History of Animation (Introduction to Visual and Special Effects) Syllabus for 2021-2022
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Instructor Information

Office Location

<p>Online Appointments by request.</p> <p>Please send an email to dante@infernovfx.com and we&#39;ll set up a Zoom Conference Call.&nbsp;</p>

Office Hours

A fast way to send an email to Dante - online form or immediately book a time to video chat!

https://stage03vfx.com/page.asp?content_id=35626&s=vfxunleashed

 

 

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

Recording Policy

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Course

FLMC-1301-001 History of Animation (Introduction to Visual and Special Effects)

Prerequisites

Course Description

A historical perspective of two-dimentional (2D) and three-dimentional (3D) animation.

Exploration of contemporary and historical approaches to Visual Effects as used in film and television. Digital and traditional methodologies will be examined, identifying and analyzing the artistry of VFX, with a concentration on the processes, history, and milestones of the industry and art form. Introduction to vocabulary and the technical terminology using in VFX production.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact:

Melodie Graves
Justice Involved Advocate
Student Service Center 117
mgraves24@actx.edu
806-371-5995
Make appointment at https://melodiegraves.youcanbook.me

You can also contact the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

The VES Handbook of Visual Effects: Industry Standard VFX Practices and Procedures, Second Edition

By Jeffrey A. Okun VES and Susan Zwerman

The award-winning VES Handbook of Visual Effects remains the most complete guide to visual effects techniques and best practices available today.
This new edition has been updated to include the latest, industry-standard techniques, technologies, and workflows that are ever-evolving in the fast paced world of cinematic visual effects.

Supplies

No supplies available

Student Performance

No performance information available

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

You are expected to watch the weekly class videos during the week they are assigned and complete the assigned homework. Often this involves finishing the course demonstrations. However, if you are not able to keep up with the work, contact the instructor before the week. Missing class for unexpected emergencies will be taken into account. Please discuss it with the instructor.

Grading Criteria

There will be two multiple choice tests through-out the term:
Mid-term Test, 50% of the final grade.
Final Exam Test, 50% of the grade.

Feel free to utilize your notes you have taken through the video lectures.

Attendance

Please watch the online videos in the week they are assigned.

Calendar

Section

Video Title

WEEK 01 
 
01 Intro Section 00 Intro to VFX Welcome
  10 Welcome and Intro Montage
  20 Course Sections
  30 Defining Visual and Special Effects
  40 When To Call Visual Effects
  50 And the Award Goes To
  60 Introducing the Book
  Reading Assignment Intro
 
02 Miniatures 10 Intro and Montage
  20 Still Going Strong
  30 Inception-Destroying a Hospital
  40 Disadvantages and Two Main Types
  50 Importance of Scale
  60 Proper Scale for Action
  70 Case Study - The Dark Knight
  80 The Magic of Forced Perspective
  90 Case Study Sleepy Hollow
  100 Foreground Tricks and Building Miniatures
  110 Wrapping Up With a Bang
  Reading Assignment Miniatures
   
   
WEEK 02 
 
03 Animatronics and Puppets 10 Animatronic Intro and Montage
  20 A Little History
  30 The First Animatronic In Film
  40 Further Evolution
  50 ET The Extra Terrestrial
  60 Steps In Making an Animatronic
  70 Stan Winston
  80 The Terminator
  90 Monster Films and Aliens
  100 Dinosaurs On Film
  105 The Real Star Of The Film
  107 Animatronic Vs CG
  110 Too Numerous To Name
   
   
WEEK 03 
 
04 Projections 10 Projections- Welcome and Intro Montage
  20 Rear-Screen Advantages
  30 Hold That Camera Still
  40 Alfred Hitchcock Spellbound
  50 Disadvantages VistaVision and Star Wars
  60 Pulp Fiction
  70 Modern Use of Rear Screen
  80 Here Comes Front Screen
  90 Zoptic Process and Superman
  100 Front Screen The Good and the Bad
  110 Travelling Mattes
  120 Wrapping Up
  Reading Assignment Projections
   
   
WEEK 04 
 
05 Stop Motion 10 Stop Motion Intro and Montage
  20 Straight Ahead and Looking Back
  30 King Kong
  40 The Good, the Bad and the Process
  50 Ray Harryhausen
  60 This Is Dynamation
  70 Phil Tippett
  80 Tim Burton and Vincent
  90 Laika Studios
  Reading Assignment Stop Motion
   
   
06 Matte Paintings 10 Matte Paintings Intro and Montage
  20 Glass Shots
  30 Early Years and Matte Goals
  40 Well Fix It In Post
  50 Great Matte Paintings
  60 Hollywoods Greatest Year
  70 The MultiPlane Camera
  80 Digital Compositing
  90 Comping Elements
  Reading Assignment Matte Paintings
   
   
WEEK 05 
 
07 Set Extensions 10 Set Extentions Intro and Montage
  20 Boardwalk Empire
  30 Virtual Backlot and What To Build
  40 Game of Thrones
   
   
08 Invisible Effects 10 Invisible Effects Intro and Montage
  20 AI Artificial Intelligence
  30 Contagion and Harry Potter
  40 Hugo
  50 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
  60 Wire and Rig Removal
  70 Camera Effects and Changing Movies
  80 The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
  90 Wrapping Up
   
   
WEEK 06 
 
09 Motion Design 10 Motion Graphics Intro and Montage
  20 Title and Credit Sequences
  30 Setting The Mood
  40 Se7en
  50 The Art of James Bond
  60 Game of Thrones Intro Sequence
  70 Saul Bass
  80 Catch Me If You Can
  90 Mad Men
  100 Sherlock Holmes
  110 A Series of Unfortunate Events
  120 Imaginary Forces
  130 Art of the Title
  140 Not Just Movie Titles
  150 Promethius
  160 Total Recall
  170 Studio Logos
  Total (in Hours):
   
   
10 Effects 10 Dynamics and Effects
  20 Traditional Effects
  30 Hand-Drawn Effects and the Optical Printer
  40 Fun With Particles
  50 Fluid Dynamics and More
  60 Battleships and Pirates
  70 Harry Potter Spells and Destruction
  Reading Assignment Effects
   
   
WEEK 07 
 
11 CG Characters 10 CGChars_IntroMontage
  20 Types of Modeling
  30 Modeling - How Its Made
  40 Character Rigging
  50 Ready To Animate
  60 Jurassic Milestone
  70 Hair and Fur
  80 Keyframing a Kraken
  90 Transformers
  100 Motion Capture and Andy Serkis
  110 War of the Worlds
  120 VFX-SFX Comparison
  130 King of CG Characters
  140 Tips Tricks and Pitfalls
  Reading Assignment CG Characters
   
   
WEEK 08 
 
12 CG Environments 10 CgEnvironments_IntroMontage
  20 Tron Legacy
  30 The World of Avatar
  40 SpeedTree
  50 Game Environments
  60 World of Warcraft
  70 Real-Time RayTracing
  80 Building a Digital NY
   

Additional Information

Here where it all starts! What is Visual Effects, exactly? What are Special Effects? How do they create all those amazing visuals in the movies, from miniatures, stop motion, matte paintings, CG creatures, planetary explosions and epic fantasy worlds? Take the full, detailed tour with Dante Rinaldi and find out - and don't forget your popcorn!

Syllabus Created on:

08/20/21 10:09 AM

Last Edited on:

01/14/22 1:46 PM