COM7022 Anim Mechanics Starts 6 Jan 2025

Animation by Lee Caller

For our Animation Masters Students at BNU, the next module - COM7022 - Animation Mechanics - starts on Monday 6 January 2025.  

In this module, Students create one or more physical actions and combine them into a single shot to create a performance.  

As always, we have many video tutorials to support the study of the art and craft of animation.  COM7022 PR1 is due on Friday 14th March 2025. 

COM7022 PR1 - "Animation Mechanics"

Ball Throw by Joris Van Laar

Module COM7022 is titled "Animation Mechanics". In this module, students get to grips with the mechanics of motion, learning how to create physical actions which are believable and observe the laws of physics (or, at least, cartoon physics). 

The Brief - Physical Action

Students should create one or more physical actions and combine them into a single shot to create a performance, around 7-12 seconds long. Students are encouraged to use their imagination in the interpretation of this brief. Suggestions for the final outcome might include a dance, sports event, fight (try to avoid multiple characters) or even a domestic task.   

Tell a Story

Ideally there should be a story-telling element, involving a beginning, middle and end. The shot should also include sound effects and/or music. 

Shot Length: 7-12 Seconds

The length of the shot should be approximately 7-12 seconds long, focusing on quality rather than quality, balancing the student’s creative aspirations with what can practically be achieved in the time available.  Students are encouraged to use live action reference, and to learn and understand the process behind the creation of believable animation.

See some examples of student work below:

Animation Mechanics Demo Reel

Video Tutorials To Watch

Fighting stance by Mark Masters

There are a number of video tutorials at Animation Apprentice that map onto this Module.  Log in to the Animation Apprentice main site to find them. 

Watch with the following tutorials:

1. Jumps. Also read this blog post about animating a jump
2. Flour Sack Suicide Leap 
3. Weight Shift
4. Flexible "Foxy Tail" and Airship. Also see this blog post on the "Foxy Tail" animation
5. Ball Throw
6. Heavy Object Lift

Additional Tutorials

Other useful tutorials include how to animate a character dancing, which you can find here. 

Lighting & Rendering

Flour sack leap

Don't forget to light and render your shot.

To see how to do basic lighting and rendering, watch the simple tutorials below:

• Basic Lighting setup with Physical Sky in Arnold
• Export a Render Sequence in Arnold
• Import your frames into Premiere and export a movie file

Suggested Actions

Morpheus Push by Greg Gordon

Below are some suggestions for character actions

• A character throws a ball
• A character lifts (or attempts to lift) a heavy object
• A character falls over
• A character opens a door (or tries to)
• A character doing a dance
• A fight (but try to avoid animating two characters - it's twice as much work)

Schedule

To see the schedule for COM7022, see the calendar below:

Live Action Reference

Fight by Sean Rubin

Live action reference will be very helpful for this module. To find out more about how to use live action to create great animation see the resources below:

• Using Live Action Reference to Plan Animation
• How to Use Live Action Reference to Plan Animation
• Live Action Reference with Pernille
• How FrameStore Animators Use Live Action for Animation
• A Great Inexpensive Tripod for Filming Animation
• Endless Reference - Live Action Reference Resource for Animators
• Edward Muybridge - The Animator's Photographer
• How Disney Animators Used Live Action to Animate "Frozen"
• Live Action Reference for Character Walks

PDF Planning Document

The PDF Planning Document should show how you planned the shot. 

Thumbnail sketches used to plan animation

PDF Planning by Marc Stevenson

The PDF should include:

• a link any live action reference you filmed - perhaps you filmed yourself doing the character action like this animator here?
• Storyboards be used to plan out the shot
• Thumbnail sketches used to plan your animation (see below). 

Thumbnail Sketches & Planning

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. 

Submission of COM7022 PR1 - Due Friday 14th March before 2pm

COM7022 PR1 is due on Friday 14th March 2025 before 2pm. 

Submit Your Assignment at Bb

 Look for the submission point under "Submit your Assignment" at Blackboard. Note that Bb will not accept video uploads so please submit a document with a link to the final video.  

Please also a submit a single page PDF showing any live action reference, story boards or thumbnail sketches you used to plan your work. 

For more on the experience of studying at Bucks 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.