Program(s): Bachelor of Animation
Program Coordinator(s): Angela Stukator
Course Leader or Contact: Mark Mayerson
Version: 11.0
Status: Approved (APPR)

Section I Notes: N/A

Detailed Description
This course is intended to deepen the students knowledge of the Classical animation processes and, through the introduction of stop motion animation, the course also aims to expand the students exposure to the spectrum of animation mediums. In addition, students work within groups to plan a film that integrates the animation and design elements that are needed for successful crew production. Through interactive lecture, discussion, demonstration and studio work, students refine animation skills and begin the development of skills related to integrated problem solving, collaborative work, and individual and crew time management.

Program Context

 Critical Performance

By the end of the course, students will have demonstrated a deeper 
understanding classical animation and a basic knowledge of stop 
motion production, and the ability to plan a film that incorporates 
consistency of character design and performance through collaboration 
with others.

Learning Outcomes

To achieve the Critical Performance, students will have demonstrated
the ability to:

1.  Collaborate effectively with peers.

2.  Manage time in order to meet individual and crew pre-production
    timelines.

3.  Conduct independent as well as group research that informs
    character design.
 
4.  Develop the ability to self assess and critique work in animation
    and character design.

5.  Produce a character model package with sketches that reflect
    advanced character design.

6.  Discuss the role of character-driven and environmental special 
    effects in animation.

7.  Utilize observational and visualization techniques to achieve a 
    successful animated character performance within the context of 
    story.
 
8.  Incorporate advanced clean up and in-betweening techniques into 
    animation assignments.

9.  Implement health and safety requirements necessary in a stop 
    motion studio space.

10. Produce a range of progressively more complex stop motion 
    animation performances within a studio environment.

11. Demonstrate an effective understanding of the relationship 
    between a stop motion puppet and the camera within the context of 
    performance.

12. Demonstrate an ability to game-plan an independent stop motion 
    short film, in terms of all key production and post-production 
    components.

Animation Journal- Marks 10% 
Shared between Classical Animation and Stop Motion with 5% each for a 
total of Marks 10%.  NOTE:  This assignment will require students to 
compare and contrast traditional, stop motion, and various other 
animation techniques.

Classical Animation - Marks 60%
Action Analysis Project (individual) ----------------------- 30%
Character Design (individual and group) -------------------- 10%
Animation Review Assignments (Individual) ------------------ 15%
Animation Journal (individual) -----------------------------  5% 
out of 10% (shared with Stop Motion)				
Total ------------------------------------------------------ 60% 

Stop Motion Animation - Marks 40%
Timing Analysis Assignment (Individual, In-Class) ---------- 10%
Action Analysis Assignment 1 (Individual, In-Class) -------- 10%
Action Analysis Assignment 2 (Individual, In-Class) -------- 15%
Animation Journal (Individual) -----------------------------  5% 
out of 10% (shared with Classical)
Total ------------------------------------------------------ 40% 

NOTE:  Final grade is the average of the ANIMATION and STOP MOTION
       portions of the course.  Students must achieve 50% or better
      in each area in order to pass the course.

Late Policy for all courses in the program: 

All assignments are due within the first 15 minutes after the start 
of class on the due date. Late projects, submitted after the first 15 
minutes of the start of class will receive a 20% grade reduction. 
Late projects submitted the following week will receive a 30% grade 
reduction. There will be no submission of work after the last day of 
semester unless arrangements have been made and documented by the 
professor.

Work that is more than one week late will not be graded unless a 
prior arrangement has been made with the professor; the arrangement 
must be documented on email or a memo, with the new due date 
identified. There will be no resubmission of work unless, under 
exceptional circumstances, this has been agreed to or suggested by 
the professor.  Again, a hard copy of the agreement is necessary.

If there is a valid reason for the late project, the student must 
email the professor at least 3 days before the due date.  If the 
reason is deemed to be valid, there will be no late penalty.  A new 
due date with be set by the instructor.

The basic late policy as laid out above will be followed, except in 
the instance that an instructor requires a variation in policy. That 
variation will be provided to the student in writing as part of the 
actual assignment, which will be handed out by the instructor.

Handouts

Animation and Character Design - Dave Quesnelle
Stop Motion - Christopher Walsh and Jason Thompson

NOTE:  Due to the complexity of the 3rd year group projects and time 
requirements the main weekly topics in Classical animation and 
Character design may not be delivered in the same weekly order as 
shown below, or the topic may require a number of weeks for delivery
Also some topics may be delivered in both Animation and Character 
Design because of relationship of the topics

Week 1
Classical Animation and Character Design
Introduction to Animation: Classical Animation and Character Design
		Expectations, Guidelines and Procedures
		Concepts, Principles and Theories
		Overview of Animation and Character Design projects
		Review of the Animation Process
		Review of Performance
		Review of Animation Principles 
		Review of Character Design

Hand out AA project and info

Learning Activities
Interactive Lecture
Guided discussion
Demonstration
In-class activities
Critiquing

Stop Motion 
Introduction to Animation: Stop Motion
		Expectations, Guidelines and Procedures
		Studio Safety
		Software Intro
		Distribution and Discussion of Topical Outline
		Review of Animation Principles for Stop Motion
		Review of Performance for Stop Motion
                Hand-out Topical Outline, Frame Thief How To
		
Week 2
Classical Animation and Character Design
Animation procedure and work flow

Animation formulas and theories

Concepts, Principles and Theories
Learning Activities
Interactive Lecture
Guided discussion
Demonstration
In-class activities
Critiquing

Stop Motion 
Framing, Staging and Blocking
		Screening
		Framing The Shot
		Blocking The Shot
		Effective Use of Dope Sheets 
		In-Class Animation
		In-Class Critique
		Review of Timing and Spacing
		Hand Out - "Timing Analysis" Assignment
		
Week 3
Classical Animation and Character Design

Drawing for animation
Action analysis review of animation principles

Concepts, Principles and Theories
Learning Activities
Interactive Lecture
Guided discussion
Demonstration
In-class activities
Critiquing

Stop Motion 
Introduction to Puppets
		Screening
		Historical Context
		Armature Analysis
		Introduction to Aluminum Puppets
		Studio Safety (Magnets)
		In-Class Animation
		In-Class Critique
		Discussion of Animation Journal Assignment
		Hand Out- "Animation Journal" Assignment

Week 4
Classical Animation and Character Design
Timing, Beats and Rhythm
Special Effects animation

(AAA)
Action analysis Ruff character model due 2/10%

Concepts, Principles and Theories
Learning Activities
Interactive Lecture
Guided discussion
Demonstration
In-class activities
Critiquing

Stop Motion 
Timing for Stop Motions /Intro to Lighting
		Group 1- In-Class Timing Analysis Assignment (10%)
		Group 2- Lighting Workshop 

Week 5
Classical Animation and Character Design
Character Design in Production
Animation Dialogue and lip-sync

Concepts, Principles and Theories
Learning Activities
Interactive Lecture
Guided Discussion
Demonstration
In-class Activities
Critiquing

Stop Motion 
Timing for Stop Motion (continued)/Intro to Lighting (continued)
		Group 2- In-Class Timing Analysis Assignment (10%)
		Group 1- Lighting Workshop

Week 6
Classical Animation and Character Design
Animation and Styles and Types
Animation Preparation and Analysis

Group Film Project (GFP)
Ruff Character Design concepts due 2/10%

Concepts, Principles and Theories
Learning Activities
Interactive Lecture
Guided Discussion
Demonstration
In-class Activities
Critiquing

Stop Motion 
Action Analysis with Puppets
		In-Class Animation
		In-Class Critique
		Discussion 
		Hand Out- "Action Analysis 1" Assignment

Week 7
Classical Animation and Character Design
Scene planning and problem solving
Animation in group production and individual production

Action analysis Ruff Character model due

Concepts, Principles and Theories
Learning Activities
Interactive Lecture
Guided discussion
Demonstration
In-class activities
Critiquing

Stop Motion 
Advanced Action Analysis with Puppets
		Analysis of Professional Puppet Armatures
		In-Class Animation
		In-Class Critique
		Discussion 
 
BREAK

Week 8
Classical Animation and Character Design
Acting for animation 

Starting Animation for Action analysis 
Group Ruff character design concepts due

Concepts, Principles and Theories
Learning Activities
Interactive Lecture
Guided Discussion
Demonstration
In-class activities
Critiquing

Stop Motion 
Design and Fabrication for Puppets and Action Analysis with Puppets

		Group 2- In-Class "Action Analysis Assignment 1"(10%)
		Group 1- Puppet Making Workshop
	
Week 9
Classical Animation and Character Design
Animation gags and visual entertainment

Concepts, Principles and Theories
Learning Activities
Interactive Lecture
Guided Discussion
Demonstration
In-class Activities
Critiquing

Stop Motion 
Approaching Story for Stop Motion - Part 1/Principles of Camera Lenses
		Group 1- In-Class "Action Analysis Assignment 1" (10%)
		Group 2- Puppet Making Workshop

Week 10
Classical Animation and Character Design
Animation scanning, painting compositing

Concepts, Principles and Theories
Learning Activities
Interactive Lecture
Guided Discussion
Demonstration
In-class activities
Critiquing

Stop Motion 
Approaching Story for Stop Motion Part 2/Production Planning for Stop 
Motion
		In-Class Animation of Student-Made Puppets
		In-Class Critique
		Discussion 
		Hand Out- "Action Analysis 2" Assignment

Week 11
Classical Animation and Character Design
Technology in Animation

(AAA)
Action analysis Final Character model due 3/10%

Concepts, Principles and Theories
Learning Activities
Interactive Lecture
Guided discussion
Demonstration
In-class activities
Critiquing

Stop Motion 
Advanced Puppet Making - Part 1
		Screening
In-Class Animation 
		In-Class Critique
		Discussion 
		
Week 12
Classical Animation and Character Design
Concepts, Principles and Theories
Learning Activities
Interactive Lecture
Guided Discussion
Demonstration
In-class Activities
Critiquing

Stop Motion 
Advanced Puppet Making - Part 2/Intro to Rigging for Stop Motion
		Screening
In-Class Animation 
		In-Class Critique
		Discussion 

Week 13
Classical Animation and Character Design
Group film Project (GFP)
Group refined character design due 3/10%

Concepts, Principles and Theories
Learning Activities
Interactive Lecture
Guided Discussion
Demonstration
In-class Activities
Critiquing

Stop Motion 
Action Analysis with Puppets and Animation Journal
Group 1- In-Class "Action Analysis Assignment 2" (15%)
		Group 2- Animation Journal 

Week 14
Classical Animation and Character Design
Going into production

(AAA)
Final Action Analysis Project Due 30%

Screening of Group Films and Major Action Analysis Projects

Animation Journal Due 5%

Summary and Review

Concepts, Principles and Theories
Learning Activities
Interactive Lecture
Guided Discussion
Demonstration
In-class Activities
Critiquing

Stop Motion 
Action Analysis with Puppets and Animation Journal
		Group 2- In-Class "Action Analysis Assignment 2" (15%)
		Group 1- Animation Journal
		Animation Journal Due
		Conclusion of Course
		Discussion