ANI 361 Motion Graphics
Summary
ANI 361/461: Motion Graphics
Autumn 2025 - Section 401
Wednesdays, 1:30pm - 3:00pm
14 E. Jackson, room 210
Contact Information
- Instructor: Chris Kalis (pronounced "Kay-liss")
- Email: ckalis@depaul.edu
- Office Hours: Mondays 10am - 1pm
- Location: Virtual/Zoom (email or book via BlueStar)
- Preferred Contact: message via D2L before via email. You can expect a response within 24-48 hours.
Course Overview
This course will introduce students to effective communication using motion graphics, including its application in the areas of film titles, broadcast and commercial design, interactive media, and gaming. The combination of music, visuals and typography will be explored following the basic theories of kinetic composition and aesthetics. Students will study the history of the field, including the work of pioneers such as Norman McClaren, John Whitney Sr, Saul and Elaine Bass, Lillian Schwartz, Robert Abel, and Len Lye.
Course Type: Face-to-Face with some online lessons/components
This course meets in-person each week but does include some modules that are intended to be completed online. This will generally mean that the in-person meetings will be shorter and you will have time to complete online components in the computer lab or at home.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course students should be able to:
– Apply the principles of animation to computer-aided motion graphic design.
– Understand how to use music and the moving image for communication.
– Create meaning through moving text, sound, and moving graphics.
– Understand the creative and pitching process for commercial motion design work.
– Recognize motion graphics pioneers and their context in today’s industry.
Course Prerequisites
Sophomore Standing and one of the following:
ANI 105, ANI 101, ANI 201, GD 105, ART 105, FILM 101, FILM 102 or DES 141
Basic knowledge of macOS operation. Basic Photoshop knowledge
For this course, you will need:
- Frequent access to a computer that connects to the Internet.
- Something to takes notes and sketch with.
- A working e-mail account that you check regularly (and that is updated in Campus Connect)
- Access to a software suite such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power Point). DePaul students are eligible to receive Office 365 ProPlus for installation on their home computer and personal mobile devices. See Office 365 Education Plus for installation instructions.
- The ability to view video files.
Required Materials
In this course we will use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator as Graphic Design tools and After Eects and Premiere for animation, editing, and compositing. If you are new to the tools you will might want to consult the textbook as well as software tutorials on LinkedIn Learning.
- Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects) This software is available at CDM but you are highly encouraged to download your own copy of Adobe Creative Cloud You can access Creative Suite for free via your @depaul.edu account. Click the click above, go to "Sign In" and enter your DePaul email address.
*No textbook is required. *Internet access and Adobe Creative Cloud access outside of class is highly recommended
Class Lectures and Links
In-class screenings, demo videos, recommended video links and assigned readings will be posted in modules to the CONTENT section of D2L on a week by week basis.
Student Responsibilities
Complete all exercises, assignments, projects, and posts on time. Follow directions and read the project descriptions. If something is unclear to you, it is your responsibility to let me know. If you are having technical difficulties or can’t make it to a class meeting for whatever reason, you should email me and let me know.
Accommodation
Students with Disabilities
Students seeking disability-related accommodations are required to register with DePaul's Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) enabling you to access accommodations and support services to assist your success. There are two office locations that can provide you with enrollment information, or inquire via email at csd@depaul.edu.
- Loop Campus - Lewis Center #1420 - (312) 362-8002
- Lincoln Park Campus - Student Center #370 - (773) 325-1677
Students are also invited to contact me privately to discuss your challenges and how I may assist in facilitating the accommodations you will use during this course. This is best done early in the term and our conversation will remain confidential.
Additional Accommodations
This course may include instructional content delivered via audio and video. If you have any concerns about your ability to access and/or understand this material in its default format, please notify me within the first week of the course so accommodations can be made.
Assistance with Writing – The Writing Center
Consider contacting or visiting the Writing Center to discuss your writing. Writing Center tutors are undergrad and graduate students across disciplines who would love to help you at any stage of the writing process with any kind of writing you’re working on. In each appointment, tutors collaborate with you to set an agenda focused on one, two, or three specific topics for revision. Online appointments are available through audio and video or text-based chat or through written feedback where you upload a draft and a tutor provides feedback that is emailed to you. All writing center services are free.
Schedule your appointments on a weekly or as-needed basis, and bring your assignment sheets and other relevant materials to your appointments.
Student Evaluations
At the end of this course, you will be provided with the opportunity to evaluate this course. Course evaluations provide valuable feedback that can improve teaching and learning. The greater the level of participation, the more useful the results. As students, you are in the unique position to view the instructor over time. Your comments about what works and what doesn’t can help faculty build on the elements of the course that are strong and improve those that are weak. Isolated comments from students and instructors’ peers may also be helpful, but evaluation results based on high response rates may be statistically reliable (believable). As you experience this course and material, think about how your learning is impacted. Your honest opinions about your experience in and commitment to the course and your learning may help improve some components of the course for the next group of students. Positive comments also show the department chairs and college deans the commitment of instructors to the university and teaching evaluation results are one component used in annual performance reviews (including salary raises and promotion/tenure). The evaluation of the instructor and course provides you an opportunity to make your voice heard on an important issue – the quality of teaching at DePaul. Don’t miss this opportunity to provide feedback!
Academic Integrity
Work done for this course must adhere to the University Academic Integrity Policy, which you can review in the Student Handbook or by visiting Academic Integrity at DePaul University.
This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.
Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course
content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The
evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely
separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation.
Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.
This course will be subject to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/ If you
have any questions be sure to consult with your professor.
All students are expected to abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered to be providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy. Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity.
All students are required to manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the University Academic Calendar. Information on enrollment, withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at http://www.cdm.depaul.edu/Current%20Students/Pages/PoliciesandProcedures.aspx.
Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that
you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at:
Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
Phone number: (312)362-8002
Fax: (312)362-6544
TTY: (773)325.7296