Updates and Deadlines

Grades for the Stingers are posted.

Have a good break!

Course Information

Stephan Larson

email:  stlarson@nmu.edu 
phone: x1488 (227-1488)
Office: 84 ART
Office hours are via Zoom, unless prior arrangements are made -- Office Hours

Syllabus/FAQ
Semester Schedule
EduCat (server info)
Lab Hours

Stuff to Look At

Additional references, project materials, and generally interesting stuff.

The Illusion of Life - 12 principles of animation
We are sumUX - just solid animation fundamentals
Editors - Barricades - perpetual motion machines, playful ("toy") style
A Brief History of Coffee - use of texture in a "flat" style
Three Colours Fail - line-art character animation
Robin Davey, character design and animation
Character animation walkthrough in AE (3+ hr; first 40 are the walk cycle; uses Rubberhose plugin - similar IK to DUIK/Limber)
Parallel Dimensions (walk interpretations for idea inspiration)
Avocado Man
Medical Writers Explainer (for breakdown)
Travel in Time show ident
Raised by Wolves show opener
Escargore
Gloam - compositing character
Ways of Seeing
5 Reasons why your 3D renders look fake
The Night Manager
IBM "CDS Launch"
Robot & The Robots - Animade
Pop Paper City - alternate bendy limbs
Match Cuts with AE
The Box Family
Bees
John Wick title sequence, Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 - filmograph
The Blink - why animate an eye blink?
Mattrunks tutorials (AE + C4D)
Hand Drawn Text Treatment in AE (works on AE imagery also)
Disney // Holiday Loops - Giant Ant
A Five Minutes Guide to Better Typography
Active Core
Ma’agalim - Jane Bordeaux
CGI | The IT Universe
ESC
Lessons in Chemistry

Semester Schedule

Note: Dates are subject to change.

I. Rigging and Setup
Aug 29 - Welcome back. Class stuff. Let's animate!
Aug 31 - 3D animation refresher. Physical vs Theatrical timing. Assign Project 1.
Sep 5 - Rigging with Xpresso and IK.
Sep 7 - Redshift.
Sep 12 - Project 1 v1 due.
Sep 14 - Project 1 v2 due. Rigging in AE. Assign Project 2.
Sep 19 - Project 2 layouts due.
Sep 21 - Pinning + character rigging.
Sep 26 - Project 2 v1 due.
Sep 28 - Project 2 v2 due. The walk cycle. Assign Project 3.

II. Setting and Staging
Oct 3 - PSD image prep.
Oct 5 - Project 3 v1 due.
Oct 10 - Project 3 v2 due. Assign Project 4.
Oct 12 - Project 4 sources due. Compositing.
Oct 17 - Tracking.
Oct 19 - AD Scramble - no class
Oct 24 - Project 4 due. Assign Project 5.
Oct 26 - Postproduction for compositing.
Oct 31 - Project 5 v1 due. Signifiers.
Nov 2 - Bendy rigging.
Nov 7 - Project 5 v2 due. Assign Project 6.

III. Talk to me - Audience Communication
Nov 9 - Project 6 storyboards due. Using the cut.
Nov 14 - IAR. No class. Optional class.
Nov 16 - Project check-in. DOF in post vs rendered. JSX.
Nov 23/25 - Fall break. No class.
Nov 28 - (open) Speed production.
Nov 30 - (open) Problem solving and production.
Dec 5 - Project 7 v1 due.
Dec 7 - Problem solving and in-process review.
Dec 11 (10:00-11:50am) - Project 7 v2 due.