Computer Animation Arts

Today I'd like to share some bit of film history, a simple test shot made for Jurassic Park. The footage titled, 'The Dinosaur Skin Test' demonstrates how CG is able to performs at its best that stop motion can not. This also made film makers realise how powerful CGI was and how they can create anything they wanted in movies. Originally comprising of stop motion animation and practical effects for the dinosaurs, this all changed after seeing a computer generated T-Rex walking so naturally that it became clear that the movie would have to be done in CGI and practical effects. The seamless use of both practical and CGI in the film has revolutionalized the film industry.

Just a reminder... Poltergeist @ 5.30pm / CAA Baseroom 31st October

And another teaser for you guys. Anyone who watched this weeks Agents of Sheilds would already have seen it, but for those who haven't enjoy! Plus another pleasant (and probably the most exciting) surprise from the press event held yesterday! 

Today I would like to share some links that I use when in need of some inspiration and would visit quite often. :D Artists Inspire Artists http://artistsinspireartists.com/ Art-Spire http://www.art-spire.com/en/ Inspiration grid (Their video and motion section is worth to watch) http://theinspirationgrid.com/ I hope you will find these useful too and help inspire yous! :D

After the unexpected release of the Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer last week (finally), Marvel remain in the headlines once again. After a 'secret' fan-based press event held today, Kevin Feige revealed the future plans for Marvel Cinematic Universe. Below I have collected the released title cards (and an exciting piece of concept art!) for the upcoming movies. Enjoy and be excited because I know I am for sure!

Dear year 2s - just a reminder that your Critical Perspectives lecture begins at 11am in L2, on account of the open day.  Film screening is at 2pm L1 as per normal.  Use your social networks to get the message out.  Much appreciated.

The venue for the Life-Drawing Halloween Special is now on the Lwr 1st floor (the floor below the reception/refectory).  When you come out of the lift/or take the stairs, turn right, walk along corridor until you come to the open studio on your left.  Bubbles and his balloons await you... Have fun! Please use your social networks to spread the word!  Many thanks!

Year 2 Please note: Next week is your character design pitch (Week 5 of the project). This will be'one-to-one' with Justin in the baseroom. Please make a note of your time (above). To confim: 1) There will be no character design class next week. 2) Narrative group tutorials will continue as normal.

Coulrophobia is the fear of clowns...

Hellos! :D Joey here, reporting in for this week’s ‘Author in residence’ to bring to you some awesome stuff that I find interesting to share and or be of help towards your studies. To start things off, I thought I’d share this trailer from Tant de Forêts , a short film by French directors Burcu Sankur and Geoffrey Godet focusing on deforestation. Starting off as a simple and vibrant happy world, the world suddenly becomes dark and intriguing.  Tant de Forêts - trailer from Burcu & Geoffrey on Vimeo . The film is based on a poem by French writer Jacques Prévert. According to the directors: ‘Speaks of the irony of the fact that newspapers warn us about deforestation although they are made of paper themselves.’ Check out some of their concept art:

Your new project brief and associated content is available now on myUCA/Space&Environment.   There are a number of articles on production design, mini-documentaries and trailers for the next phase of the Space Oddities film programme, so get stuck in and start reading around the subject.  Explore the brief closely - including the weblinks-as-footnotes.  The briefing presentation on Tuesday will enrich/explain accordingly.

This is a reminder for those of you in year 1 who are yet to complete your Maya tutorials as required by the formal requirements of your CG Artist's Toolkit project brief: your next project 'The What If? Metropolis ' is a digital set project, which will challenge you to pre-produce - and model/texture/light - a digital set in Autodesk Maya...   If you are one of those students yet to complete (or evidence completion) of your Maya tutorials so far, you will soon find the creative demands of your second project outstrip your technical knowledge. Don't do this to yourself.  We want you to get the very most out of every project brief.  We want you to feel more confident as the weeks go by - not less.   If you're in the red, turn it green - and do it before the end of the week. Take a look at those students who have completed the tutorials so far; if you're struggling with Maya (and many people do in the first instance), why not work more closely w...

Some classic Halloween heebie-jeebies in the spectral form of Tobe Hooper's Poltergeist (1982) @ 5pm in the CAA Baseroom on Friday 31st October.  The most fun you can have being scared.  Spread the world, bring a friend... Poltergeist  original trailer

Remember, folks - on Wednesday 29th, comic artist Laurence Campbell is paying the Computer Animation Arts base room a visit @ 5pm for a show and tell session. Laurence has drawn for Marvel, Image Comics and 2000AD and I know you'll be fascinated to learn more about his creative process and life as a successful freelancer. I want the baseroom packed out with your shiny, expectant faces! Rumour has it too, that Laurence will be signing some stuff for our all-new Tombola Of Dreams... yes indeed!  Put the date in your diaries please - and spread the word. And, if you're an alumni reading this - yes, of course, you're welcome to attend.

Monday: Group 2: George H, Megan, Vikki, Shan, Anass Friday: Group 3: Kym, Sam, George N, Steve, Nadia For Monday's/Friday's dissertation tutorials, could you please prepare and bring your 'paragraph plans' for each of your chapters.  By 'paragraph plan', I mean the content of your chapters broken down in a point-by-point progression.  I'm interested now in looking at the flow of your discussion and the way in which you're navigating your reader through your content.  The paragraphs themselves need not be complete or even written at this stage, but their content, evidence and purpose should be clear.  I'm looking for clarity, smooth transitions between the purpose of each paragraph, and a clear sense of being guided towards a goal or outcome.    I'm happy for you to send me your paragraph plans via email prior to your tutorial - but please not last thing Sunday night! Can you make sure your classmates have seen this - many than...

Alan is Unwell Sorry everyone, after feeling pretty low today I have finally come down with an illness. Unfortunately this means I won't be able to do third year tutorials tomorrow (Friday). However I suggest seeing as you've all just finished your pitch you use the extra time to address some of the feedback given before next week. If there are any immediate issues please blog them and I'll hopefully be able to answer your questions online.

It's finally here ladies and gentlemen!

I found this and could not help but smile to my self and remember all the little joys of animation. Very basic format and style but has a few good points to remember about animation that are very helpful to remember. 12 Basic Principals of Animation from Christina Lu on Vimeo .

This is a very small but very sweat video made by James Lee . If the description is to be believed, the ending is more than it seems and an incredibly adorable way of asking. Mike & Christie - Proposal from Just Us Patrol on Vimeo .

This is a message for our year one students.  As an ongoing part of the course, we ask you for your feedback on your experience of Computer Animation Arts so far.  There's a course board meeting soon, in which your course reps meet with the course team, library staff and other members of UCA, and one of the things we discuss are any issues arising from your feedback. Julia Mason, one of your course reps, has asked me to ask you to email her your feedback, so she can bring the main issues to the meeting.  Julia's email is  angellovesthedevil@hotmail.co.uk . In terms of giving feedback, the University asks you to organise it in the following way: you're to reflect on 3 positive aspects of the course, and identify 3 areas you'd like to see improved.  Your feedback might be course-specific, or might also highlight any issues associated more broadly with your  university experience so far - for example, refectory, library and student union. Yo...

I found another interview that I thought was nice to share, this time with Disney's character animator Andrew Chesworth. Not only does he talk about himself, he also talks about how it is to work at Disney which I'm sure we are all interested in. Check it out here !

This animated short from Headless Productions is quirky and a funny twist on those 'perfect' towns that are advertised. "STRANGE OAKS" from Headless Productions on Vimeo . 

Dear all,  I'm hoping to organise a Halloween Screening of Tobe Hooper's Poltergeist (1982) in the CAA Baseroom on Friday 31st October at 5.30pm.   It's a classic - warm-hearted, great characters,  great score - with some suitably nasty shocks!  I'm looking for an idea of numbers, so if you'd be up for some Halloween high-jinx, let me know as a comment on this post. Thanks.   

On Monday November 3rd I now have to attend an ACT meeting to discuss the next project.  This means I have to make an amendment to the published timetable. Instead of seeing Dissertation Group 3 on the morning of Monday, Nov 3rd, I will now see you on the afternoon of Friday 31st October at the following times: 14:00 Kym Mumford  14.30 Samantha Niemczyk  15.00 George Nwosisi  15.30 Steven Payne  16.00 Nadia Yadallee In terms of Group B's minor project tutorials, I'm going to suggest that you put together a blogpost with an '@phil' title, in which you seek to solicit feedback on the latest developments of your work.  If you have his content on your blog by Monday evening, I'll do my very best to respond. Many thanks - and if you assist me in getting the word out, that would be appreciated.  Many thanks. 

Okay, you lot - there are just 2 remaining places on the Barcelona 2015 trip!  The deadline for payment is tomorrow (Monday) @ 10am - after that, we're closing the books.  Go here to the online store to make your payment of £350.  Come on, I know there's 2 more of you out there who've been umming and ahhing and biding your time... It's decision time!