Prof. Jenna Spevack | Teaching Site

COURSE CALENDAR | WEEK 02 CLASS OUTLINE | Homework

Topics Covered in Class:

1. Principles of Animation Part 1: Timing in Animation (1/2 Hour)
   1. Frames Per Second (fps): The basic unit of time animators and film-makers deal with is determined by the recording and projection rate of the individual film frame or video image.
      1. Film - 24 frames equals 1 second
      2. Video (NTSC) - 30 frames equals 1 second
      3. Video (PAL) - 25 frames equals 1 second
   2. Animation Timing: Unlike live-action filmmakers, which depends on actual recorded time, animators can construct time and determine the speed of action by using animation timing techniques, like Pacing, Phrasing and Timing of an action.
   3. Pacing: Pacing is concerned with series of sequences and how they relate to each other in order to create a coherent whole. The pacing of an animation or film should vary from scene to scene. This allows the animator to create a sense of narrative within the sequences and play with viewer's emotional connection to the story. One scene may move slowly if the mood is sad, another may move quickly if there is physical action.
   4. Phrasing: Phrases refers to the actions of a specific character or environment that within a sequence or scene. As a character goes through changes in action or mood, his/her/its dynamic action may speed up or slow down depending on the narrative calls for.
   5. Timing (of an action): Timing is the period of time it takes for a specific action to take place. It is determined by the sequence of images and their relative position to the preceding and following images. The closer the images are to each other on screen, the slower the action, the greater the distance between images, the faster the speed of action.
   6. Animation timing can vary depending on the style and type of delivery. One animation can have more than one style of timing too.
      1. The Simpsons
      2. Spirted Away
         
2. Zoetrope Animated Gifs (1 hour)
   1. A quick way to see how your zoetrope strips move without the aid of a zoetrope is to scan them and bring them into Adobe Image Ready.
   2. Use guides to section off each frame and the slice tool to slice up your strip. Make sure to create your slices from left to right.
   3. Optimize your slices using the Optimize palette (choose GIF 256 colors)
   4. Choose Save Optimized As and select Images Only.
   5. Import your slice files as frames. Import > Folder as Frames
   6. Each of your slices will become a frame in Image Ready's animation palette.
   7. Save your animated gif: Save Optimized As (images only)
   8. Preview your gif by choosing File Open in Firefox.
3. Experiment #3 - Make a Flipbook (2 hours)
   1. Create a 100 page flipbook, experimenting with timing, specifically "changes in the speed at which actions happen". Use the concepts we learned today about animation timing.
   2. Ideas:
      1. Make an animation of a metamorphosis – changing one object into another over time. Start out slow and increase the speed of change.
      2. Make an animation of abstract shapes moving about the page. Vary the timing to reflect a changing emotional state.
   3. How to Start:
      1. Decide on your concept and plan out your animation. We have 100 pages so that's approximately a 4-second animation. You can make two short animations or one long one.
      2. Determine what kind of action you want to have happen and when. Focus on the spacing of the images. Remember that a greater distance between images will make a faster action and lesser distance between images will give a slower action. You might varying the timing in order to create tension or humor or emotion.
      3. The bottom page of the stack of paper will be your first drawing. Put a #1 in the upper corner. Create your first drawing. Remember to use the lower 2/3 of the page, positioned either vertically or horizontally.
      4. On the top page of the stack create your last drawing and put a #96 in the upper corner. You might draw a few other key drawings (where a major change happens) or you might just see where the first drawing takes you.
      5. Keep an eye on your progress by flipping through the drawings as you go along.

Homework

Please have the following prepared for the next class:

1. Finish your flipbook with ink. Add color if you like.
2. Read pages 3-18 in your book.