Week 1

1/20/2009 - Introduction to the course; administrative details.

1/22/2009 - Screening of Chuck Jones documentary and Don Hertzfeldt's "Meaning of Life".

Week 2

1/27/2009 - Student introductions, distribution of lightboxes, assignment of the flipbook exercise.

1/29/2009 - Basics of Animation, part I; visit to the camera stand.

Week 3

2/3/2009 - Guest lecturer Jim Peterson: Introduction to history and background of animation; screening of Pixar documentary.

2/5/2009 - Guest lecturer Jim Peterson: overview of 12 principles of animation; lesson on basic drawing skills.

Week 4

2/10/2009 - Basics of Animation, part II; screening of "Luxo Jr." and "Red's Dream"; assignment of bouncing ball exercise. Flipbook exercise due.

2/12/2009 - Brief demonstration of how to start the bouncing ball exercise.

Guest lecture by Tim Crawfurd: "Displaying Emotion Using Simple Shape Changes in Animation"

Buildup of a short story: what info are they trying to get across and are they succeeding? Acting: how to get information across through poses in reaction to story. Explanations of different situations, how to entertain, etc. The lecture will begin with story and gradually transition to acting.

Bio: Tim Crawfurd was born in 1972, attended the Royal Academy of Beaux Arts in Ghent, Belgium. Department of Animation Film (1991-1995) He worked as various smaller commercial studios in London, UK during 1996, and from 1997 to the present he has been working at Pixar Animation Studio -- he worked on all features since "A Bug's Life" and various short subjects.

Week 5

2/17/2009 - Guest lecturer Jim Peterson: Storyboarding; lesson on drawing faces and eyes. Falling lines exercise assigned.

2/19/2009 - Guest lecturer Jim Peterson: Character design; lesson on drawing hands and feet.

Week 6

2/24/2009 - Aaron the TA gives a lecture on mainstream storytelling (slides: Keynote and PowerPoint format). Bouncing balls due. Assignment of two squares exercise. Some story pitches.

2/26/2009 - Tim Crawfurd returns to critique simple shape storyboards. Some more story pitches.

Week 7

3/3/2009 - Aaron the TA gives a brief presentation on contrast and affinity (slides: Keynote and PowerPoint format). Coverage of walk cycles, screening of Monty Python's Ministry of Silly Walks; assignment of walk cycle exercise. Falling lines due. Some more story pitches.

3/5/2009 - Kevin O'Hara from Pixar lecturing on character animation. Critiques of some of the assignments.

Week 8

3/10/2009 - Guest lecturer Jan Wurm on various drawing and composition techniques. Two squares due. Assignment of character design exercise.

3/12/2009 - All remaining story pitches. Critique of assignments.

Week 9

3/17/2009 - Guest lecturer Max Brace from Pixar on story and storyboarding. Storyboards assigned.

3/19/2009 - Jim Peterson on storyboarding.

Week 10

Spring Break

Week 11

3/31/2009 - Video on storyboarding; critiques of storyboards. In-class in-betweening exercise.

4/2/2009 - Mark Walsh from Pixar: "Creating Believable Characters"

What makes an animated character memorable and believable? Is it technology, design, movement, or something more? This lecture will examine the art and psychology of creating a personality.

Week 12

4/7/2009 - Critiques of more storyboards.

4/9/2009 - Lisa Wymore from the Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies department to talk about space and movement.

Week 13

4/14/2009 - Jim Peterson on in-betweening. In class in-betweening practice.

4/16/2009 - Anthony Wong from Pixar on timing.

Week 14

4/21/2009 - Lecture on Edweard Muybridge. In-class studio time for final projects.

4/23/2009 - Lou Romano from Pixar to talk about art direction.

Week 15

4/28/2009 - Lecture on Winnipeg animators. More in-class studio time.

4/30/2009 - Raquel Coelho to talk about her work on animating the rat in Charlotte's Web.

Week 16

5/5/2009 - Screening of project milestones.

Finals Week

5/21/2009 - Screening of final projects. Tearful farewells.