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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Interpret design conventions for animation 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
242642  Interpret design conventions for animation 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Audio-visual Media Production 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 04 - Communication Studies and Language Media Studies 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  7 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2026-06-30   2029-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
Credited learners are able to interpret a set of given design conventions for specific visual elements (e.g. objects, characters, etc.) to be animated, to ensure consistent application of design up to production stills and compiling information as input for visual treatment. They are able to identify the relationships between characters, foregrounds and backgrounds in compositions, and select the appropriate medium for the specific context.

Interpretation of design conventions is a generic, transferable set of competence that can be applied in many visual art or related fields, including animation. In addition, competence to gather and interpret reference material is also generic in other fields, such as social studies, and enhances the learner's ability to learn by ensuring that they can gather relevant information and interpret it within its context and for a specific purpose. Interpretation of design conventions is embedded in many visual art-related fields. Improved interpretation of design conventions facilitates improved quality of products, and contributes significantly to the field of visual arts.

Credited learners are capable of:
  • Analysing requirements for visual element design based on given specifications.
  • Analysing and assessing given design specifications from various contexts.
  • Gathering reference material of work that influence specific productions.
  • Designing visual elements for animation according to specified requirements.
  • Refining visual elements and producing production stills according to specified requirements.
  • Compiling material according to specified requirements for visual treatment. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The credits and level assigned to this unit standard is based on the assumption that the learner has already achieved the following competencies:
  • Language and communication at NQF Level 4 in one language.
  • Art, drawing and design (visual literacy) at NQF Level 4. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    Design conventions include, for example, styles, techniques, etc. to be applied for specific objects or characters. The unit standard does not require learners to design and development characters. Other range statements are included in the unit standard with specific outcomes and assessment criteria, where relevant. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Analyse requirements for visual element design based on given specifications. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Specification (brief) analysis is accurate and comprehensive. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Specifications include given concepts and structures (including narrative).
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Style identified is appropriate for given specifications. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Style is the application of design and animation principles according to a specific cultural formula.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Colour requirements are accurately identified in relation to given specifications. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Representation/use of space meets given specifications. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Requirements are justified in terms of given purpose, relevance, impact, and given viewership. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Analysis of viewership requirements is checked for accuracy. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    Identified requirements are justified in terms of viability and feasibility in specific contexts. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Viability and feasibility refer to cost, time, and other (including human) resources to meet specifications and quality considerations.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 8 
    Analysis takes into account cultural relevance. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Cultural relevance refers to ensuring that services/products are responsive to the particular values, language and traditions of consumers/users/viewers.
     

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Analyse and assess given design specifications from various contexts. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Analyses are thorough and accurate for given design specifications. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Assessments are valid and substantive for given design specifications. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Assessments are contextualised and relevant for given design specifications. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Analyses include a wide range of specifications within a particular discipline. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Gather reference material of work that influence specific productions. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    Reference material can be related to character design, background/set design, mood, lighting, filming/shots and camera angles (cinematography), composition, cultural context, historical context, geographic contexts, characterisation through design of visual elements, etc. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Selected materials are relevant to satisfy specified purpose. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Materials include various appropriate formats. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Materials are organised and archived according to specified procedures and are accessible for all relevant persons at required times. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Materials are categorised based on relevance for specific productions. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Design visual elements for animation according to specified requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Identified style is adhered to. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Colour palettes and relationships satisfy specifications. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Composition meets specifications. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Selected medium is appropriate for specifications. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Design is executed specifically with animation in mind to take advantage of the possibilities presented by animation. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 5 
    Refine visual elements and produce production stills according to specified requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Visual elements and production stills are ready to be put into final treatments. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Refinements ensure thoroughness and progression of series of drafts. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Refinements meet feasibility requirements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    All production procedures have been tested and refined and are feasible in terms of time and cost. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Finished samples are at a quality level ready for final output. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Produced stills are a result of the entire pipeline. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    Samples represent the most critical elements. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 8 
    Samples conform to output medium standards. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 6 
    Compile material according to specified requirements for visual treatment. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Filing structure is clear and accessible. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Compiled material is appropriate for viewership. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    All relevant information is documented for specified purpose and viewership. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Media is appropriate for specific contexts. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Media include paper, digital, email, video, cellular phone, etc.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Archives and back-ups are in specified format and location. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • Assessment of learner achievements takes place at providers accredited by a relevant ETQA (RSA, 1998b) for the provision of programs that result in the outcomes specified for this unit standard.
  • Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with a relevant ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard must be accredited as a provider with a relevant ETQA.
  • The relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines and the agreed ETQA procedures will oversee moderation of assessment and is responsible for moderation of learner achievements of learners who meet the requirements of this unit standard.
  • Recommended ETQA: MAPPP-SETA ETQA. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    Credited learners understand and can explain:
  • Film concepts (e.g. shots, lenses, angles, sound, editing principles, links between sound and image, etc.).
  • Visual principles, including aesthetics (e.g. style and perspective).
  • Colour requirements and colour palettes.
  • Representation/use of space and composition.
  • Requirements of given purpose, relevance, and impact.
  • Viewership requirements.
  • Symbolic communication, creating meaning out of a drawing, cultural relevance, and local art and culture influence on aesthetics of South African animation.
  • Current international trends in animation.
  • Legal requirements, including copyright, and intellectual property.
  • Reference material that influence specific productions.
  • Material formats and categorisation.
  • Organisation, filing structures, archives, back-ups and related procedures.
  • Visual perception in relation to production and display technologies (i.e. perception of colour, design elements, motion, etc. in different technologies and platforms).
  • Media.
  • Possibilities presented by animation, such as effective story-telling and exclusive qualities that animation affords to visual storytelling.
  • Visual elements, production stills, final treatments and production procedures.
  • Typical and atypical production pipelines.
  • Production methods (e.g. use of animation field size grid, camera placement, ratios, etc.).
  • Quality requirements for final output and output medium standards, that is, standards for production and display technologies (e.g. safe zones, broadcaster standards for screen ratio).
  • Sampling of critical elements.
  • Legal requirements, including copyright, and intellectual property.
  • History of animation and processes of innovation. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems where responses to problems show that such critical and creative thinking has been used to make responsible decisions to design visual elements for animation according to specified requirements. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others as a member of a team, group, organisation or community when materials are accessible for all relevant persons at required times and filing structure is clear and accessible. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively when materials are organised and archived according to specified procedures. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information to analyse requirements for visual element design based on given specifications and gather reference material of work that influence specific productions. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicate effectively using visual, mathematic and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentation when compiled material is appropriate for viewership and all relevant information is documented for specified purpose and viewership. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology effectively and critically, showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others when colour requirements are accurately identified in relation to given specifications, samples conform to output medium standards, and archives and back-ups are in specified format and location. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation when requirements are justified in terms of given purpose, relevance, impact, and given viewership, analysis takes into account cultural relevance, assessments are contextualised and relevant for given design specifications, selected materials are relevant to satisfy specified purpose, and all production procedures have been tested and refined and are feasible in terms of time and cost. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Notes to assessors:

    Assessors should keep the following principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the learner is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the learner can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent. 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  57611   National Certificate: 2D Animation  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  MICTS 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. QUARPHIX (PTY) LTD 
    2. VUTHLARI MARKETING CONSULTING 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.