Animation Model

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Lesson Plan Industry Sector
Arts, Media & Entertainment

Lesson Plan Originally Created By: Mike Morris

I am Ready to Talk Now!-Basic Lip-Syncing Exercise

Part of Unit: Animation Process

Lesson Plan Overview / Details

The lesson will begin to cover the very basic foundations of developing a character head and lip- syncing a short clip of audio to it. This particular example will focus on the two dimensional sketch, preperation, and design of  phonemes for use in a final digitally created project.

Included are examples of the beginning drawing exercises, preliminary student designed head sketches, and finally the students digitally produced projects (the digital process is not covered in this lesson).

Lesson Time

Instructional Time
50 Minutes
Student Activity Time
90 Minutes
Closure Time
20 Minutes
Reflection Time
20 Minutes

Standards

California Career and Technical Education Standards

Objectives and Goals

  • Students will design various drawings representing the lip synching process.
  • Students will know how the lip syncing design process works and the importance of pre-planning it.
  • Students will examine techniques used to create facial expressions and lip syncing using phonemes.
  • Students will know the various tools that industry experts utilize to create cohesive sound clips and character lip syncing.

Activities in this Lesson

  • Examples of Character Lip Syncing Styles - Hooks / Set

    What is dubbing/lip syncing?

    To get the students interested and explain the topic show various clips from animated cartoons that represent different styles of lip syncing.  

    Divide the class into equal groups.Each group is assigned to view one animated short. The students will watch the clips once witth sound  and once paying special attention to the characters facial gestures and dialogue patterns. After viewing the short they will compile a list of elements tthey notice about the characters expressiions, mouth forms and shapes, and any other details they recognize as significant

    For example show a variety of clips that vary in lip-syncing techniques :                  

    The Simpsons, South Park, The Flinstones, Charlie Brown, and Mr. McGoo-in these particular clips you never see the characters teeth (attached Charlie Brown, Mr. McGoo, and 

    The Muppets, Sesame Street-mouth movements go with the up and down movements of the head

    Wallace and Gromit and Creature Comforts-the mouth movements are all based on styliistic solutions that fits their character designs

    Dragon Ball Z-shows typical Japanese lip syncing in which the mouths are very small but when the characters are angry, yelling, or excited their mouths become overwhelmingly large

    Jimmy Neutron, Coraline-uses a technique that  utilizes lip-syncing software for 3D animation which uses a predetermined library of shapes to deform the mouth structure

  • What are we doing? - Lecture

    The students will receive an overview of the lesson and an explanation of the expectations from them.

    Show and discuss the selected Preston Blair pages the students will be using for their assignment (attached)

    Also view previous student sketches from previous students and examples of final projects.

    I have attached the student work and Preston Blair pages necessary for the assignment

  • Demonstration of Activity - Demo / Modeling

    Supplies needed: Large newsprint, sketch, or bond paper for drawing. A variety of drawing pencils

    Demonstrate how to draw the head and mouth shapes listed below.

    Part 1:

    Sketch the dialogue pages in the Preston Blair animation book-Chapter 4 pages 163-164

    Complete all of the consonants, vowels, and the practice sentence 

    Part 2:

    Sketch various head studies from the Preston Blair animation book:

    Chapter 1 Page18-complete one round and one oval head construction-follow book process

    Create one of the finalized heads at the bottom of the page

    Chapter 1 page 19-sketch two egg head techniques

    Chapter 1 page 22-sketch one of the dog cartoons

    Once complete with the practice sketches create your own character head for use in the final lip synching project

    Once you have completed the above write down a sentence, part of a nursery rhyme, or a poem of your choice. Must be a minimum of two full sentences.

    After creating your character head draw your sentence following the consonant and vowel shapes created earlier. 

  • Q & A Time - Check Understanding

    Give students an opportunity for a question and answer period about the process. 

    Have students respond back to the instructors questions about the process.

    Take a last check for any further questions before moving on.

  • Student Time - Guided Practice

    Students will receive their supplies and begin drawing from the Preston Blair book, pages noted above. 

    Instructor should monitor students by roaming through the classroom checking for questions, giving feedback, and providing help if needed. 

  • All On Your Own! - Independent Practice

    After completing part 1 of the project students will move on independently to part 2, pages and activities are noted above. 

    The instructor should reinstate expectations of the final head and mouth sketches and what the students will be doing with them.

  • How is this Used? - Closure

    Relate the project to the industry by showing various techniques/software used to create lip syncing animation, for example:

    Show examples of a Dope sheet used by professional animators, example attached

    "Dope sheet" is the informal/common term for the worksheet used by animation directors to plan the timing and action of an animation.Each scene in an animation will have its own dope sheet, broken down into frame numbering for timing with detailed instructions regarding the field, camera movements, action, etc.

    Show examples of Disney characters and how their mouth and facial expressions are an important part of bringing them to life, examples attached.

    Software Vendors: Toon Boom ( http://www.toonboom.com/products/animate/), Dub Aniamtion ( www.dubstudio.com), and Magpie ( http://www.thirdwishsoftware.com/magpie.html)

Assessment

Assessment Types:
Rubrics, Observations,

Students will be assessed through observational practices and a designed rubric that checks for effort, class participation, creativity, and craftsmanship.

Rubric is attached.

  • Example of Lip Syncing Rubrics.doc Example of Lip Syncing Rubrics.doc [ Download ]