DefinitionPersistence of Vision: How Animation Works

Types of Animations & ExamplesHow to Create an AnimationStoryboard and comparison with Comic Strips

Use and Impact of Animation

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Animation is the creation of the “illusion of movement” using a series of still images

A DEFINITION…

USE YOUR IMAGINATION!

USE YOUR IMAGINATION!

USE YOUR IMAGINATION!

When the characters and scenes are made from clay the term used to describe the animation is “Claymation”

CLAYMATION

USE YOUR IMAGINATION!

Refers to brain retaining the image of what eyes see even after the image is no longer visible.

The brain can only process a certain number or images at a time.

Brain can recognize images as separate images if they are viewed at 12 or fewer images per second.

PERSISTENCE OF VISION

If the pictures appear faster than 12 per second they begin to merge into each other creating the illusion of movement.

Television and movies are usually created at 24 to 30 images per second

PERSISTENCE OF VISION

12 frames per second (fps)

HOW MANY STILL IMAGES?

10 frames per second

2 frames per second

Historically there are 3 major types of animation:

1.Hand Drawn Animation

2.Stop Motion Animation

3.Computer Animation

3 TYPES OF ANIMATION

HOW WERE CARTOONS MADE?

Felix The Cat: appeared in Theatres in 1919

Created by Pat Sullivan & Otto Messmer

Done by an artist who draws each character and movement individually

Very time consuming to have to draw, then colour, then photograph each picture

Draw pictures first, then colour them on celluloid, then they take pictures and animate them

Very expensive due to hours of labour involved

Examples: Older Disney Movies i.e. Bambi, Fox and Hound, Cinderella etc.

HAND DRAWN ANIMATION

HAND DRAWN ANIMATION

Can be done by virtually anyone, with no extensive training

Does not take that much time relative to the other 2 methods

Uses jointed figures or clay figures that can be moved to make motions

Take still pictures of the individual movements, then use relatively inexpensive computer software to animate

STOP MOTION ANIMATION

We use Movie Maker Software to complete our animations

Not very expensive because all you need is a digital camera and the software comes with Windows XP operating system

Examples: Star Wars, Robot Chicken, Old Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

STOP MOTION ANIMATION

STOP OR MODEL ANIMATION

All characters and movements are generated using computer animation software

Can also be very time consuming as they can get very complicated in movements and effects

All characters are fully animated with no still pictures

COMPUTER ANIMATION

Can be very expensive because of the complexity of the stunts and animations being done

Huge budgets because the animation sequences more complicated these days eg. the war scenes in Lord of the Rings etc.

Examples: Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Matrix, Lord of the Rings

COMPUTER ANIMATION

COMPUTER ANIMATION

A storyboard is a series of sketches that can be used as a guide for making a film or video

It contains the action and dialogue of the film

Can also include the music, narration, special effects information etc. for the person to guide them in creating the film

ANIMATION STORYBOARDS

Felix The Cat First comic strip (1922)

COMIC STRIPS

Are they more like an animation sequence or a storyboard?

They are more like a storyboard because theyDO NOT SHOW CONTINUOUS MOVEMENT

It shows the person or object in one place and then in another and the sequence between is left to the imagination to make the link from one picture to the other

COMIC BOOKS AND COMIC STRIPS

Animation is NOT just for kidsIt has become mainstream and kids, teenagers, adults and seniors.

When most teachers today were kids it was very odd for a parent to be sitting with their children and watching an animated show.

Now adults take their kids to the movies and watch with them and there are often “inside jokes” for adults too

GREATEST IMPACT FOR TODAY?

Animated Movies: Million dollar industry;

1- 20 millions spent on each movieAnimation & Computer Graphics Effects are used in movies frequently

ANIMATION USES

Video gamesTV Programs (e.g. Weather, News)Used online (images, ads, chatting)Simulations (Science & Engineering)Virtual reality (e.g. second life)

ANIMATION USES