Master Class: Animation

Course Details
Begins: April 24th 2006
Ends: May 5th 2006
Weeks: One or two

Fee per week (regular):
DKR 6800.00
EUR €906.00
USD $1056.00
Note! Early bird - fee reduced by 20%
Register before March 13th

This class is designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of the classic animation principles necessary for creating believable animated characters. Through a series of lectures, demonstrations, and exercises, students will be exposed to such theories as the twelve principles of animation, dealing with weight, computer workflow methodology, and how to take a shot from blocking to final polish. By the end of the class students will possess a solid foundation in the art form from which they will be able to grow and mature as artists and animators.
About Cameron Miyasaki >>

Course outline

The overall aim of this course is to be relatively unstructured and open, enabling the instructor to be flexible and meet individual student requirements and working pace.

Week One - Principles of animation
The first week will cover the 12 principles and show examples of each. Discussion of workflow, show some animation tips and tricks, and talk about working in a production environment. Students will be assisted with their own projects and critiques provided of their work.

1. Squash and stretch:
2. Anticipation
3. Staging
4. Straight ahead action and pose to pose
5. Follow through and overlapping action
6. Slow in and slow out
7. Arcs
8. Secondary action
9. Timing
10. Exaggeration
11. Solid drawing
12. Appeal

Week Two - Walk cycle
the second week will discussion be of various walk cycles, e.g. the difference between a human walk cycle and a cartoon walk cycle. Two-Legged Basic Walk Cycle. Making male, female, happy, sad, nervous, relaxed, light characters and heavy characters. Jumps and lifts. Discussion of the difference between good and bad animation demonstrated by examples. Discussion of the challenges faced by animators. With examples from films.

Student requirements

Level of ability
Students are required to have a strong understanding of animation (that means at least about 1½ years of intensive study or work in the field of 3D computer graphics and animation).

Software
The student should be proficient with the operation of Maya & their animation tools.