Assignment Submissions: General Observations

Research

The aim of your industry research is to demonstrate your own awareness of how the techniques and technologies available to stop Motion animators have changed over time. 

Discussing this development in your own words allows your to demonstrate your ability to talk about animation using technical terms (eg frame, frame rate, illusion of movement, sequence, green-screen,  lip sync, phoneme, puppet, armature, claymation, paper-cut, CGI,) your awareness of how Stop Motion has been used commercially in the past, and the arguments for using it to produce creative work today.

If you were to pitch your idea to a record label for funding today, you would need to show the though behind your decision to use this technique - this gives you an opportunity to practice doing this.

Though you must present these ideas in your own words, using screen grabs, links to clips on youtube and quotes will help to give your ideas more weight and interest.


Sequence Ideas

Your presentation of your sequence ideas should make it clear what you intended to animate and how you intend to use specific techniques to do this. Using screen grabs and/or links to your own experiments or other peoples animations can help make this clear and interesting.

Stop Motion Assignment Guide

Below is a link to a PDF guide for this assignment. It takes you through the work step by step with lots of links and examples to help you.

Assignment Guide PDF

Lesson Objective: Be able to generate ideas for stop motion animation in response to a piece of music.

For session 1 Today your tasks are:
Decide on the track which you will be working to AND introduce it on a "sound track" slide.
Brain storm sequence ideas in relation to this track. Note them down on a "Sequence Ideas" slide.

Questions

Q - When was the first documented stop moon made and who by?

Q -Name two early pioneers of stop motion animation bonus points ..

Q - Which decades are often described as the ‘golden era’ of stop motion and why?

Q -Why did stop motion production drop off sharply in the 90’s? - rise of computing and CGI

Q - Which technologies have since led to a resurgence in the creation of stop motion animation? 

Q - In your opinion what are the creative +/- of Stop Motion vs CGI? - just looking for considered argument...

Industry Context: Development of the Stop Motion Animation Industry

Pass 1 Describe the techniques and development of stop motion animation with some appropriate use of subject terminology

Merit 1 Explain the techniques and development of stop motion animation with reference to detailed illustrative examples and with generally correct use of subject terminology.

Distinction 1 Comprehensively explain the techniques and development of stop motion animation with elucidated examples and consistently using subject terminology correctly.



For the first assessed part of this unit you will need to come up with treatment for your own collection of animated clips. As part of this you are required (by the examiners) to demonstrate your knowledge of the way in which the Stop Motion industry has developed. The assessment criteria for this element of your project work are above.

.......................................................................................

This session will help you collect the information that you need.

Objective: Be able to discuss the development of the Stop Motion Animation Industry using relevant examples.

Task 1: Working in teams, research the 6 stop motion topics below.

Task 2: Take part in group quiz on these topics - make notes/recordings of any extra information that you feel would be useful.

Task 3: Complete your own write up on the “Development of the Stop Motion Industry” using the Quiz questions to help you. Use links to Stop Motion sequences to illustrate key points.
(To be completed by next session as homework if necessary)

Stop motion topics to research in ahead of the quiz:

• How & when stop motion began.
• Early (pre 1950’s) Pioneers of stop motion.
• Stop Motions ‘Golden era”.
• Rise of CGI.
• Resurgence of stop motion.
• Creative arguments for stop motion vs CGI.

Handy research links:

Stop Motion Magazine : History in a nutshell

The Evolution of Stop Motion Animation

Stop Motion Animation : A History

Animaniac Article on CGI vs Stop Motion

Case Study: Kubo Stop Motion & CGI Combined

Stop Motion Animation Session 3: Lip Sync

Learning Objective for this session:
LO1: Work collaboratively to produce a Lip Sync animation.

In Animation 'Lip Sync' is the process of fitting character mouth movements to pre-recorded dialogue. 

One of the founding fathers of modern animation, Disney animator Preston Blair developed a system of ‘phoneme’ mouth shapes which could be used to create the appearance of speech.

Today we will be using a simplified version of the 'Preston Blair' system based on the shapes used by Nick Park (Aardman).

Task 1:

Work together to create a set of plasticine mouth shapes using the reference sheet provided.

Advice: As you make the shapes, place them on a sheet of paper, and write the corresponding phonemes below, take a reference photo when complete.

Task 2: 

Use the Step by Step guide below to create your own short lip sync animation.

Task 3:

Upload the project file & exported movie to your G-drive - share the movie with me (jane.maxwell@wac.co.uk). 

Link to Step By Step Guide:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1X0heIFeDhYJdSB9ToBXEfZi2WmiqP_vO

Unit 33 Stop Motion Animation Production Session 1: Tech Intro

Animation [Definition] Creating the illusion of life and movement.

Your challenge this term is to create a bank of stop motion clips suitable for performance (using Serato video) against a piece of music (preferably your own).

This session you will start by getting to know the Stop Motion Studio Pro app as you experiment with ways to bring movement to your own characters.

Session Objective:
Be able to use the Stop Motion Studio Pro app to create character movement.

Task 1:
Working in a small group / pair experiment with use of the Stop Motion Studio Pro app to create at least three different types of character movement.
(Tip: depending on the stability of your character model you may prefer to use the model standing - for more freedom / lying down for more stability)

Task 2: 
Sign into your G-drive and upload your sequences as project files AND finished clips.


Stop Motion Music Clip Examples...

"Butter Ya'Self" Directed by Julian Petschek

Read more:http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/butter-yaself-video_n_5482526

"Don't Get Captured" Directed by Chris Hopewell

Read more: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/see-run-the-jewels-claymation-dont-get-captured-video-w491130

"Fell In Love With A Girl" Directed by Michel Gondry

Read more: http://www.mtv.com/news/1457127/vma-lens-recap-the-story-behind-white-stripes-fell-in-love/

"Ready, Able" Directed by Alison Schulnik"

Read more: http://www.laweekly.com/music/exclusive-interview-with-la-artist-allison-schulnik-about-her-new-claymation-video-for-grizzly-bear-2412209

Unit 33: Stop Motion Animation

For the next unit we will be exploring stop motion animation techniques.

As you explore these techniques you will put together a bank of your own animated clips.

At the end of the project you will use these clips as assets to play out alongside a piece of your own music using the Serato Video set up.

Research Starter Task:

Build your awareness of stop motion by creating a research page of examples which you find interesting. To make these relevant to your project your should especially look out for:

• Stop motion music videos
• Claymation special effects
• Stop motion characters animations

Stop motion examples on the Digi Arts Blog
https://wacdigiarts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/unit-33-stop-motion-animation.html

Evaluating your final Graphic Narrative work

To complete your Graphic Narrative Unit and gain a Pass/Merit/Distinction overall your need to evaluate your final piece. Below is the evaluation assessment criteria for Merit:

M3 "Explain own graphic narrative work with reference to detailed illustrative examples* and with generally correct use of subject terminology**"

*This means that within your evaluation you need to offer reasons for the creative choices that you've made e.g character design, storyline, graphic style etc; and back up these reasons with ether examples of other published comic book etc AND/OR feedback from your audience.  

**As you write you also need to use appropriate media terms where you can ( Eg Protagonist/Antagonist, Supporting Characters, Storyline, Narrative Structure (linear,non-linear, open/closed etc) Foreground/Background, Longshot/Mid Shot/ Close up. Target Audience etc).

Evaluation Step by Step Guide:

1) When you have finished your layout export it as a PDF file - you will be able to share this with your target audience.

2) Use google 'forms' to create an audience feedback questionnaire. This is an easy way to collect data which you can use to support points in your evaluation.

3) When making your questionnaire think carefully what you want to find out (e.g do people understand certain aspects of the story?, Do certain aspects of the visual style create the atmosphere that you wanted? etc)  and chose the answer type from the drop down menu.

4) Remember to insert a copy of your final layout at the top of your questionnaire so that the audience can look at it first!

5) Send it out to at least 5 relevant people.

5) Use screen grabs/quotes from your feedback / examples from your initial research to help you discuss the +/- of your final piece.

Below are Questions to help you structure your evaluation:

• What genre of Graphic Narrative narrative did you set out to produce and who was the target audience? 
• To what extent do you feel you managed to meet the conventions of this genre eg achieve a look and feel similar to other published examples?
• To what extent did you audience understand the genre that you were aiming for?
• What were the biggest creative challenges that you found during the production process and how did you overcome them?
• Which aspects of the character design / graphic styling did you receive positive feedback on?
• Did you make any adjustments to your original plan as you worked in order to improve the characters or storyline?
• What would you do differently in terms of styling of technique in future?

Assignment 1 Completion: Putting together a well designed Creative Treatment.

[Adam, Amir, Dior, Chris, Riel, Nathan, Zee]

Session objective: Be able to present ideas for an Original Graphic Narrative as a carefully designed pitch document.

Final hand in hand in is this Wednesday.

Industry example of pages from a Creative Pitch for document for a game. 

All pages are designed to reflect the visual style of game while also presenting the creative content.

Below is a quick reminder of the brief:

Produce a clear and CAREFULLY STYLED* presentation (powerpoint etc) describing your idea for a Graphic Narrative. This should include:

• A front cover page with the tile of your Graphic Narrative, Unit name/number and your name.
• Story outline
• Character Designs & descriptions 
• Examples of background imagery / settings for story.
• Market research into other comparable Graphic Narrative products aimed at a similar audience. This should include comparison of how your product aims to mirror/contrast existing products. AND links to the research sources which you have used.
• Details of resources needed for production (e.g. construction materials, equipment etc).

* CAREFULLY STYLED.  A Creative Treatment is presentation used in industry to pitch for funding. Your presentation should make use of background imagery, colours, fonts etc to present your Graphic Narrative idea in an exciting way. Overall the presentation should have visual style that suits your theme and audience.

Assignment 2 Completion: Making a customised layout in ' Comic Life'

[Akram, Brandon, Daniel, Dante, Courtney, Oscar, Titus]

Session Objective: Be able to create a Comic Book layout customised to fit the style of your imagery using the "Comic Life' app.

This session your mission is to use 'Comic Life' to create a layout for your graphic narrative.
The Comic Life app offers some basic templates which you can customise to create something original styled to fit your theme and imagery.

Below are before and after examples. The app allows you to customise colours, fonts, callouts etc. Colours can be sampled from your imagery to create a more professional looking outcome.


Original Template


Customised Version

WHAT TO DO:

1) Collect together your imagery in a folder on your G-drive.  Even if you have a couple of images left to take begin work on layout so that you can be sure of what you still need.

2) To give your images a more graphic feel you can download them to an Ipad and use the 'Vinci' app to stylise your imagery using a suitable filter. Images will be saved to 'photos' on the Ipad - you can then save them back to your G-drive.

3) Working on a Laptop - download your images from the G-drive to your desktop (filtered version if relevant)

4) Open the Comic Life app and choose a suitable template to start with. I used the 'superhero' template as my starting point for the version above.

5) Drag and drop your images into the boxes. You can cut, paste and re-size boxes as needed to create your basic story layout. Customise the basic template to create an original design. Click on header lettering once to change the font, double click to re-shape or distort (red dots will appear which you can then drag to re-shape).

6) SAVE YOUR TEMPLATE REGULARLY AS YOU WORK ON IT!! Back up your layout by saving the comic life file to your G-drive at the end of the session.  When it's finished export your layout as a PDF and save this to your G-drive as well.