Animation Assignment #5 Production Simulation
		The first assignment of the 2nd semester will be a group project on which each class will work from a given storyboard and complete the production through to cleaned up animation. Students will have the option to choose one of the following positions to work as during this production: Production Manager Pencil test/Editor Assistant Director Animator/Assistant Animator/ Inbetweener Each position will have it’s own set of responsibilities throughout the length of the production. (Do not assume that a non-artistic position will mean less work. In some cases, there is a heavier load of responsibility/accountability related to the individual position.) All non-production personnel will still need to do the key animation portion of the assignment. Positions Available Production Manager Responsibilities include: production scheduling, scene management, distribution of scene folders, logging in and tracking of scenes at each stage of production, making sure layout artists, animators, assistants and inbetweeners get their work completed on time. Making sure that each department is doing something all the time. Arranging meetings, screenings and sweatbox sessions. Ensuring artwork gets from one department to the next. Posting bulletins or notifications and acting as a general liaison between all personnel. Pencil Test/Editor Responsibilities include: recording all voices, sound effects, and music (if any). Editing sound track, shooting the story reel, timing with the director, shooting all rough animation pencil tests, clean animation pencil tests, assembling animation story reel, scanning final artwork and doing final compositing and editing. Assistant Director Responsibilities include: acting as the representative of the director while he is not on site. Ensuring a high quality standard in the artistic work of each artist in each department. Works with the individual artists to solve problems as they arise. Works directly with the production manager to ensure that all work is flowing smoothly. Oversees all meetings at which the director cannot attend. Assists the director in all aspects of the production. Animator/Assistant Animator/ Inbetweener Responsibilities include: learning how to draw the characters assigned “on model” for the production. Creating a layout package for each scene assigned, including background layout, animation poses and field guide. Acting as key animator for each scene assigned. Determining the appropriate action for the scene and working in cooperation with the director and assistant director to get the best possible animation. Working as the assistant animator on someone else’s scenes to clean up their rough key animation at the highest artistic level possible. Working as an inbetweener on someone else’s scenes to complete the scenes to the highest level possible. Reporting to the director, assistant director and production manager to ensure timely and appropriate completion of the product. Production Outline The assignment will begin on week 14 of the 1st semester. Everyone will have had the opportunity to select their position option in week 12. From the applications, the director will choose the final placements in each class. Each individual class will produce the same project. Each class will have one production manager, one pencil test/editor, one assistant director. All the remaining students will be Animator/Assistant Animator/ Inbetweeners. All students will receive a design package which will include model sheets for all three characters, location designs, and a copy of the storyboard. During the Christmas break it will be your responsibility to learn how to draw the characters “on model”. When we begin actual production in week 1, you must know how to draw the characters properly. There will be no tolerance for any deviations from the model sheets once production begins. Any scene that is completed in rough and is determined by the director to be “off model” will be rejected and must be redone completely until it is approved. It will be the production manager’s responsibility to formulate a production schedule, production check list, tracking system and be ready to hand out scene folders in week 1. Week 1 The pencil tester/editor will be responsible for scheduling and arranging for voice recording and effects recording during week 1. The rough story reel must be timed out and scene footage allotted to each scene. They must then record all voices and cut together the sound track. The story reel is then retimed and edited to it’s final state. The individual scenes are then broken down and exposure sheets are produced and distributed to the animators. The entire staff meet with the director to go over the storyboards. A draw is made to divide the scenes amongst the animators. Where possible, each animator will receive at least three scenes. 1 scene with lip sync, 1 acting scene and an easy scene. The production manager must then distribute the individual scene folders to each animator and assign deadlines. Week 2 Each animator meets with the director and assistant director to go over their first scenes. The director will indicate what he wants from the scene. (In most cases, the first scene will be the acting scene without dialogue as the editor will probably still be doing the soundtrack breakdowns.) The animators are then to begin rough animation. As the scenes are completed and ready for pencil testing they are passes in to the production manger who assigns them to the pencil tester for shooting. The production manager must then arrange for a sweatbox session with the director and assistant director. Revisions are suggested and the animator revises the scene as necessary. Week 3 All lip sync scenes should now be ready for distribution to animators. Each animator meets with the director and assistant director to go over their next scene. The same procedure as last week is followed. Week 4 All final scenes should now be started by the animators. Each animator meets with the director and assistant director to go over their final scene. The same procedure as last week is followed. Week 5 Once an animator has completed their rough animation they become assistants. This may occur in week 4 as well. The animator must go to the production manger and pick up a scene for clean up. It will be up to the production manager (with guidance from the director) to distribute these scenes. The assistant is to confer with the key animator on the direction for the scene. Any special instructions about the action in the scene are given to the assistant at this time. The assistant animator then begins to clean up the keys and breakdowns. These must be approved by the key animator, who is accountable for the quality of the drawings. The cleanups are then shot as pencil tests and shown to the director and assistant director for final approval. Once final approval is given, the scene may then be clean inbetweened. Week 6 Continue clean up and inbetweening. Week 7 Complete inbetweening. Final story reels are assembled and screened, complete with sound effects and music (if applicable). Employment Agreement It is understood that you are completely accountable for the completion of your responsibilities throughout the length of this production. Failure to do your job to an acceptable level (as deemed by the director) will result in the termination of your duties on this production and the loss of 20% of your 2nd semester grade. You will be reassigned to another appropriate project for the remainder of the class project which will be due week 7 of the 2nd semester. You also agree to follow the direction of the person(s) placed in charge of the production, i.e. production manager, assistant director, and editor as is applicable. Any conflict that cannot be resolved at the personnel level between the two disagreeing parties will be arbitrated and resolved by the director of the production. The director has final say in all production matters. Back to Assignments Index