Disciplina Animação II

This course is a relevant continuation of the Puppet Animation course 1 (focused on puppet building in the first semester). This course tests again the success and effectiveness of the puppet built in first semester. Animating their puppet, the students become aware of the 3 dimensionality of the character and the physical space which it inhabits and where it moves. They also become aware how the light shapes their 3 dimensional character (360 turn around exercise). This course is specifically relevant to their further learning of 3D computer animation, as the puppet animation course provides the first insights and experience with both shaping and animating a 3 dimensional puppet in physical space. In terms of relevance to the rest of the study cycle, here they learn basics of acting for animators and basic technical skills of character animation, which are relevant for all animation techniques, and will be built on this experience in the coming semesters and other courses.

1. Physicality of the puppet and its limitations. The animation bible.

Assignments: Say hi with your puppet. +Animate stillness and slow movement.

2. Anatomy of the movement. Anticipation. Ease in and ease out. Follow through. Secondary action.

Assignments: kick a box (rig example) + Squat or bend

3. Weight and interaction with an object.

Assignments: push something big and heavy + Throw an imaginary ball.

4. and 5. Interaction with another puppet (cause/consequence) impact, acting and empathy.

Assignment 1: (animating in pairs) slap the other puppet, then receive a slap

Assignment 2: interaction of your choice (with the other puppet) Assignment 3: quick vs subtle interaction

6. Walk cycle.

Assignment: Walk cycle.

7. Say/show/act 1 sentence.

Assignments: “conversation” in a group of 2 or 3. +( stillness and motion revisited) wait in line in front of Multibanco

8. Emotion/empathy (Ed Hooks)

Assignments: Act an emotion on your own + act an emotion in a group scene in pairs of 2 or 3

The methodology is based on both theoretical and practical approaches. The theoretical explanations are derived from 2 important sources, William’s Animator’s Survival Kit, which gives technical explanations about movement and Hooks’ Acting for Animators, which is more about how to get to the soul of the character, and create movement from there, being more of a mental guide of seeing, thinking and then acting and creating movement. Through weekly classes (starting with theory followed by practical tasks) the students learn to create from simple to more complex movements, in smaller groups. Being in groups, they can see each other’s processes’ and eventually can help and learn from each other. However, in their weekly homework exercises, they are animating on their own, with bigger and better focus on their own characters. Evaluation: Grades for the weekly homework 60%; final homework (animating an emotion with a combination of different movements) 30%; Attendance: 10%.50% is a pass.

1. Hooks, E. (2011). Acting for animators. Routledge. SBN10:0415580242 ISBN13:9780415580243

2. Williams, R. (2001). The Animator's Survival Kit: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion and Internet Animators. Faber and Faber. ISBN-10:‎086547897

3. Purves, Berry. (2008). Stop motion: Passion, Process and Performance. Taylor and Francis. ISBN 0240520602, 9780240520605