You are to animate two characters in a conversation with each other. Character "A" delivers their line and then character "B" responds. You may then have character "A" reply back to character "B" or they can just react.

You are to write the dialogue and then record the voices yourself (do not use a sourced audio track). You can add sound effects and music as is appropriate to the situation.

The characters can be drawn using any type of shot you wish from full body long shot, to close up. You may also make this a multi-shot sequence. For example, you can begin with a 2 character long shot, when character "A" begins to speak, cut into a close up shot. When character "B" responds, cut to a close up shot and then cut back to a medium two shot for the final line/reaction. Be sure to plan out your scenes in advance to avoid bad match cuts and crossed axis lines. Check out this section for some examples.

Concentrate on the facial expressions, mouth positions, anticipation, action and reaction of each character. Make sure any gesture you have is complimentary to the line being delivered. Be sure to add some form of attitude and a head/body turn to this animation.

Be sure to have the non-speaking character react in an appropriate way, properly timed to the other character's actions and dialogue.

The dialogue must be of an intelligent conversation, no grunts or single word statements allowed.

Shoot the animation as a line test showing 3 cycles, and submit in the same way as the last assignment for grading. Be sure to label the file with your last name first and first name last.

Principles Involved
• Thumbnailing
• Scene Planning
• Lip Synchronization
• Keys
• Inbetweens
• Timing
• Slo in & Slo out
• Stretch & Squash
• Overlapping Action
• Effects of Gravity
• Weight
• Realistic Timing
• Use of Arcs
• Observation
• Flipping

Deadline
Beginning of class - Week 8, 2nd semester

Grading
Assignment is worth 40% of the second semester grade

Animation will be graded in the following areas:
• Strong Key Posing
• Appropriate, Realistic Timing
• Proper Anticipation, Action, Reactions
• Overlapping Action
• Structural, three dimensional drawing
• Proper use of mouth positions

The animation must show appropriate squash and stretch, realistic timing, proper slo-in and slo-out, torque, tilt, and twist in the head and shoulders as per in-class lecture demonstration. Character must sync to the dialogue recorded.

Character Designs are of your own making.

Scheduling

Week 4 Class (Feb. 4 & 5)
• Hand in Walk Cycle & Stumble animation assignment at beginning of class.
• Lecture for Two Character assignment
• Decide on the dialogue you will animate to.
• Record the voices using a video camera, a microphone hooked up to a computer or other recording device of your choice.
• Transefer sound into computer and save as a .wav, aiff, .avi, etc. sound file (Must be completed by next class).
• Begin Soundtrack breakdown and exposure sheet fill-in (Must be completed by next class).
• Begin storyboard, thumbnails or rough keys (Must be completed by next class).

Week 5 Class (Feb. 11 &12)
• Viewing Single Sentence assignment and critiques - 1 hour.
• Hand back grades
• Checklist for exposure sheets. (10% deduction for failure to show during class period).
• Listen to sound tracks. (10% deduction for failure to show during class period).
• Review storyboards, thumbnails or rough key animation (20% deduction for failure to show drawings timed to sound track during class period).
• Continue or begin key animation and major breakdowns (must be completed by next class for review).

Week 6 Class (Feb. 18 &19)
• Begin missing breakdowns and all inbetweens (must be completed by next class for review).
• Reviewing keys and breakdowns (30% deduction for failure to show during class period).
• Revisions as necessary

Week 7 Class (Feb. 25 & 26)
• Reviewing final animation with sound track syncronized properly (30% deduction for failure to show during class period).
• Revisions as necessary

Mar. 4 & 5th - Reading Week (no classes)

Week 8 Class (Mar. 11 & 12)
• Hand in Two Character animation assignment at beginning of class.
• Lecture for Sourced Sound Track assignment

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