iTechComputerAnimation
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Vision

 

Authoring the authoring of animation

Animators express themselves through the illusion of life. With 3D animation, animators create via digital authoring tools. These tools are more than an a large software application: they are also all the supporting resources that create the vision of how to author: example data, documentation and a website supporting it all.

In this hands-on module, we will build or upgrade a permanent and growing facial animation resource that will be made public and useful to the academic and animation community. This project was started at Stanford and has now moved to SFU Surrey.

Stewardship of a animation community resource

What are the responsibilities of stewarding and growing a permanent and growing facial animation resource that will be made public and useful to the academic and animation community. This project was started at Stanford and has now moved to Surrey. This type of authoring resources is not static, but is constantly updated and growing to keep up with the animators needs. It takes a shared vision and a interdisciplinary team of programmers, artists, interface experts and project leads to create such a resource, creating individual pieces and features but also put them all together to maintain the unified vision - a comprehensive digital authoring tool.

Course Objectives

  • Apply project oriented techniques to implement a permanent 3D animation resource (website, documentation, 3D facial system, demonstrations, examples) for SFU and the animation community.
  • Compare, contrast and critique 3D animation techniques including key framing, performance based animation, voice analysis and lip sync, and parametric control that have been implemented in film, games, virtual worlds, and the web.
  • Evaluate the contributions of team members in the development project.
  • Select, research and apply an area of specialization in 3D animation techniques as part of the project planning of the development of the SFU facial animation resource.