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Storytelling Through Computer Animation

Assignment A4 on animating

Objectives

• Learn to use Movement in Alice

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Animation

So far, we have created only  static single panel scenes in Alice.

But, by one definition, an animation is the rapid display of a sequence of 2-D or 3-D images which create an illusion of movement in both time and space.  Thus, at this point, we have not yet created any animations.  That will change today as we learn to incorporate movement into our Alice scenes.

Have you ever received an animated e-card?

Let's look at how movement is used to enhance the story of an e-card. Let's visit:

• http://www.care2.com/send/card/6067
• http://www.care2.com/send/card/3535
• http://www.care2.com/send/card/5697

Here is an e-card I made using Alice.  It made it for my husband, Bob, for Valentines Day:

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Your task: (which is to be completed individually, though consultations are encouraged...)

Your primary task to use Alice to create a short animated greeting as follows:

Animated e-card: Your task is to create an animated e-card using Alice.  This card can be designed as a general typical greeting card purpose such as "Thinking of you!" or "Happy birthday!" or "Happy Easter!" or can be designed more specifically with a particular recipent or set of recipients in mind. For example, it might be "Thanks for your help with my paper!" or "Thanks for making our movie night so fun!"

• Purpose: The purpose of the card is up to you, however, the message should be personal and the card should make its purpose clear.
• Audience:  The audience of your greeting card might be a specific friend or a specific group of your friends.
• Movement: Your card must make use of both "Do in order" and "Do together" methods, each at least once.
• Storyboard:  You are required to use at least a 3 panel storyboard to plan your animated e-card.  This should be submitted on paper.

Since today's focus is on creating movement, I would like you to focus on using movement effectively, so please refrain from including sound.  (We will focus on adding sound in Alice in a later exercise...)

Please save this Alice scene as yourusername-A4.  

In addition, type an Artist's Statement in Microsoft Word.  As you know, an artist's statement helps the audience to understand what the artist believes to be the most important aspects of his/her art and the techniques used to make it. A paragraph of two to five sentences should certainly suffice which answers the following questions:

• What is the purpose of the e-card?
• Who is the intended audience of your e-card?
• Are any other tools are employed: symbols? exaggeration? analogy? irony?  If so, why are they used?

Please save this Artist's statement as yourusername-A4. 

Submit both the animation and the artist's statement to Moodle before our next class.  You may submit the storyboard at the beginning of our next class.