ANI 231 3D Animation
Summary
ANI 231:
3D Animation for Cinema and Gaming
I. Instructor
Jason Hopkins
Phone: (312) 961-7551
E-mail: jasonkhopkins2000@yahoo.com
II. Course Description and Expectations
This course will provide an advanced exploration of 3D computer character animation. We will be strict analysts of motion, drawing from the classical past of traditional animation and film, learning spacing, timing, weight, and dynamic expression. Using Maya, this entire semester will be exclusively dedicated to character movement. This course will not cover modeling, rigging, texturing, or lighting, although such topics will necessarily be discussed in passing. Basic rigs will be provided, but you may make, purchase, or appropriate more distinctive models on your own time.
Students should master a basic skillset of important techniques in animation. However, our goals are to go beyond simply learning the technical interface, as we will also focus on learning principles of good visualization in preparation for both artistic and commercial endeavors. Accordingly, students will be evaluated on their creativity and diligence, as demonstrated by a final project consisting of a coherent short piece at least one minute in length.
III. Course Materials
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 Art Institute computers are notoriously unreliable, and constantly being erased! Make backup copies and save your work on media besides the schools hard drives! Files can become corrupted.
IV. Attendance
Attendance is mandatory. Three absences will result in a loss of credit for the course. Students arriving more than 30 minutes late to any class will be considered tardy. Three tardies are equivalent to one absence.
V. Assignments
1. Brief presentations
Each student will be expected to give a brief 10-15 minute presentation of an animation/film(s) they deem particularly interesting and be able to explain why.
2. Weekly Demonstration of Technique
Each week, those of you who are new to the discipline will be expected to demonstrate that you understand the techniques discussed in the previous weeks class. How you do this is up to you. You may design a very short and specific piece that focuses on demonstrating a technique;or, you may show a part of your final project in progress that incorporates the technique. Note: Already familiar with a technique? You are more than welcome to demonstrate your knowledge during class on the day a technique is assigned, and I will check you off!
By the end of the course, you will produce a portfolio demonstrating all the basic techniques! You may hand in your work in Playblast-format, although for your own benefit you should consider a full render. The due date for the portfolio will be discussed in class!
3. Final Project
The final project for this class must demonstrate an understanding of course concepts, and must be a short piece of at least two minutes in length. We will view and critique the final projects at the scheduled final exam time. But
THE FINAL PROJECT DUE DATE will be
on our last day of class
To receive credit for this course you have merely to complete the following simple tasks:
Drop off your already-rendered 720 x 480 QuickTime animation (properly compressed if its huge) in the designated folder of the instructors terminal in Room 329, on the aforementioned date between the hours of 6 and 9 pm. If I dont receive the .mov file on the computer by 9 pm credit will not be given.
It must be at least one-minute in duration (no cutting corners with lengthy credits!)
It must have sound. Perhaps dialog or sound effects. I do not want cheesy music slapped onto your piece in simple music video format. Im not kidding. Your work will be displayed on the big screen outside of our classroom please spare yourselves and passers-by the embarrassment.
You must render your objects out with lights and shadows. Please use simple shaders NO GREY PLASTIC or DEFAULT AMBIENT LIGHT!
VI. Class Schedule and Assignments
Class 1:
Syllabus
Discussion: Principles of Animation
Animation Basics: bouncing ball, squash & stretch
Technique Assignment: Creatively animate a bouncing ball.
Class 2:
Explanation of Rigged Models
Biped Jump
Review bouncing ball assignments from previous week
Technique Assignment: Creatively animate a jump.
Class 3:
Walk Cycles
Review jump assignments
Technique Assignment: Creatively animate two (2) walk cycles from the list discussed in class.
Class 4:
Weight, Displacement, and Resistance
Constraints
Review walk cycle assignments
Technique Assignment: Creatively show a character lifting a heavy object.
Class 5:
Sound
Body Sync
Review lifting object assignments
Technique Assignment:Body sync a character to a clip of dialogue. Also, bring in some clips of dialogue that you enjoy (digitized format, MP3,CD or DVD).
Class 6:
Body Sync (continued)
Character Performance
Technique Assignment: One additional body sync animation (to dialogue of your choice). Bring in more sound clips.
Class 7:
Phonemes and Lip Sync
Review Character Performance assignment
Technique Assignment: Lip sync and body sync your character to a dialogue clip.
Class 8:
Revised/Polished Skillset portfolios due for critique
Concept Acquisition/Scriptwriting
Narration/Storyboarding
Technique Assignment: Produce a rough draft of a two-page script for your final project.
Class 9:
Review scripts
Create storyboards
Model props
Technique Assignment: Keep modeling the props started in class. Revise scripts and finish storyboards.
Class 10:
FINAL PROJECT DUE
This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.
Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course
content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The
evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely
separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation.
Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.
This course will be subject to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/ If you
have any questions be sure to consult with your professor.
All students are expected to abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered to be providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy. Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity.
All students are required to manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the University Academic Calendar. Information on enrollment, withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at http://www.cdm.depaul.edu/Current%20Students/Pages/PoliciesandProcedures.aspx.
Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that
you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at:
Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
Phone number: (312)362-8002
Fax: (312)362-6544
TTY: (773)325.7296