Lecture and Workshop Series:

Understanding & exploration of the subtleties of character performances - from LAV to animator experience.
Student will undertake guided performances and performance direction exercises.
Stories as sequential events and actions.

Themes:

Extraordinary performances in moving image – what moves, moves us.
Face values – musculature emotion and micro-expression
Interplay of images and distortions of meaning in sequences.
Character archetypes as conduits of meaning and rationale.
Adaptation – texts, sub-texts, subversion, and translation.
Animation fluid boundaries: Characters, objects, and scenarios.Learners will document responses to taught content and individually selected further studies, building a process portfolio.

The Digital Blog must be populated in a regular and timely fashion, building a chronological account of the investigative processes undertaken.

Formative Assessment.
The Digital Blog will enable opportunities for staff and peer feedback and critique – helping students to refine their own processes of learning and to encourage self-reflective mode of investigation (Outcome 4)
Supervisory meeting will provide opportunities for feedback on a regular 1-2-1 basis.

Weekly Lecture/Workshops (10 x 3 hours)

A blend of practical demonstration, guided interactive explorations, and seminar discussions aimed at building confidence and independence in the critique of, and origination of sequences of animation performance.

Maintenance of a weekly reflective written and visual blog hosted on a digital forum – encouraging cross-level knowledge exchange.

1. Systematically gather information that examines the relationship between animation story and performance, evaluating findings and recognising the limitations of data from practical and theoretical explorations.

Analysis

2. Demonstrate a deep understanding and critical evaluation of methodologies and techniques employed to integrate animation stories and performances, undertaking a range of investigative activities that present a spectrum of findings and illuminate potential in at least key area of focus.

Enquiry

3. Demonstrate an understanding of knowledge of animation story and performance which is at the forefront of an academic discipline or area of professional practice.

Knowledge and Understanding

4. Demonstrate the independent learning ability required to advance your knowledge and understanding, of animation story and performance interplay, developing new levels of skill towards a more autonomous approach to studies.

Learning

Harmony Toonboom / Storyboard Pro
Dragonframe
Maya
Adobe Creative Suite
Adobe Animate
Premiere Pro / After Effects
Henrion Studios – Digital and Practical
Performance Spaces
Motion Capture Stage
Maker spaces & SMART Zone
Specialised workshops
Blackboard VLE
TEAMS VLE
University Thompson Library

Bloom K (2018) The Laban Workbook for Actors – A Practical Training Guide, Bloomsbury

Eckman P (2004) Emotions Revealed: Understanding Faces and Feelings, Orion Books

McCaw D (2011) The Laban Sourcebook, Routledge.

Glebes, F (2008) ‘Directing the Story: Professional Storytelling and Storyboarding Techniques for Live Action and Animation

Hayes D & Webster C (2013) Acting and Performance for Animation, Focal Press

Hooks E (2017) Acting for Animators, Routledge, Fourth Edition

Kundert-Gibbs J (2009) Action - Acting lessons for CG Animators, Wiley Publishing

Merlin B (2007) The Complete Stanislavsky Toolkit, Nick Hern Books, Revised Edition

Newlove J & Dalby J (2003) Laban for All, Nick Hern Books

Schechner, R (2020) Performance Studies: An Introduction, Routledge, Fourth Edition

Van Still, J (2005) ‘Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know’

Wells, P, Moore, S (2016) ‘The Fundamentals of Animation’, London: Bloomsbury