Claudia Herbst
Associate Professor
Pratt Institute
Department of Digital Arts



Pre-Production Presentation

Your first Pre-Production presentation should clearly explain the purpose, type, and scope of your Senior Project. It is important that you can:
a) visualize your idea
b) demonstrate your ability to execute it.

Your presentation should make use of a Powerpoint, or Keynote, slideshow. Keep in mind that your audience is visually inclined. Make use of bullet points and short/succinct sentences. Include a plethora of (your own) drawings, style sheets, and renderings of what the finished project will look like. In other words, show don’t tell.

In order to convey your project convincingly, it is important that you as the artist are clear about what motivates you. Explain what your intent is and what your project's purpose is.

Successful presentations make use of discipline-specific terminology. For example, what genre does your project belong to? Is your time-based project plot-driven or character driven, does it entail a traditional narrative, a poly-linear narrative, or is it a non-narrative experimental animation? I

When explaining your project, be clear as to why you chose a particular medium. Should your story be animated, consist of a book, or online? Should it be viewed as a large projection, or is it designed exclusively for handheld devices?

Think about what makes your project unique.

We will discuss all of these issues in greater length in class. What follows are a set of slides you are required to include in your presentation. Again, keep in mind that you want to show visuals and that text should be kept to a minimum; use bullet points.


Title Page:
Include your name, your advisor's name (Prof. Herbst), name of the class (Pre-Production), and title of your project.

Type of Project:
Include the medium, length, and manner of project. Work with a medium you are comfortable using. Be realistic about what's possible given the time; find creative solutions for the technically challenging aspects of your project.)

Synopsis
Provide a brief and clear summary of your project: what happens, what will it look like.

Final Output:
Explain how you intent your project to be viewed? As a projection? Out of doors? On hand held devices? Will images be printed? Onto paper? Fabric? Metal? What size? Where will they be shown? In a public space? A gallery setting?

Intent:
Address what motivates you to create your project; what is its purpose? Remember, without purpose your audience is likely to be ambivalent about your project (at best). Are you trying to make your audience laugh? Think? About what? Why?

Context:
What types of similar works exist and how does your project differ? Research the genre within which you plan to do work. If you are creating an interactive installation for a public space, what other artists have created this type of work? What have you learned from reading about their work process?

Aesthetic:
Provide a plethora of visuals to convey the look and feel of your project. Use your own drawings, collages, or simulations; rely on the images of others as little as possible. Your audience wants to see what you will do, not what others have done. Use this part of your presentation to demonstrate that you are capable of executing your project. (If you can't visualize it, you probably can't execute it.)

Sound:
Explain your intended sound design; provide brief examples. Will you create a soundtrack, collaborate with someone, use royalty free sound effects? Silence?

Project Specific Visual Materials:
Depending on the type of project you are interested in creating, include an animatic, flow chart, sample images, renders of the final project -- anything that clearly demonstrates that you have thought this project through and illustrates your project.

Expertise
Demonstrate that you are able to execute your project, that you have the skills.

Schedule
Include a realistic and well-thought out time table for the completion of your project.

Thank you:
Be gracious. Conclude your presentation by thanking your audience for their time. Invite questions and comments.


Remember, every question is an opportunity to solidify your idea and strengthen your project.

The world is a mirror. Consider how you carry yourself and how you feel about the presentation process. If you project a demeanor of interest and motivation, and if your are genuinely open to feedback and critique, your experience will be a positive one. This applies to Pre-Production, your Senior Project, and future career.