Lesson 1: Intro to Animation Overview of CG Animation Production Process Overview of Different Tasks in CG Anim. Maya Terminology Introduction to the Maya Interface Overview of Maya’s Internal Architecture

Digital Production Pipeline Story Visual Development Character Design Storyboards Scene Layout Modeling Animation Shading and Texturing Lighting Rendering Post Production

Story Different types of stories beginning/middle/end with conflict and resolution (drama) Red’s Dream sequences built around a situation Mickey Mouse String of Gags Roadrunner Story is the most important part of any animation 1 big, simple idea the story you can tell in 2 sentences Shorts are particularly hard to get right

Visual Development What look will your scenes have? Who are the characters and how do they look? Develop style Includes the creation of characters, environments (desert, swamp), props, etc. Involves painters, sculptors, illustrators, etc. Lots of drawings pasted up on the wall!

Character Design After story come characters Consists mostly of drawings, or sculptures body poses facial expressions key features from multiple points of view Note the lack of computers at this stage!

Storyboards The film in outline form specify the key scenes specify the camera moves and edits specify character gross motion Typically paper and pencil sketches on individual Sheets taped on a wall Still not very many computers…

Story Boarding (from “A Bug’s Life”)

What makes a good storyboard? Does the shot sequence maintain continuity not confuse the audience contain variations in pacing Is the information clearly presented? Are the characters clearly portrayed? Is the story clear? Do you have the techniques necessary to pull it off? Can you do it with the time and $ you have?

Scene Layout Design the scenes for example, build the room with an understanding of the camera pan create colors, textures, props keep in mind camera and character motion within the scene use placeholder geometry and start to design camera moves

Digital Production Pipeline Story Visual Development Character Design Storyboards Scene Layout Modeling Animating Shading and Texturing Lighting Rendering Post Production

Modeling Create geometric models of environment, props, characters Keep in mind the ultimate purpose of the model – feature film, game, etc. Set up internal skeleton and animation handles appropriately for that character’s behaviors

Rendering Frames can take hours to render 1800 frames for a single minute of animation Pixar has a HUGE renderfarm

Post Production Sound track sync Titles Cuts and effects (dissolves, fades, etc)

Costs: Lilo and Stitch $80 Million Spirited Away $20 Million Pirates of the Caribbean $140 Million Walking Tall $46 Million

Production Pipeline

Computer Graphics Animation Jobs Character Animators Effects/Prop Animtors Modelers Lighting Artists Technical Directors – the interface to technology.

Long List of CG Jobs Character animators Effects animators Modelers Lighting artists Compositors Motion Technical Directors Modeling Technical Directors Look Development Technical Directors Look Development Artists Production Software Technical Directors Character animators use the computer to bring characters to life. To be a successful candidate, these artists may have backgrounds in any of the following animation disciplines in addition to their computer training: traditional (hand drawn), stop motion, or claymation. The sensibilities and mindset of a good animator should transfer between mediums, and we strongly support animators looking to explore new technologies and techniques. Prior training should cover anatomy, perspective and composition, including solving problems in weight, balance, movement, space, construction and proportion. A video reel of animated scenes is required. Effects animators add the forces of nature to an animated film, as well as providing props, furniture, and even vehicles such as boats, chariots, carts and canoes. Expertise in the realistic creation of wind, rain, sunlight, mist, fog, shadows and fire aid in producing a believable world and setting the mood for the story. In addition to having a passion for the elements of nature, requirements for artists interested in this area of animation match those of a character animation artist. A video reel showing a variety of effects is required. Modelers are responsible for creating complex, organic models needed for character animation, prop elements for effects and virtual sets for layout. Familiarity with some complex 3-D modeling package is highly encouraged. We would like to see hard copy or video output of digital models (including wireframes), as well as photographs of traditional sculptures or models, if available. A drawing portfolio of model designs and sketches, including some life drawing, is encouraged. Lighting artists work in the 3-D environment creating the look of individual elements and entire scenes. This can include the creation of textures or the subtle use of virtual lights to enhance the mood and tone of a scene. Understanding of color, contrast and lighting design is required, and some familiarity with 3-D lighting is strongly encouraged. A portfolio showing video examples of 3-D lighting or traditional work, including painting, drawing or photography, is appropriate. Compositors use state-of-the-art tools to assemble various elements into their final version. A strong visual sense and the ability to distinguish subtle differences that affect the matching of elements created in multiple mediums are imperative. A video showing skill in compositing moving footage, preferably film footage, animation and live action, and before and after shots is required. Other examples of work in computer graphics or traditional art mediums are also encouraged. Motion Technical Directors work directly with character animators and modelers to define and create the controls that will allow the animator the creative freedom to pursue the ultimate in digital acting and performance. An understanding of animation principles and strong technical problem-solving skills is required. Examples of work showing computer graphic animation and modeling are important in a portfolio for this area. Modeling Technical Directors create all non-character motion systems for animation. Among other things, this may include prop animation, particle systems or procedural animation. Tasks vary, depending on the requirements of solving individual production problems. Knowledge of 3-D animation systems, programming and modeling, are all appropriate skills for this production role. Look Development Technical Directors work as part of a Look Development team that defines all the technical aspects needed to create the look of a 3-D element. This may include the development and writing of custom RenderMan shaders, painting and applying texture maps, or developing other custom software to accomplish the art direction goals of an element or environment. A person with a thorough understanding of 3-D computer programs, and how lights are specified within them, would be an excellent candidate for this role. Specific RenderMan experience is ideal. Visual examples of images exemplifying work in this area are requested for review. Look Development Artists work with other Look Development staff to achieve the look of a more complex CG element (i.e., principle characters) in the show. This could include painting texture maps (e.g., color maps, specular maps, displacement maps, etc.), working with TD's to enhance the Look and creating lighting setups. This artist typically has previous production experience or has demonstrated exceptional skills/abilities in CGI/traditional artwork. Production Software Technical Directors create software using their thorough knowledge of 3-D animation systems and graphics programming to help solve the creative requirements of show-specific production elements. Advanced degrees in computer science, math, physics or engineering may be appropriate, as may a background of proven industry experience and a solid understanding of 3-D graphics programming in C/C++ and high-end graphics packages.

Critical CG Activities Modeling Animation Shading and Texturing Lighting Rendering

Maya Terminology Scene – the entire scene, what we are animating. Your work gets stored in a scene file. Project – a way to collect resources together, including multiple scene files. The Dependency Graph/Scene Graph Nodes Attributes Transform Node Shape Node Input Node

Maya Dependency Graph

Important Dependency Graph Nodes Transform Nodes – Store location information. Shape Nodes – hold geometry information. Input Nodes – hold information that “drives” other node attributes. Ex makeSphereNode has radius information. Material Nodes – hold coloring information.

Maya Rendering Process In reality there are many steps in this. Basic Process: Evaluate the graph for current frame. This sets all Node attributes to specific values. Traverse the graph and render each node in the order it is reached.

Maya Rendering Process

Maya Internal Architecture Maya User Interface MEL Script Editor MEL Interpreter Maya Programmer’s API – C/C++ Render Engine Dependency Graph