1. DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION OF KEY ASPECTS OF CHARACTER-BASED PERFORMANCE WITHIN A SET OF ANIMATION PROCESSES IN SUPPORT OF YOUR CHOSEN PATHWAY.
2 - LEARNING

2. USE APPROPRIATE RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATION AS A RESPONSE TO YOUR PATHWAY SPECIFIC OUTCOME. RECOGNISE AND UTILISE A VARIETY OF TIMING AND PERFORMANCE RELATED METHODS IN THE CREATION OF A SET OF BELIEVABLE MOVEMENT STUDIES AND ANIMATED SEQUENCES.
3 - ENQUIRY

3. EVALUATE AND RESOLVE CREATIVE AND TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS RELATED TO A RANGE OF CREATIVE PROBLEMS, ARRIVING AT APPROPRIATE RESOLUTIONS TO ACHIEVE THE MODULE GOAL.
5 – PROBLEM SOLVING

4. USE AND APPLY ANIMATION TIMING TO CREATE A SET OF BELIEVABLE MOVEMENT IN A RANGE OF ANIMATED PROJECTS.
7 - APPLICATION

Students will be expected to attend all module sessions in order to benefit from the delivery and understanding of new material, gain understanding of module expectations / tasks and to engage in weekly peer-to-peer and tutor feedback.

Work-in-progress will be reviewed weekly for FORMATIVE* discussion and feedback.

Character Animation: 1 is an online portfolio submission of completed technical & creative exercises, animated sequences and motion studies that clearly demonstrate a strong understanding and application of basic character performance principles.
Portfolios will be supported by clear documentation of work-in progress and development of ideas, including storyboard pre-production planning and evidence of use and analysis of LAV reference.
[Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3,4]

All students will be expected to submit Portfolios for assessment via the professional video-sharing platform Vimeo (www.vimeo.com)

Supporting work will be submitted via a professional, appropriately formatted and organised on-line BLOG.
Please see module handbook for further details. It is expected that you will understand digital formats for submission of digital work.

On submission of your completed Character Animation Portfolio: 1 for final assessment (week 33) you will receive SUMMATIVE** feedback.

*Formative feedback is a method used to help us monitor student learning and progression. It is often informal and can be delivered by Tutors or peer-to-peer, in a number of forms.
Formative discussion is used as a method to give ongoing feedback throughout the course that you can use to improve your learning and understanding of the module content as well as help identify strengths and weaknesses or areas that might need greater focus.

**Summative feedback is usually given at the end of the module and is used to evaluate your overall learning and understanding compared to the module learning outcomes and our course benchmarks. Summative feedback is usually written but can be given in a number of forms.

Building upon the fundamental skills, knowledge and understanding acquired in ‘Principles Portfolio’ this module is an introduction to character animation and performance.

The focus of the module will be on Pantomime, Mime, non-verbal and silent forms of character performance, where you will gain further understanding of human movement and reaction that will develop onto basic lip-sync performance.
We will look at how characters communicate with their whole bodies, not just their mouths. We don’t just speak with our mouths; we speak with our eyes, faces, hands... the whole body.
You will focus on the mechanics of creating a range of character-based animated sequences exploring the importance of whole-body performance.

Timing is the key factor in creating believable movement in all forms of animation production.
As such this module will explore timing, movement, emotion and character performance and its application in 2D, 3D and Stop motion animation methods.

Students will understand the key factors of pace and holds in order to punctuate animation to arrive at a plausible set of filmed outcomes.
Fundamental concepts of key-framing, breakdowns and in-betweening will be described in a series of core lectures underpinning the development of skills learned in semester 1.

You will gain understanding of the importance and use of the LAV – Live Action Video reference.

Lectures will impart analysis of animated sequences within the context of each of the pipelines explored and how a range of contemporary directors have chosen particular methods of timing, movement and character animation and performance. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of character acting from observation of performance in mime and theatre.

Lectures will support shared principles that apply to all pathways.
Technical instruction will then be split into your pathway specific groupings where pathways are supported by weekly lectures in which pathway specific software tuition and contextual support is delivered to support the module requirements.

Pathway components will:
2D Digital pathway: software – TOON BOOM
Demonstrate control and effective use of pre-existing digital Cut-out and rigged puppets and traditionally drawn animation in a series of animated sequences that imbue the character with believable personality, weight, gesture and use of performance principles.
Evidenced by documented supporting work and examples of pose-to-pose animation demonstrating the use of keys, breakdowns, and in-betweens etc.

3D Digital pathway: software – MAYA
Demonstrate control and effective use of pre-existing digital rigged puppets (Maya) in a series of animated sequences that imbue the character with believable personality, weight, gesture and use of performance principles.
Evidenced by documented supporting work and examples of pose-to-pose animation demonstrating the use of keys, breakdowns etc.

Stop Motion pathway: software - DRAGON FRAME
Demonstrate control and effective use of pre-existing armatures and articulated puppets in a series of animated sequences that imbue the character with believable personality, weight, gesture and use of performance principles.
Evidenced by documented supporting work and examples of straight-ahead animation in a range of stop motion animation sequences, breakdowns etc.

Character Portfolio: 1 intends to prepare you with pre-requisite skills that will enable you to develop character-based animated performance to an intermediate level and further.

This module content is designed to progress in parallel with below course modules where content and wider-learning opportunities are highlighted and Dove-Tailed:
PRINCIPLES PORTFOLIO
ANATOMY OF ANIMATION: 1

A series of supporting Technical Instruction sessions (T.I.’s) will also be available to all students to further promote individual learning, knowledge and understanding of Technical software.

Studio learning takes place in timetabled sessions with academic staff who introduce key contextual and practice-based lectures focused on the development of:
- Animation through the application of timing, movement and acting principles
- Concepts and principles in order to create believable character-based performance in animation
- The critical appreciation of timing in a range of animation productions
- An understanding of Audience

Lectures will deliver core concepts, theory and practical tools necessary to build a repertoire of animation productions skills as a foundation for further development in your Second and Third years of study.
Independent study will form the majority of time spent "answering the brief" through evidence of research visual analysis, preparatory drawings, studio work and application of methods and processes necessary for completion of assignments.

Pathway specific Technical instruction sessions will be assigned to assist software applications and craft-based learning.

Formative assessment points support your studio practice through evaluation and will take place at critical points of the semester to review working progress.
Summative assessment takes place at the end of the module where the work will be presented for final assessment.

Final Assessment should include all components of the module submitted via Vimeo or BLOG.

Throughout the module you will be required to demonstrate your understanding and application of the core concepts required to develop a range of animated sequences that you will require throughout the award and your future career.

Traditional and digital tools will be available to use throughout the module and students should explore a range of techniques appropriate to the given task.

Your work will be supported by online resources from a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) providing resources for study. As the majority of completed work is submitted digitally this is an integral part of learning on the course.

Students will also have access to a range of video tutorials from online learning resource providers.

Group critique and discussion will support your Drawing studio practice through weekly formative evaluation and will take place throughout the module as well as at critical points of the semester to review your working progress. Students are expected to engage in this process as part of the module feedback cycle.
Summative assessment takes place at the end of the module where digital / online portfolios will be presented for final assessment.

Where required, booking of equipment and facilities may be necessary by the student.

ON-LINE READING LISTS WILL BE UPDATED ANNUALLY.
THIS IS AN INDICATION OF REFERENCE TEXTS REQUIRED FOR 2019-20 ONLY.

BANCROFT, T (2006) ‘Creating Characters with Personality: For Film, TV, Animation, Video Games & Graphic Novels’, US Watson-Guptil Publications

HAYES, D & WEBSTER C (2013) ‘Acting & Performance for Animation’, Focal Press

HOOKS, E (2011) ‘Acting for Animators’, Routledge

KELLY, D (1997) ‘Artist's Complete Guide to Facial Expressions’, US: Watson-Guptill Publications

PATMORE, C (2003) ‘The Complete Animation Course’, Thames & Hudson

ROBERTS, S (2004) ‘Character Animation in 3D’, Focal Press

WHITAKER, H, HALAS, J (2002) ‘Timing for Animation’, Focal Press

WITHROW, S (2009) ‘Secrets of Digital Animation: A Master Class in Innovative Tools & Techniques’, RotoVision

Links:
www.vimeo.com
www.11secondclub.com

Animation Studio facilities.
2D line testers and light-boxes.
A3 scanners.
Digital Animation Suite – Toon Boom Harmony. Storyboard Pro. Autodesk Maya. Adobe Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects.
Seminar / Lecture room with projector.

Stop Motion Animation studios – Dragon Frame. Canon SLR digital cameras. Lighting.
VLE: Blackboard / Digital Tutors / Lynda.com / other supporting Online resources
Vimeo.com – to be used for display and submission of completed work.
Stop Motion Armature(s) / Articulated puppet(s) / Mouth Shape library
Pre-recorded Audio Track(s)


University Library resources: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/uniservices/infoservices/library/
Reference books / DVD collection / Journals and periodicals (physical & online)

Building upon the fundamental skills, knowledge and understanding acquired in ‘Principles Portfolio’ this module is an introduction to character animation and performance. The focus of the module will be on Pantomime, Mime, non-verbal and silent forms of character performance, where you will gain further understanding of human movement and reaction that will develop onto basic lip-sync performance. We will look at how characters communicate with their whole bodies, not just their mouths. We don’t just speak with our mouths; we speak with our eyes, faces, hands... the whole body! You will focus on the mechanics of creating a range of character-based animated sequences exploring the importance of whole-body performance.