COM7021 Locomotion Starts 30 Sept 2024

COM7021 - Animation Locomotion - is the first module that our new animation students will encounter at BNU on the MA 3D Animation for Professionals.

COM7021 starts on Monday 30 September 2024, and is taught primarily in Autodesk Maya. The module deals with animation basics, such as walks, runs and jumps.

It starts with simple actions such as a bouncing ball, and builds up to more complex physical actions. There is one assignment due: COM7021 PR1. COM7021 PR1 is due on Friday 13th December 2024 at 2pm. 

COM7021 Animation Mechanics

Animation Mechanics is an introductory module (worth 30 credits) in which students learn the basics of 3D animation. The module begins with a basic introduction to the Maya interface, and is followed by basic mechanics exercises such as the bouncing ball.

Walks, Runs & Jumps
Students then tackle locomotion, starting with walks, character walks, and runs, and then move onto more complex physical actions such as jumps, weight shifts, and exercises in flexibility. The module culminates in an assessed locomotion exercise: COM7021 PR1.

COM7021 PR1 - Character Locomotion

Zombie walk by Michael Davies

COM7021 PR1 is an exercise based on character locomotion. The brief is to create a number of character walk cycles and then combine them into one shot to create an imaginative performance.

Suggestions might include a parade, a Sunday stroll, an army on the march, or people commuting. Ideally there should be a story-telling element, and the piece should include sound effects and music. The final animation should be around ten seconds long.

Books - The Animator's Survival Kit

Students are encouraged to start work earlier by reading the core text "The Animator's Survival Kit" by Richard Williams, and start to learn the Maya user interface.  

Class Schedule
Class begins on 30 September 2024:

Student work
To see some examples of student work in this module, watch the video below.

Locomotion & Mechanics Demo Reel




Assignment Submission

Zombie walk by Amedeo Beretta

COM7021 PR1 is due on Friday 13th December 2024 at 2pm.  

Students are also assessed on their development and pre-production, so please include a single PDF document showing evidence of planning, such as thumbnail sketches and/or live action reference. 

PDF Planning Document

The PDF Planning Document should show how you planned the shot. This might include any live action reference you filmed - perhaps you lfilmed yourself doing a character walk, like this animator here?

Storyboards can be used to plan out the shot, and thumbnail sketches are also very important for planning animation (see below). 

Thumbnail Sketches

Thumbnail sketches used to plan animation

Thumbnail sketches are especially useful for planning animation; they allow the animator to plan the shot visually, thinking about what will happen in the shot. Thumbnail sketches - unlike animation - can be done (and re-done) very quickly.  You can see examples of thumbnail sketches used to plan animation here. 

Assesssment Criteria
Creativity & Pre-Production– 25% 
Powers of imagination – powers of invention/innovation both practical and visual – ability to generate a broad range of ideas – ability to select the best idea and refine it ready for production. Is the idea selected appropriate for the brief? Thumbnail sketches, storyboards and/or live action reference.

Production – 25%

Circus Parade by Neil Whitman

Does the animation show an understanding of the twelve principles of animation? Does the shot have weight and flexibility? Has the animator given a performance? Have cameras been used appropriately? Is the animation correctly lit, and have appropriate textures been used?

Post-production – 25%
Has a successful final render been created? Have titles and credits been used appropriately? Has sound and/or music been applied successfully? Is the sound clear?

Quality of Outcome – 25%

Tutorials and resources at animationapprentice.org

Fitness for purpose – does the outcome answer the brief – Economy of means used (effective use of software) – Practicality – Complexity or Ambitiousness

Late Submissions
We strongly encourage all our students to submit their assignments on time, ideally well before the deadline. Students can get feedback at any time, and are strongly encouraged to send work in progress for review prior to the submission date.  If your submission is late, you will need to apply for Mitigating Circumstances. To find out more, read this post. 

Intro to COM7021 with Alex Williams

To find out more about this module, watch the video below. 

Locomotion Resources

We have dozens of tutorials on animation walks, runs, jumps and hops. Students will find the weekly schedule at animationapprentice.org. Also, see the blog posts below:

• Animate a Basic Walk "On The Spot" with Monty
• How to Animate a Basic Walk with "Monty"
• Animate a Lamp Hopping with Pixo Jr
• Animate a Run Cycle with "Heavy"
• Animate a Jump with Monty
• Animate a Military Walk with Monty
• Animate a Run Cycle with Monty
• Animate a Masculine Walk with Monty
• Animate an Angry Walk with Monty
• Animate a Sad Walk with Monty
• Animate a Basic Walk with Heavy
• Animate a Double Bounce Walk with Monty
• Character Walks with the Bio Motion Walker
• How to Fix a Floaty Walk Cycle
• How to stop feet sliding in a walk cycle
• Why animators need treadmills for walk cycles 
• Why Walk Cycles Need Sine Waves
• Animating the "ZigZag Walk" on "The Thief & The Cobbler" 
• Two Ways to Animate a Walk Cycle - Which is Best?
• Character Walks by Alexander Savchenko
• Why Animators Should Always Take Two Steps
• Character Walk reference by Houman Sorooshnia
• 100 Ways to Walk by Kevin Parry
• How to Fix Knee Pops in a Walk Cycle

For more on the experience of studying at Buckinghamshire New University, come and visit us at one of our Open Days, take a virtual tour of one of our animation studios, check out what our students think of our course, and see why we're ranked in the top 12 creative universities in the UK.