August 27, 2024

Architecture 5420: Computer Animation And Storytelling
Due: In-class screening September 17, 2024

Exercise 1: a process

Create a 30-second animation featuring simple objects that depict a process with a beginning, middle, and end. This could be a chain reaction, cause-and-effect sequence, a Rube Goldberg-inspired machine, or a more abstract series of interactions open to interpretation.

Instructions:

  1. Use simple NURBS and/or polygon primitives with basic keyframing techniques.
  2. Create one or more sequences at the same resolution.
  3. Work with one or multiple objects.
  4. Render your animation using either Maya Software or Maya Hardware 2.0.
  5. Save your work as a JPEG animation sequence. Compile the sequence(s) in OpenShot (free download at openshot.org) or any video editor you are comfortable with, such as Adobe Premiere.
  6. Upload your final animation to your personal folder within the ARCH 5420 CLASSES submit folder. Email a 1–2 paragraph description of your project to the class instructor, Earl Mark, at ejmark@virginia.edu.
The CLASSES server, commonly used within the School of Architecture, can be accessed from anywhere on grounds or remotely by installing UVA's VPN system on your personal computer. Instructions for installing VPN on your computer are available here: UVA's VPN). For full details about using VPN to get onto the CLASSES server within the School of Architecture, see the computer setup document (requires Netbadge login). Note two important differences bewteen Mac OS and Windows OS witin these instructions:
  1. The Mac OS and Windows OS options for connecting to the CLASSES server are different from one another. For Mac, use the Mac OS “Go/Connect to Server” utility and enter  smb://Classes.arch.virginia.edu/SARC-CLASSES.  For Windows, use the Windows OS “Start  Run” command and enter \\Classes.arch.virginia.edu\SARC-CLASSES .
  2. Furthermore, when logging into the CLASSES server via the Windows OS “Start Run” option, type *eservices* followed by your UVa computing ID (e.g., eservices\ejm9k). The *eservices* prefix is not required for Mac OS.