Workshop “Store” – Part 1
News . 11 Aug. 2021
In two parts, we offer you an original focus on the realization of a workshop conducted by the 2nd year students of the CG Animation and FX Master Degree in Nantes. The exercise consists in imagining a character interacting with the facade of a store and creating a 10-second animation. This cross-disciplinary project is built throughout the year and brings together different subjects taught at the school.
DEFINITION OF THE EXERCISE
Started in January and due in June, the “Boutique” project is a complete production of a short animation with the analysis and execution of different steps. The objective is to produce 2 shots for a total of 10 animated seconds, in which the students of CG Animation and FX MAster Degree must stage a character and make him interact with the façade. Two framings are imposed: a wide shot and a close-up.
The type of store and the characteristics of the character are chosen at random by the students, among the people created for the films of the previous classes. Once these constraints are known, the students have to define a place and a time in which their animation will take place. They define the decor and the graphic universe of the store. In order to make it unique, the students can add an adjective to it: strange, prankster, creepy, stuffy, trendy… It is now up to them to create the most coherent facade possible around this singular universe.
THE PRE-PRODUCTION FILE
In order to set up their animation, the students must submit a pre-production file halfway through the course. In connection with the image analysis and screenplay courses, they must imagine their set in writing as well as the characterization of their character. This is a file containing all the information concerning their store according to defined explanatory cards. A pre-production file is essential when creating a CG animation.
THE DIFFERENT FORMS REQUESTED
The Décor Sheet
The students describe the spatial and temporal context of the boutique, the architectural structure of the décor, its shapes, colors and textures. The students must present their research and their various sources of inspiration in order to easily imagine the store’s façade. Drawings are proposed to present the style of the façade and its environment.
Characterization / Chara-design sheet of the character
This sheet is composed of the character’s name, a brief presentation, his physical and psychological characteristics, his story… The idea here is to include this animation in a general story, the central point of which is the action of interaction with the facade. In order to give life to the character, the students realize the chara-design of the character by thinking about its visual identity.
Color research / moodboard / textures / rough color
In order to give volume and substance to the decor, the students must think about the different textures and colors of the store, by proposing a moodboard. Depending on the time of the store, its location, its function or its state, the textures and colors can change. The students experiment with different states to find the right material and color for each element of their store. They also have to think about the style of their animation: realistic, cartoon, 2D… The research of the graphic aspect is essential in pre-production.
The storyboard / coloscript / keyshot
The sequence lasts 10 seconds, and the students must create a storyboard of a few images. In order to complete their pre-production file, a colorscript and a keyshot is asked to them in order to imagine better the rendering.
All these steps are necessary to achieve a successful animation and to achieve this, it is essential to conduct an important reflection on the universe upstream. Once their file was finished, the students were able to move on to the next step: giving life to their facade and their character.
