Course Name (short): Animation & Design 4
School: All Sheridan Schools
Program(s): Bachelor of Animation
Program Coordinator(s): Angela Stukator
Course Leader or Contact: Michel Hannan
Originator: Paulette Geffros
Designate: Paulette Geffros
Version: 2.0
Status: Approved (APPR)

Calendar Description
In this course, through the added dimension of sound, students will add to their knowledge of, and refine the skills needed in, the processes involved in the art of performance using 2D animation.

Typical Instructional Format

Courses may be offered in other formats.

Section I Notes: The instructor is present in the studio. Course Contributors: Michel Hanna, James Caswell, Vivien Ludlow, Dave Quesnelle and Michael Hitchcox

Detailed Description
In this course, through the added dimension of sound, students will add to their knowledge of, and refine the skills needed in, the processes involved in the art of performance using 2D animation. This includes converting audio dialogue into visual performance (lip syncing) through a series of assignments. The course addresses aspects of subtext, motivation and emotion beyond the mechanics to a level of subtle nuance. Interactive lectures and studio work will highlight a variety of character types.

Program Context

 Course Critical Performance & Learning Outcomes

Course Critical Performance
By the end of this course, the student will have demonstrated the
ability to visualize and convey a performance through animated dialogue.

Course Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, the student will have demonstrated the
ability to:

1 Interpret the potential for animated performance in spoken
  communication using comparative analysis of recorded dialogue.

2. Create a strong, animated performance with a chosen dialogue using
   original or selected character design.

3. Animate an original scene for the purposes of entertainment.

4. Analyze the performance potential of a character design.

5. Analyze different elements and personality of a character that are
   inherent in the specific design structure of the character.

6. Explain the distinctive aspects of a strong performance through an
   animation analysis research activity.     

7. Refine a sense of storytelling, through effective composition and
   editing, to create a more effective animated performance.

8. Compare and contrast strong and weak compositions in animated
   performance through the researching of films.

9. Create a performance that reflects believable motion.

10. Enhance the storytelling of an animated performance by integrating 
    various technologies.

11. Manage the elements of time, research, planning and production
    through the development processes of animation.

Students demonstrate their learning in the following ways:

Pre-Production and Development Component     20%
Production Schedule A                        40%
Production Schedule B                        30%       
Post Production Presentation                 10%       
                                Total       100%

N/A

Instructors:  Michel Hannan, Mark Mayerson, Michael Hitchcox

Week 1 
LECTURE: 
 Introduction to the second semester: This session will cover what
will be required with reference to the course description and outline.
Introduce the semester project and show previous student work so that
students start the semester with a full understanding of the depth and
scope of the project and its possible hurdles
 Screen the Final animation from the fall semester.

 The assignment: Animate three different characters with lip sync
  Character types 
   Bird type
   Animal type
   Human
   Other
   Sound 
   Record your own dialogue or get sound clips
   Dope sheet dialogue break down

Each student will develop a short scene for three lip sync characters
to be animated and give a moving performance. The process begins with
a short concept board idea that will feature a 2-5 word line for each
character. Once the idea has been approved, recording and the
breakdown of timing for the dialogue will begin. With the timing
figured out, the student will go on to design the characters poses
and performance around the dialogue. Once this initial step has been
approved, the student will be ready for the rough animation process,
which is followed by clean up with approval for digital colouring in
the post production phase of the semester project. At the end of the
semester, each student will screen his/her project.

LAB: 
Due: Concept idea story boards and rough character design. 

Assign: Research for the semester project, and listen to sound bites
from sources that can be used for the project.
______________________________________________________________________
Week 2 
LECTURE: 
 Discuss sound, story and performance
 Recording voice talent
 Mixing, levels and locking the sound
 Lip sync break down 

LAB: 
Due: Review of sound bites for the semester projects for the approval
of the professor.

Assign: Students start to design characters and research performance
from the sound clips. Start timing of the dialogue using an exposure
sheet with the chosen dialogue broken down with timing for this lip
sync semester project. Finalize thumbnails or poses hitting the rough
breakdown of the dialogue timing.
_____________________________________________________________________
Week 3 
LECTURE: 
 History of sync sound
 Screen: Disney Steamboat Willy clips of other lip sync 
 Character design development
 Dialogue performance.
LAB: 
Due: Concept for semester project.
Timing sheets for the lip sync 
Character designs for all three characters

Assign: The first of the three characters to start the process of
animation. Each student will show an exposure sheet with chosen
dialogue broken down with timing, and a character design with
expressions. The thumbnail sketches of the first character should be
poses hitting the timing as expressed on rough breakdown of the
dialogue. Performance poses and gestures should express emotion
inherent in dialogue.
______________________________________________________________________
Week 4 
LECTURE: 
 Character Design 
 Creating a original character 
 Expression through character
 Research and development of character
 Character motivations

LAB: 
Due: One of the characters with all of the rough animation done. 

Assign: Once students have developed a strong performance and
believable emotions with the dialogue, they will start the lip sync
working with the facial construction component of the project.
______________________________________________________________________ 
Week 5
LECTURE: 
 Posing and Gesture 
 Blocking Performance through thumbnail sketches 
 Timing & Exposure sheets
 Screen: Animated films with strong silhouettes 

LAB: 
Due: Important performance poses and gestures for all three characters
to be thumb-nailed out to hit the rough breakdown of the timing. Turn
in rough first pass of animation of the first character with the
facial dialogue

Assign: Students start to work towards the lip sync of the major
syllables for the first character; then begin the rough animation of
the second character.
______________________________________________________________________
Week 6  
LECTURE: 
 Rough Animation
 Different methods to achieve strong performance
 Production line of animation
 Screen: The production process at different studios vs. independent
  animation 

LAB: 
Due: The first character finished with clean line quality and lip sync
suggesting believable performance. A first pass of the second
character in key frames and strong poses

Assign: Students start the second characters line of dialogue for the
next step of the animation project and also rough animation for the
third character with key frames and poses.
______________________________________________________________________
Week 7  
LECTURE:
 Rough In-betweening
 Methods of in-between animation
 Balance key frame (pose to pose) and straight-ahead animation
 Following the natural path of the dialogue and performance

LAB: 
Due: Rough animation of lip sync of the second character and also key
frames and poses for the third characters 
______________________________________________________________________
Week 8 - Mid Term Assessment
LECTURE: 
 Clean Up
 Keys and extreme poses
 Style and methods
		
LAB: Mid term assessment of production for all students. All rough and
in-between animation completed and ready to screen for class
presentation. Copies to a CD version to be handed in for assessment

Assign: Start the clean up version of the animation
______________________________________________________________________
Week 9 
LECTURE: 
 Balance of colour
 Design elements of colour 
 Style and use of colour

LAB:  
Due: Start of the clean up on the semester project. Progress is
assessed, and suggestions made.  

Assign: A coloured version sample for the final look.
______________________________________________________________________
Week 10 
LECTURE: 
 Post production process
 Scanning, digital colour
 Digital organization

LAB: 
Due: Students display their customized digital colour methods and
select a section for review
______________________________________________________________________
Week 11 
LECTURE: 
 TBA guest speakers

LAB: 
Post production and finalizing the short scene
______________________________________________________________________
Week 12 
LECTURE: 
 TBA guest speakers

LAB: 
Post production and finalizing the short scene
______________________________________________________________________
Week 13 
LECTURE: 
 TBA guest speakers

LAB: 
Students prepare the whole project as one final animation scene
______________________________________________________________________
Week 14 
LECTURE: 
 Final presentation of all the animated scenes 
 
LAB: Presentation with critique for each section