Foundations of Animation

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Section 1: Introduction to Animation
Lesson Plan (Week 1: Overview of Animation; Week 2: Animation Workflow and Pipeline
3
Section 2: Core Principles of Animation
Lesson Plan (Week 3: Squash and Stretch, Timing, and Spacing; Week 4: Anticipation, Staging, and Follow-Through; Week 5: Arcs, Exaggeration, and Secondary Action)
4

Lesson 4: Anticipation, Staging, and Follow-Through

Objective: Use anticipation, staging, and follow-through to enhance animation clarity and realism.
Duration: 2 hours
Materials:
- Animation software.
- Clips demonstrating anticipation (e.g., character preparing to jump).
- Staging examples (e.g., camera angles in animated scenes).
Activities:
1. Lecture (30 min): Discuss anticipation, staging, and follow-through with examples.
2. Demo (30 min): Instructor animates a character performing a simple action (e.g., a jump).
3. Hands-On (60 min): Students animate a character’s jump with anticipation and follow-through.
Interactive Online Activity:
- Staging Critique Forum (using Google Slides or Jamboard): Students upload a screenshot of their jump animation’s key frame and describe their staging choices. Peers comment on clarity and effectiveness.
- Platform: Google Slides or Jamboard (free, collaborative visual tools).
Assessment: Jump animation and forum participation.

Lesson 3: Squash and Stretch, Timing, and Spacing