This assignment is worth 30% of your final grade and is due at the end of class 09
Creature Layout (CL) This assignment is very similar to The Chase (TC) assignment from last semester, except that it will star the character you are creating in your Advanced Modeling Class (MMED-6016). Don't worry if you haven't completed your character model or rigged it yet: for the 3d layout we will use a stand-in rig or lo-res proxy version. The enviroment objects may not be created yet either, so simple primative objects will stand in for our final set. The goal here is to map out a plan for your final portfolio piece, combining your modeling, rigging, 3d layout and animation skills. This can be done individually or as a group project with up to 4 people total but choose your group carefully: everyone gets the same grade on this assignment regardless of who does what. Individual work will be assessed in the Final Portfolio (FP) assignment. Consider scope carefully: every set and prop you show will need to be built or gathered, and every second of action will need to be animated. Give thought to how you will divide the work between the members of your group. Consider 10 seconds per person a reasonable estimate of achieveable scope. The final animatic will be between 10-30 seconds long and should include sound. (240-720 frames)
Featured principles: Staging, Timing, Exaggeration, Posing (Solid Drawings), Appeal
Hand in will be as follows:
- 960x540 (HD540) resolution
- avi file with MSCRAM compression (or quicktime with H.264)
- no resolution gate, grid or animation controls visible
Items should be named: <Lastname>_<Firstname>_<CL>.avi
(eg. Latour_David_CL.avi)
for group work naming will be: <Lastname1>_<Lastname2>_<CL>.avi
(eg. Latour_Smith_CL.avi)
What I'll be grading on this assignment:
- Does the animatic clearly show what is intended to be shown in the final portfolio piece?
- Have you presented your work in an effective way for portfolio purposes?
- Is the scope of the project achieveable in the time remaining (6 weeks/# of people in the group)?
- Do you follow basic rules of effective camera/composition (180 rule, rule of thirds etc.)
- Is the video named correctly with the correct format, resolution and does it have sound?
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"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail" -Benjamin Franklin
Though it is not being graded there are a few vital planning components that should be generated as part of this assignment:
Thumbnails/Storyboard. Start planning your idea with simple small drawings to check for visual flow. This allows you to experiment quickly and cheaply. When you're happy with your plan, flesh it out with a more clearly drawn storyboard. A 2d animatic is helpful to test the flow of visuals and check alignment with sound. All of this should be done before you dive into 3d layout.
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| This template will work for your Thumbnails and Storyboard |
The following elements will be created after you've finished your 3d Layout:
Shot planners, Asset List and Asset Planners. Shot planners list everything that is seen in each shot. From the shot planners, you can create an Asset List: a simple list of everything you will need create or gather to complete the final project. From your Asset List you then make a Asset planners for evey item on your Asset List. The Asset Planners are for working out how long it will take you to complete the different production stages for creating a digital asset. These stages will start at concept art, and continue through modeling, texturing, rigging, animation, lighting to the final edit.
These planning steps can sometimes feel like "busywork" but they are critical to making sure you have a clear sense of the scope of your project.
Timeline (Production Schedule) It's a simple daily schedule of what you are working on (and completing) each day. The timeline you create should be based on your Asset planners and your assessment of your own working pace. This is a 'living' document that should be regularly updated to reflect reality at least once per week.
