WEEK 5: Animation Direction 2 -- Milestone 1: In-class critique, continued, plus work period for sets and armatures

We'll wrap up the Milestone 1 critiques -- bravo on the work I've seen so far!  Looks very well-organized and jammed with creative ideas.  Your input is invaluable so please help each other make the most of this very important step in the production process.

This is our first work period to focus on set and armature building. We can also have a look at the equipment that's available and start testing cameras. I'll see if Kathy can pop by... :o)

If we have time I'll show you the testing software we're hoping to use and the backup plan as well.

WEEK 5: Character Acting 2: Attack!!

Wrapping up your rigs, walks, and runs -- I'll spend time going over your marks for the first assignment and answer any questions you may have about the work you've done so far.

Next up: attacks!  This is our final assignment before the break.  Making the most of the fight choreography training you had in Term 1, come up with a fight movement or short sequence that flows logically and fluidly from your cycle animation.

You can use weapons if you like. I mean your characters can.

We'll look at a couple of examples of great fight sequences and analyse what makes them so punchy and fun to watch.

WEEK 5: Modeling and Animation II: Luxo, Continued

We've covered a lot of the Principles of Animation so far, but there's still a lot to cover in terms of secondary & overlapping action. The Luxo character has only its head and base to drag and settle, so it's important to use them well to show gravity's effects. Controlling secondary action takes practice. Too much secondary makes the characters look too rubbery. Not enough, and they look like robotic.

We looked at some clips from the masters of secondary action -- Disney, Bluth, and Keane and studied how it gives their work such nice flow and weight.

"Secret of Nimh" by Don Bluth, master of secondary action  

We studied photographic reference of other people jumping. 

Now it's your turn to create some video reference for yourself. We'll set up cameras and tripods and shoot some footage to use to try rotoscoping -- a process I eyed with suspicion until I discovered what a time-saver it can be.

Creating Image Planes From Video Reference 

Click here to see one of you as a lamp. 

It's relatively easy to bring  footage into your animation files. You can easily follow the frame-by-frame reference, ie, rotoscope, but you'll quickly see that with just a little exaggeration you can make your animation even better, heavier, and snappier than the live action footage.

Check out the video to see how I turned one of my students into a lamp...

Here are the instructions on how to view an image sequence in your viewport:

-Find and trim the reference video you want and save it. 

-Create a jpg image sequence for it at 24 fps, aiming for the lowest tolerable quality setting (I got 11 kb/fr)

You can do this easily in QuickTimePro. 

You can also use Premiere, Final Cut Pro, AfterEffects, etc.

In Premiere: -->File | Export | Media. Select TIFF as the format, and set source range to Entire Clip.

In Maya:

-create a new camera from the main menu:  Create --> Camera

-in the viewport, look through your new camera: Panels --> Perspective --> Camera 1 (or whatever you named your camera)

-in the viewport, create an image plane: View --> Image Plane --> Import Image, click on the first frame of your image sequence.

-View --> Image Plane --> Image Plane Attributes --> Select "Use Image Sequence"
- in Image Plane Attributes, select the visibility Display --> In all views
Animate through the perspective window or the camera if you like

Finish your Luxo Jump this week! When the basics are working, polish secondary, overlap, drag, settle, and moving holds. If you have extra time, try adding in a little personality. Upload your work in progress to your blog along with video or photographic reference.

WEEK 4: Animation Direction 2 -- Milestone 1: In-class critique

shooting still from Coraline

Sign up sheet will be posted on Wednesday!

In-class critique and work period today.
Come cheer each other on and contribute helpful ideas.

You should bring:
Production schedule,
Storyboard and/or animatic,
2D plan of set and puppet including armature

storyboard from Aardman's "Shaun the Sheep"

Good luck!

WEEK 4: Character Acting 2: Transitions to Run Cycles

Transitioning from walk cycles to run cycles this week -- we'll start dealing with blending cycles together. I don't want to see just any ol' computer-tweened morphing from you guys! I want a real transition! Think about how you'd go from walking to running. Slap on those runners, hit some pavement or a treadmill and feel the difference between the two gaits. Make sure it's obvious in your animation that you understand a new action requires an anticipation.

Does your COG drop a bit lower before it springs higher? Do you need to lean forward? Do you take one big walking step before your first running step? Exaggerating things like this to make the audience appreciate your analysis.

We'll look at some video analysis of running. There are so many kinds of running -- sprinting and long-distance running, jogging, barefoot running, and all sorts of speeds (spm) and styles, including cartoony.

Read up on runs:
Richard Williams' "Animator's Survival Kit" pgs 176 - 200

Assignment 2: Run Cycle
Assigned: 31/01/12
Due: 13/02/12
% of final grade: 20%

Animate a treadmill run that clearly shows the personality and attitude of the character.
Your file should include the walk cycle and the transition to the run. The run cycle should also cycle on its own.
Use the pre-built humanoid skeleton or your own rig.
The timing (both frames per step and timing of secondary actions such as arm swings and head drag) should support the attitude and personality. The character should have a believable weight. Steps should be symmetrical (apparently if not mathematically) and the motion should be fluid and smooth without obvious pops or bumps. Body parts should be offset from one another a bit so every part of the action doesn't occur on the same frame.

Rubric:Exemplary: Clear personality and attitude, strong apparent weight, fluid motion with a strong grasp of all animation principles.
Excellent: Apparent personality, weight and almost entirely fluid motion with a good grasp of nearly all animation principles.
Acceptable: Some personality and weight. Motion is mostly fluid with minor errors or missing animation principles.
Not Acceptable: Generic run not convincingly heavy or not fluid with quite a few glitches or missing animation principles.

Equal weight will be given to:

Attitude/Personality, Weight, Pacing/Timing, Overlapping Actions/Secondary Motion

Please submit files by FTP.

Please hand in 2 files named as follows:
tdonovan_run_000.ma
tdonovan_run_000.avi

Include any referenced files. Please watch your naming conventions. No caps, extra characters or spaces.
Feel free to number the files up to 999 as you like. It will help differentiate the files should you need to resubmit.

WEEK 4: Modeling and Animation II: Luxo Jr - the short that launched Pixar

We'll do a follow-up on your bouncing ball assignments before moving on to our next task: Luxo Lamp jumps!

The Luxo lamp is for 3D what the famous flour sack has been for generations of 2D animators -- a tool for perfecting & demonstrating a mastery of the 12 Principles of Animation. We'll watch "Luxo Jr", Pixar's short  from 1986. As you watch this famous film, bear in mind the primitive tools the artists were working with at the time.  This is a remarkable first film for what was then a fledgling industry, which has grown into the multi-faceted world of CG movies, shorts, and games we know today.

From Wikipedia:
Luxo Jr. is the first film produced in 1986 by Pixar Animation Studios, following its establishment as an independent film studio. It is a computer-animated short film (two and a half minutes, including credits), demonstrating the kind of things the newly-established company was capable of producing. It was the first Pixar short to release within a Pixar film.  It is the source of the small hopping desk lamp included in Pixar's corporate logo. In a subsequent re-release after Pixar became popular, a pretext was added to the film reading, "In 1986 Pixar produced its first film. This is why we have a hopping lamp in our logo." Download and view other examples of Pixar's shorts and learn more about their production process here:
http://www.pixar.com/index.html

Before jumping from a bouncing ball to a complex humanoid, the Luxo lamp gives us an opportunity to use a simple multi-jointed character to practice using the 12 Principles to create not just weight and timing, but also personality.

It's also a great opportunity to analyze live action reference.

Eadweard Muybridge's classic photo of the long-jumper has many clues we can use to bring life to our animation.

Download the Luxo Rig for Maya here.


Assignment 2
Luxo Lamp Animation: 
Assigned: 31/01/12
Due: 13/02/12

• Using video and photographic reference, animate the Luxo lamp doing a simple jump forward
• All the Principles of Animation should be in this assignment, especially nuts-and-bolts tools like Anticipation, Action, Reaction, Weight, Timing, Arcs, and even more esoteric ones like Appeal. 
• Spend your time on the mechanics of the jump. If you have time, you can add a little personality.  
• Think about how heavy the base of the lamp would be. Show the effort required to move that weight.

The final output should be 2 files: an .avi and an .ma file.

Files should be named as follows:
tdonovan_luxo_000.avi
tdonovan_luxo_000.ma

The file number (000) should be whatever version of the file you hand in. You can hand in any version up to 999. This could come in handy if you need to resubmit. You can simply send me the new file with the new version number.
Careful with your file naming.
No caps. No extra spaces. No extra descriptors.

Rubric:
Exemplary: Advanced grasp of animation principles evident. Luxo has unmistakable weight, clear, snappy timing, convincing overlapping action.
Excellent: Strong grasp of most of the animation principles with few mistakes. Luxo has consistent weight, good timing, and good use of overlapping action.
Acceptable: Reasonably executed animation utilizing most of the animation principles with some minor mistakes. Luxo has mostly consistent weight, timing and overlapping action.
Not Acceptable: Lack of evident understanding of the animation principles with several mistakes. Luxo not heavy or smoothly-timed with little to no overlapping action.

Assignments to be handed in via FTP.

WEEK 3: Animation Direction 2 -- Guest speaker: Stop motion animator Luke Mistruzzi & a tour of Cuppa Coffee

We're starting sharp at 12 in the Octagon - I have some tasks for you to work on for the afternoon.
Next we're getting a visit from Luke Mistruzzi, Creative Director / Animator at Powerline Films and former Cuppa Coffee stop-motion animator.

As I detailed in my email, Luke has arranged for us to tour Cuppa Coffee!  

We'll have to go over in small groups. Meanwhile, you guys can get started on your projects:

Milestone 1: Planning

Assigned: 19/01/12

Due: 02/02/12 In class (next week)

% of final grade: 20%

Create a detailed plan for your project. Please keep your ideas simple and contained. You should include:

1. a production schedule, 
2. a storyboard and/or animatic, 
3. a drawing of your set plan including top-down view, and 
4. a drawing of your puppet including a plan for the armature.
5.  technically challenging R&D should be included here such as green screen, plans for moving characters that fly or jump

You would be wise to include a 'plan b' in case you run behind schedule. 

Rubric:

Exemplary: Thoroughly planned, detailed and clear presentation with all aspects of the project well organized. Timelines seem reasonable, solutions to technical challenges anticipated.

Excellent: Well-planned, clear overall package with most aspects of the project well organized. Timelines outlined and solutions to most technical challenges anticipated.

Acceptable: Overall plan of the project completed with minimal missing elements. Timelines suggested and some technical challenges outlined.

Not Acceptable: Project not thoroughly planned. Timelines vague, missing elements, not much anticipation of technical challenges.

Good luck!

WEEK 3: Character Acting 2 -- Walks, wrap-up, transitioning to runs

The famous 'human/dog' comparison scene from 101 Dalmations

We'll wrap up the final stages of the walk, adding subtle details that can make your walk look unique and polished.  There are lots of great examples of hand-drawn cartoon walks from on "Walk Cycle Depot" and "Pencil Test Depot" for us to have a look at.  Good luck with your deadline this weekend!

Next we'll get ready to transition into the run cycle.

Next class I'll show you a bunch of video examples of both sprinters and long-distance runners in slow motion and talk about the mechanics of a run.

Homework: Read up on runs in the Animator's Survival Kit pgs 176-200


Assignment 2:  Run Cycle
Assigned: 25/01/12
Due: 12/02/12
% of final grade: 20%

Use the pre-built humanoid skeleton or your own rig.

Animate a treadmill run that clearly shows the personality and attitude of the character. The run should cycle on its own but also transition smoothly from the walk. By transition I mean there should be a believable weight shift to pick up speed - this could include an anticipation, a change of mood, and a shift forward in the center of gravity.

The timing (both frames per step and timing of secondary actions such as arm swings and head drag) should support the attitude and personality. The character should have a believable weight. Steps should be symmetrical (apparently if not mathematically) and the motion should be fluid and smooth without obvious pops or bumps. Body parts should be offset from one another a bit so every part of the action doesn't occur on the same frame.

Rubric:
Exemplary:  Clear personality and attitude, strong apparent weight, fluid motion with a strong grasp of all animation principles.
Excellent:  Apparent personality, weight and almost entirely fluid motion with a good grasp of nearly all animation principles.
Acceptable: Some personality and weight. Motion is mostly fluid with minor errors or missing animation principles.
Not Acceptable: Generic walk not convincingly heavy or not fluid with quite a few glitches or missing animation principles.

Equal weight will be given to:

Attitude/Personality
Weight
Pacing/Timing
Overlapping Actions / Secondary Motion

Please submit files by FTP. Instructions will be sent via email.

WEEK 3: Modeling and Animation II -- Bouncing Balls, last week

Today we're wrapping up the bouncing balls which are due this weekend.

All animators should be familiar with these equations ;o)

I'll go over how to hand in your assignments via FTP.

We'll also go over the results of the Pixar Story quiz.

Next up: Gravity!


Click here to learn more about Newton's Laws of Motion 

We'll watch a short movie about a physics specialist working in the animation department at Dreamworks.

Submitting work via FTP

All assignments for my classes should be submitted digitally via FTP. You'll need to install a free FTP program like Filezilla or FireFTP.

I'll email you the login info and we'll go over it in class.

Our directory is publicFTP/Tara and the subfolder for your course. Example:

Inside the course folder:

(1) I'll create a folder for each of your assignments.
(ex: assignment 1, assignment 2)

(2) Inside the assignment folder please create one folder with your first initial, last name.
(ex: tdonovan)

(3) Inside each subfolder, put your named files.
(ex: tdonovan_walk_cycle_001.ma, tdonovan_hydrant_uvs.png)

Feel free to leave me a note as a .TXT file. Word Files are too slow to launch.  Always send me an email regarding any verbal agreement for extensions or modifications to the assignment.

Please be careful with the files in this shared directory. If you accidentally delete someone else's file please let them and me know asap so it can be restored. Always have backups saved in more than one secure location (ex, a portable hard drive as well as saved on a backed-up computer as well as sent to yourself via email or DropBox.)

If you're unfamiliar with using FTP programs and/or you have trouble, please ask for help from the peer tutors. It only takes 5 failed password attempts in 5 minutes to lock yourself out of the server. At school, that means the whole school's IP.  Stop after 2 failed attempts and check all the info again. 99% of the FTP problems students have had in the past resulted from typos.

Files can take several minutes or longer to upload especially if the server is busy. Please allow time for uploading and don't wait 'til the last minute to send your files.

If you encounter a big problem, such as our server crashing, please send me a screen grab confirming the error and I'll issue extensions to the whole class.  

Assignments cannot be handed in via any other means but FTP  without special permission.
Please do not email me your videos or other large files as attachments.
I'll explain other options as needed.