TRADITIONAL I- 6630 FALL 2017 Mondays & Wednesdays 12:55-2:50 P.M./Art 271

Instructor: Steven Pecchia-Bekkum Office Phone: 801-935-9143 E-mail: [email protected] Office Hours: M-W 3:00-5:00 PM

Class Schedule: The class will meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:55-2:50 P.M. There will be no class on September 4th (Labor Day), October 9th and October 11th (Fall Break).

Required Text: The Animation Book: New Digital Edition by Kit Laybourne (New York: Three Rivers Press, 1998).

Course Objective: This course is an introduction to the art and science of forms. Although computers are used to capture and display the animated sequences, all of the produced in this class utilize traditional materials (i.e. cut-outs, cels, paper, sand, clay etc.). Prior experience in film or video production is helpful, but not required.

Film and video production courses are notoriously labor intensive; animation is even more intensive than other film and video courses. Each student is expected to work on several small projects (10-30 seconds each) outside of class covering various animation techniques. Additionally, there will be several small in-class assignments.

Required Supplies: Animation Board Animation Bond Paper Pencils Acme Cels Sharpies Cel Permanent Markers, Paintbrushes, Cel-Vinyl Colors Modeling Clay

Optional Supplies: Sand Construction Paper Field Chart

Specialty animation supplies can be ordered at Cartoon Colour, Inc. (www.cartooncolour.com) Locally, art supplies can be purchased at Michael’s, Blick's, Reuel’s, or at the University Bookstore.

Assignments:

1. Cut-out animation assignment. 10% of grade, Due September 13th.

2. Rear lighting animation assignment. 10% of grade. Due September 27th.

3. Line animation assignment. 10% of grade. Due October 18th.

4. Pencil test assignment. 10% of grade. Due November 1st.

5. Cel animation assignment. 10% of grade. Due November 18th.

6. assignment. 10% of grade. Due November 29th.

7. Claymation assignment. 10% of grade. Due December 6th.

8. In-class assignments. 10% of grade.

9. Final test. 10% of grade. Tuesday, December 12th, 1:00 – 3:00 P.M.

10. Attendance. 10t% of grade.

Weekly Schedule:

Aug. 21st & 23rd: Introduction of course objectives and assignments. Discuss the similarities and differences between film and video. Introduce ones and twos.

Reading: Laybourne, Chapters 1 and 2.

Aug. 28th & 30th: Persistence of vision, the phi phenomenon, lens length and aperture, the animation stand and BTV software.

Cut-out assignment is introduced.

Sept. 4th: NO CLASS-LABOR DAY.

Sept. 6th: Continue discussing Cut-Outs. Strobing and walk cycles.

In-class assignment#1: flip books.

Reading: Laybourne, Chapter 5. Sept. 11th & 13th: Watch and critique cut-out animations.

Cut-Out assignment is due.

Rear Lighting Assignment is introduced.

In-class assignment#2: cameraless animation.

Reading: Laybourne, Chapter 3.

Sept. 18th & 20th: Watch and critique flip books, cameraless animations and cut-outs.

Reading: Laybourne, Chapter 7.

Sept. 25th & 27th: Storyboarding, key frames, extremes, breakdown positions, morphing, and X-sheets. Watch and critique rear lighting animations.

Rear Lighting Assignment is due.

Line Animation Assignment is introduced.

In-class assignment#3: morphing.

Reading: Laybourne, Chapter 18.

Oct. 2nd & 4th : , watch and critique morph assignment and line animations.

In-class assignment#4: rotoscoping on cels.

Reading: Laybourne, Chapter 13.

Oct. 9th & 11th: NO CLASS-FALL BREAK.

Oct. 16th & 18th: Pencil tests, continue working on rotoscoping. Watch and critique line animations.

Line Animation Assignment is due.

Pencil Test Assignment is introduced.

Reading: Laybourne, Chapter 14.

Oct. 23rd & 25th: Watch and critique line animations. Drawing and painting on cels.

Reading: Laybourne, Chapter 9.

Oct. 30th & Nov. 1st : Watch and critique pencil tests and rotoscoping assignments. Cel animation continued.

Pencil Test Assignment is due.

Cel Animation Assignment is introduced.

No reading assignment.

Nov. 6th & 8th: Stop motion and time lapse.

Reading: Laybourne, Chapter 12.

Nov. 13th & 15th : Watch and critique cel animations.

Cel animation assignment is due.

Claymation assignment is introduced.

In-class assignment#5 & 6: stop motion (in-class and groups).

No reading assignment.

Nov. 20th & 22nd: Introduction of basement claymation facility.

Stop motion assignment is introduced.

In-class assignment#7: building armatures.

No reading assignment.

Nov. 27th & 29th: Continue working on armatures.

Stop Motion Assignment is due.

No reading assignment.

Dec. 4th & 6th: Claymation assignment is due. Watch and critique claymations.

No reading assignment. Watch and critique any remaining projects. Review for the test.

Dec. 12th: Final Test. 1:00-3:00 P.M. Watch and critique any remaining projects.

This syllabus is subject to change. Changes will be announced in class.

*Some of the , presentations, or lectures in this course may include material that conflicts with the core beliefs of some students. Since many of the films seen this semester will be new to the audience and the instructor, there will be no practical way to predict which films (and which discussions following the films) might conflict with the individual values of each student. This is a workshop course involving the production of art and the feedback given to each student producer is essentially the text for this course and the reason most, if not all, of the student producers are taking the course. Discussions may include topics that may make some uncomfortable.

Consider carefully the nature of this course before committing to taking it. Bear in mind that your fellow students and the instructor have no way to make an informed decision about which films or comments might be a problem for you.

**The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD). CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. All written information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services.