Experimental Animation- Syllabus http://www.galgas.com/students/exanim/syllabus.

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experimental animation

syllabus

university of texas at dallas

spring 2004
steve galgas- instructor
teacher@galgas.com

who is the instructor?

steve galgas

e-mail: teacher@galgas.com

what is experimental animation?

experimental animation exploes non-traditional techniques and mediums for creating
time-based imagery. penciled disney-style, and even Pixar-style computer animation
are considered "traditional”, despite the newness of the technology involved. some
common forms of experimental techniques include stop-motion (photographing
physical models), pixilation (stop-motion, but with people), and collage or colored
pencil animations.

however, EXPERIMENTAL animation, by definition, is not easy to categorize. to truly

experiment is to explore the unknown, to search for something new, and to risk the
unexpected.

why is this class important?

the face of animation is rapidly changing since the acceptance of computer animation
as an expressive medium. computers can now replicate naturalistic movement and
volumes, often better than traditional drawings can. however, even though the
dominant form of commercial animation may now be 3-D computer animation, it is not
a perfect medium. Many expressive, technical, and commercial possibilities and
advantages exist outside its realm, and it is our job to search for them.

a good analogy is the evolution of painting as a medium upon the introduction of

photography. painters had to redefine the role of painting, which at the time sought to
record and create the illusion of real objects and people. because photography could
do this so much better and quicker, painting had to find its own strength, something
the objectivity of a camera could not do so easily. therefore, the shapes, colors, and
designs of the subjective, modern art movements were born.
STUDENTS HOME
how will this class be taught?
we will cover three major topics during the course of this semester:
LINKS
animation mediums & tools
time-based design
conceptual development

you will be exposed to common techniques and new artists, and I will give
demonstrations and program tutorials. feel free to try these out, but my goal is not for
you to simply mimic others, nor should you get caught up on learning any particular
program or individual technique. this class is about adaptability and versatility, not
about specific tools.

strive for the most appropriate technique and medium for what you are trying to
express.

every decision you make should be carefully considered. this is a largely conceptual
class, so discussion, participation, and process documentation will be nearly as
important as your final products. you will be given three major assignments, and will
be expected to document your progress.

assignments
you will have up to three major projects in this class (not nessarily in order):

assignment one - portrait

you will be asked to create a portrait of someone you care very strongly about
(for or against) in order to learn how to make a relationship between inner
emotional states and external visual form.

assignment two- music interpretation

you will create a synaesthetic animation, choosing a dynamic song (fast/slow,
loud/soft, etc.) which you react strongly to emotionally. Again, you will be asked
to make a visual equivalent of emotional content, as well as making an analogy
to sound.

assignment three- simple story

you will be asked to tell a simple story using nothing but simple shapes
(squares, rectangles, triangles). you are to infuse these ordinary shapes with
personality, and be able to convey emotion and thought through form and
movement.

please pay special attention to the policies below

late assignments will be accepted up to two weeks after the due date, but
will be dropped a half a letter grade each half week, regardless of excuse.

work must be completed by the beginning of the class during which it is due
unless otherwise noted. the late policy goes into effect at the start of class.

all major assignments must be completed to receive a passing grade.

expect technical problems. computers crash and lose information, particularly

when shared in a learning environment. be sure to back up your work
frequently. i will not accept computer difficulties as an excuse for late
work.

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Experimental Animation- Syllabus http://www.galgas.com/students/exanim/syllabus.htm
You will receive at least one extra credit opportunity during the semester to
boost a project's grade by one letter.

attendance

if you arrive late, it is your responsibility to inform me of your attendance.

as i may be in the middle of instruction upon your arrival, it is your
responsibility to make sure i write your name down in my book at the next
convenient moment.

do not leave early without permission

please make good use of class time. you will be given as much lab time as
possible. come prepared with materials to work in class. if you are working
primarily at home on a project, please be prepared to work in the class rooms
as well. please do not use this time to surf the internet or respond to e-mail.
and do not use class time to catch up on work from other classes.

please set this time aside for this this class alone and nothing else. please do
not schedule your job during class hours.

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