TRADITIONAL ANIMATION II
FILM 2640-001 (4 Credits)
SPRING 2018
Instructor:Steven Pecchia-Bekkum
Office: FMAB 107C
Phone: 801-935-914
E-mail:
Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays
12:00 PM-2:00 PM
Schedule:
This class meets from 3:05-5:00 every Monday and Wednesday in ART 271.
There will be no class on January 15th(Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
There will be no class on January 22nd and January 24th(Sundance Film Festival).
There will be no class on February 19th (President’s Day).
There will be no class on March 19th and March 21st (Spring Break).
Course Objective:
Upon the completion of this course, the student will have a festival-ready,
traditional animated piece for their portfolio. The student will also have the
necessary skills in order to prepare a piece through scriptwriting, storyboarding/animatics, production and post-production.
Course Description:
This course is continuation to the art and science of traditional animation forms. All of the animations produced in this class utilize traditional materials (i.e. cut-outs, cels, paper, sand etc.) Unlike Animation 2630, the student will concentrate on two projects, both approximately 2 ½ minutes long. The first project will be a stop motion animation. The final project will be a narrative-basedanimation also 2 ½ minutes long (or, if students are working in collaboration, 2 ½ minutes per student). There must be at least one moment in which there is a line of dialogue that is in synch.
The first animation produced in this class is to be captured on Bolex 16mm film cameras. This means it will be very difficult to correct timing mistakes in post -production. The final projects will be shot and finished on video. The cost of raw film stock, processing and transferring to video is covered by lab fees.
Film and video production courses are notoriously labor intensive; animation is no exception. Each student is expected take these projects through the pre-production, production and post-production phases. Additionally, there may be group animation project(s) that will be completed during class time.
Please plan on bringing work to be completed during class time.
Course Fee:
Additional fees for this course have been included in your tuition. These course fees cover equipment and maintenance, basic animation supplies (paper, cels etc.), and 16mm film stock and processing.
Possible Supplies:
Field Chart
Animation Board
Animation Bond Paper/Acme Cels
Sharpies, Paintbrushes, Cel-Vinyl Colors
Modeling Clay
Construction Paper
Sand
Specialty animation supplies can be ordered at Cartoon Colour, Inc. ( Locally, art supplies can be purchased at Michaels, Blick Art Materials, Walmart or at the University Bookstore.
Assignments:
PRE-PRODUCTION:
1. Pitch Idea to Class. 5% of grade. Due January 29th.
2. Script. 5% of grade. Due February 7th.
PRODUCTION:
3. Shoot Titles. 10% of grade. Due February 26th.
4. Audio Recording. 5% of grade. Due February 28th.
5. Storyboard w/ rough audio soundtrack. 10% of grade. Due March 5th.
6. In-Camera Stop Motion on 16mm film. 20% of grade. Due March 7th.
7. Raw Footage#1 (25% of the piece animated). 5% of grade. Due March 26th.
8. Raw Footage#2 (25% of the piece animated). 5% of grade. Due April 2nd.
9. Raw Footage#3 (25% of the piece animated). 5% of grade. Due April 9th.
10. Raw Footage#4 (25% of the piece animated). 5% of grade. Due April 16th.
POST-PRODUCTION:
11. Edited Animation. 10% of grade. Due April 23rd.
12. Finished Piece on Video. 10% of grade. Due May 4th by 3:00 PM.
MISC:
13. In-Class Pieces (Participation)/Attendance. 5% of grade. The percentage of possible points for attendance is based on the number of days of actualattendance to the number of days of possible attendance.
The grading, based on the percentages of the assignments above, will be as follows:
A = 91-100% completion
A- = 81-90% completion
B+ = 71-80% completion
B = 61-70% completion
B- = 51-60% completion
C+ = 41-50% completion
C = 36-40% completion
C- = 26-35% completion
D+ = 16-25% completion
D = 11-15% completion
D- = 6-10% completion
E = 0-5% completion
DAILY SCHEDULE:
January 8th:Introduction of class and presentation of pieces completed in previous
semesters.
January 10th:Lecture: preparing for a pitch, Depth of Field, F-Stops, T-Stops, Latitude, Light Meters (Pitch assignment handed out).
January 15th: NO CLASS-MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY
January 17th:Lecture and demonstration: cleaning, loading and operating the Bolex
16mm camera.
January 22nd: NO CLASS-SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
January 24th: NO CLASS- SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
January 29th:In-class presentation of pitches. Discussion involving which elements of
the pitches that are working, and which need improvement.
January31st:Lecture: screenplay format. Screenplay assignment handed out.
February 5th:Lab: in-class group animation project on film. Stop Motion assignment handed out.
February 7th:In-class reading and evaluation of scripts.
February 11th:In-class reading and evaluation of scripts. Examination of animated titles in motion picture films. Titles assignment handed out.
February 13th:Lab: shooting titles in-class on animation stand.
February 19th: NO CLASS-PRESIDENT'S DAY
February 21st:Lab: shooting titles in-class on animation stand. Audio assignment handed out. Using video and audio for synch dialogue reference.
February 26th:Lecture: Watch titles. Animatic/storyboard assignment handed out. Examples from previous semesters are shown.
February 28th:Lab: work, in-class, on animatic/storyboards. Audio assignment due.
March 5th: Animatic/Storyboards presented to, and evaluated by, the class. Lab: shoot 1st 25% of footage in class.
March 7th:Project 16mm Stop Motion Assignments.
March 12th:Lab: work on materials/shoot for 1st 25% of footage in class.
March 14th: Lab: work on materials/shoot for 1st 25% of footage in class.
March 19th: NO CLASS-Spring Break
March 21st: NO CLASS-Spring Break
March 26th:Lab: work on materials/shoot for 2nd 25% of footage in class.
March 28th: Lab: work on materials/shoot for 2nd 25% of footage in class.
April 2nd:Lab: work on materials/shoot for 3rd 25% of footage in class.
April 4th:Lab: work on materials/shoot for 3rd 25% of footage in class.
April 9th:Lab: work on materials/shoot for final 25% of footage in class.
April 11th: Lab: work on materials/shoot for final 25% of footage in class.
April 16th:Lab: work on editing final pieces.
April 18th:Lab: work on editing final pieces.
April 23rd: Watch rough/fine cuts of final projects.
May 4th: Final cut of 2-1/2 animated piece is due by 3:00 PM.
This syllabus is not a binding legal contract and is subject to change. The student will be given a reasonable notice of any modifications.These modifications will be announced in class.
*Some of the films, 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.
All students are expected to maintain professional behavior in the classroom setting, according to the Student Code (Policy 6-400), spelled out in the Student Handbook. Students have specific rights in the classroom as detailed in Article III of the Code. The Code also specifies proscribed conduct (Article XI) that involves cheating on tests, plagiarism, and/or collusion, as well as fraud, theft, etc. Students should read the Code carefully and know they are responsible for the content. According to Faculty Rules and Regulations (Policy 6-316), it is the faculty responsibility to enforce responsible classroom behaviors, beginning with verbal warnings and progressing to dismissal from class and a failing grade. Students have the right to appeal such action to the Student Behavior Committee.