5A: Rotoscope Animation Critique

Create a minimum of a 20 second rotoscoped animation on twos. (12 or 15 fps). Your source material may come from one source. Edit your source material to 20 seconds BEFORE you begin to rotoscope.

*FOR THE PARANOID: Minimum means you should target 20. There is no penalty for going over. You will not necessarily get a higher grade for a longer movie. Mo' is not necessarily bettah.

A resolution of 720 x 480 is preferred for display purposes if you have desire for personal glory.

Source material that is less than this size can be transformed (expanded) prior to rotoscoping.

Grading criteria:
There should follow a narrative arc: meaning a perceivable increasing complexity over time and then resolution.

It is not sufficient to throw a bunch of filters at this and call it done. The original footage should be reinterpreted and clearly have your own take on it.

Your rotoscope should be beyond an animated version of the source material. Change the meaning, recontextualize it, take advantage of the fact that it is an animation and laws of physics, gravity and reality no longer have any bearing on the work.

Examples of things which may follow this arc:

• protagonist - antagonist conflict storyline
• themed movement
• rhythm
• pace
• flocking
• color
• line shape
• spatial relationship

5B: Cycles, Character animation and the requisite walk cycle

Cycles and loops are efficient and the staple of all early animation, Scooby Doo, and (oh yes) game animation.

Introduction to tweened animation using Flash.

Character Animation and Movement

Examples:

• A variety of looped movement cycle examples
• Walking Dots
• A beautiful step by step tutorial on how to do a walk cycle
  
• A visual overview of a walk cycle

Character Animation

• The Importance of Timing
• The Language of Motion (arcs, curves, etc.)
• Suggesting Weight
• Movement Cycles (walk, run, swing, etc.)
• Facial Animation & Expression
• Gender & Race
• Energy Level and Attitudinal Suggestion
• Limited Environments of Recreation (MMOs, Real-Time, etc.)

REFERENCE: Walking Dots: A study in motion with varying interactive attibutes (gender, weight, mood)

Video: http://www.squetch.com/tism.html

Exercise: Worm Movement Cycle

Create a worm movement cycle.
contrast this with a snake movement cycle.

Walk Cycle is Assigned