Animation

This course introduces the principles of animation through a variety of animation techniques. Topics include motion research and analysis, effective timing, spacing, volume control, stagecraft, and choreography. Weekly screenings of classic animation are held, followed by in-class critiques.

This course explores concepts and techniques of traditional animation. Motion and posing is explored through character development, which includes the expression of personality, mood, thought, and attitude. Emphasis is placed on the refinement of drawings, subtlety of movement, and creativity.

This course explores 3D character animation techniques of performance, physicality, and weight using basic rigs provided by the instructor. Special attention is given to thumbnailing key poses, video research, and stagecraft.

This course explores 3D animation through advanced physicality, weight, and performances. Special attention is placed on visual storytelling, action, choreography, and scope. Topics include planning, pose studies, video research, motion analysis, camera placement, advanced keyframing techniques, and pantomime. Additional topics may include motion capture and rendering.

This 3D animation course explores acting through the medium of the human voice, including narration, expressive reading, diction, lip-synchronization techniques, and vocal refinement.

The content of this course may change each time it'92s offered. n It is for the purpose of offering a new or specialized course of interest to the faculty or students that is not covered by the courses in the current catalog.

This course is a culmination of the student'92s ability to use animation as a storytelling medium. It also provides an opportunity for the student to demonstrate his or her personal artistic growth. Each student works to complete a short piece of cinematic animation. Working independently or in small groups with the instructor'92s approval, students may use either 2D or 3D tools.

This course requires students to further extend their portfolio work, principally polishing and refining elements that will align them well for current industry needs. With a generous selection of assignment opportunities to be explored, students will gain advanced instruction on more focused acting, physicality and creature animation. This course will provide students with an ideal opportunity to improve an area of their portfolio work that will better represent animated body mechanics and acting skills.

This course introduces the principles of animation and how movement is conveyed through timing, spacing, and drawing. Emphasis is placed on bringing sequential images to life through motion analysis. Topics include animation theories, research, planning, keyframing, and in-betweening.

This course focuses on the principles of animation in 3D workspace. Emphasis is placed on 3D animation workflow and rigging concepts. Topics include research and planning, keyframe management, animation principles, rigging fundamentals, and viewport rendering.

This course focuses on 3D character animation and character rigging, with an emphasis on body mechanics. Additional emphasis is placed on bringing a 3D character to life through dynamic motion. Topics include planning, motion analysis, animation passes, splining, constraints and parenting, inverse and forward kinematics, animation tools, and skeletal rigging.

This course focuses on rigging bipedal characters for animation. Topics include basic rig creation, joint formation, inverse kinematic/forward kinematic switches, skinning, joint constraints, spine rig, rig attributes, and rig controllers.

This course builds on the principles of rigging a bipedal character and further explores multi-limbed creatures. Topics include stretchy inverse kinematics, facial rigging, and complex rig controllers.

This course explores advanced rigging techniques. Topics include scripting secondary behaviors, scripting rigging production tools, and designing versatile character rigs.

This course explores 3D animation through physicality, weight, and performance. Emphasis is placed on animating bipedal characters and pantomime acting. Topics include planning for animation, advanced splining techniques, basic body mechanics, motion analysis, video reference, and stagecraft.

This course explores 3D animation through advanced physicality, weight, and performance. Special attention is placed on visual storytelling, action, choreography, and scope. Topics include planning, pose studies, video research, motion analysis, camera placement, advanced keyframing techniques, and acting for action sequences.

This course explores acting in 3D animation. Performance techniques are addressed, ranging from stylized facial expressions to nuanced physicality. Topics include narration, pantomime, monologue, dialogue, diction, and lip synchronization.