CDM303

3D ANIMATION

CHAPTER 1

Creative Development And

The Digital Process

PREPARED BY:

SARAIZA KHAIRUL IKRAM

SCHOOL OF MULTIMEDIA
FACULTY OF ART & DESIGN

TOPIC OUTLINE

1.1 A Digital Creative Environment.

1.2 Development Of Technology
1.3 Understanding 3D point and polygon
1.4 Storytelling,Storyboarding
1.5 The Production Process of Computer Animation.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this chapter students should be able to:

Understand the 3d Market Industry needs.

Know the development of the technology.
Understand the production process of Computer.
Understand the concept of 3D point and Polygon

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1.1A Digital Creative Environment

Todays creation and production of images is performed with the aid of

computers , increasingly, professionals from wide variety of visual
disciplines are working with digital information.
Some of the traditional visual practices based on drawings , painting,
photography and video techniques are merging with digital imaging
techniques.
A decade ago, visual professionals used to purchase tools specialized for
their professions. These tool were useful for doing the works in their field but
not in others. A photographer, for example would use a photographic
camera to capture reality on film ,and traditional animator would use a pencil
and light table to create animated sequences of drawings on paper.

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1.1A Digital Creative Environment

1.1. 1 Animation & Effects in the Pre-digital Days

It is difficult to imagine today that decades ago all animation, effects and
entertainment in general was made , distributed and consumed without any
type of computer or digital technology.
One of the fully three-dimensional computer animated independent short, John
Lasseter s Luxo Jr.(1986)
Among the former we count the New York and Hollywood animator who deliver
gag after gag to amuse audience with the likes of popeye, woody woodpecker,
bugs bunny, tom and jerry ,and mickey mouse. These animator includes Max
Fleischer, Walt Disney ,Walter Lantz,Tex Avery,Friz Freleng,Chuck Jones .
Others experimental animators includes French Leopold Survage and
Alexander Alexeieff, the german hans richter,Oskar Fischinger and Lotte
Reininger, the canadian Norman / McLaren, and the american Claire Parker
and John Whitney ,Sr.

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1.1A Digital Creative Environment

1.1.2 Disney Animated Features without Digital Technology

1937 Snow White & the seven Dwarft

1940 Pinocchio
1940 Fantasia
1941 Dumbo
1943 Saludos Amigos
1945 The Three Cabelleros
1946 - Make Mine Music
1947 Fun and fancy Free
1948 - Melody Time
1949 The adventures of Ichabod and Mr Toad
1950 Cinderella
1951 Alice in a wonderland
1953 Peter pan
1955 Lady and The Tramp
1959 Sleeping Beauty
1961 101 Dalmatians
1963 The Sword in The Stone
1967 - The Jungle Book
1970 The Aristocats
1973 Robin Hood
1977 The Many Adventures Of Winnie the Pooh
1977- The Rescuer
1981 - The Fox And the Hound

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1.1A Digital Creative Environment

1.1.2 Disney Animated Features with Digital Technology

1985 The Black Cauldron

1986 The Great Mouse Detective
1988 Oliver & Company
1989 The Little Mermaid
1990- The Rescuer Down Under
1991- Beauty & The Beast
1992- Aladdin
1994 The Lion King and The Return Of Jafar
1995 Pocahontas And A Goofy Movie
1996 The hunch Back of Notre Dame and Aladdin & The King Of Thieves
1997 Hercules
1998 Mulan
1999 Tarzan
1999 Fantasia 2000
2000 The Emperors New Groove , Dinosaur and The Tigger Movie.
2001 Atlantis : The lost Empire and Recess : Schools Out
2002 Lilo & Stich ,Treasure Planet and Return to nether Land
2003 Brother bear,Jungle Book 2 and Piglets Big Movie
2004- Home on the Range and Mulan 2
2005 Chicken Little (3D C-G)
2007 Meet the Robinsons (3D C-G)
2008 Bolt (3D C-G)
2009 The Princess and the Frog
2010- Rapunzel (3D C-G)

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1.2 A Development of the Technology

1.2.1 Computer Technology

Computer particularly their visual capabilities are proudly altering the way
in which we create and distribute images. But the powerful of the computer
system are so common today.

The early computer models were called mainframes because all their bulky
component were housed in large steel frames.

Minicomputers smaller and less expensive than mainframes but almost as

powerful were developed in an attempt to bring computers to a wider
audience and range of application.

Supercomputer usually bigger and more expensive than mainframes

computer ,were develop to tackle most taxing computing projects regardless
the cost and with an emphasis on speed and performance.

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1.2 A Development of the Technology

Before the mid-1970s the large majority of artist found computers very
uninteresting. They were too expensive and difficult to operate , even the
simplest task required extensive programming. Most Model lacked monitors
, printers , mice or graphic tablet.
Microcomputers with millions of microscopic electronic switches on a single
silicon chip was develop in the mid-1970s.Now powerful microcomputers
are small enough to be carried in a briefcase.

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1.2 A Development of the Technology

1.2.2 Computer Graphic Technology

Computer graphic technology was developed in the early 1950s to make

visible what was invisible to the human eye. Most of these early application
were related to the military , manufacturing or the applied science.

Non of the early years of computer graphic technology systems was

develop for artistic work.

Can you give examples of computer graphic technology used on

early stage?

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1.3 Understanding 3D point , Polygon & Animation techniques

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1.3 Understanding 3D point ,Polygon & Animation techniques

1.3.1 Conventional Animation Techniques

Drawing on film
Multiple drawings
Acetate cells, multiple plane cells
3D models (eg. clay or dolls)
Pixilation : animation of real objects ( nothing to do with screen pixels )
Painting under camera

1.3.2 Computer Animation Techniques

Key frame simple transformation

Hierarchical animation dummy node / null node
Inverse Kinematics ( skeleton/bones , chain, root , effector )
Motion path
Shape changes ( nonlinear deformers )
Camera Animation
Animating lights and surface properties

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1.3 Understanding 3D point , Polygon & Animation techniques

1.3.3 Introduction to 3D Animation

3D Space
In a Computer generate 3D animation, there is no drawing instead ,in three
dimensions, you construct or model each element . Character or scenery that appear
in screen ,
3D animation includes :

Modeling
Rigging(Bone set Up)
Surface properties
Lighting
Animation
Rendering

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1.3 Understanding 3D point ,Polygon & Animation techniques

1.3.4 Point , Lines And Surfaces

Points, lines and surfaces are among the important basic elements of 3D.
A point can easily be defined by its XYZ location(will be explain in chapter
2).
A line can be defined by the XYZ location(will be explain in chapter 2) of its
two endpoints.
An edge is defined by two adjacent surfaces.
A planar surface can be defined by the position of its bounding lines.

a)3D object

b: surfaces

c: lines

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1.3 Understanding 3D point ,Polygon & Animation Techniques

1.3.5 Polygons
Polygons or facets are the planar surfaces that define most three-dimensional
objects.
Polygons are closed planes bounded by straight lines.
The word polygon originated from a Greek word polygonon, meaning with many
angles.
Many of the three-dimensional objects created with computer are made of polygons.
Simple geometric shapes may have dozens of polygons while the more complicated
one may have thousand of polygons.
The modeling of natural phenomena may contain millions of polygons.
Different in polygons amount
Click For Examples

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1.4 Storytelling

Stories are the most common and most powerful vehicle we use
to talk about life .
Stories communicate life
Stories provided answer to question
Stories make us feel different emotion.
Stories sometimes provoke action that shape reality.

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1.4 Storytelling

1.4.1 Story Development and Scrip writing

The stage of story development takes place before production begins , especially in
small projects where the writer develops the story before any other pre-production
begins , especially in small projects started or any budget has been committed to the
project.
In larger projects story development or game designer has to focus on developing the
character and the plot but also has to adapt it to strength and limitation of the visual
medium in question.
A screenplay is a written document that tell story by using descriptions , dialog and
some production notes. Unlike novel, which is to be printed and read . For this reason
screenplays tell stories in a way that can be translated into moving images.
The treatment of the subject in a screenplay is defined by the point of view that the
storyteller wants to convey to the audience. Treatment can be for example , dramatic,
comic, lyrical, action packed or introspective.
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1.4 Storytelling

1.4.2 Basic story structure & Storytelling Techniques

In designing your story ,choose the moment and event that matter in the
narrative of the character. meaningful moment about meaningful change.
Meaning produce emotion.
Change occur through conflict and the resolution of conflict.
Consider the topic and the setting of your story, the driving challenge
(What?),The motivations and changes (Why?),the period (When?),the
duration (how long?),the location(Where?) and the level of challenge or
conflict.
There are no rigid rules about best way to structure a story.

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1.4 Storytelling

STORYTELLING

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1.4 Storytelling

1.4.3 Linear Storytelling

As agreed by variety of storytelling tradition, stories are told in the context of

a linear medium such as video or film consist of a beginning, middle and an
end. The action of the story usually moves from one event to another.
In most traditional sense,
The beginning of the story also called exposition or setup. The situation
that develop story.
The middle of the story- also called confrontation or body climax.
The end of the story also called resolution usually contain the outcome
of the dramatic sequence of events in the story.

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1.4 Storytelling

1.4.4 Non- Linear Storytelling

Storytelling in most visual media happens in a linear way because images ,

sounds and text follow each other in a single predetermined order.
But variety of possible sequences may be possible in an interactive project
because users can make different request and also follow a variety of path .
Interactive project may have multiple ending and even multiple beginning
each time they played.

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1.5 The Production Process of Computer Animation

1.5.1 Types Of Production.

Computer animation projects can differ a lot from each other depending on
what type of production they are . Example includes :

An Experimental Animation Short.

A Visual Effect Shot for a live action film.
A Commercial production
An episode for an animated series for television
A real-time platform game
A feature movie production.
There is no standard length of time determines what is a shorts or a long
piece of computer animation

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1.5 Production Strategies

1.5.1 Types Of Production.

There is no standard length of time determines what is a shorts or a long piece of

computer animation
Animation shorts usually range between 1 and ten minutes . Computer animations
under 1 minutes .
Computer animation under 1 minutes are commonly created for experimental piece,
student projects , TV commercials , movie titles etc.

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1.5 The Production Process of Computer Animation

1.5.1 Types Of Production.

Computer animated production that fall in the medium length category

includes episodes for animated series , a collection of visual effect to be
inserted in a feature film or TV series , sequences for an amusement park
motion ride , scientific visualization or architectural walkthrough . Standard
length for feature movie is 90 minutes but for individual or small team
production anything over 30 minutes is long and requires a huge amount of
work, time and energy.

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1.5 The Production Process of Computer Animation

1.5.2 The Production Process of Computer

Animation
There are multiple styles and approach for producing a computer animation
or digital visual effects and this process is in constant transformation based
on factor like creative goal ,budget , schedule and resource.
Basic stage includes :
Pre-production
Production
Post- production

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1.5 The Production Process of Computer Animation

1.5.2 The Production Process of Computer

Animation
Pre-production
Pre-production includes visual task like creating storyboards and animatics
and non visual task like recording. Once the script is ready , a production
ready version is issued to the team.
Storyboards
The creation of storyboards help to translate the story and script to images .
A storyboard is a consist of series of panel that contain in visual form the
scenes and shots specified in the screenplay . There are no standards
mediums for storyboards but they are usually drawn on boards ,on plain
paper , preprinted paper with guides

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1.5 The Production Process of Computer Animation

1.5.2 The Production Process of Computer

Animation
They are 3 types of storyboards:
The conceptual Storyboards
The presentation Storyboards
The production Storyboards

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1.5 The Production Process of Computer Animation

1.5.2 The Production Process of Computer

Animation
Pre-production
Animatics ,Story Reels and Previsualization
Storyboards are often used to put together as animatic which is a collection of simple
moving images used to visualized how final project may be structured and timed . A
3-Dimensional a step further by using preliminary visual material like wireframe or low
resolution motion test to rough cut of a computer animation.

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1.5 The Production Process of Computer Animation

1.5.2 The Production Process of Computer

Animation
Production

Production includes the production stage such as modeling, rough and final
scene layout. Rigging ,texture painting , lighting and rendering .

Post - Productions

Post-production includes compositing ,balancing , retouching and recording

of the image onto wide variety media including,films,videotape and DVDs

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1.5 The Production Process of Computer Animation

1.5.3 Assembling a Demo Reel

A demoreel is a compilation of your best animation and effect work and it shows a
prospective employer, client or colleague what you are capable of both technically
and creatively.

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LAB ACTIVITY

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR LAB ACTIVITY.

GOOD LUCK
AND
TRY YOUR BEST

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ACTIVITY

LIGHTWAVE PART 1

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NEXT SESSION PREVIEW

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LIST OF REFERENCES

1.Dan Ablan, Inside Lightwave 9, New Riders, 2009

2.Arnold Gallardo, 3D Lighting, Charles River Media Inc, 2005.
3.Isaac Victor Kerlow, The Art of 3-D Computer Animation and Imaging

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APPENDIX

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End of slide show, click to exit.

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