Matthew A. Tovar
University of the Incarnate Word, USA
Title: Robust Animation Instruction for the “Uneducated†Freshman
Biography
Biography: Matthew A. Tovar
Abstract
Incoming freshman face a large reality check entering animation. Animation to most is fun, exciting and offers immersion in the entertainment world that is considered glamorous. Not only is the work challenging and time consuming, it requires intense attention to detail and constant practice and improvement. Instant gratification is not the norm. The comprehension of the numbers of individuals, talents and workload involved in the animation process is only the beginning of the learning curve. The animation industry seeks students not only technically savvy, but dedicated, patient and most importantly, able to work well with others, work hard, long hours and understand their role and responsibilities in the production. Knowing the principles of animation incorporates a strong foundation in the field, but being able to apply them to their animation is key, along with learning other technical aspects such as how & why to use the graph editor, timeline, weighted or unweighted tangents, or broken tangents. This presentation will outline the freshman animation course developed, along with various teaching techniques and tools with some preliminary outcomes and lessons learned.