Understanding the principles of story telling and design

Digital Storytelling

In this subject, students will learn how to use storytelling elements such as plot and character to make engaging films and games. Students will learn the steps of developing an idea to a point that it can be produced. These steps include development of logline, treatment, script, storyboard and animatic. Students will also discuss interactive digital storytelling and the opportunities different types of media can offer.

Creative Drawing

In this subject, students will be introduced to the basics of drawing. They will learn the basic fundamentals of all art creation such as: line, form, colour, texture, value and shape. Students will learn different creative drawing styles and apply them using various techniques. Students will also be challenged to venture out of their comfort zones and broaden their understanding of styles and mediums, as well as develop their knowledge of theory and research on successful creative drawing.

Shooting and Editing

In this subject, students will be introduced to shooting and editing. The key focus of the subject is the fusing of three elements: photography, cinematography and editing. In engaging with best practice and widely used industry techniques, ‘Shooting & Editing’ challenges students to take a quick glimpse of screen production. A key learning outcome is that students produce their own material, photographs and videos, and edit them for multiple modern screen media platforms.

Animation

In this subject, students will learn the processes used in animation. They will explore the basic concepts and crafts of character design such as character animation, timing, movement, composition and background art. These concepts will be drawn from traditional methodologies and will be applied using stop motion. Students will develop critical, conceptual and practical skills appropriate to creating animation.

Screen Language

In this subject, students analyse and critique digital media using a theoretical framework of ‘Entertainment’. Students also learn how to differentiate genre and forms of narrative communicative meaning. To ensure students are conversant in screen language on completion of the subject, they learn and critique narrative structure and visual style in depth. Elements of storytelling (e.g. theme and motif, design elements, mise en scene) are incorporated into the studies as well visual coding within digital media.

Digital Images

In this subject, students will learn the basic skills and knowledge needed to create digital graphics. They will learn to use industry-standard pixel, vector and layout-based tools, and also learn how these tools are integrated into wider digital practice. Students apply theory and evidence-based practice when creating and enhancing images.

Game Design

In this subject, students learn the principles of game design and how to apply these effectively to their own games. Students critically review case studies of traditional and electronic games to modern games and contemporary industry standards. The outcome will be the ability for the student to design engaging and effective games and game mechanics.

2D Interactivity

In this subject, students learn the fundamentals of programming by making a game. Throughout the subject students must utilise problem solving, programming logic and calculations to create fun and exciting interactive projects. A range of theories and research findings on 2D interactivity are included to ensure students gain a solid grounding in important models and tools needed to address common design challenges.