About

 

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COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course explores intermediate to advanced topics in Motion Design & Animation including situated & site-specific motion media, as well as traditional and non-traditional techniques/mediums for creating motion design and animation.

 

 

COURSE RATIONALE 


The face of animation is rapidly changing, computers can now duplicate naturalistic movements, often better than traditional drawings can. However, even though the dominant form of commercial animation may now be 3D or computer generated, many expressive, technical, and commercial advantages and possibilities exist outside its realm. Its our purpose in this course to seek them out and experiment with new and “old” (in the traditional sense) forms of time based image making. We will explore and experiment with various mediums, not only to find new forms and means of expression but also potential innovation, or tool adaption.

 

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES & GOALS

Motion Design and Animation, by definition, are not easy to categorize- in fact- the goal of the course is to constantly redefine what it means, to push the boundaries, explore unknown and emerging techniques, search for something new, and take risks that may lead to unexpected results.

 

This course investigates aesthetic and conceptual transformations that happen to media as they pass into, through, and out of the digital domain. The objective is to learn and put into practice the basic technical skills and experimentation required in the image making process to make expressive and engaging works. Lectures, demonstrations, screenings and readings provide students with the opportunity to integrate concept, form and technology while exploring the possibilities of motion design and animation.

 

During this course students will:

    • Participate in class discussions and critiques
    • Apply techniques covered in class in the completion of projects & exercises
    • Develop and complete a three module projects and one final project
    • Document creative planning, process, and completed work

 

The goal of this course is for students to:

    • Gain an deeper understanding of what constitutes motion design and animation
    • Become capable of producing strong, effective motion graphics and animations
    • Develop and process graphics and audio to be integrated into animation sequences and develop special effects for animation-video sequences using professional media development software
    • Develop concepts that convey a defined message or story, and communicate effectively to a project audience
    • Publish animation-video sequences onto appropriate media for audience playback
    • Analyze and critique professional and amateur animation-video sequences form various delivery formats in terms of design and content

 

Potential Topics:                             

    • Split screens
    • Vertical Video
    • Interactive Animation
    • Character Animation
    • Puppet Construction
    • Rigging
    • Rotoscoping
    • Walk/RunCycles
    • Lip/Sound Sync
    • Advance interface setup
    • 12 principles of animation
    • Compositing

 

 

Summary of Course Grading:

 

Course Components Weight
Participation 10%
Project 1: Exquisite Corpse 20%
Project 2: Multi/Screen 20%
Project 3: Character Workshop 20%
Project 4: Final Project 30%
Total 100%

 

Standard Grades

Grading is based on a 100 point scale and is as follows:

A     94-100

A-   90-93

B+   87-89

B     84-86            

B-   80-83

C+   77-79

C     74-76

C-   70-73

D     60-69

F     less than 60 points

I     Incomplete

 

TEXTS & MATERIALS

REQUIRED:
Animator’s Survival Kit (ASK) by Richard Williams
(PDF in Resources , though I strongly suggest you purchase a copy, animation is a lifelong learning process)
RECOMMENDED:
The Illusion of Life
Cartoon Animation
Drawing for Planning Animation
The Animator’s Workbook: Step-By-Step Techniques of Drawn Animation

 

ASSIGNMENTS

Assignments

Each week you are expected to complete a technical exercise as outlined and submit/post to the assignment page (please see ASSIGNMENTS page). Ideally these assignments are a place to experiment and learn new tools and methods, but they could also be completed to work toward one’s final project, if desired. Assignments will be graded on completeness, timeliness, effort, quality, technical excellence, and aesthetic appeal that includes the use of color, composition, sound (where/when permits) and context.

1- Exquisite Corpse

2- Multi/Screen 

3- Character Animation Workshop 

4- Final Project: Demo Reel

     

 

 

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS

Sketchbook/Blog

Drawing Tools

Hard Drive

I strongly recommend that you purchase an external hard drive. Students are responsible for having their work available for viewing in class during weekly class critiques. You do not need to submit your work to me on any kind of disk or storage device as long as I can view it in class. Note: hardware problems are no excuse for late or missing work. The hard drives of the computers are notoriously unreliable, and constantly get erased! Make backup copies and save your work on media besides the schools hard drives! Files can become corrupted.

 

SCHEDULE

See Calendar (Subject to change)

 

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NOTE: For a more complete outline of Policies & Scheduling please see the written syllabus on our course HuskyCT page.