Homework for the Week of Oct 30 2018:

A. CONTINUE INTERNSHIP RESEARCH!   On the server, make a portfolio folder that showcases the best of what you currently have. Any website, resume, cover letter, or demo reel materials should also go in there as well! I will be taking a look at your materials on Wednesday of this week, and email feedback and comments on where to go in your application process!

B. In LOGIC PRO, produce a short 3-second clip of audio that has been produced and edited in some capacity.  For this assignment, you are making use of the contents of logic pro itself. Do not worry if the content you turn in is different for your final audio. This assignment is about practice for your final work.

C. ON THE SERVER, turn in video files of everything you have currently completed in your film! I will look at the shots and write feedback for you on Wednesday!

D.  COME TO CLASS WITH 3 different scheduling ideas for audio recording in the next two weeks.  November will pass by incredibly quickly, and it will be important for us to make sure that we properly schedule ourselves and our productions to finish on time.

If you are recording before then, make sure all equipment is returned and ready for use by our next class period!

E.  Please note:  If, in November, you are planning to check out audio equipment and use it out of class and off campus, be aware that you need to pay a $100 deposit to the business office to check out this audio equipment.  Equipment will be available for use inside class otherwise, but you will be limited to use during class periods on Monday and Wednesday.  The $100 deposit will be returned to you at the end of the semester, should you so choose, and if you have used a $100 deposit for a previous class with Jill, it also counts here.  I just need a copy of your receipt from that time. (A photo will do.)

Classes Cancelled: Check your Email for This Week's Assignments

Hello Class,

I'm submitting a notice to all students that my classes are cancelled today, October 18, 2017 and Wednesday, November 1st, 2017.  Check your student email for information regarding coursework today, assignments to turn in,  what to do if you need to schedule an appointment, and what to do to prepare for class on Monday.

Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!
-Shaw

APPEAL!

APPEAL! 

(HW for this Wednesday: Start building a folder with samples of what you want your final film to look like in terms of interest and personality!)



At this point, everyone is making steady progress towards completing their films! In the next two class periods, we will talk about visual and audio FX!

Some notes from today:

APPEAL: The process of maximizing personality out of a drawing by drawing emphasis to certain parts of your story/characters/environment.

• For animation, you create appeal by:
• leading with the most important part of that character
• accentuating movement and weight with regards to longer, taller, wider parts of the body.
• Having the character develop "personal ticks," A.K.A. those little things that we remember about the way a person walks, talks, or acts.
• Repeat the action enough, and it becomes a character's personal trademark!
• With respects to drawing:
• Exaggerating specific parts of the body to emphasize physical characteristics and descriptions.

Outside of Drawing, Appeal is also applied through compositing and visual effects!  NOTE:  VISUAL EFFECTS DO NOT REPLACE GREAT DRAWINGS!

VISUAL FX:

• Module Library is incredibly effective!
• For the entry-level VFX artist, start by cataloging images that represent the look and feel that you want.
• Describe the look using terms you know with respects to:
• Texture
• Color
• Line
• Shape
• Value
• Contrast

Homework for Monday, October 9, 2018

In your folder on the server, turn in copies of everything you have created so far this semester by 5:00 Friday! 

Make sure you have properly documented your designs, preproduction, and animation phases of your assignment! I will be looking through your production over the weekend to give you additional feedback. Refer to the midterms checklist if you are not sure about what to do!

Turn in a document including the feedback you have received from other students about your film, along with your own thoughts and opinions of your film's progress.  Feel free to include any notes or questions you have for me.

Come to class with a full list of the music and sound effect cues you will need for your film. We will begin talking about audio next week, as well as color styling, color correction, compositing, and Visual FX!

MIDTERMS CHECKLIST! Submit the Following to the server by 5:00 PM Friday!

On the server (AN325A or AN325B depending on your class), make sure you have a folder labeled as lastname_Firstname.  Inside it, I would like you to include everything you have worked on so far. I have an example folder, marked "shaw_michael" that shows you how to organize your work:

• An Animation folder with 4 seperate folders marked "1_RAW, 2_Lineart, 3_Color, and 4_FX"
• Inside that folder: two video files that showcase two animated segments of your film. One from Week 1, and one from Week 2.  
• If your videos part of the same sequence, please mark it as lastname_wk1and2.
• A design folder that has the character and environment designs for your film, as well as 
• Character designs
• environment designs
• color charts, film swatches, etc.
• Your storyboards and animatic for your production.
• Your original thumbnails and sketches for your project, in the "thumbnails and sketches" folder.
•  A schedule for your film and a list of what you need to complete on it.
•   If you have updated your content recently, submit the LATEST version of each stage of your production.
• A list of your notes for yourself on your current progress with your project! I want to know what you plan to do with your film, any elements (color, FX, character changes etc.) you plan to add to your story! What is your schedule for completion? The more information you can provide the better!

For midterms, you will receive 3 separate grades that I will average together:  Design, Preproduction (storyboards and animatics), and Animation.  In those, I will be looking for the following:

A. Craftsmanship (25%): Line-art quality.  How clean are your lines in each section of your animation? Is your character the focal point of your animation, or are the rough lines the focal point?

B. Modeling and Composition (25%): How consistent are your characters and environments? Does your cinematography allow for a clear viewing experience? 

C. Performance (25%): Does the performance on paper/ on screen fully explain the scenario and circumstances of each scene?  Is your animation about the characters and subject matter? Are the performances believable?

D. Clarity of storytelling (25%):  What is the story of each sequence?  Is the story visually clear?

A couple notes to remember:

• Animation creation: Performance is Key!  It's all about how we act and bring our scenarios to life!
• Environment Design: Staging and Function Is the most important! We need environments that serve our character's purpose and provide CONTEXT to the scene!
• Character design:  Big, Medium, and Small Forms, Clear Silhouettes, Shape Symbolism, etc.
• Animation segment 1&2: Establish the circumstances of the scene! Show us what to look for and what to improve upon!