Phillip Birch

This course will focus on the creation and animation of computer graphic-generated characters and environments. We will utilize Maya, an industry-standard 3D modeling and animation application, to create unique characters. Topics covered will be the basics of character creation, topology, edge flows, rigging, weighting, and UV mapping. Over the course of the semester, students will create a variety of different characters, both bipedal and non-bipedal. Students will learn how to make walk cycles and to automate facial expressions for their own unique characters. We will cover how to integrate these characters into traditional animation environments, as well as film projects. Sample exercises include the creation of a dance music video, and a dining experience. By the conclusion of the term, students will have a basis for the fundamentals of character creation and animation.

This course will focus on the development and deployment of adaptive cinema and live rendered compositing in video production. The class will explore the production techniques in shows such as Westworld and The Mandalorian, as well as the burgeoning field of adaptive cinema used on online platforms such as Netflix and experimental film festivals. Topics covered in the course will be live compositing computer graphics, user interface design, scene optimization, and multi-sequential narratives. The course will use Unreal Engine, an industry-standard software used on the above television shows to composite digital sets with live-action footage. Utilizing these techniques, the course will discuss different venues for deployment of this media.

In this class, students will be introduced to the theory and practice of three-dimensional (3D) modeling and compositing for animation. We will explore 3D animation, design, and architectural concepts in the lecture room, on the computer, and in the studio. The purpose of this class is to build the skills necessary to leverage the use of a professional 3D program (Cinema 4D) in storytelling and animation projects and to develop a critical dialogue with the medium through selected essays and topics. Instructional topics include: 3D navigation, primitives, polygon modeling, symmetries, splines, rendering, keyframes, lighting, morphing, expressions, rigging, texturing, and compositing. The course will also cover compositing 2D animation with 3D animation and live action footage using After Effects. Weekly assignments will provide students with the building blocks necessary to take their projects in individual creative directions. Cinema 4D is an industry-standard 3D design-and-animation software package used in a wide range of projects, from motion graphics to full-length feature films to experimental animation.

This course will explore adaptive and nonlinear narratives. We will focus on each student developing interactive stories, utilizing a video game engine to focus on new techniques in narrative development. The class will examine works such as visual novels, video games, virtual reality, and artworks to understand how viewer choice is becoming integral to the way we digest media. Examples of work that will be analyzed will be contemporary art, such as that by Lynn Hershman Leeson, and interactive films/games such as “Gone Home” and “What Remains of Edith Finch?” This course will utilize animation, film, and programming to develop collaborative projects. We will discuss the history of interactive media and read important essays in the development of the field. By the end of this class, students will be able to integrate audience participation and decision-making into the media of their choice. The course will utilize flow-chart software in the creation of these narratives, and the game engine Unity to deploy them. Unity is an industry-standard software in the development of video games and interactive media.

This course will focus on the development and deployment of adaptive cinema and live-rendered compositing in video production. The class will explore the production techniques in shows such as Westworld and The Mandalorian, as well as the burgeoning field of adaptive cinema used on online platforms such as Netflix and experimental film festivals. Topics covered in the course will be live-compositing computer graphics, user interface design, scene optimization, and multisequential narratives. The course will use Unreal Engine, an industry-standard software used on the above television shows. Utilizing these techniques, we will discuss different venues for deployment of this media, including virtual reality and online platforms.