57108 Film Animation

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences: Media Arts and Production
Credit points: 6 cp
Result Type: Grade, no marks

Handbook description

This subject introduces students to all the major styles of traditional film animation and to the study of film animation techniques. Students are introduced to flip books, claymation, drawing on cells, pixilation and collage animation styles through hands-on exercises and detailed study of animation films. Equipment used includes 16 mm non-sync cameras and 16 mm and 35 mm Oxberry Animation Stands.

Subject objectives/outcomes

At the conclusion of this subject students are expected to:

have understanding of different styles of traditional film animation
have developed conceptual and technical skills in at least one style of film animation
have skills in collaborative creative work
be able to research and choose a style appropriate for their own animation concept or story
have basic skills needed to develop a proposal, storyboard or script for a short animation film
be able to critically revise their own work.

Contribution to graduate profile

Students completing this subject will:

have developed understanding of all the traditional animation styles
have had the opportunity to develop their conceptual and technical skills in at least one style of film animation
be able to work collaboratively in groups on a creative project
be able to develop and critically revise their own work
be able to conceptualise, research and script a short animation film
have had the opportunity to develop an animation project to proposal, storyboard and/or script stage.

Teaching and learning strategies

Lectures and seminars will focus on styles and concepts involved in film animation. In class workshops will be used to teach use of relevant equipment and material for the different styles of traditional film animation. Students' work will involve in and out of class exercises, and work on a proposal and storyboard or script for a short film animation project of their own. Students should take this opportunity to develop traditional animation skills by reading recommended texts and by viewing film animation works out of class.

Content

frame by frame animation
claymation
pixilation
sequential drawing, flip books
collage techniques
camera-less animation, hand-painting, scratching
introduction to 16mm and 35mm Oxberry camera
introduction to Bolex and Arri ST Camera
ideas for animations, writing for animation, treatments, storyboarding to production, visual sequencing
editing: visual transitions, metamorphoses, cuts, fades, timing and exaggeration
sound ideas, approaches and issues re making a soundtrack for film animation.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Completion of class exercises

Objectives	a, b, c
Value	20%
Due	Weeks 3–8 (as designated by the lecturer)
Task	Small groups will be formed to work in and out of class on a five to fifteen seconds in length animation in one of the main traditional styles eg claymation, pixellation, 16 and 35mm cell or drawn animation, or collage animation. The exercise will set by the lecturer and all students are required to work to complete the exercise in their group by the due date.
Assessment criteria	Demonstrated understanding of the concepts being studied in class Ability to organise ideas and material efficiently within the allotted time Ability to work collaboratively Ability to use the designated equipment correctly to get the intended effects.

Assessment item 2: Short film animation exercise

Objectives	a, b, c, d, e, f
Value	80%
Due	Week 13
Task	The production of a short animated film or film sequence, 15-60 seconds in length. This will be done in small groups. Students present their work on the initial idea, script, storyboard, animation artwork, filming and editing in class at designated stages during semester.
Assessment criteria	Originality, impact and aesthetic worth of concept Demonstrated understanding of film animation concepts and techniques Demonstrated understanding of relevant equipment Relevant use of research and choice of style Ability to deliver to deadlines Ability to critically review and revise work Demonstrated collaborative ability.

Minimum requirements

Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. Since class discussion and participation in activities form an integral part of this subject, you are expected to attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g., illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.

Attendance is particularly important in this subject because it is based on a collaborative approach which involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas. Students who attend fewer than ten classes are advised that their final work will not be assessed and that they are likely to fail the subject.

Indicative references

A book of readings for the subject will be available.

Books

Books marked with an asterisk will be particularly useful - others are background you may wish to read.

Adamson, Joe, Bugs Bunny: Fifty Years Old and Only One Grey Hare, Henry Holt and Co, 1991

Avery, Tex, King of Cartoons, Da Capo Press, 1975

Bendazzi, Giannalberto, Cartoon: One Hunderd Years of Cinema Animation, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, Indianapolis, 1994

Cervone, Tony Animating the Looney Tunes Way, Foster books, 2000

Cabarga, Leslie, The Fleisher Story, Da Capo Press, 1988

Canemaker, John, Felix: The Twisted Tale of the World's Most Famous Cat, Pantheon, New York, 1991

Canemaker, John The Art and Artists of Disney Storyboards, Hyperion, 1999

Treasure of Disney Animation Art, Artabras, 1982

McKay, Windsor: His Life and Art, Abbeville Press, 1987

Cholodenko, Alan (ed) The Illusion of Life: Essays on Animation, Power Publication, 1991

Crafton, Donald Before Mickey: The Animated Film 1898 - 1928, MIT Press, Cambridge Massachusetts and London, England 1984

Cohl, Emile The origins of the Animated Film, Vols 1 and 2, UMI Dissetation, Yale University, 1977

Cohl, Emile Caricature and Film, Princeton University press, Princeton, New Jersey, 1990

Culhane, Shamus Animation from Script to Screen, 1990

Hahn, Don Animation Magic, Disney presss, 1996

Halas, John, Masters of Animation, BBC Books, London , 1987

Halas, John The Contemporary Animator, Focal Press, London and Boston, 1990

Halas, John Visual Scripting, Hastings House, New York, 1986 and 1988

Hooks, Ed Acting for Animators, Heinemann Drama, 2001

Jones, Chuck, Chuck Amuck, Harper Collins, 1990

Klein, Norman 7 minutes: The Life and Death of the American Animated Cartoon

Kunzle, David, The Early Con-Lic Strip, University of California Press, 1973

Laybourned, Kit The Animation Book Crown Publishers, 1998

Moholy-Nagy, Lazlo Vision in Motion, Paul Theobald and Co, Chicago, 1947

*Muybridge, Eadweard Animals in Motion and The Human Figure in Motion, Dover, 1957 and 1955

Noake, Roger, Animation: A Guide to Animated Film Techniques, Macdonald Orbis, London and Sydney, 1988

Perisic, Zoran The Animation Stand: Rostrum Camera Operations. Focal press, 1976

Russett, R and Starr, C Experimental Animation: Origins of a New Art, (Rev Ed.) Da Capo press, New York 1976 and 1988

Sibley, Brian Chicken Run: Hatching the Movie, Abrams, 2000

Simon, Mark Storyboards: Motion in Art, 2nd edn, Focal Press, 2000

Simon, Marc Producing Independent 2D Character Animation: Making and Selling A Short Film, Focal Press, 2003

Sitney, P. A, Visionary Film: The American Avant Garde, 1043 1978, Oxford University press, New York, 1979

Scott, Jeffrey How to write for Animation, Overlook Press, 2002

Schneider, Steve, That's All Folks, Henry Holt and Co, 1988

Sennett, Ted The Art of Hanna-Barbera: Fifty Yeas of Creativity, Viking Studio, 1989

Solomn, Charles Enchanted Drawings: The History of Animation, Alfred A Knopf, 1989

Spess, Marc Secrets of Clay Animation revealed, MinuteMan Press 2001

White, Tony The Animator's Workbook, Watson Guptill, New York, 1986 and 1988

*Whitaker, H and Halas, J Timing for Animation, Focal Press, 1981

Williams, Richard The Animator's Survival Kit, Faber and Faber, 2001

Selected Animation Films in UTS Library

Animation Pie

Mouris, F Frank Film

Melies, George Trick Films

McKay, Windsor Gertie the Dinosaur (1914)

Fooke, Maggie Pleasure Domes,

Lye, Len Free Radicals

Whitmore, Lee On a Full Moon

Whitmore, Lee Ned Wethered

The Lead Dress

Jones, Chuck Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny

McLaren, Norman Begone Dull Care, Blinkety Blank, Neighbours

Tupicoff, Denins The Darra Dogs

Tupicoff, Dennis His Mother's Voice