comprising senior staff from both UA and CIC will monitor assessment processes and student outcomes.
    Assessment Related Requirements
    Compulsory attendance at workshops
    Assessment Detail

    Week 1:

    Grey box virtual set file

    Week 2:

    QT video robot composite

    Week 3:

    Playblast of final simulation

    Week 4:

    UDK map and package with simulation

    Week 5:

    QT video green screen godiva composite

    Animated texture (and all associated image files)

    Week 6:

    UDK package with animated material

    Week 7:

    Clean virtual set file

    Week 8:

     

    Week 9:

    Still image test render of virtual environment

    UDK map and package of virtual set

    Week 10:

    UDK map and package of virtual set updated with lighting

    Week 11:

    Install file of virtual set

    Week 12:

    QT video, nuke script, maya scene file of major green screen project

    Submission
    Assessments must be submitted on due dates. Late submissions must be negotiated with the lecturer through prior contact no less than three days before the due date.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.



    NGP     Non-Graded Pass
    FNS     Fail: No Submission
    F         Fail

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

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