From Pencil to Mouse: the 21St Century Animation House
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From Pencil to Mouse: the 21st Century Animation House Author Baker, Kelvin Published 2008 Thesis Type Thesis (Professional Doctorate) School Queensland College of Art DOI https://doi.org/10.25904/1912/169 Copyright Statement The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise. Downloaded from http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366780 Griffith Research Online https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au FROM PENCIL TO MOUSE: THE 21ST CENTURY ANIMATION HOUSE KELVIN BAKER Griffith University Queensland College of Art and The Centre for Learning Research Submitted as part fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Visual Arts June 2007 From Pencil To Mouse: The 21st Century Animation House From Pencil To Mouse: The 21st Century Animation House Statement of Originality This work has not previously been submitted for a degree or diploma in any University. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the thesis itself. Kelvin Baker 2007 i From Pencil To Mouse: The 21st Century Animation House ii From Pencil To Mouse: The 21st Century Animation House Abstract The fast pace of change within the animation, computer game and post production industries has presented a problem for Vocational Education and Training (VET) programme developers who are finding it increasingly difficult to stay relevant and up- to-date with the latest employability skill-sets in this industry sector. A comprehensive study of the Australian digital media industry - including the latest systems, software, technologies and production pipelines - is not readily available, making it difficult for Training Package developers to create up-to-date, flexible, meaningful and transferable qualifications. In response to this problem, this research was undertaken to identify the needs and realities of work required for the production of digital content within the Australasian digital media and post-production industry sectors. Employability skill-sets and attributes have been recognized and categorized through a skills audit (quantitative data) of position descriptions and role statements advertised over a six year period. Progressive levels of skill, knowledge, problem solving and attitude have been applied to the researcher’s own studio production through an Action Research process. This report documents the research and reports on findings identified through industry position descriptors making recommendations to support the integration of the new digital animation skills through a framework of progressive qualifications. Acknowledgements Keith Bradbury Dr Glenda Nalder Professor John Stevenson Andrew Goode iii From Pencil To Mouse: The 21st Century Animation House iv From Pencil To Mouse: The 21st Century Animation House LIST OF CONTENTS 1.0 RESEARCH CONTEXT 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 The research question 1 1.3 Framing the Research Question: Background to the study and its significance 1 1.4 Definition of Key Terms 2 1.5 Acronyms 2 1.6 Tables and Figures 3 1.7 Significance of the Research 3 1.8 Brief Statement of Research Design/Aims 5 1.9 Phases of the Study 6 1.10 Limitations of the Study 7 1.11 Ethical considerations 7 1.12 Structure of the Study 8 2.0 CONTEXT OF THE PROBLEM 11 2.1 Introduction 11 2.2 The place of Digital (Information) Content in the wider (ICT) sector 11 2.3 The need for training programs to service industry 13 2.4 Employability skills, generic skills and knowledge 17 2.5 Skill Gaps 20 2.6 The growth of computer generated animation 21 2.7 Issues of automated animation processes 23 2.8 Traditional principles in the digital arena 23 2.9 Summary 26 3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 27 3.1 Introduction 27 3.2 Design 27 3.3 Vocationally Oriented Heuristic Research (VOHR) 30 3.4 Summary of the ten phases of the study 31 3.5 Tasks and Software Used 33 3.6 Recording and documentation procedures 34 v From Pencil To Mouse: The 21st Century Animation House 3.7 Goals of Action Research and Validity Criteria 35 3.8 Summary of this research in relation to Validity Criteria 37 3.9 Conclusion 38 4.0 DATA COLLECTION PROCESS AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT 39 4.1 Introduction 39 4.2 Overall Timeline and Explanation of Data Collection Activities and Contexts 40 4.3 Research Production Model 43 4.4 The ten phases of the study 45 4.4.1 Phase-1 45 4.4.1.1 Traditional Animation Principles 47 4.4.1.2 Transitions in 2D/3D Animation Production Processes 47 4.4.1.3 The importance of underlying mechanics in Animation Production 48 4.4.1.4 Current Issues in Animation Education and Training Research 48 4.4.1.5 Issues warranting further research 49 Addressing new learning needs for 3DCG production processes 50 4.4.1.7 Knowledge Transfer 52 4.4.1.8 Conclusions 53 4.4.2 Phase 2 - 1st Practical Project – Client Project for CD-ROM 53 4.4.3 Phase 3 - Reflect and refine direction from client communication 55 4.4.4 Phase 4 - Define employability skill-sets 57 4.4.5 Phase 5 - 2nd Practical Project 59 4.4.6 Phase 6 - Data Analysis, identify need to classify generic/domain specific skills 61 4.4.8 Phase 8 - 3rd Practical Project - Short Narrative 62 4.4.8.1 Bully and The Beast – Concept Development 63 4.4.9 Phase-9 – Final Data Analysis and Training model design 65 4.4.10 Phase-10 – Outcomes and Final Report 67 4.5 Summary 67 5.0 DATA ANALYSIS RESULTS AND GENERAL DISCUSSION 69 5.1 Introduction 69 5.2 Formative issues 69 5.3 The local context: industry convergence 69 vi From Pencil To Mouse: The 21st Century Animation House 5.4 Analysis of data from Studio Project–1: 72 5.4.1Foundation Level Skills, Knowledge, and Attributes 72 5.4.2 Adaptations to Traditional Animation Principles for Foundational Level 3DCG production 75 5.4.3 Knowledge Transfer – 2D to 3DCG 78 5.5 Analysis of Data from Studio Project–2: 12 Days of an Aussie Xmas 81 5.5.1 Intermediate Level animation principles identified in Project 2 82 5.5.2 - Lyrics and Model requirements 84 5.5.3 Intermediate-level Project Management 86 5.5.4 Analysis of Maya Script Files – software commands utilised 87 5.6 Initial findings - Character Animator – Employability Skills and Attributes 90 5.7 The Young Vocational Student 94 5.8 Qualifications and skill-sets 97 5.8.1 Proposed Vocational Diploma Screen - Digital Animation 98 5.9 Analysis of Data from Studio Project–3: Bully and The Beast 101 5.10 Australian Digital Media Industry job postings 2001-2006 103 5.10.1 Work Patterns 104 5.10.2 Classification of Job Role descriptors 107 5.11 Summary of the characteristics that define each area of study 114 5.12 Summary 120 6.0 SUMMARY OF OUTCOMES, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 123 6.1 Introduction 123 6.2 Research Aims and Objectives and Related Findings 124 6.3 Studio production: 134 6.4 Conclusion and recommendations: 136 6.5 Recommendations 142 6.6 Future Research 143 7.0 REFERENCES 145 vii From Pencil To Mouse: The 21st Century Animation House TABLE/FIGURES (in order) Figure 01: Convergence of Telecommunications, IT & Information Content (OECD1997:8) 12 Figure 02: Vocationally Oriented Heuristic Research Cycle 30 Table 01: Overview of steps taken in Vocationally Oriented Heuristic Research (VOHR). 30 Figure 03: Summary of the ten phases of the study 31 Figure 04: Ten phases of the study mapped to the cyclic nature of VOHR. 32 Table 02: Tasks/Software used in research, project creation and management. 33 Table 03: Anderson and Herr’s Goals of Action Research and Validity Criteria 36 Table 04: PAR & VOHR Validity Criteria 36 Table 05: Overall Timeline for Research and Studio Production 40 Table 06: The traditional three-step production process (applied to 3d animation) 43 Table 07: The four step Production Workflow (applied to 3d animation) 44 Table 08: Initial categories selected for examination 46 Table 09: Production Schedule 54 Table 10: Occupational Indicators selected from Animator and Project Manager job-role descriptors 55 Table 11: Production Schedule 12 Days of an Aussie Xmas 60 Table 12: Occupational Indicators selected from Animator and Project Manager job-role descriptors 61 Table 13: Production Schedule for Bully and The Beast 63 Table 14: Occupational Indicators selected from Animator job-role descriptors 63 Table 15: Character Profiles for Bully and The Beast 65 Table 16: Occupational Indicator classification system 66 Table 17: Number of Companies offering Animation by Category – Qld 2003 70 Table 18: Production Sectors and Categories of animation 71 Table 19: Foundation Level Occupational Indicators 72 Table 20: Client/practitioner interaction summary 74 Table 21: Export settings of animated segments for CD-ROM 75 Figure 05: Concept Map – Traditional Animation Principles 77 Table 22: Frequency Count of Traditional Animation Principles 78 Table 23: Discriminating, stable and multivariate indices 79 Table 24: Intermediate level occupational indicators 82 Table 25: 12 days of Xmas rendering and compositing checklist 85 Table 26: Template for Project Management tracking and documentation 86 Figure 06: Concept Map – Maya Script files 88 Table 27: Frequency Counts – Maya Script files 89 Table 28: Character Animator Occupational Indicators 2001-2003 Australia 90 viii From Pencil To Mouse: The 21st Century Animation House Table 29: General guidelines for ‘The Demo Reel’ 92 Figure 07: Persons enrolled in a course of study leading to an arts qualification 95 Figure 08: Concept Map – Generation_Y 96 Figure 09: Persons in study leading to and not leading to a qualification 97 Table 30: Structure for Team Projects