Visual Storytelling in Industrial Design, 7.5 Credits

Contents

This course provides both theoretical and practical knowledge related to visual storytelling, filming and editing and the use of software for creating visual effects, in order to express and convey an intended message in a time-based media.

1.    Visual storytelling (1.5 credits)
This section introduces storytelling and methods and techniques used for visual storytelling, and includes practical exercises and practical work on a script and storyboard for a visual story.

2.    Video filming, editing and special effects (1.5 credits)
This section include practical introductions to video filming and editing. It also includes lectures in the use of software that enables the creation of motion graphics and visual effects.

3.    Visual storytelling project (4.5 credits)
The last section of the course involves a creative project where students, individually or in groups, will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills, using digital medias to express, visualise and explain a story, related to industrial design of their own choice, in a time-based media.

Expected learning outcomes

After completing the course students will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• Create and visually and verbally present a structured storyboard that illustrates the story the student wants to tell visually.
• Communicate the intended effect the visual story should have on the proposed target audience.
• Explain and account how the storytelling is supported by a deliberated use of imagery, visual information graphics and sound.

Competence and skills

• Demonstrate acquired skills and knowledge of the software used for graphics, sound and visual effects.
• Create an original presentation of a concept, idea or context related to industrial design through the use of a time-based media.
• Show the ability to reflect on the planning and combination of analogue and digital tools and the practical implementation of these in order to create a time-based visual story.
• Produce digital material suitable for web publication.

Judgement and approach

• Show the ability to critically review one´s own work and argue for fore and against if the intended effect with the time-based visual story has been achieved

Required Knowledge

A Bachelor's degree or equivalent first-cycle qualification comprising of at least 180 ECTS or a corresponding qualification from an internationally recognized university. Specific entry requirements are: 60 ECTS credits in the field of Design. Student must also have passed all previous courses on the Master´s Programme in Advanced Product Design at Umeå Institute of Design or the equivalent. Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English B/6.

Form of instruction

The course is conducted in the form of lectures and practical exercises and a creative project supervised by tutors.

Examination modes

Assessment is carried out in the form of smaller presentations, verbal and visual, at specific times during the course, as well as a presentation of the students project work at the end of the course.
After completing the course the student will be assigned one of the following grades Fail (U) or Pass (G).
In order to receive credit for the course, the student must have produced an initial storyboard, made approved presentations during the course, and created a final oral and visual presentation of the final time-based visualisation, which also includes the submission of specified deliverables. The grade Pass (G) or Fail (U) is a summary of the results within each section and is only given when the final presentation has been approved.
For students who have not obtained the grade Pass, other examination sessions will be arranged. A student who for two consecutive examinations for the same course or sub-course has not been passed, has the right to have another examiner appointed, if there are no special reasons against this (Higher Education Ordinance chapter 6, 22 §). The request for a new examiner shall be made in writing to the Head of Department at Umeå Institute of Design.

ACADEMIC CREDIT TRANSFER
Students have the right to request that previous studies, or equivalent knowledge and skills acquired in a professional, work-related capacity, be validated and transferred into credits on an equivalent course or programme at Umeå University.  Applications for credit transfer should be addressed to Student Services/Degree Evaluation Office. More information can be found at the Umeå University student web site (www.student.umu.se/english) and in Chapter 6 of the Higher Education Ordinance.  Appeals may be made to the Higher Education Appeals Board (ÖNH) against a decision by the university not to approve an application for credit transfer (Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 12), even in cases where only a part of the application has been rejected.