Module 3: Animation

What We’ll Learn

History and theory of animation

We will learn some of the history of the moving image and animation and some of the key animation principles.

Creating animations

We will use Adobe AfterEffects to create an animation to describe an emotion. Along the way we will go over the basics of the animation process and learn to use the basics of AfterEffects.

Classes

  1. 10/11: Intro, Moving Image, Animation and AfterEffects
  2. 10/13: Using AfterEffects
  3. 10/18: Animation Workshop 1
  4. 10/20: Animation Workshop 2
  5. 10/25: Animation Workshop 3
  6. 10/27: Animation Workshop 4
  7. 11/1 Animation Workshop 5

project and quiz

  1. 11/8: Animation Project Due (date was changed)
  2. 11/17: Animation Quiz (in class)

Setup and Materials

software: After Effects

You will need to download and install Adobe Creative Suite on your computer. You should already have this from using Photoshop and Illustrator. Install After Effects. If you don’t have room on your computer, you may need to uninstall Photoshop.

hardware

You will need a computer that can run Adobe After Effects software. AE will run if you have 8GB or ram but better if you have 16GB.

Please let Prof Stein know if your computer can’t run After Effects or you don’t have a way to take pictures.

Module Media Project

Animated words and emotions

Create an animation in After Effects that uses abstract shapes, colors, and text to describe an emotion. You will start by creating a storyboard to plan your sequence – use this template. Make a composition in After Effects that is 10 seconds long, with the HDTV 1080 29,97 preset. Your composition should include solids, text, and shape layers. Animate some of these properties: opacity, position, scale and rotation. After you have completed and saved your project, add it to the Render Queue and render it out to Quicktime (.mov).

Requirements

  • Storyboard
  • 3 layer types. You can use more.
    • Shapes
    • Solids
    • Text
  • Animates at least three of these properties
    • position
    • scale
    • rotation
    • opacity
  • 10 seconds long (can be longer)
  • Original After Effects file
  • Rendered .mov file
  • Uses Abstract shapes, colors and text to describe an emotion

Here are two examples:

DUE DATE

Tuesday, November 8 (date was changed! from 11/1)

Turning it in

You will submit the following 4 files to Blackboard:

  1. Storyboard (you can scan or take a photo of it if you hand drew it)
  2. The After Effects file (.aep)
  3. The rendered video file (.mov)
  4. A short statement. Use this template.

Grading rubric

The grading rubric takes into account the files used, format, the copyright of the content and the quality of the project. View the full Grading Rubric.

Digital Images Posts

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