Week

Day 01

Day 02

01

Hour 1: Demonstration/Review of Animating in 3DS Max, use of modifiers, and Curve Editor. Bouncing Balls assignment given.
Hours 2 & 3: work on creating a simple bouncing ball animation in 3DS Max.

Bouncing Ball assignment due,

Hour 1: Demonstration/discussion on incorporating squash & stretch, arcs, and timing in 3D. Rendering animation in 3DS Max.
Hours 2 & 3:  work on Bouncing Ball project.

02

Bouncing Ball with Squash and Stretch due

Hour 1: Demonstration of the use of modifiers, constraints, trajectories, ghosting and key frame interpolation within 3DS Max. Using arcs, timing, ease in & out to achieve believable physics. 
Hours 2 & 3:  work on Bouncing Ball with Tail assignment.

Ball with Tail due.

Hour 1:presentation of projects, group critique and discussion of problems and solutions. Discussion of secondary, follow through and overlapping action.
Hours 2& 3:  Work on revision of Ball with Tail

03

Ball with Tail -- revision due.

Hour 1: group discussion of meaning and incorporation of the principles of overlap and follow-through in 3D.  Demonstration of Link Constraint, Hierarchy panel tools, basic Forward Kinematic rigging.
Hours 2 & 3: Work on Ball with Legs

Ball with Legs due

Hour 1:  Discussion of problems and solutions in linking and Forward Kinematics.
Discussion of leg movement in walking.
Hours 2 & 3: Work on revision of Ball with Legs.

04

Ball with Legs -- revision due.

Hour 1: Discussion on incorporating secondary action principles in 3D.  Demonstration on creating manipulators and wiring parameters. How hip movement indicates character.
Hours 2 & 3: Work on Ball with Hips.

Ball with Hips due

Hour 1: Small group peer critique, presentation of exemplary work to the larger group for feedback.
Hour 2 & 3:  Work on revision of Ball with Hips.

Week

Day 01

Day 02

05

Ball with Hips -- revised due

Hour 1:  Review of rigging bipedal legs with Inverse Kinematics.  Demonstration of the deeper levels of working with Bones systems and IK. Using Helper objects and Controllers to add functionality to a rig.  
Hours 2 & 3:  Work on Ball with Spine

Ball with Spine due

Hour 1: small group peer critique, presentation of exemplary projects to the whole class for feedback and critique.

Hours 2 & 3: Work on revision of Ball with Spine.

06

Ball with Spine -- revised due.

Hour 1: Discussion of Acting & Character Intention in animation.  Examination and analysis of “real world” footage of people walking.  Discussion of the “20 Questions” of character through walk analysis.

Hour 2:  Demonstration of rigging a simple Forward Kinematics system for the upper body.
Hour 3:  Work on incorporating, developing and refining the upper body into character walks.

Ball with Shoulders due

Hour 1: Small group peer critique, presentation of exemplars for whole class feedback.
Hour 2: Demonstration of alternate methods of upper body rigging.
Hour 3:  Work on revison of Ball with Shoulders.

07

Ball with Shoulders -- revised due.

Hour 1: Discussion and demonstration of incorporating walking, weight transfer & Camera movement. 
Hours 2 & 3: Work on Ball with Arms.

Ball with Arms due

Hour 1: peer critique, exemplar presentation for entire class feedback.
Hours 2 & 3: Work on revision of Ball with Arms

08

Ball with Arms -- revised due

Hour 1:
Hours 2 & 3:Work on Ball with Head.

Ball with Head due.

Hour 1: Peer critique and presentation.
Hours 2 & 3:Work on revision of Ball with Head.

09

Ball with Head -- revised due.

Hour 1: Small group peer critique.  Presentation of “most improved” project from each group.

Hours 2 & 3: Work on Ball Lifting Light Weight.

Ball Lifting Light Weight due.

Hour 1: discussion and sharing of problems and solution insights.

Hours 2 & 3:  Work on revision of Ball Lifting Light Weight.

Week

Day 01

Day 02

10

Ball Lifting Light Weight -- revised due.

Hour 1:  Discussion of analyzing movement, acting and shot composition.
Hours 2 & 3:  Working on Ball Lifting Heavy Weight

Ball Lifting Heavy Weight due.

Hour 1: small peer group critique.  Large group presentation for feedback.
Hours 2 & 3:  Work on Ball Lifting Heavy Weight revision.

11

Ball Lifting Heavy Weight -- revised due.

Hours: 1-3: Work on Ball Pushing or Pulling Heavy Weight.

Ball Pushing/Pulling Heavy Weight due.

Hours 1 – 3: presentation, feedback and review.