Revised Proposal

Here is my revised proposal taking into account what I plan to change and what research I will be conducting due to the change in direction previously mentioned.

What was your subject research at Level 4?

My subject research for level 4 was: how is gender and indifference portrayed in animation.

What was your subject research at Level 5?

How have environments been used in animation to represent the uncanny and psychological concerns.

What research needs to be undertaken into the general and specific contexts of your practice?

I will be researching into the history of stop-motion animation and CGI to see where they started and if there are any over laps that I can use to compare the two techniques to see if there is any benefit to hybridisation or the pros and cons of using a specific method.

What approaches will you take and what processes, methods, materials and tools are to be involved in research into your practice?

Aside from all the books/dvd’s/videos/articles that I have in store to read. There will be extensive research into the techniques and also where practitioners hybridise both animation styles. Through Lynda and digital tutors I will learn any techniques that I do not already know such as CGI character rigging.
 The animations will include:

two identical animations where one uses stop-motion where the whole process will be done by myself as well as a CGI version of the same animation where I can compare and contrast both methods in order to assist with my theoretical approach to my subject.

What preparation or investigation do you need to undertake for your creative practice to take place?

I will be using various talks that I have attended to better inform my practice. I will also use tutorials with tutors and on-line tutorial databases such as digital tutors so I can not focus on how I can create these animations but rather ask why we use certain methods along the way. I will be having a one to one session with my tutor to understand CGI texturing techniques which is something I am not completely comfortable with which might create some possible opportunities to use more appropriate methods to achieve the right aesthetics. So the aim is to be competent enough to focus more on comparing the two techniques to support my theoretical work more efficiently.

What research do you need to undertake regarding who your creativity is for?

I will need to research into what job opportunities (if any) are specialized to the two techniques but also hybrid animation and to see if there are any examples around that have different demographics. Also through my primary and secondary research I will be able to grasp where this synergy is best used and to what extent it effects different people

Perceived problems or difficulties

With other COP modules I need to be careful not to lose my footing and keep true to my original topic and not to go on a tangent too much. Also with the time scale if I don’t budget my time I might not be able to learn fully what methods and techniques I need to use which could be detrimental to my outcome.

PRIMARY SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Description & Location - List at least 3

Survey on social media gathering information on peoples opinions on my chosen topic.

2 animations using physical and digital assets

Experiments of different techniques needed to complete the animations such as: lighting, camera angles etc.

Change in direction

Through various conversations and tutorials about my project and after the first two hybridity tests the project has a slight change in direction, no longer will I be exploring how CGI effects stop-motion but rather how stop motion is still around despite the increase in CGI popularity. the reasoning for this is due to the question that was raised after trying to explore how CGI effects stop motion and that is why stop motion is still around over all! so without changing the direction entirely I will still be exploring hybridity to see where that is placed on the animation time line as well as the history of both mediums.

A look back into the history of the mediums, where they start to overlap and effect each other in the process. combined with the synthesis of a new practical approach this will help this research project effectively respond to the question I want to explore which hasn't really been approached before to my understanding!

Here is a new reading list 

Harryhausen, R. (2003) Ray Harryhausen: An Animated Life. London: Aurum Press Ltd.

Lanier, L. (2011) Maya Studio Projects Texturing and Lighting. Canada: Wiley Publishing Inc.

Lipson, H. and Kurman, M. (2013) Fabricated: The new world of 3D printing. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley, John & Sons.

Sito, T. (2013) Moving innovation: A history of computer animation. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Tinwell, A. (2014) The uncanny valley in games and animation. United States: A K Peters.

Harryhausen, R. (2003) Ray Harryhausen: An Animated Life. London: Aurum Press Ltd.

Lanier, L. (2011) Maya Studio Projects Texturing and Lighting. Canada: Wiley Publishing Inc.

Lipson, H. and Kurman, M. (2013) Fabricated: The new world of 3D printing. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley, John & Sons.

Another Test

Another partial test I wanted to carry out was to have a stop-motion character interact with a CGI character, I started by creating a set and a character and animating a simple one side of an interaction where a CGI character would greet the stop-motion character then kick its head off to show its tangibility, here is the stop-motion test:

During this test I learnt a crucial aspect of stop-motion that needed constant attention, and that is the camera settings, even though my exposure and focus were set to manual there was still some variation in results for some of the frames, here are the two un-edited frames:

As you can see a very big difference, this could have been caused by only having one light source but even so that shouldn't change this drastically. It made me realise how precise and controlled stop motion had to be as opposed to CGI animation, with CGI you can input perimeters and settings which only change when you manually do so but compared to stop motion where the slightest nudge or change in atmosphere is enough to throw the whole animation, this could be considered as a reason why some practitioners prefer CGI due to its accuracy as opposed to stop-motions (if un-monitored) temperamental aesthetic. This is a negative towards the longevity of stop-motion, but it could also be why some practitioners pursuit this medium, because of the art, the way its all manual and fragile and could be considered as an art form in itself keeping the quality consistent.

Pacman Test

I wanted to start by creating a simple character that was 3D printed, the idea was to create a seperate pacman for the different in betweens in a pacman cycle to then use stop motion animation to bring him alive and to create a simple set in Maya to show an example of hybrid animation to better understand the direction in which to take my hybridity chapter. here are two examples of photographing the 3D prints:

 These were taken using a rostrum camera and I used an outline of the closed pac to place the others, if I were to re-visit the test I would have fashioned a wooden template with a circular template indented into the piece for a more accurate placing of the pac's. also the lighting rig cast some harsh shadows but were easily sorted in post-production. here is the sequence:

Due to the nature of my dissertation I needed to primarily explore the hybridity of animation and there were various problems I encountered, here was a render of the set that was the first test:

Trying to keep with the pacman style of top down game made the whole set very washed out and bright so I decided to try a different angle

This looked a lot better but this also meant I would have to photograph the 3D prints at the same angle:

This became too difficult as I didn't have the right equipment to replicate the angles of the 3D set. this experiment showed how precise one has to be to achieve a hybrid animation where all the angles are the same to avoid any unwanted aesthetic differences. in this case it seemed like too much effort to use stop-motion for the character of pacman as it could be easily replicated in Maya with no noticeable differences which instructed me that in some cases it would be more prudent to use one method alone, in this case it would have been better as either purely stop motion or purely CGI. so hybrid animation is not always the most efficient method which contributes to my research report as there is the underlying notion that CGI could overtake stop-motion, we need to further explore where stop-motion cannot be overtaken or replaced, or where stop-motion is the most appropriate method to use.

proposal

Here is my proposal to the COP module which is needed to get appropriate feedback from my tutors in my up coming tutorial which will benefit me into understanding that my route is clear and achievable.

What was your subject research at Level 4?

My subject research for level 4 was: how is gender and indifference portrayed in animation.

What was your subject research at Level 5?

How have environments been used in animation to represent the uncanny and psychological concerns.

What research needs to be undertaken into the general and specific contexts of your practice?

I will be creating two animations for the practical artefact that both use techniques and methods gathered through secondary research ( a little primary research). The animations will explore the different questions raised whilst researching into my topic but also it will synthesise both techniques of animation that I still need to discover which one I want to pursuit. As I have a strong love for both stop motion and CGI I wanted to research into the history of both, the contemporary synergy or conflicts they might have and also the future that might come to fruition through the different secondary sources I research into.

What approaches will you take and what processes, methods, materials and tools are to be involved in research into your practice?

Aside from all the books/dvd’s/videos/articles that I have in store to read. There will be extensive research into the techniques used to hybridise both animation styles. Through Lynda and digital tutors I will learn different composition techniques to help me understand how to composite and hybridise my animations. The animations will include:

A physical set created with a structure of polystyrene and an over lay of mod rock and paper mache before painting and adding flock. I will also be experimenting with scummble. a physical character out of plasticine. This will be the set in which a CGI character (animated in maya) will interact with the plasticine one.

The next animation will be a 3D printed Pacman that explores a set created in Maya!

What preparation or investigation do you need to undertake for your creative practice to take place?

After trying myself to create the hybrid animations I will then investigate and research into how professional companies do it, also taking up a few courses on learning sites such as digital tutors and Lynda to then have another go at hybridising my animations to a more professional standard.

I will also need to discover what materials work better to achieve a more realistic hybrid animation.

Lighting will have a huge part to play due to the effect that lighting has on an animation and especially when stop motion meets CGI.

Also I will need to research how 3D printing has been brought in to the animation world. And how it could affect my practice.

What research do you need to undertake regarding who your creativity is for?

I will need to research into what job opportunities (if any) are specialized to hybrid animation and to see if there are any examples around that have different demographics. Also through my primary and secondary research I will be able to grasp where this synergy is best used and to what extent it effects different people

Perceived problems or difficulties

With other COP modules I need to be careful not to lose my footing and keep true to my original topic and not to go on a tangent too much. Also with the time scale if I don’t budget my time I might not be able to learn fully what methods and techniques I need to use which could be detrimental to my outcome.

PRIMARY SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Description & Location - List at least 3

Survey on social media gathering information on peoples opinions on my chosen topic.

2 animations using physical and digital assets

Experiments of different techniques needed to complete the animations such as: lighting, camera angles etc.

SECONDARY SOURCES OF INFORMATION

List at least 10 ( in Havard Reference format )

On previous post.

COP research report

COP Research Report

I have been pondering my title for a while now and haven’t yet set on a polished version, but my initial working title is: How has CGI affected stop motion animation?

The reasoning behind this title was due to the impending module ‘Extended Practice’. In anticipation I wanted to use COP as another method of realising which road to go down for extended practice, whether it be stop motion based i.e.: making sets or characters and animating them or going completely digital and creating an animation using Maya. I’m hoping that if I explore how both of the mediums have effected each other over the history of animation I can better understand which direction I want to go. But also to delve deep into how both methods have synergised or competed with one another to import that into my practice after acknowledging some of the issues or even benefits that I might stumble across through primary and secondary research.

After creating two different animations, one being a physical set and a character and the other being a 3D printed character which I will create the set through CGI to see if I can create a convincing animation. Then to do more research into how other companies have accomplished this or take some courses on digital tutors and Lynda to then revise my animations to get them to a better quality by hopefully learning some valuable techniques.

I also plan to create a simple survey to upload to social media where I can gather some information about people’s opinions towards both animation techniques. This will assist wi8th my dissertation as I will have secondary sources which will inform me of other opinions increasing my reasoning towards my investigation.

I will also be researching into how 3D printing is effecting animation. Whether it be using the prints as stop motion characters for example, Or how CGI is used to inform the printer what to print.

There are several secondary sources ranging from books to behind the scenes documentaries, these include:

Lipson, H. Kurman, M (2013). Fabricated: The New World of 3D Printing. Canada: John Wiley & sons, Inc.

O'Hailey (2010). Hybrid Animation: Integrating 2D and 3D Assets. Oxford: Elsevier, Inc.

Brotherton, P (2014). The Art of the Boxtrolls. San Francisco: Chronical Books LLC.

Sito, T (2013). Moving Innovation: A History of Computer Animation. Cambridge: MIT Press Books.

Gasek, T (2011). Frame by Frame Stop Motion: The Guide to Non-Traditional Animation Techniques. Waltham: Focal Press

Ternan, M (2013). Stop-Motion Animation: How to Make and Share Creative Videos. London: Apple Press Limited

Priebe, K (2011). The Advanced art of Stop-Motion. Bolton: Cengage Learning

Beck, J (2004). Animation Art: From Pencil to Pixel, The History of Cartoon, Anime and CGI. New York: Collins Design

Hoskins, S (2013). 3D Printing for Artist, Designers and Makers. New York: Bloomsbury Visual Arts

Cavalier, S (2011). The World History of Animation. London: Aurum Press

forum. (2015). Stop Motion's charm and its impact on CGI - Dissertation Idea, Would like opinions and advice from Stop-Motion fans!. Available: http://www.stopmotionanimation.com/forum/topics/stop-motion-s-charm-and-its-impact-on-cgi-dissertation-idea-would. Last accessed 12th October 2015.

Connelly, B. (2013). How Ray Harryhausen's animation has the edge on CGI. Available: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/08/ray-harryhausen-stop-motion-animation. Last accessed 12th October 2015.

Cox, D. (2012). Stop admiring Frankenweenie! Why stop-motion doesn't move me. Available: http://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2012/oct/15/frankenweenie-stop-motion-animation. Last accessed 12th October 2015.

Harryhausen, R (2010) Ray Harryhausen: An Animated Life. London: Aurum Press

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAK10UAAHIY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfcqQf61S-k

Coraline (2009) Film/video USA: Focus Features

The Boxtrolls (2014) Film/video USA: Focus Features

Jurassic World (2015) Film/video USA: Universal Pictures

I couldn’t find a lot of books that investigate hybrid animation techniques or the effect they have on each other, so instead of rummaging round the dead end I have reached out to books and other sources that explore one route of animation and hopefully find some over laps or issues that I could fill, this would increase the amount of helpful primary research but also define individual issues or questions that I could use in my dissertation.

With all this in mind the next steps are for my to continue reading all my sources and to define my question into a more resolved title so I can start formulating my chapters in the most effective way. I will probably change my title to something more along the lines of:

CGI and stop motion animation: discovering the synergy or conflict between.

This allows me to not be restricted to just ‘how CGI has effected stop motion’ because already I have found evidence that stop motion has effected CGI. But I need to be careful not to make it too vague.

Current reads

Here are my current books that I am reading in order to help gather some good information to start answering some of those questions! I need to have a cut off point as to when I stop reading and start writing as I will never get any content down on the page. but here are a few books that I am currently digging for gold in.

The art of the Boxtrolls

Moving Innovation

Fabricated

Hybrid Animation

As well as reading books I also now need to search the wide web for examples that encompass some of the topics that are stated in this book. this will help see a physical piece of animation to further better my understanding of the topic I am actually researching!

Questions I want answers to

Here is a list of some of the questions that I want answered after reading and researching into my topic of "How has CGI effected stop motion animation" which was my chosen title due to the fact that as of this moment in time I am struggling to decide which medium it is I want to pursuit in my animation career. I still need to realise what my title will ultimately be but that will come to fruition with time. so here are just a few questions that I will investigate as a starting point which will help me shape my working title and construct a good plan on what my chapters are going to include.

What is the brief history of CGI and stop motion animation?

How has stop motion influenced CGI?

How has CGI influenced contemporary stop motion?

What is the earliest example of hybrid animation?

What new techniques are around thanks to CGI

How has replacement animation effected animation?

What examples of hybrid animation are there?

How have those examples effected the future of animation?

What is the future of CGI animation?

What is the future of stop motion animation?

Will stop motion stick around?

Will CGI cause a decrease in stop motion animation?

could I include 2D traditional animation into my question?

so here is a starting point for my chapter titles. I have also decided to use power point to help me re arrange my chapter titles in the order that will benefit my dissertation the most. I could also use it to re arrange my chapters.

Timetable

Here is the final construct of my timetable. It takes into consideration a few events that I had to take into account whilst formulating my timetable and whilst budgeting my time. The timetable includes milestones that I have set myself in order to achieve my goals to avoid having a stressful panic towards the end of the module. If I stick by these milestones I will have an easier time throughout the module compared to second year as I did leave a bulk of work until the end which piled up the tasks I had to complete which in turn piled up the stress. Here are the months of the module and the set milestones and presentation/ tutorial dates in red which will engage my senses into realising the severity of how much work I have to do in relation to how much time I have to do it.