CG 615Advanced 3D Animation

This is an advanced animation course designed for experienced animation students who are well versed in concepts and technical basics. The course challenges students to embark on animation projects that allow them more discretion regarding theme, topic, tools, and techniques employed. Class discussions focus more on trouble-shooting while applying advanced techniques – than on lecturing about traditional animation methods. The course studies culminate in a short animated piece that embodies advanced animation designs and techniques. Students should enter the class with a solid understanding of animation concepts and a good grasp of basic skills for creative animation design. To accommodate the students’ desire to further their skills, the course introduces more sophisticated techniques at every stage of animation development and guides students to incorporate them into their course projects. Included in these advanced techniques are hierarchical animation, time curves and motion paths, color and light animation, advanced rendering techniques, audio/visual synchronization, and procedural descriptions of natural phenomena, etc. Students are required to complete a full-blown animated piece employing one or more such advanced techniques.