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Animation & VFX · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Advanced Character Animation

This master-level course shifts focus from the physics of movement to the psychology of performance. Students will learn to imbue digital characters with a “soul,” focusing on acting choices, subtext, and micro-expressions. The curriculum covers advanced dialogue shots, multi-character interactions, and the subtle nuances that distinguish a mechanical movement from a living, breathing performance.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Master the art of "acting" for animation: Subtext, beats, and thought processes
  2. Execute complex Lip-Sync synchronization using phonemes and visemes
  3. Create believable eye movement (saccades) and facial micro-expressions
  4. Manage multi-character interactions and physical contact
  5. Refine the "Polish" phase to eliminate "floaty" animation and add texture
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01Review: Body Mechanics vs. Acting
  2. 02Video Reference Analysis: Finding the Truth
  3. 03Facial Anatomy for Animators (FACS)
  4. 04Lip-Sync I: Jaw Mechanics & Rhythm
  5. 05Lip-Sync II: Phonemes & Visemes
  6. 06Acting Theory: Laban Movement Analysis
  7. 07Dialogue I: The One-Liner
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Dialogue II: Acting Beats & Phrasing
  10. 10Eyes: The Window to the Soul (Saccades)
  11. 11Micro-expressions & Subtext
  12. 12Multi-Character Interaction: Contact
  13. 13Creature Animation: Quadruped Acting
  14. 14The "Polish" Phase: Adding Texture
  15. 15Demo Reel Construction & Critique
  16. 16Final Project: The Dialogue Scene

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Dialogue Scene

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Acting for Animators by Ed Hooks
  2. The Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams
  3. Stop Staring: Facial Modeling and Animation Done Right by Jason Osipa
  4. Directed by Steven Spielberg (for blocking analysis) by Poague
  5. Drawn to Life: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes by Walt Stanchfield
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