Work as a group to assemble all production-related assets into one scene file (named, organized, labeled, scaled) that we can use to begin layout — for both productions.

Individually, each have two still-frame renders (one from each production) up on your screen on Tuesday at the start of class, also bringing a print-out of a short paragraph describing what you have done so far on the projects and also how you specifically helped everyone assemble the scene files.

These are the best times to go by the Face Aging Lab (IISIS), upstairs in the CIS building.

• Monday: 3:30 – late PM
• Wednesday: 10:15 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., 3:30 – 4:45 p.m.
• Friday: 10:15 a.m. – late PM

Knock on the door, and someone should answer. Camp will probably be the one doing your captures. You’ll be instructed to do 8 captures — neutral, anger, fear, contempt, disgust, sad, surprise, and happy. There should be instructions and sample photos to follow. (If not, yet, come back later).

Anoir may have to return to Tunisia, so disregard looking for him to do the captures.

Bring a flash drive to get an .obj file of at least your neutral expression. If they’re not crunched, you can ask for all 8 captures.

Upload one of your captures to Blackboard by the end of next week.

Complete the following:

• Animate a walk or run that communicates a mood such as happy, sad, triumphant, sneaking, etc. See “The Animator’s Survival Kit” or other materials discussed in class for reference.
• Animate a performance clip using video reference.
• Animate a short performance that uses lip-synch and facial expressions performed in time with a short audio clip, perhaps a favorite movie line or such.

You may use a freely available rig, such as those linked in the previous post. There is one less walk/run than previously mentioned to allow for time. Work for polished timing and spacing as well as demonstration of principles of animation. Complete in time to spend at least some thought toward lighting, set, shot composition, and rendering — make something you’d be proud to post on your reel!

Here is a site that you may find useful for finding a fun audio clip. Be creative in whatever you choose and think of something interesting that relates to your audio, perhaps in an unexpected way, for your character to do while talking.

Complete and upload by Thursday, March 8 to present your work in class.

As a reminder, your next two upcoming projects will relate to character animation and character design, modeling, rigging, and animation.

Project 2 will consist of animating several specific clips with a rig that you do not have to make. Details will be posted soon, and the due date will be pushed back just a bit from what is published currently on the schedule.

Project 3 will consist of researching (reference material), designing (model sheet, image planes, and maquette), modeling, shading, rigging, and animating your own character. Details will be posted soon, and the due-date will likely be as posted on the schedule or near that date. However, you may wish to begin early and overlap some on the work for Projects 1 and 2; for instance, complete the research, design, and modeling portion in the next couple weeks while also working on the animation clips.

1. Read Chapters 3 & 5. Get the flour sack rig ready to go.
2. Animate a walk cycle. If you feel comfortable with the basic movement, animate one to communicate a mood. Start with the primary animation movements, then work toward secondary animation, follow-through, etc.
3. Animate a push or a pull.
4. Render 720p H.264 movie files.  (Think quality for your reel!)
5. Upload Maya project folders and movie files.
6. Publish movie files to your website.