Day: Wednesdays
Time: 10:00 - 12:30
Duration: 5 weeks
Price: £55 (Concessions £33)
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Animation Introduction

Course Overview
This course focuses on 2D animation, using digital stop frame techniques.
Over five sessions you will be guided, stage by stage, through the process of making a short cut-out animated film by BAFTA-winning animator Kevin Griffiths.

This course has been subsidised by The Film and Video Workshop to encourage and support filmmakers.

Course Outcomes
Upon completing this course, you will:
• Know how to set up iStopMotion on a computer with an animation camera
• Know how to capture basic stop motion animation
• Understand how to create a cut-out character
• Understand timing and movement
• Be able to create a simple storyboard
• Have an awareness of different types of shots
• Be able to put together animation clips, complete with sound recording
• Be able to edit and complete a short cut-out animated film

Lesson Structure
Lesson 1 How to set up camera and laptop • How to set up a simple rostrum • Introduction to iStopMotion • Introduction to iMovie • Demonstration of how to make a cut-out animation character • Students begin to design and make articulated puppet Lesson 2 Students finish assembling their articulated puppet • Re-cap on iStopMotion • Practical exploration of character movement with puppet • How to drop clips into iMovie • How to lay sound effects and music into the timeline • Voice recording • Improving technique with timing and speed
Lesson 3 Storyboarding • Script adapting • Editing • Pre-production planning • Shot lists • Backgrounds • Shot types • Students animate a short sequence
Lesson 4 A completely practical session where students animate and complete all shots with guidance on each animated clip
Lesson 5 Assembling and editing shots •  Laying sound effects, voice recordings and music • Adding credits • Exporting films as a Quicktime file

Entry Requirements
No previous animation experience is necessary. Students should be fluent in English.

Tutor
BAFTA-winning Kevin Griffiths has many years of experience working with stop frame animation. He has directed three series of 'The Old Bear', 'Bob the Builder' and 'El Nombre'. Kevin is an accomplished puppet maker and puppeteer and is an expert in building models using armatures and aluminium wire.