CSE 5360 Introduction to 3-D Computer Animation

 

Class Location and Time:  Caruth Hall 0384, T/TH 5:00PM - 6:20PM

 

Instructors:      Jeffrey Alcantara (ReelFx)

                        Don Evans (SMU)

 

Email:  alcantara@mail.smu.edu

            devans@engr.smu.edu

 

Office Hours:    Alcantara - T 6:30-7:30 PM

                        Evans –  MW 1:0-2:00 and TTh 10:00 to 11:00

 

Course Materials

 

 

 

[Test 1] Lecture Slides

1-17-2012 – Pre Production Part 1

1-19-2012 – Pre Production Part 2

1-24-2012 – Production Pipeline

1-26-2012 – Modeling 1

1-31-2012 – Modeling 2

2-2-2012 – Modeling 3

Test 1 Key Terms                                Web Link        Word Document

 

[Test 2] – Lecture Slides

2-21-2012 – Character Setup 1

2-23-2012 – Character Setup 2

3-1-2012 – Animation 1

3-6-2012 – Animation 2

3-8-2012 – Animation 3

Test 2 Key Terms                                Web Link        Word Document

 

[Test 3] – Lecture Slides

3-27-2012 – Lighting 1

3-29-2012 – Materials 1

4-3-2012 – Lighting 2

4-5-2012 – Lighting 3

4-10-2012 – The Digital Image

4-12-212 – Effects

Test 3 Key Terms                                Web Link        Word Document

 

Maya Shortcut Keys                           Web Link        Word Document

Walkcycle Reference

Lighting Tutorial

WebGL Path Tracing by Evan Wallace

WebGL Water by Evan Wallace

Ron Fedkiw

Paul Debevec Light Probes

 

 

Short Films

The Third & The Seventh

Logorama

The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr. Morris Lessmore

 

 

 

Extra Credit                                      Web Link        Word Document

 

Homeworks

 

Homework 1                                       Web Link        Word Document        

Homework 2                                       Web Link        Word Document

 

Projects

 

Project 1:  Modeling                           Web Link        Word Document                    

Project 2:  Character Setup                 Web Link        Word Document

Project 3:  Animation                          Web Link        Word Document        

Project 4:  Lighting & Texturing         Web Link        Word Document         Room Geo       Render Fix

Final Project                                        Web Link        Word Document

 

Required Text:

Introducing Autodesk Maya 2012 by Dariush Derakhshani

 

Additional Reading: 

These books are not required but cover material that will be discussed in class.

The Art of Maya:  An Introduction to 3D Computer Graphics by Alias Learning Tools.  Sybex

The Art of 3-D Computer Animation and Effects by Issac Victor Kerlow.  John Wiley & Sons

 

Web Tutorials and Resources

Web Links

 

 

Calendar (schedule subject to change):

 

1/17      T          Introduction / Computer Graphics Concepts

1/19      TH        Computer Graphics Concepts / Maya Basics

 

1/24      T          Computer Graphics Concepts / Maya Basics

1/26      TH        Introduction to Modeling  / Maya Basics

 

1/31      T          Modeling – Polygons

2/2        TH        Modeling – NURBS

 

2/7        T          Modeling– Subdivision Surfaces

2/9        TH        Modeling

Begin Project 1 - Modeling

 

2/14      T          Test 1 – (Preproduction, CG Pipeline, Modeling)

2/16      TH        Introduction to Character Setup

Homework 1 DUE

 

2/21      T          Character Setup

                        Homework 2 DUE

2/23      TH        Character Setup

 

2/28      T          Character Setup

3/1        TH        Animation

                       

3/6        T          Animation

                        Begin Project 2 – Character Setup

3/8        TH        Animation

 

3/13      T          Spring Break

3/15      TH        Spring Break

 

3/20      T          Animation

                        Begin Project 3 – Animation

3/22      TH        Test 2 – (Character Setup, Animation)

 

3/27      T          Introduction to Lighting & Materials

                        Project 1 DUE              

3/29      TH        Lighting & Materials

                        Project 2 DUE  

 

4/3        T          Lighting & Materials

Begin Project 4 – Materials & Lighting

4/5        TH        Lighting & Materials

                       

4/10      T          The Digital Image

                        Project 3 DUE  

Begin Final Project

4/12      TH        Effects& Dynamics/ Compositing

                        Final Project Proposal Due 

 

4/17      T          Effects& Dynamics/ Compositing

                        Project 4 DUE

4/19      TH        Advanced Topics

 

4/24      T          Test 3 – (Lighting & Materials, Effects)

4/26      TH        Final Project Presentations

 

 

 

Homeworks:

Homework assignments will be smaller assignments and tutorial exercises that cover material discussed in class.

 

 

Projects:         

(1)        Modeling

(2)        Character Setup

(3)        Materials & Lighting

(4)        Animation

(5)        Final Project

 

 

Grade Distribution:

Exams (3)         40%

Projects (4)       40%

Homeworks (2)  5%

Final Project      15%

 

 

Department Contact:

Debra McDowell debra@lyle.smu.edu (214) 768-3080

Beth Minton beth@lyle.smu.edu (214) 768-3083

 

Disability Accommodations:  Students needing academic accommodations for a disability must first be registered with Disability Accommodations & Success Strategies (DASS) to verify the disability and to establish eligibility for accommodations. Students may call 214-768-1470 or visit http://www.smu.edu/alec/dass to begin the process. Once registered, students should then schedule an appointment with the professor to make appropriate arrangements.

 

Religious Observance:  Religiously observant students wishing to be absent on holidays that require missing class should notify their professors in writing at the beginning of the semester, and should discuss with them, in advance, acceptable ways of making up any work missed because of the absence. (See University Policy No. 1.9.)

 

Excused Absences for University Extracurricular Activities:  Students participating in an officially sanctioned, scheduled University extracurricular activity should be given the opportunity to make up class assignments or other graded assignments missed as a result of their participation. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements with the instructor prior to any missed scheduled examination or other missed assignment for making up the work. (University Undergraduate Catalogue)

 

Student Learning Outcomes:  Please include in your syllabi all student learning outcomes, both those specific to your course, as well as those that satisfy major and general education requirements.

 

Final Exams:  Final course examinations shall be given in all courses where they are appropriate, must be administered as specified in the official examination schedule, and shall not be administered during the last week of classes or during the Reading Period. 

 

 

Other Useful Information

  1. No make-up exams will be given without prior consent of the instructor.
  2. Thirty points will be deducted from all late projects.  Projects will be accepted no later than one day after the due date/time.
  3. The three exams are evenly weighted. There is no final comprehensive exam during exam week.
  4. Any student wishing to contest a grade received on a test or project must contact the instructor in a timely manner.
  5. All students are expected to do their own work on tests and projects. Any students caught cheating can expect be referred for disciplinary action.