ATEC 4337 Advanced 3D Computer Animation

Course Credit Hours: 3

Time: T 6:00pm - 10:00pm

Web address http://atec.utdallas.edu/midori/4337_SU/syllabus.htm

Instructor Professor Midori Kitagawa, Ph.D.

Phone: (972) 883-2806
Office: JO 4.810
Email: midori@utdallas.edu

Office Hours W 1:30-3:00pm or by appointment.

Course ATEC 4337 is the third course in a series of three 3D computer animation
Description courses. This course focuses on 3D keyframe animation.

Course Understand principles of animation.

Objectives
Understand how timing gives meaning to motion.

Create short animations that demonstrate student's understanding on the

topics covered in this course.

Develop skills for both collaborative and independent work in animation.

Create an on-line "process book" in HTML format that documents the

conceptual, technical, and artistic development throughout the semester.

Enhance ability to discuss current issues related to 3D computer

animation.

Demonstrate the ability to offer both technical and aesthetic criticisms of

the work of peers and self.

Course Students are expected to be participating and working in each and every
Methodology class. Students are encouraged to collaborate in solving some of the
difficult technical and conceptual problems that are part of their project.
Class sessions will consist of lectures, demonstration, studio work,
critiques, video reference, and discussions focusing on class assignments.

The class format will take on a variety of styles, as the subject dictates.
Examples will be presented and discussed in lectures, videos and
demonstrations. Students will present their work in critique sessions.

Students are encouraged to complete all work at the ATEC computer labs
in order to benefit from collaborative learning with your peers. Students
choosing to use "offsite" hardware and software must have their current
working files on the system and available for review at the beginning of
each and every class. Problems with "offsite" systems and/or
incompatibility will not be an acceptable excuse for missed assignments.
 Tentative Week Getting Started Assign-
Course Topics Maya
Date with Mata ment
Schedule Setting up
keys, graph
(Course Schedule is editor Learning Resources A1 given
subject to change at the Groups, -> Tutorials ->
Keyframe animation parenting, Getting Started with Reading:
discretion of the Wk 1 Maya -> Animation -
Hierarchy hierarch Lasseter's
instructor. Check 5/17
Order of transformation Changing > Lesson 1 paper,
periodically for updates.) order of Keyframing and the Principle of
transformation Graph Editor Animation
(bouncing ball
demo no. 1)
Deformer
(bounding ball
Wk 2 demo no.2) A1 process
Principles of animation
5/24 Playblast book due
(hardware
rendering)
Character Setup:
Wk 3 Cinematography: A1 work in
Expressions Lesson 1 Skeletons
5/31 camera progress
and kinematics
IK handles and
solvers, limit Animation ->
Wk 4 Forward and inverse Lesson 2 Set Driven A1 due
on joint
6/7 kinematics A2 given
rotation angle key
and damping
Wk 5 A2 process
Timing Driven keys
6/14 book due
Wk 6 A2 work-in -
Mid-term
6/21 progress
Wk 7 A2 due
Acting workshop
6/28 A3 given
Wk 8 A3 process
Motion capture demo
7/5 book due
Wk 9 Procedural animation, A3 work-in -
7/12 dynamics progress
Wk 10 Final project
A3 due
7/19 presentation

Assignments A1. Bouncing ball description work submitted

A2. Emotional walk description work submitted
A3. Final project descriptiondescr work submitted

Grading policy
Students must demonstrate satisfactory achievement of course objectives
through fulfillment of course assignments and by contributing to class
discussions and critiques. Course assignments will require students to use
software and equipment available at the ATEC computer labs. Course
evaluation will be based upon the following:

l Assignments 1 and 2: 25% each, where 30% of each assignment

grade is given to process book research.
l Assignment 3: 30% each, where 30% of the assignment grade is
 given to process book research.
l Mid-term exam: 20% of the course grade .
All students are required to be on time and in attendance for each and
every class. Students arriving to class more than 15 minutes late will be
counted as absent. Two (2) absences will lower a final grade by 1/2 a
letter. Three (3) absences will lower your final grade by one letter. Four (4)
absences will result in a failing grade ("F ") for the course.

Use of copyrigthed materials or intellectual property of others will result in

a failing grade.

Adherence to deadlines is expected. It is the individual student's

responsibility to keep track of the goals and deadlines and to present the
work to the class and instructor on the specified dates. Late assignments
will affect your grade: 10% will be deducted for each class period.
Students will be expected to make a formal presentation of their progress
on dates specified by the course timeline.

If you need to drop the class for any reason, you are responsible for
initiating the drop procedure. Contact the Register's Office. If you do not
withdraw by the specific drop date and you do not fulfill the requirements
of the class, you will receive a failing grade.

Grading Scale A+/A 4.00 C 2.00

A- 3.67 C- 1.67
B+ 3.33 D+ 1.33
B 3.00 D 1.00
B- 2.67 D- 0.67
C+ 2.33 F

Textbooks None. (Reading assignments will be provided.)

Course Notebook/Sketchbook
Supplies Archive Material: CD or DVD

Accommodation It is the policy of UTD to provide reasonable and appropriate

Process accommodations for individuals with documented disabilities. This
University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws,
regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable
accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is
the student's responsibility to contact the appropriate office in a timely
manner if s/he desires to arrange for accommodations.

Scholastic Dishonesty

UTD may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student accused of

scholastic dishonesty. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to
statements, acts, or omissions related to application for enrollment, the
ward of a degree, and/or the submission of one's work of material that is
not one's own. Scholastic dishonesty may involve one or more of the
following acts; cheating, plagiarism, collusion, and falsifying academic
records.
 Cheating is the willful giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized
manner during an examination, illicitly obtaining examination questions in
advance, copying computer files, copying internet material, using
someone else's work for assignments as if it were one's own, or any other
dishonest means of attempting to fulfill the requirements of a course.

Plagiarism is the use of an author's works or ideas as if they were one's

own without giving credit to the source, including, but not limited to, failure
to acknowledge a direct quotation.

Copyright Violations It is a federal crime to reproduce copyrighted software. Anyone caught

reproducing software from the UTD labs will be subject to disciplinary
action. In addition, anyone caught reproducing outside software in the lab
will automatically lose all lab privileges and will be subject to other
disciplinary action as deemed necessary.