Outline

Outline

Module 1   

Topic: Introductions

Notes: Class introductions, grading policies and assignment parameters. Sign up for the blog.

Lecture/Demo: 
Researching your subject. 
Subtext: what a character says and what they mean. 
Class participation: “Cookie Points” 
Skills review and meet Morphy. 
Working quickly: Timed posing demo. Show sources for sound
.

Activity: Students try timed posing. Pick 3-5 sec sound clip for assignment one, pick 11-20 sec sound clip for assignment two.

Assignment: Lip Sync One. (LS1) Modules 1-4. This is a relatively simple assignment, a quick 3-5 sec lip sync piece with one character. The purpose of the assignment is to give you a chance to get warmed up with your rig of choice, and to let me get an assessment of your current skill level. We're actually doing this backwards from normal animation workflow, attacking the lip sync first! Featured principles: Posing, Timing, and Staging. 3-5 sec. long (72-120 fr) Hand in will be due at the start of module 4. Have rough visemes ready to show next class. 

Watch demo video on vimeo.com/dlatour “Rough Lip sync”

Module 2                          

Topic: Refining lip sync

Notes: Have rough visemes ready to show.

Lecture/Demo: Analyzing and assessing audio for pantomime. Question and answer on Rigs and tools. Model behavior: Instructor shows a sample of a 5 min story pitch, students use rubric to grade the pitch.

Activity: Warm up with timed posing. Build a shelf button exercise. Grade the instructor’s story pitch using the provided rubric.

Assignment: Have polished lip sync and key poses timed for pantomime. Watch demo video on vimeo.com/dlatour “Polishing Lip sync”

Module 3 

Topic:Assignment one: Dailies.

Notes: Story pitches must be ready for next class. Hand in on assignment one next class.

Lecture/Demo: Mapping our workflow. Shooting Good reference and how to analyze it. Giving and Receiving Effective Critique. A Discussion on cameras and staging.

Activity: Group critique of assignment one.

Assignment: Module 4 and 5 is when everyone will do their story pitch. Module 4 is your first attempt and then in Module 5 you have the opportunity to re-pitch any significant revisions. Try to relax and have fun with this exercise. The pitch process should work like this: 1.You pull up the image of your storyboards on the projector. 2. You play your audio file twice through for the class. 3. You have 2.5 minutes to pitch your idea, class will hold their questions. 4. The class has 2.5 minutes for Q&A and to make suggestions. The whole process shouldn't take more than 10 minutes total.

Module 4 PROGRESS GRADES & EVALUATIONS

Topic:The Pitch

Notes: Be ready to pitch your story idea. Hand in assignment 1.

Lecture/Demo: Recap: Pitching your Ideas and Giving Effective Feedback.

Activity: Students pitch their 12 week lip sync ideas and receive comments and feedback.

Assignment: Address any notes or suggestions into your pitch idea and make revisions for next class if you want to re-pitch.

Module 5 Course Evaluations for Week 5 (Fall/Spring Only)

Topic:The Pitch Part 2: The Re-Pitching!

Notes:Students will have an opportunity to re-pitch their story ideas if needed.

Lecture/Demo: Blocking in keys poses using timed posing workflow.

Activity: Students re-pitch their 12 week story ideas as needed. Timed posing exercise to warm up.

Assignment: Lip Sync Two (LS2). Modules 6-15. This assignment is based on the planning from the student’s pitch. 11-20 seconds long, with 2 characters acting and reacting to each other. One or both characters may have dialogue. Have first pass key poses ready to show for next class.

Module 6 

Topic: First Pass Keys Poses

Notes: Procrastinators beware! You need to make steady progress on the final assignment: the time goes by quickly and your work must be finished to a high level of polish in order to pass this class.

Lecture/Demo: Discussion: Subtext and Phrasing. Using a proxy object to work out timing and placement. Building a phoneme library.

Activity: Students block in their character’s choreography with a simple “pawn” object.

Assignment: Have second pass keys for next class. Watch Tutorial Videos on Posing by Keith Lango.

Module 7 MIDTERM GRADES

Topic: Second Pass Key Poses.

Notes:Students must have all key poses, timed to pass midterms.

Lecture/Demo:Keys review and critique. Discussion on emotions: High vs. Low energy, Positive vs. Negative.

Activity: Posing exercises.

Assignment: Have pantomime breakdowns and rough timing for next class.

Module 8 MIDTERM GRADES

Topic: Breakdowns and Timing

Notes: Be ready to show your rough blocking for the scene.

Lecture/Demo: Refining Keys and using breakdowns to define timing between the keys.

Activity: Students add a breakdown pose between two of their key poses in class.

Assignment: Have all pantomime breakdowns and polished timing for next class.

Module 9 

Topic: Refining timing, adding offset.

Notes:  

Lecture/Demo: Using bhGhost, animated motion trails, pencil drawover and other utilities. Adding offset with breakdowns and in-betweens. The importance of character eye line and tracking audience attention “The Diem Project”

Activity: Students work on their assignments in class with guidance

Assignment: Use motion trails to have refined paths of action for next class.

Module 10 

Topic:The Face: Part 1

Notes: Don’t let the time get away from you: steady progress is the key to success.

Lecture/Demo: Order of priority for animating the face: Eye direction/lids, Brows, Jaw, Cheeks,  Lips

Activity: Timed posing exercises with just facial expressions.

Assignment: Have first pass keys on facial expression for next class.

Module 11 PROGRESS GRADES

Topic: Dailies

Notes: Have your work ready to show for feedback

Lecture/Demo: Recap: giving effective critique.

Activity: Group critique of assignment two.

Assignment: Apply notes form group feedback. Have first pass on lip sync visemes for next class. Re-watch demo video on vimeo.com/dlatour “Rough Lip sync” if needed

Module 12                  

Topic: Polishing your work.

Notes:  

Lecture/Demo: Workflows and strategies for polishing your work.

Activity: Students work on their assignments in class with guidance.

Assignment: Have second pass lip sync for next class. Re-watch demo video on vimeo.com/dlatour “Polishing Lip sync” if needed

Module 13 

Topic: The Face: Part 2

Notes:  

Lecture/Demo: Blinks and eye direction. Tracking and then smoothing out pops and hitches. When you’ve been looking at it for too long: Techniques for “getting fresh eyes.” Flipping or inverting video, playing backwards, changing playback speed.

Activity: Students continue refining their work with instructor guidance, with particular attention to facial expression.

Assignment: Have finished facial animation for next class.

Module 14 End of Semester Course Evaluations

Topic: Final Polish

Notes: Have final project ready to hand in for next class.

Lecture/Demo: Making a task list. Be sure to list items in order of priority.

Activity: Students review their assignment with the instructor and come up with an action list for the last week.

Assignment: Fix as many of the issues as you can.

Module 15 FINAL GRADES

Topic: Review

Notes: Final work to be handed in.

Lecture/Demo: When is it ever done?

Activity: Present final project.

Assignment:Prepare for next term.