ART327 ALTERNATIVE ANIMATION STRATEGIES

 

 

WEEKLY SCHEDULE - SPRING 2025

 

MONDAY/WEDNESDAY 2:00 - 4:50

LABS: W221, W125 & W153B

Sleeper's Zoom Room

CMU Animation Discord Server

327 Basecamp

327 Reading & Film Playlists

 

 

SCREENING SERIES I: ALTERNATIVE ANIMATION - A BROAD OVERVIEW

WK01: JAN 13-17  

MONDAY: CLASS OVERVIEW / AN INTRODUCTION TO ALT STRAT ANIMATION

Films: An Introduction to Alt Strat Animation / Artist Profiles - Tilby, Forbes & Ushev

Reading 1: Experimental Frame of Mind - Intro/History pp.1-8, 12-17 - PDF of first reading

WEDNESDAY: EXPERIMANTAL ANMATION IN POP CULTURE

Films: Popular Culture I - Commercial Spots / Popular Culture II - Music Videos

Reading 2: Notable Pioneers - Sand & Pinscreen Animation p.76-81 - PDF of second reading

Additional Reading: Understanding Pinscreen Animation 

 

WK02: JAN 20-24

MONDAY: NO CLASS MLK

WEDNESDAY: PINSCREEN ANIMATION

Films: Pinscreen - Allexieff, Parker, Drouin, etc.

Reading 3: Sand Animation: Exploring Technique, The Sandy Studio & Planning a Longer Project p.81-93. - Reading Link: PDF of third reading

 

ANIMATION WORKSHOP I: SAND

WK03: JAN 27-31

MONDAY:  SAND ANIMATION - INTRO TO SAND

Films: Artist Profiles - Corrie Francis Parks & Caroline Leaf

Reading 4: Foundation for Excellence I: Basic Principles; Fluid Frame Aesthetics p.47-62.

Demo: Sand Animation Downshooter Demo

WEDNESDAY: SAND MORPH ASSIGNMENT - POSITIVE TO NEGATIVE

Lab: Sand Animation I. Playing in Pairs

Assignment: Sand Animation II. Morph - Positive to Negative

 

WK04: FEB 03-07

MONDAY: SAND ALPHABET - RESEARCH, IMAGES, FONTS & TOOLS

Films: Sand Animation Cont. - Susana's Load of Crap, etc.

Screen: Sand Morphs Assignments

Reading 5: Artist Profiles I - Appendix B p.215-228.

Lab/Assignment: Sand Alphabet I. Research - Images, Fonts & Tools

WEDNESDAY: SAND ALPHABET - LASER CUT STENCILS / IMAGE & TEST ANIMATION

Lab/Assignment: II. Build Laser Cut Stencil Files / III. Image Exploration, Exposure Strip & Test Animation

 

WK05: FEB 10-14

MONDAY: SAND ALPHABET - DRAGONFRAME SET-UP / STENCIL TESTS

Assignment: IV. Five Panel Pitch

WEDNESDAY: SAND ALPHABET - FINAL ANIMATION

Lab: V. DragonFrame Set-up & Stencil Test

Assignment: Sand Alphabet VI. Final Sand Animation

 

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT I: UNDER THE CAMERA TECHNIQUE - 10 SECONDS FOR PEACE

Go here for Research Assignment Guidelines

WK06: FEB 17-21

MONDAY: INTRO TO RESEARCH #1 - 10 SECONDS FOR PEACE

Reading 6: Finding Your Voice: Starting the Journey; Image Stuck in Your Mind; Telling a Story p.17-28.

Screen: Sand Alphabets Assignments

Films: Fluid Frames - Charcoal, Clay, Wax & Paint

WEDNESDAY: RESEARCH FILMS I

Films 1: 10 Seconds for Peace / Anijams

 

WK07: FEB 24-28

MONDAY: RESEARCH FILMS II

Films 1: Student Research Examples - Charcoal, Clay Lip sync, etc

Films 2: Watercolor, Ink & Rotoscope - Michele Cournoyer Chris Hinton, & Anne Beal, etc.

Assignment: Complete Research Proposal (Due WEDNESDAY)

WEDNESDAY: SUBMIT PROPOSALS/SET-UP WORKSPACE/GATHER MATERIALS

Due: Research #1 Proposals

Lab/Assignment: Step #1: Set-up Workspace/Gather Materials/Exploration of Process & Materials

 

WK08: MAR 03-07

MONDAY/WEDNESDAY: RESEARCH PREPRODUCTION/ANIMATION EXPLORATION

Lab/Assignment: Pre-production/Animation Exploration

 

SPRING BREAK MAR 10 - 14

 

WK09: MAR 17-21

MONDAY: WRAP UP RESEARCH

Lab/Assignment: Final Animation/Prep for Research #1 Presentation See instruction here.

WEDNESDAY: PRESENT RESEARCH #1

Presentation: Research #1 Presentation

THURS/FRIDAY: GENTLE BREAK

 

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT #2: PERSONAL CHOICE 

Go here for Research Assignment Guidelines

WK10: MAR 24-26

MONDAY: FILM EXPLORATION I

Films 1: Artist Profile - Tiny Inventions

Films 2: Artist Profile - Norman McLaren & Evelynn Lambert / Visual Music - Oskar Fischinger, etc.

Reading 7: Artist Profiles II - Appendix B p.215-228.

WEDNESDAY: FILM EXPLORATION II

Films: 2D/3D Pixilation / Object Animation - PES, etc. / Laser Cutters, Clay Strata & Zoetropes

Reading 8: Compositing 101 - Adding Color:  Combining Sand with Other Technique.93-118.

Assignment: Research #2 Proposal Due Monday

 

WK11: MAR 31-APR 04

MONDAY: SUBMIT PROPOSALS

Films:  Artist Profile - Yuri Norstien / Artist Profile - Lotti Reiniger

Lab/Assignment: Set-up Workspace/Gather Materials/Exploration of Process & Materials

WEDNESDAY: ANIMATION EXPLORATION

Lab/Assignment: Animation Exploration

 

WK12: APR 07-11

MONDAY / WEDNESDAY: ANIMATION EXPLORATION CONTINUES

Lab: Animation Exploration Continued

Assignment: 10 Seconds for Peace - 6 Panel Pitch

 

FINAL PROJECT: TEN SECONDS FOR PEACE 

WK13: APR 14-18

MONDAY: 10 SECONDS FOR PEACE - 6 PANEL PITCH

Pitch: 10 Seconds for Peace

WEDNESDAY: PRE-PRODUCTION / ANIMATION TESTS

Lab/Assignment: Preproduction / Animation Tests

 

WK14: APR 21-25

MONDAY / WEDNESDAY: PRE-PRODUCTION / ANIMATION TESTS

Lab/Assignment: Preproduction / Animation Tests

 

WK15: APR 28-MAY 02

MONDAY / WEDNESDAY: FINAL ANIMATION / POST-PRODUCTION

Lab/Assignment: Final Animation / Post-Production / Research #2 Presentations

 

EXAM: MAY 05 MONDAY - 2:00 pm

FINAL EXAM: FINAL PRESENTATION / "10 SECONDS FOR PEACE"

Presentations: Research #2 Presentations

Screen: "10 Seconds for Peace"

 

SPRING ANIMATION SCREENING/SENIOR GALLERY - MAY 06, 6PM BUSH THEATER, MOORE HALL