So you think you're good at After Effects...

Then enter this:

https://www.facebook.com/BatesMotelAETV/app_413005398771845

Do it.

But only if you are 18.

Article links for Blogs Due 12/16

http://entertainment.time.com/2012/12/05/gollums-getup-how-the-hobbits-groundbreaking-technology-works/

http://www.shericandler.com/2012/11/28/secrets-of-the-viral-video/

Article links for Blogs Due 12/9

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/peter-ramsey-jgiro.php

http://whatculture.com/film/5-ways-marvels-phase-2-will-change-filmmaking-forever-for-better-or-worse.php
(Make sure you read ALL 5 parts of this one!)

Custom Particles in AE Particle World

Dear Alex-

To create custom particles:
- Create a composition out of the item you want to use as a particle (square compositions work best)
- Drag it into your main composition, and turn off its visibility
- In Particle World, use Textured Quadpolygon as your Particle Type
- Under Texture Layer, choose the composition you want to use as the particle
- Make adjustments in size as necessary within the particle composition if the whole item does not show

Have Fun,

ML

After Effects Resources (Video Class)

Here are links to the After Effects resources from the demo notes:


General
http://library.creativecow.net/series/After-Effects-basics-tutorials-by-Andrew-Devis

Text
(33-45 from the above link are about text)
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/aftereffects/cs/using/WS3878526689cb91655866c1103906c6dea-7caba.html 

Masks

http://library.creativecow.net/articles/devis_andrew/AE_Creating-Masks/video-tutorial

http://library.creativecow.net/articles/devis_andrew/AE-Basics-46-Feather-Mask-Tool/video-tutorial

Motion Tracking

http://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/tracking-stabilizing-motion-cs5.html

Simulation Effects

http://help.adobe.com/en_US/aftereffects/cs/using/WS3878526689cb91655866c1103a9d3c597-7acba.html

Time Effects

http://help.adobe.com/en_US/aftereffects/cs/using/WS09B6A698-8F9E-4a00-8D1B-07FC62FB2D30a.html#WS641C5190-1DAD-4150-B17F-F339C6DF1FB2a

Cameras and Lights

http://help.adobe.com/en_US/aftereffects/cs/using/WS3878526689cb91655866c1103906c6dea-7e29a.html

http://library.creativecow.net/articles/devis_andrew/Animating-a-Camera-1/video-tutorial

http://library.creativecow.net/devis_andrew/Animating-a-Camera-2/1

http://library.creativecow.net/devis_andrew/Animating-a-Camera-3/1

Article links for Blogs Due 12/2

http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/stop-motion-casts-a-spell-on-spongebob/

http://entertainment.time.com/2012/11/16/does-twilight-really-ruin-real-life-romance/
(This one's for you, Will.)

Article links for Blogs Due 11/18

http://www.fastcocreate.com/1681868/barry-levinson-explores-iphone-filmmaking-environmental-disaster-in-the-bay

http://www.techhive.com/article/2013697/these-sunglasses-can-help-colorblind-people-experience-a-more-colorful-world.html

Article links for Blogs Due 11/11

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/disney/disneylucasfilm-what-does-it-mean-72685.html

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/01/showbiz/voice-actors/index.html

Animation Walk Cycle Links

There are several tutorials available online to help you with this exercise. The simplest tutorial, which you may want to start with, is here:

http://animation.about.com/od/flashanimationtutorials/ss/flash29walkcycl.htm

Once you are comfortable with the technique, here is another you may want to reference:
http://www.angryanimator.com/word/2008/11/01/animation-tutorial-2-walk-cycle/

This is a great page with examples and tips on creating walk cycles:
http://minyos.its.rmit.edu.au/aim/a_notes/04_walkcycle_project.html#

Here is one specifically using the bone tool, with details on how to make the bone tool work with characters:
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flash/articles/character_animation_ik.edu.html

And, if you’re into My Little Pony:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht2-Xt5-ufw&feature=relmfu

Article links for Blogs Due 11/4

http://www.techhive.com/article/2013279/hurricane-sandy-images-dont-get-fooled-by-a-fake-photo.html#jump

http://www.macworld.com/article/2013146/apple-and-the-incredible-vanishing-cd-drive.html

Mouth Charts for Lip Syncing

In case anyone needs some references for mouth shapes, here's Prestons Blair's (you also have pdfs of his animation books in your Documents folder): http://minyos.its.rmit.edu.au/~rpyjp/a_notes/mouth_shapes_01.html

Plus this one for simpler characters: http://minyos.its.rmit.edu.au/~rpyjp/a_notes/mouth_shapes_02.html

Plus this creepier one that may help when we get to 3D:
http://www.garycmartin.com/phoneme_examples.html

You can also search for other charts. Blog them if you find good ones!

Article links for Blogs Due 10/28

http://www.redforward.com/article/story/7216/Film-Directing-Tips---What-It-Really-Means-To-Be-a-Director.html

http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/disneys-new-princess-sofia-sparks-controversy/

Article links for Blogs Due 10/21

Article #1: http://www.wired.com/rawfile/2012/08/bald-men-get-new-hair-in-the-form-of-water-balloon-explosions/?pid=3481&viewall=true

(if you are interested, also see http://www.wired.com/rawfile/2012/10/bald-women-are-the-next-installment-in-the-water-wigs-series/?pid=3950&viewall=true for part 2 of this project)


Article #2: http://www.techhive.com/article/2010785/california-bars-employers-from-demanding-employees-social-media-log-in-info.html

Adobe Student Cloud Edition

Adobe is now offering monthly subscriptions to its software, and they have student pricing...

http://store1.adobe.com/cfusion/store/html/index.cfm?event=displayProduct&categoryOID=7335802&store=OLS-EDU&trackingid=KATHA

Article links for Blogs Due 10/14

http://www.animationmagazine.net/features/dawn-of-the-dead-pets/

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/6-filmmaking-tips-from-joss-whedon.php

And, yes, I know, I am way behind on blog grades at the moment. I will be grading the blogs that were due on 9/28 and 10/7 this week, along with other assignments. I've been working like mad the past few weeks (and weekends) on Premiere curriculum for the video class, which is *almost* done. Then, on to After Effects! (sigh)

Article links for Blogs Due 10/7/12

http://entertainment.time.com/2012/09/26/25-years-later-how-star-trek-the-next-generation-created-changed-pop-culture-forever/

http://animatedviews.com/2012/paranorman-an-art-in-the-making-with-filmmakers-chris-butler-and-sam-fell/

REMINDER:

BLOGS ARE NOW DUE EVERY SUNDAY BY MIDNIGHT. YOU'RE WELCOME.

Article links for Blogs Due 9/28

http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/cultist/2012/09/coming_to_your_local_megaplex.php
(Note: make sure you read ALL 3 pages of this one)

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/6-filmmaking-tips-from-christopher-nolan.php

Video Class - Worth Tutorial Links

http://www.worth1000.com/tutorials


http://fx.worth1000.com/tutorials/161408/how-i-created-raspberry-frog
http://www.worth1000.com/tutorials/161393/161393-growing-your-own-banana-slug
http://fx.worth1000.com/tutorials/160998/how-to-do-spider-doo
http://fx.worth1000.com/tutorials/161012/the-making-of-the-springfield-frog
http://www.photochopz.com/forum/member-photoshop-tutorials/30288-human-animal-hybrid.html

Copyright-Free Media Sources

The following are a few sites which list public domain, copyright-free, or Creative Commons media sources. You can also do a Google search using words such as “public domain”,  “copyright free” “creative commons” and “images”, “media”, “music”, etc. to find others. The presence of a resource on any of these lists does not guarantee that all or any of the media in it are copyright-free. You are still responsible for checking the copyright status of media, and citing the source, where appropriate.

Images
http://www.flickr.com/search/advanced (check at the bottom to search for Creative Commons-licensed content)
http://www.morguefile.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Public_domain_image_resources
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/index.html
http://www.freestockphotos.com/
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/about.shtml
http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/

Audio
http://dig.ccmixter.org
http://www.artistserver.com
http://www.jamendo.com/en/
http://freemusicarchive.org
http://www.mobygratis.com/film-music.html
http://www.freeplaymusic.com (please note that you CANNOT use freeplaymusic if your project will be broadcast in any way or entered in a contest/festival)
http://www.royaltyfreemusic.com/free.html
http://www.therecordist.com/free-sfx (sound effects)
http://www.findsounds.com (sound effects)
http://www.freesound.org (sound effects)
http://www.freesfx.co.uk (sound effects)
http://www.grsites.com/archive/sounds/ (sound effects)

Video
http://vimeo.com/groups/freehd
http://www.stockfootageforfree.com (registration necessary)
http://www.archive.org/details/movies
http://www.archive.org/details/stock_footage

Multiple Media Types
http://search.creativecommons.org/ (check each file for CC info)
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (check each file for copyright info)
http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic98.htm
http://www.freemediaguide.com/index.html

Article links for Blogs Due 9/21

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/13/3d-printing_n_1881710.html?utm_hp_ref=technology

http://www.techhive.com/article/2000518/expressive-robot-helps-researchers-understand-trust.html#jump

former Newfane student's work in Animation

Ron Fedkiw graduated 3 years ahead of me at Newfane, and now he is a PhD teaching at Stanford, working with Industrial Light + Magic. Math does matter, people.

Click on any still image to see the accompanying video.

http://physbam.stanford.edu/~fedkiw/

Villa Maria Student Animation Demo Reel

Here's an example of the kind of work they do at Villa Maria College:

http://vimeo.com/42354145

Animation: Sound Sync Issues in Flash

To assure that your audio syncs with your animation as best as possible, try these tips:

• Select your sound in the Timeline, and set your sound sync to "Stream" in the Properties window.

• In your Publish Settings, make sure sounds are NOT set to MP3 compression. Use ADPCM. You can also tweak each sound compression individually in the sound properties (right click on the sound in the Library).

These two steps should solve 99% of audio synch problems...

Animation Contest Links

Choice 1: Firefox Flicks
http://www.firefoxflicks.org
Create an animation that helps people better understand the issues facing them online and shows how Firefox helps them deal with these issues. Seniors, you may choose to do a video for this option if you wish. If so, you must hand  in a script along with your storyboard.
Length: 30 seconds to unspecified
Prize: $5000 in equipment/scholarship, plus others
Contest Deadline: 4/12/12

Choice 2: Getting The Book Invented Properly:
The International Douglas Adams Animation Competition
http://www.theliteraryplatform.com/getting-the-book-invented
Produce an animation that best illustrates the words of Douglas Adams (audio provided).
Length: 30 seconds to entirety of clip (you may edit the audio to the length you want)
Prize: iPad2 and a towel
Contest Deadline: 4/15/12

Choice 3: Independent Study
Create an original short animation based on the topic of your choosing. If you choose this option, you must submit a brief proposal (1-2 paragraphs) describing the project, for my approval, before you complete your storyboards. Finished animation must be at least 30 seconds in length.

UPDATE: NEW CHOICE

Lego Hero Factory Video Project

http://tongal.com/project/herofactory/overview#!tab_background

Explore LEGO Hero Factory and the BREAKOUT storyline through your own unique perspective, and create an animated or animation/live action blend video that will create viral buzz and excitement for the LEGO Hero Factory.

Length: 30-90 seconds (for my purposes, you must create 2 or more entries or combine with another project to total at least 2 minutes) 

Prize: $500 - $8000 

Contest Deadline: 4/5/12

UPDATE AGAIN: YET ANOTHER CHOICE


Mobile Rhino Feel Free to Be Wildly Creative! Video Contest
http://www.rhino-insurance.com/video-contest
Create an animation (or video if you are a senior) that shows funny, crazy, off-the-wall, true and embarrassing stories that showcase how easy it is to accidentally destroy, lose your phone or have your identity stolen.
Length: 30-90 seconds
Prize: $2500, plus other prizes
Contest Deadline: 5/1/12

Donnie Darko Analysis Links

http://www.donniedarko.org.uk/explanation/
http://www.donniedarko.org.uk/alternative-explantions/
http://www.themoviegoer.com/donnie_darko.htm

Many more available if you search for them...

Classic Lorax animation

In case you want to see the old-school animation based on the Dr. Seuss book:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5jnJdnQPr8&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLD81649209656658A

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzYRkGIQpOs&feature=related

Animation - You will need this to combine meshes for rigging

http://www.mac3dsoftware.com/tutorials_combine.php

3D Short Examples for Animation Class

Oktopodi
Magic Box
For the Birds
Luxo Jr. 
Lifted