Asian creative-technology students developing a Zheng He transmedia production in a digital studio

One-Year CIE Programme · Integrated Capstone · Stage 03

240 Hours. Four Majors. One Accountable Production.

Bring animation, AI systems, education and strategic communication together in one controlled Zheng He transmedia project.

Explore the Four Modules Review the Majors

240

Hours

Guided production learning

Modules

One connected project

Sessions

Studio-based delivery

Reviews

Gates and viva periods

Why the Zheng He capstone?

From separate skills to one professional production.

After the Common Foundation and one major specialisation, you join a cross-disciplinary team and turn an approved creative brief into coordinated animation, AI, learning and public-communication outputs.

The challenge is larger than making an attractive image or working prototype. You must justify the history, manage dependencies, document AI use, clear rights, collaborate across majors and preserve a releasable project.

Advanced application, not a repeat of foundation lessons in Blender, Python, storytelling, GCGPS or introductory AI.

AI-generated illustrative concept of four students collaborating on a Zheng He digital production — Illustrative student production scenario generated for this page.

AI-generated illustrative concept of a Ming treasure fleet approaching a historic port at dawn — The Zheng He voyages provide the shared historical and transmedia subject. Illustrative concept; not a documentary reconstruction.

One continuous learning journey

Shared literacy. Specialist depth. Integrated delivery.

The 420-hour foundation creates a common language. The 600-hour major develops occupational depth. The capstone reconnects the disciplines through evidence-based production.

01 · Foundation420

Common Foundation

Shared digital, creative, historical and AI competencies.

02 · Specialise600

Major Specialisation

Advanced capability in one professional discipline.

03 · Apply240

Zheng He Capstone

Integrated, controlled and assessable production.

Purpose

What you are expected to learn.

Six practical expectations connect the formal outcomes to the way a real multidisciplinary production operates.

Scope a real production

Interpret a commission, define measurable success, identify audiences and map a coordinated deliverable tree.

Use reliable evidence

Validate research, maintain a controlled Zheng He canon, verify rights and handle cultural interpretation responsibly.

Work within GCGPS

Maintain identifiers, records, versions, schedules, quality reviews and accountable approvals.

Integrate four disciplines

Test handovers connecting scenes, AI workflows, learning resources and communication materials.

Validate and preserve

Correct failures, evidence human oversight, complete final checks and archive approved outputs.

Prove your competence

Maintain an authentic contribution portfolio and defend creative, technical and ethical decisions in a viva.

Controlled teaching structure

Four modules. Exactly 240 hours.

The structure combines 66 studio sessions of 210 minutes (231 hours) with three formal gate or viva periods of 180 minutes (9 hours).

Students researching Zheng He routes and planning their capstone production

CAP-01 · 45h

Brief, canon & system design

Research, rights, roles and production controls.

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Students validating a digital Zheng He ship prototype in a production lab

CAP-02 · 45h

Prototype & pipeline validation

Test the integrated workflow before production.

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A multidisciplinary student team producing an animated Zheng He maritime sequence

CAP-03 · 105h

Production sprints

Build, integrate, review and refine together.

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Students presenting their completed Zheng He project to a review panel

CAP-04 · 45h

Launch, QC & viva

Release responsibly and defend your work.

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Detailed module activities

Open each module to explore the work.

Each stage produces controlled evidence for the next gate, sprint or release decision.

CAP-01Integrated Briefing, Canon, Research & System Design12 studio sessions + Gate 145h

Design the governed project and secure an approved baseline.

Commission, challenge and success measures
Cross-major roles, RACI and decision rights
Research questions, sources and canon reconciliation
Audience, stakeholder and learning mapping
Rights, sensitivity and permissions
GCGPS-DNA identifiers and version architecture
Shared register, schedule, dependencies and risk
AIA, approval and review systems

Outcome: an approved shared brief and production system ready for prototyping.

CAP-02Prototype, Pipeline Validation & Integration Planning12 studio sessions + Gate 245h

Prove the pipeline before authorising full production.

Prototype hypotheses and pass/fail criteria
Animation, real-time and colour-output tests
Controlled AI workflow and human review
RAG and approved knowledge-source tests
JSON, metadata and database synchronisation
Education and audience-response prototypes
Cross-major interface tests
Failure injection and corrective actions

Outcome: a verified integrated prototype and approved production backlog.

CAP-03Multidisciplinary Production Sprints30 studio sessions · Six connected sprints105h

Build, integrate, review and correct production outputs.

Sprint 1
Baseline, assets, layout and first learning/campaign outputs

Sprint 2
Characters, props, sets, AI runs and communication

Sprint 3
Animation, AI refinement, feedback and schedule

Sprint 4
Lighting, rendering, audio, adaptations and analytics

Sprint 5
Polish, AI verification, accessibility and previews

Sprint 6
Feature lock, system freeze, betas and integrated QC

Outcome: production-ready outputs, auditable reviews and corrected near-final release packages.

CAP-04Launch, Education, Campaign, QC & Viva12 studio sessions + individual viva45h

Release responsibly and defend your contribution.

Final quality and acceptance matrix
Animation, real-time and colour QC
AI provenance and human-review closure
Education package validation
Campaign rights and public communication QC
Integrated release candidate and manifest
Archive, checksums and retrieval validation
Individual portfolio and viva

Outcome: a controlled release, verified archive and assessed individual competency.

One commission · Four professional roles

Every output must work for the whole team.

A shared canon, production register and approval process connect the four disciplines. Each major owns distinct deliverables and must complete tested handovers.

ANI

3D Animation & Real-Time Production

Assets, layout, previs, animation and real-time presentation with documented publishing and colour-managed delivery.

Output: approved sequences and assets

AIO

AI Development & Operations

Controlled generation and knowledge systems with prompt, model, data, evaluation, reproducibility and human-review records.

Output: audited AI workflow

EDU

Education & Curriculum

Learning activities, public education, facilitator guidance, accessibility, learner assessment and comprehension evidence.

Output: validated learning package

MKT

Marketing & Strategic Communications

Audience strategy, rights-cleared content, releases, partnerships, AI disclosures and measurable response.

Output: launch and analytics package

AI-generated illustrative concept of students presenting a Zheng He capstone to a review panel — Illustrative review and viva scenario generated for this page.

Measurable outcomes

Five layers of evidence.

A polished team result is not enough. Your evidence must show what was made, how decisions were controlled, what was tested, who approved release and what you personally contributed.

E1Production artefact or operational result
E2Process, decisions, versions and reasoning
E3Validation, tests and quality results
E4Approvals, release and archive evidence
E5Authenticated personal contribution and viva

Competency assessment

How your work will be assessed.

Assessment follows the production journey from definition and validation through delivery, release and individual defence.

CodeAssessmentWeight

A1Project Definition Gate15%

A2Prototype Validation Gate15%

A3Production Performance40%

A4Release and Archive20%

A5Individual Portfolio & Viva10%

Completion requirements: at least 60% overall, at least 50% in A5, a competent individual viva, and closure or authorised acceptance of every critical blocking nonconformance.

Common student questions

Do I need to be an animator?+

No. Animation, AI, Education and Marketing students contribute distinct deliverables to the same approved project.

Will I learn Blender, Python or AI tools from the beginning?+

No. Those foundations are prerequisites. Capstone hours focus on integrating and validating production work.

Can a strong group result replace individual assessment?+

No. Every student maintains personal evidence and must defend their decisions in a formal viva.

Can AI-created assets be used?+

Yes, when authorised and traceable. Models, sources, prompts, evaluation, human changes and approvals must be documented.

Is the project automatically released publicly?+

No. Release requires explicit quality, rights, AI, canon and archive clearance.

Your final transition

From student to accountable production contributor.

Finish with verifiable artefacts, documented decisions and a professional account of your own work.