Friday, July 13, 2012

Audacity

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

MA 2241 (Beginner) SYLLABUS

http://ma4405.blogspot.com/2011/04/syllabus.html

MA 2241 (Beginner) Project Delivery Standards


MA 2241 (Beginner) PROJECT DELIVERY STANDARDS:

Folder Structure:

For this class, you will keep one (1) folder in the class folder on my faculty drive.

Your folder should be named:

Firstname_Lastname

Work that is not placed in the correct (your) folder ...
...WILL NOT BE GRADED!


Submission checklist:

ALL Projects MUST include the following to be reviewed in class AND 
considered for grading:
  • HD 720 resolution .H264 movie file, named as follows:
    • lastname_project_iteration
    • example: 
      • "lemon_commercial_Animatic.mp4"
      • "lemon_commercial_1stPass.mp4"
      • "lemon_commercial_Final.mp4"
  • Fade in/out to black at beginning and end of animation
  • Fade sound in/out at beginning and end of animation

Animatics

Animatics must include the above requirements, in addition to the following:
  • Clean, easily readable drawings or placeholder assets
  • All MAJOR MOVING visual elements MUST be separate assets with ROUGH animation in place. 
  • Color AND visual style roughly indicative of final product.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Rendering in AfterFX

1. Save your project.

2. Make sure the composition you want to render is currently active, and that the resolution is set to 1280 x 720.

3. Go to Edit>Preferences>Output and click the "Show Depreciated Formats in Output Module Settings" box.

4. From the menu, choose Composition --> Add to Render Queue.

5. In the Render Queue, do the following:

  • Next to Output Module, click on Lossless, and set the following options:
  • Format: H.264
  • Click Audio Output if you have audio in your piece
  • Next to Output to, click Not yet specified and choose the location and file name for your movie
6. Click the Render button on the right side of the queue.

Cool image and sound resources

Bibliodyssey

Vecteezy

All Silhouettes

Texture resources

http://www.freesound.org/


http://freemusicarchive.org/

http://freeplaymusic.com/

http://archive.org/

MA 4405 (Intermediate) Syllabus link

http://ma4405.blogspot.com/2012/07/ma4405-intermediate-motion-graphics.html

Me!

My art blog:

http://greglemon.tumblr.com/

My (re-design in process) website:

http://greglemon.com/

MA 4405 - Week 1 Agenda


  • Intros
  • Syllabus
  • Sample work
  • Project 1 discussion
  • After FX overview
    • project management
      • directory structure, exporting projects from AE
      • nested compositions
    • basic animation
    • effects
      • blur
      • color correction
      • generate (shapes, stroke, scribble, etc)
      • noise + grain
      • distort
    • text tool
    • masking
    • particles
    • basic 3D
    • import audio
    • rendering
  • Transparency and compound effects
    • fire demo
  • Power of greyscale

Chiaroscuro and the Golden Mean

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiaroscuro

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_section

Art Direction tips

http://noisydecentgraphics.typepad.com/design/2006/09/art_direction_w.html

http://www.mercerbell.com.au/news/33-things-i-know-about-art-direction

http://drawstanley.blogspot.com/2006/02/rules-of-art-direction.html




MA 4405 (Intermediate) - Project Delivery Standards

MA 4405 (Intermediate) PROJECT DELIVERY STANDARDS:

For this class, you will drop files into my class dropbox folder. Details and the submission link are in the following link:

http://ma4405.blogspot.com/2014/01/project-submission.html


Submission checklist:

ALL Projects MUST include the following to be reviewed in class AND considered for grading:
  • HD 720 resolution .H264 movie file, named as follows:
    • MG_lastname_firstname_project_iteration
    • example: 
      • "MG_lemon_greg_project1_Animatic.mp4"
      • "MG_baker_john_project2_1stPass.mp4"
  • Fade in/out to black at beginning and end of animation
  • Fade sound in/out at beginning and end of animation
  • Title Slate (see below) prefacing animation 
  • Each project MUST incorporate at least 2 out of 3 of the following techniques:
    • 3D animation/lighting/camera movement
    • 2D or 3D Particle Systems
    • 2D animation (character, shape, stroke, mask)
Title Slate

Your movie files should fade in from black at the beginning and end of your animation. At the beginning of your animation, you MUST fade into a READABLE title card against a black background before you show your project. 

The title card should be on screen for 5 seconds against a BLACK BACKGROUND. The title slate should contain the following information:
  • Your name 
  • Class name and number ("MA4405 Intermediate Motion Graphics")
  • Project description ("Website ID: Kotaku")
  • Iteration ("Animatic, First Pass, Final Pass")
  • Date ("MM/DD/YY")
A timeline of your video playback should look like this:
  1. Fade in from black to TITLE SLATE against black.
  2. Hold title slate for 5 (five) seconds
  3. Fade from TITLE slate to BLACK
  4. 1-second fade-in from BLACK to ANIMATION, also fade in SOUND.
  5. 1-second fade out to BLACK from ANIMATION, also fade out SOUND.

Animatics

Animatics must include the above requirements, in addition to the following:
  • Clean, easily readable drawings or placeholder assets
  • All MAJOR MOVING visual elements MUST be separate assets with 1ST PASS ANIMATION in place. 
  • All moving background elements MUST have rough ANIMATION in place. 
  • 3D Animation/Camera movements MUST BE VISUALIZED in the ANIMATIC.
  • Color AND visual style roughly indicative of final product.

MA4405 Intermediate Motion Graphics Syllabus


ma 4405 Syllabus

The Art Institute of California—San Francisco
Course Syllabus

Course number: MA4405
Course Title: Intermediate Motion Graphics

Class Meetings: Thursdays, 6pm - 10pm, Room 612
Session/Year: Summer 2012
Instructor Name: Greg Lemon
Email Address: greg.lemon@gmail.com
Instructor Availability Outside of Class: email for info

Motion Graphics
Course Description:
This course will explore the use of motion graphics as a commercial communication medium and technical compositing tool. Studies will include the development of visual concepts, design, and execution of a final presentation(s). Technical skills utilized will include compositing techniques, typography, animation, and design.

Course Length: 11 Weeks
Contact Hours: 44 Hours
Lecture: 22 Hours
Lab: 22 Hours
Credit Values: 3 Credits

Course Competencies:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
Analyze the features of nonlinear editing and compositing software.
Define non-linear editing and compositing terminology.
Use nonlinear editing and compositing software.
Apply principles of storytelling and continuity as it pertains to non-linear editing and compositing.
Outline non-linear video design from concept to final production.

Recommended but not required reading:

Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects, Volume 1: The Essentials (3rd Edition, Version 6.5). Meyer, Trish; CMP Books, 2002. ISBN: 1578202493.

Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects, Volume 2: Advanced Techniques (3rd Edition, Version 6.5). Meyer, Trish; CMP Books, 2005. ISBN: 1578202698

Motion Graphic Design & Fine Art Animation. Krasner, Jon; Focal Press, 2004. ISBN: 0-240-80482-1.

Materials and Supplies:
Handouts, Online Help, Textbook, CDs, note-taking materials, others as needed
Method of Instruction: Lecture and Lab

Estimated Homework Hours: 4

Technology Needed:
Hardware: Windows or Macintosh computer
Software: Adobe After Effects 7.0 Professional

Grading Scale:
All assignments must have clear criteria and objectives to meet. All students shall be treated equitably. It will be that student’s right to know his/her grade at any reasonable point that information is requested by that student. The criteria for determining a student’s grade shall be as follows (on a percentage of total points basis):

A 100-93
A- 92-90
B+ 89-87
B 86-83
B- 82-80
C+ 79-77
C 76-73
C- 72-70
D+ 69-67
D 66-65
F 64 or below

Process for Evaluation:
Attendance and Participation - 10%
Project 1 - Channel Identity - 20%
Project 2 - Commercial/PSA - 30%
Project 3 - Title Sequence - 40%

Project grading breakdown:
Concept/idea: 25%
Aesthetic choices: 25%
Technical execution: 25%
Delivery format/resolution: 25%

All video files should be submitted as follows:
Format: .h264 with appropriate compression.
Resolution: 1280 x 720

Student Evaluation/Grading Policies:
Class time will be spent in a productive manner.
Grading will be done on a point system.
Points for individual activities will be announced.
All work must be received by the set deadlines.
ABSOLUTELY NO WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE FINAL CLASS MEETS WEEK 11.

Classroom Policy:
No food allowed in class or lab at any time. Drinks in sealable bottles allowed in classroom.
Edible items brought to class or lab must be thrown out.
If student elects to eat/drink outside class or lab door, missed time is recorded as absent.
Attendance is taken hourly. Tardiness or absence is recorded in 15-minute increments.
Break times are scheduled by the instructor at appropriate intervals.
No private software is to be brought to lab or loaded onto school computers.
No software games are allowed in lab (unless in course curriculum).
Headphones are required if listening to music during lab. No headphones are allowed in lecture.
Any student who has special needs that may affect his or her performance in this class is asked to identify his/her needs to the instructor in private by the end of the first day of class. Any resulting class performance problems that may arise for those who do not identify their needs will not receive any special grading considerations.

Disability Policy Statement:
It is our policy not to discriminate against qualified students with documented disabilities in its educational programs, activities, or services. If you have a disability-related need for adjustments or other accommodations in this class, contact the Disabilities Services Coordinator at 415-276-1060.

Academic Honesty Policy:
Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty while pursuing their studies at AiCA-SF. Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to: plagiarism and cheating; misuse of academic resources or facilities; and misuse of computer software, data, equipment or networks.

Student work that appears to violate AiCA-SF’s standards of academic honesty will be reviewed by the Committee on Academic Honesty. If the work is judged to have violated standards of academic honesty, appropriate sanctions will be given. Sanctions include but are not limited to course failure and academic termination.

Projects:

Channel OR  Website Identification  – Due start of class Week 4. 
0:15 second minimum with sound (+5 second title slate at beginning).
20% of final grade.

Create a 0:15 second channel ident piece for an existing or fictional television channel OR website of your choice. Grading will focus on aesthetic direction and technical achievement. Work should be rendered @ a resolution of HD 720 (1280 x 720) and submitted via .H264 movie file.


Commercial OR PSA – Due start of class Week 7. 
0:30 second minimum with sound (+5 second title slate at beginning).
30% of final grade.

Create a 0:30 second commercial OR public service announcement.  Grading will focus on aesthetic direction and technical achievement. Work should be rendered @ a resolution of HD 720 (1280 x 720) and submitted via .H264 movie file.


Title Sequence OR Game Intro – Due start of class Week 11. 
1:00 minimum with sound (+5 second title slate at beginning).
40% of final grade.

Create a 1:00 title sequence/intro for a movie/tv show/videogame of your choice.  Grading will focus on aesthetic direction and technical achievement. Work should be rendered @ a resolution of HD 720 (1280 x 720) and submitted via .H264 movie file.



PROJECT DELIVERY STANDARDS:

Folder Structure:

For this class, you will keep one (1) folder in the class folder on my faculty drive. Your folder should be named:

Firstname_Lastname

Work that is not placed in the correct (your) folder WILL NOT BE GRADED.


Submission checklist:

ALL Projects MUST include the following to be reviewed in class AND considered for grading:
  • HD 720 resolution .H264 movie file, named as follows:
    • lastname_project_iteration
    • example: 
      • "lemon_commercial_Animatic.mp4"
      • "lemon_commercial_1stPass.mp4"
      • "lemon_commercial_Final.mp4"
  • Fade in/out to black at beginning and end of animation
  • Fade sound in/out at beginning and end of animation
  • Title Slate (see below) prefacing animation 
  • Each project MUST incorporate 2 out of 3 of the following techniques:
    • 3D animation/lighting/camera movement
    • 2D or 3D Particle Systems
    • 2D animation (character, shape, stroke, mask)
Title Slate

Your movie files should fade in from black at the beginning and end of your animation. At the beginning of your animation, you MUST fade into a READABLE title card against a black background before you show your project. 

The title card should be on screen for 5 seconds against a BLACK BACKGROUND. The title slate should contain the following information:
  • Your name 
  • Class name and number ("MA4405 Intermediate Motion Graphics")
  • Project description ("Website ID: Kotaku")
  • Iteration ("Animatic, First Pass, Final Pass")
  • Date ("MM/DD/YY")
A timeline of your video playback should look like this:
  1. Fade in from black to TITLE SLATE against black.
  2. Hold title slate for 5 (five) seconds
  3. Fade from TITLE slate to BLACK
  4. 1-second fade-in from BLACK to ANIMATION, also fade in SOUND.
  5. 1-second fade out to BLACK from ANIMATION, also fade out SOUND.

Animatics

Animatics must include the above requirements, in addition to the following:
  • Clean, easily readable drawings or placeholder assets
  • All MAJOR MOVING visual elements MUST be separate assets with 1ST PASS ANIMATION in place. 
  • All moving background elements MUST have rough ANIMATION in place. 
  • 3D Animation/Camera movements MUST BE VISUALIZED in the ANIMATIC.
  • Color AND visual style roughly indicative of final product.



Suggested Course Outline

WEEK 1

Lecture: AfterEffects review
File management. Projects, compositions, etc.
Animation + Effects (color corrects, blurs). 
Solids, text tool. Type tool. Layer blending modes. 
Paths and Masking, pen tool, animating masks, text on paths, paths as keyframes, animating strokes and paths. Turning text into masks.
Particle Systems. Transparency, Compound effects,“The Power of Grayscale”.
Lab: Practice new techniques, create rough storyboards for channel identification piece.
Homework: Animatic for channel identification project.

WEEK 2 - PROJECT 1 - ANIMATIC DUE
Dailies: Project 1 animatic critiques.
Lecture: Pre-comping and parenting, making characters. Understanding 3d space in After Effects. 3d transform properties. Grouping 3d layers.

Lab: Practice new techniques, finish project 1.
Homework: project 1 first pass animation.

WEEK 3 - PROJECT 1 - 1st PASS DUE
Dailies: Project 1 first pass critiques.
Lecture: Animate text parameters, text animations in Adobe Bridge Ramps, basic expression scripting.
Lab: Practice new techniques, work on storyboards for project 2.
Homework: Final animation for project 1.

WEEK 4 - PROJECT 1 - FINAL PASS DUE
Dailies: Project 1 final submission critiques.
Lecture: Track Mattes, audio to keyframes, video motion tracking, video time warping, distort effects.
Lab: Practice new techniques, work on project 2.
Homework: Animatic for project 2.

WEEK 5- PROJECT 2 - ANIMATIC DUE
Dailies: Project 2 animatic critique
Lecture: Particle systems and simulation tools. Particles + blurs and color correction.
Lab: Practice new techniques, work on project 2.
Homework: First pass animation for project 2.

WEEK 6- PROJECT 2 - 1st PASS DUE
Dailies: Project 2 1st pass critique
Lecture: 3D in After FX. 3D cameras and layers. Importing 3d text from photoshop. Expressions and advanced animation tools. Wiggly text,
wiggler expressions. Title sequences that rule.
Lab: Practice new techniques, dev ideas/storyboards for project 3.
Homework: animatic for project 3.

WEEK 7 - PROJECT 2 FINAL PASS DUE 
Dailies: Project 2 final pass critique
Lecture: Advanced particle effects, advanced color correction and lighting tools.
Lab: Practice new techniques, work on animatic revisions.
Homework: animatic for final project.

WEEK 8 - PROJECT 3 - ANIMATIC DUE
Dailies: review Project 3 animatics
Lecture: Advanced fx using layered transparency
Lines and shapes in 3d
Expression controls and index values
Lab: Practice new techniques
Homework: 1st pass for final project.

WEEK 9 - NO CLASS FOR MA2241 section B (Monday evening)
Dailies: review Project 3 1st pass
Lecture: review 1st pass. advanced fx using layered transparency
Lines and shapes in 3d
Expression controls and index values
Lab: Practice new techniques
Homework: work on final project.

WEEK 10 - PROJECT 3 - 1st/2nd PASS DUE
Dailies: Project 3 1st/2nd pass critiques.
Lecture: Review of final project 1st pass
Lab: Time to work on Final Project
Reading: CMG, vol 2, chapter 30
Homework: finish final project

WEEK 11: FINAL PROJECT DUE
Lecture: Critique projects, enjoy your break!
Schedule subject to change based on class need.