UTS Animal Logic Academy
Master of Animation and Visualisation
Assessment Brief
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Studio 1: The Connected Studio (42909)
Assessment Task 2: Professional Capabilities to work with and for
Indigenous Peoples
Type: Report / Individually assessed
Weighting: 20%
Length: 800-1000 words
Due: Week 9 / Monday March 27, 2023
Assessment Description
During their studies at UTS, students develop knowledge of Indigenous Australian contexts to
inform their capability to work effectively for and with Indigenous Australians within their
profession.
Within the Master of Animation and Visualisation, students are taught how to work in culturally
appropriate ways with stakeholders to protect Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights
and when developing relevant elements (design, story, implementation, presentation, etc.) for
projects within the fields of animation and/or visualisation.
In the early stages of the course, students learn professional and story development practices,
alongside technical and creative skills development, to introduce the importance, relevance, and
appropriate practices of working with and for Indigenous stakeholders and with Indigenous
elements. This supports the students’ development as culturally aware and professionally
competent researchers, artists, and communicators.
Through the delivery of specific lectures, students are introduced to topics including Indigenous
ethics, protocols, representations, terminology and rights within the context of the film, animation
and media fields. This is then scaffolded from content delivery to reflection and implementation
within the assessment tasks.
Through this process, students develop the relevant professional capabilities when developing or
collaborating on Indigenous research projects and/or after graduating in personal and/or
professional contexts.
Master of Animation and Visualisation / Studio 1 / Assessment Brief 2 / Authors: Johnston & Thomson / 06.03.2023 1/5
Teaching Modules
Module 1: Engagement with Indigenous communities
Topic 1 – Communicating positively and effective engagement strategies
Topic 2 – Appropriate Terminology, Representations and Protocols of Acknowledgement
Case study: ‘Spirit’
Module 2: Protection of Indigenous intellectual and cultural property rights
Topic 3 – Indigenous industry standards relating to the arts Code of Ethics for Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Research
Topic 4 – Review and discussion of the “United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples”
Case study: ‘Jarli’
Assessment Task
In this assessment task, students will be asked to research and reflect on culturally appropriate
Indigenous engagement practices when working with and for Indigenous peoples across the
development of a project. Then, based on case studies, students will examine and critically
analyse the implementation and review of culturally appropriate practices, protocols, and project
outcomes.
To do this, students are required to prepare a project development and the communication plan
for an animation or visualisation project that involves Indigenous cultural knowledge, which cites
references from the prescribed texts.
The creative project may be based on an Indigenous story or story elements, or include
Indigenous designs, imagery, characters or artists.
As such, students are required to write a short document which addresses the following points:
1. Project description indicating the Indigenous content
a. Identify an Indigenous project that features at least one of the following: story / character / art /
stakeholder(s)
b. Describe the Indigenous content
2. Communications plan for engaging with Indigenous stakeholders
a. Propose a step-by-step communications plan to engage with Indigenous stakeholders
b. Cite and reflect on at least 1 example from “Communicating Positively – A Guide to appropriate
Aboriginal Terminology”
c. Apply culturally appropriate terminology/language, utilising correct grammar and punctuation
3. Reflect on 1 key areas of appropriate protocol for engagement
a. Describe and reflect on at least 1 action relevant to your communication plan from “Pathways &
Protocols – A filmmaker’s guide to working with Indigenous peoples, culture and concepts ”
4. Explain how the context of engagement relates to the United Nations Declaration on the
Rights of Indigenous People
Master of Animation and Visualisation / Studio 1 / Assessment Brief 2 / Authors: Johnston & Thomson / 06.03.2023 2/5
a. Cite and reflect on at least 1 example from “United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples”
Please note: In order to pass the subject, a student must pass all assessment tasks.
Prescribed Texts
● NSW Health. (2019). Communicating Positively: A Guide to Appropriate Aboriginal
Terminology. Sydney: NSW Ministry of Health. Retrieved from
