Goals for next week!

Monday:  Continue working on your films!  Hit the deadlines you have set for yourself.  I will grade you based on your progress!

For your internship/job research:  Make a list of everything each job/internship asks for.  Make note of the commonalities of each, and come to class with your research, and a list of things you need to apply to the jobs and careers you want!  Make notes of deadlines as well!

Ultimately, I will ask you to apply to at least 3.  If you have ones you want to apply to ASAP, begin work on them! If you have questions about resumes, demo reels, portfolios, and the like, we will begin crafting them soon.  We will begin to talk about acquiring that which you do not currently have next week.

Wednesday:  Read chapters 7, 8, and 9 of Your Career in Animation.  


As of this point, you are expected to stay vigilant about producing your films! I will be expecting you to hit your deadlines for Monday! Next week, we will begin talking about compositing your individual parts together, to see how the entire film is coming along.  Continue working hard, and continue working together! Email me if you have any questions!

Homework for Monday and Wednesday:

FOR MONDAY, MARCH 24th:

A. Watch The Making Of: Little Witch Academia, and Little Witch Academia. On Monday, in the last 25 minutes of class, we will discuss this film as part of our talk on the collaborative process of animation, and the technique and thought that goes into great layouts.

• link to documentary:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-5Bs9IfCp4
• link to the actual film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdHsmzdNbT0
• Another copy of this documentary is available for you to watch on the server.
• Make sure you know the following!
• Studio name for production:  As the credits are in japanese, here is a list of some of the crew at this link: 
• Names for creators, directors, and lead animators.
• Names for the positions in the film that are most important for you.

B.  For those who did not have their book:  Verify with me that you have purchased a personal copy of Your Career in Animation, How to Survive and Thrive.  Points are taken off for not having it today.  More points will be lost by next class.  You will have a higher grade by emailing me proof of your copy of the book BEFORE sunday. This does not include any copy of the book that may be in the library.  From now on, you should bring that book, Directing the Story, and The Animator's Survival Kit to EVERY CLASS. An artist is only good as one's tools.

C.  Turn in these items to me:

1. Your final schedules and list of jobs for completing this film. They need to be THOROUGH! I need to know not only what you will do each week, but what goals you have for each class day.  I will hold you to these schedules and grade you on your ability to hit your own goals, checkpoints, milestones, and deadlines.
2. Your 50 Sketches for your film.  The 50 sketches are to be made from different elements of the film. Some must be done digitally (Photoshop, or Toon Boom will do), and the others must be done traditionally (in your sketchbook, on paper, etc.) Make a copy of your traditionally drawn sketches. While you work Monday, I will grade them all. I am looking for accuracy that lies beneath the surface of your sketches, like:
• Are your sketches on model?
• Is there a progression in drawing quality as you drew more of them?
• Are you drawing the characters with different poses, facial expressions, etc. in mind?  Are you trying to capture their personalities on the paper?
• Are you doing any backgrounds?
• Are you drawing any of the most important props?
• Are you sketching turnarounds, and important details of the characters?
• Are you acting with your drawings and trying to capture your characters "in the moment?"
• Are you drawing for accuracy, or are you drawing just to complete this assignment? I can tell which.
3. Email me at mshaw@mca.edu with a progress update for your group, and a personal evaluation of how you think things are going in your group so far. This is purely confidential, and I will not share these with anyone but you.
4. On Monday, have one person from your group, other than Creative Producer, meet with me about the status of the crew as a whole. They will turn in item 1 for you. I will meet with them no more than 5-10 minutes to field questions and the like.

Inform me about your current progress of line-art, and animation. I need to see some solid work from each crew, also for a grade.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FOR WEDNESDAY MARCH 26th:

A.  Read the introduction, and pages 1-97 of Your Career in Animation.  

B. Do research, and bring to me a catalog of at least 10 places you are interested in applying to for potential internships.  Research who they are, and make a list. The division is the following:

1. 3 Big Ones outside of the city. (High-profile, "glass ceiling" places you have always wanted to intern for.)
2. 3 Local Ones Here.
3. (I said 5 in class, meant 4.) 4 Others that you are interested in applying to, from anywhere, that you can get something rewarding out of.
4. (Mandatory for DM 335 students and seniors, extra credit for everyone else)  Also bring in 4 additional potential jobs you would want to apply for.

You need to have with you, not only the job's name, but the job's duties, requirements, and what you need to do to apply. You need to know all of this.  As a word of advice, get yourself a folder or binder, and print out each of these to bring to class.

The goal of this is for you to start thinking about your future and career outside of this institution. Figure out what's best for you, and how you personally define success.

Homework For Wednesday:

Reminder: Have a copy of Directing the Studio by Wednesday. If you are having trouble due to Amazon being temporarily out, Phil has provided his source for an online copy here.

"Barnes and Noble has a Nook ebook version of this on their website that you can read instantly online or on an e-reader that can view epub format.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/your-career-in-animation-david-b-levy/1112159421?ean=9781581158397"
1. Make schedules for your team! Final schedules are due Monday, but I need preliminary schedules by Wednesday.  I will also need a list of jobs, and who is doing what for your films.

2. Make your basic dropbox accounts if you have not already created them!  The free option will suffice for this class.   http://www.dropbox.com/pricing

3. Watch The Making Of: Little Witch Academia. We will discuss this film in class as part of our talk of industry knowledge on Wednesday.

• link to documentary:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-5Bs9IfCp4
• link to the actual film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdHsmzdNbT0
• Another copy of this documentary is available for you to watch on the server.
• Make sure you know the following!
• Studio name for production:  As the credits are in japanese, here is a list of some of the crew at this link: 
• Names for creators, directors, and lead animators.
• Names for the positions in the film that are most important for you.

4. Review the technical side of producing layout drawings at this link, have questions for me on Wednesday.

•  TECHNICAL INFO:  LAYOUT IN TOONBOOM (maximizing your storyboards, and bringing them from storyboard pro to animate pro)  https://www.toonboom.com/resources/tips-and-tricks/layout-and-posing
• Additional resources are in the post below this one. These are the resources, in addition to our books, that will help you become better animators this semester!

5. In the contract, I asked you to produce 50 Sketches of the characters of your film. I will need those sketches by NEXT MONDAY.

6. Begin work in class @4:20!  What I will begin to ask for everyone is to start coming to class at least by 4:15.  That way, you have time to get acclimated, and we can start work much earlier.  By the time 4:25 hits, everyone needs to be working on our films!

7*. Take a look at what IMDb Pro is used for. It may be a good purchase for yourself in the future. http://www.imdb.com/pressroom/about/

Resources for Part 2 of Class: (Copied from Contract)

a.     Layout: (the first and most important thing you will do when you begin animating):

                                               i.      Analog Notes for Layout and Design

1.   Brad Bird’s Notes on Compositon and Layout for Animaton
 http://www.animationmeat.com/pdf/televisionanimation/brad_bird_on_comps.pdf

2.   Hannah Barbera’s HOLY GRAIL of notes on layout production, given to all of their animation artists.

3.    http://www.animationmeat.com/pdf/televisionanimation/HB_LayoutNotes.pdf

4.     TECHNICAL INFO:  LAYOUT IN TOONBOOM (maximizing your storyboards, and bringing them from storyboard pro to animate pro)  https://www.toonboom.com/resources/tips-and-tricks/layout-and-posing

                                              ii.     Techincal: Learning Toon Boom:  https://www.toonboom.com/resources/video-tutorials/toon-boom-animate-pro

Check out the following link above for a HUGE list of tutorials for Toon Boom. Anything you would want to know about Toon Boom is divided by category here.  Browse these and watch as many as possible. (1-5 are reviews of what we already know. If you feel comfortable with these, start at 6.) The most important ones are 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 12.

1.     Getting Started With Animate and Animate Pro (for a refresher on drawing skills, and menus)

2.     Drawing Basics

3.     More Drawing Tools

4.     Adding Colors

5.     Gathering  Content

6.    Library (for saving assets)

7.    Scene Setup (possibly nice for motion paths)

8.     Animation Paths

9.    Sound

10. True 3D Space

11. Effects.

12. Exporting and Compositing Animation Files(To take your separate scenes and bring them together easily.)

13. All about timing. (most of this you are familiar with, but this helps with the toonboom side of it.)

a.     Download Toonboom’s Personal Learning Edition at this Link

                                               i.     Download it at home and use it in your spare time to practice your animation skills.

1.   You have the link to the 50 animation exercises to master. Click Here. You can not transfer PLE files to the real software. Whether you use the school’s software (preferred) or this practice software at home,  you will get extra credit until the end of the semester for every exercise you do successfully.

a.     An A = 5 points. B = 4, C = 3, D = 2, and F = 0.  A plus(+) adds .4, and a minus(-) subtracts .4. For every lvl 1 exercise you do, you will get an extra .2 points . Every level 2, .4, and every level 3, .6. You choose which project to add your points, except for the final.

                                              ii.     CURRENTLY, TOONBOOM ANIMATE PRO IS ON SALE FOR 699.  IT’S EXPENSIVE, YES… but it is a good idea to save up to buy it for your career, especially if you know you want to do more 2D Computer Animation, and perhaps get into rigging and more puppet animation one day.

2.     Have Your Career in Animation: How to Survive and Thrive purchased and in your hand by March 19^th. We will have career seminars so to ensure your upward mobility in our company. Contact mshaw@mca.edu to confirm receiving this letter.

Suprises for You! Check your email!

Happy Spring Break! =D

You may have noticed that I didn't update Friday.  Is it possible that it was to give you time to spread out before posting details of your assignment? Am I replicating the time delay for an actual studio?  Oh snap! Maximum swerve!!!

Check your MCA email address.  Your mission is a low maintenance, yet challenging task that you can complete anywhere (as long as you have a method of contact and some access to a computer.) It looks like a lot, but part of it is more long-term. Read and you will understand.  It is preparation for communicating with studios and partnerships from all over the world and beginning to think and come together as a team. There are secrets in there that are important for you.

MAKE SURE YOU MAKE A LIST OF EVERYTHING YOU NEED THAT YOU DON'T HAVE YET.

Read your respective emails, and bring to me what you need by your first day back to class. For those of you who listened last Wednesday, and remember what I said your project was, it has not changed. Details are in the email.

As a note: Here is the link for the personal learning edition of Toon Boom Animate Pro.  Everything else is in your email. Seriously. Read it.  Seriously. You won't be disappointed.

https://store.toonboom.com/downloads/try/275

Note: DO NOT STRESS OVER THIS ASSIGNMENT.  Enjoy your Spring Break, because you need it! But DO complete this.  We will be in Studio-Mode once you get back, and there will be a zero-tolerance policy with finishing missions later that their "Time of Arrival (ToA)".

Regardless of your grade, everyone has the potential to pull an A in this class. The special little something in your email is the beginning of it all.  You'll see.  On your first day back, you will start animation production.  We are jumping right in.  Email me if you have any questions! =)

Team Breakdown: (will need studio names in two weeks)

Alpha Team Un
Zach Lyles
Bethany
William
Mary Beth

Beta Team Deux
David
Sean
Roxanne
Ishmaa'iyl

Gamma Team Troix
Amanda
Melanie
Christa
Pachone
Phil (who also serves as Executive Sound Director for all three projects.)


As an added bonus, I know i've provided a lot of American Resources this semester. I just found a Making of for a Kickstarter Anime, produced by Studio Trigger. One of the most important people to remember from said studio is Hiroyuki Imaishi, who is responsible for clips from Evangelion, the Lupin Movies, FLCL, Gurren Lagann (Director), Panty and Stocking, Little Witch Academia, and most recently, Kill La Kill.  Google search them if you're interested. All of them are considered staples of the best animation the east has to offer... the most frenetic at least.

Here is the Making-of for Little Witch Academia.  Watch at your leisure.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-5Bs9IfCp4

Notes for Storytelling:

Things to look for in storytelling:

Storytelling: 

Conceptual:  Is this a good story? An interesting story? Does it do something new?

Technical:  Quality of Boards:  Clarity of Boards:  (Goes into Layout Design) Animatic Timing, if showcased?

Drafting: 

Conceptual: Do the environment and character designs lend themselves well to the story at hand?

Technical:  Quality of Character Designs, Environment Designs, etc.

Pitching:

Conceptual:  Level of Confidence and believability.  (Does the pitcher know the story front and back?) Are you encouraged to watch this story?  Do we begin to care about the characters?

Technical:  Clarity in communicating the message?

Make notes about what they do well, and what needs to be improved!

Notes For Wednesday!

No due dates have changed as of this message.  My current idea for our pitches is this:

• Everyone comes to class at 4:20.  We will begin pitching at 4:25.
• EVERYONE will pitch, and we will go one after the other: Allotted time: 1 hour, 30 minutes. You will be stopped at the 10 minute mark.
• We will take our designated break, but the time we should be complete with all pitches will be around 6:10.
• We will spend the last 45 minutes tallying votes, giving feedback about the first half of the semester, and preparing for the second half.
• I will give you your homework assignment before class is over.

Have your blogs fully updated with all of your assignments, turn in your storyboard pdfs to the server folder with your name.  Complete all revisions to turn into me too.

 I've placed a folder on the server with the name "Midterms_StoryMaterials" in purple. You can look in the example_MichaelShaw folder for how I want you to arrange everything you have worked on in class so far.

I will also be looking for your printed storyboards! Email me if you have any questions!

Classes Cancelled Monday, Studios and Mac Labs Still Open for Use.

Well snap.

The weather can be an unpredictable entity, huh?

As far as now is concerned, anything due on Monday will now be due Wednesday.  Anything due Wednesday is still due Wednesday

Read: EVERYTHING IS DUE ON WEDNESDAY.

The order of people to pitch will not change, and we will start with #1 when we come to class.  Arrive on time, as we will start immediately.  There will be Zero opportunities for turning in late assignments.

Stay tuned to your emails and this blog for a resolution about everyone that would have pitched on Wednesday, and what we will do to make sure everyone gets their chance to showcase his or her work. We will still make sure groups and films are decided by the end of the week.

In the meantime, enjoy your day off!  Email me if you have any questions!

Recap: Due Monday!

As a note, ALL WORK IS DUE ON MONDAY FOR ALL STUDENTS. NO EXCEPTIONS, NO CHANCES TO TURN THINGS IN LATE.

1. Have your film storyboarded with your animatic!  (Anyone who turns in their animatic on monday, along with your personal work will receive extra credit! Standard due date for ANIMATIC ONLY is Wednesday.
• The best thing you can do is showcase a timed animatic with your story, so we can get a feeling of the story's flow.  You can show this in addition to walking through your storyboards and characters step by step.
2. Have all production materials complete with color! These include:
• Character Designs (with turnarounds)
• Environment Designs
• Additional art you have created to better flesh out the story.
3. Have your pitch 100% ready! We will start at 4:20, no exceptions.
• Properly package your materials in a folder on a flash drive, or on the server so you can pitch clearly and best showcase your story for green-lighting.
• ADVICE:  Practice your pitch! Remember I am allocating 10 minutes for each pitch.  You probably want to complete your pitch in 7 minutes, so you have 3 minutes of flexible time. (You always take longer than you realize in the actual pitch)
4. CREATE THESE MATERIALS
• DUE MONDAY:
• Print 14 copies of your script.
• Print 2 copies of your storyboards with the format, (3-Panel Horizontal)
• Export storyboards to PDF in the following formats.
• 3 Panel Horizontal
• Overview
• Full-Page
• DUE WEDNESDAY:
• Create a design document for drawing your characters! I.E. a "how to draw guide."  This must be turned in by everyone on wednesday, and those who have approved stories will give it to their teammates for review.

You all have the potential to be great artists and storytellers. Everyone has a skill to lend to the animation process. GIVE IT YOUR ALL THIS WEEKEND!  This is your first foray into a professional career setting for animated short production!  I look forward to seeing what we bring to class.  Have a great weekend! =D