With thanks to Carl Lidstone, Head of E-Learning

True learning does not stop the moment the school bell rings at 3.30pm and to show this, eight Level 2 Animation and Motion graphics students attended a two day weekend workshop ran by ex-student Anna Kong. 

During the workshop the students learned how to make a variety of assets that they could use to complete the task of animating a realistic ball bounce.  They integrated four different types of animation: Cell animation, Rotoscoping, 2D Vector and 3D animation, to produce a short animation.

Their first task was to look at traditional cell animation where they drew 30 frames of a ball bouncing.  These frames where then put together to make an animation of just over one second in length – the students realised just how long it would have taken to make a full length movie using this technique.

Next they used video footage they had captured to rotoscope.  Rotoscoping is the technique of drawing over each frame of a video using a computer and Adobe Animate to form a new animation – the results can be quite spectacular.

Then they moved onto Adobe After Effects where they animated a 2D shape.  Although they didn’t have to draw every frame like the previous techniques, they had to use graph editors and an understanding of key frames to get the ball bounce in a realistic way.

The final challenge, and for many the most difficult, was to use the 3D software Maya to make a ball bounce.  Not only did they need to understand the X and Y axis, but the Z axis was also introduced just to make it more complicated. 

Once all four techniques were done, they were integrated together using Premier Pro so they could be presented to the class.

Although the workshop was rewarding and frustrating in equal measures, it showed the students the complex range of tools and skills required to become an animator.  It also set them up for their next two NCEA Standards where they will put into action all that they learnt.

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