City Lit Pro Dragonframe
Course Code: VK607
Duration: 3 sessions (over 3 weeks)
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What is the course about?
This intensive practical course introduces you to the most professional techniques in capturing stop motion animation. Though Dragon frame can be used with camera phones this stop motion application is designed to work with a DSLR camera. Not only does it harness and control the image sensitivity produced by the manual settings of a DSLR camera but it allows you to capture sequences as raw files with no loss of quality. On this practical introductory course you will be introduced to a range of controls including the cinematography controls to control how your image looks, the guide layers for using images and sound to guide your animating, the x sheet for recording, editing and synching your frames and the timeline and camera robotics for controlling camera movement.
What will we cover?
- Connecting a DSLR camera to Dragon Frame
- Using the cinematography controls to control the camera settings.
- Capture frames with the Dragon Frame controller
- Using the x Sheet to monitor and edit frames
- Using guide layers as reference for animated movement
- Using the timeline
- Controlling easing and camera movement with motion control and camera robotics
- using Dragon Frame for Lip Sync
- Exporting animated clips with different compressions.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Connect a DSLR camera to Dragon Frame
- Understand how to use a range of settings to adjust your image
- Understand the use of guide tracks to assist with your animated movements
- Capture and Edit frames
- understand how to use Dragon Frame to control easing and camera movement
- understand how Dragon Frame can be used for Lip Sync
- Export and save animated sequences using an appropriate format and codec
- Save projects.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is a beginner’s course but, as a City Lit Pro course, is designed to be taught at a fast pace. You are expected to be able to navigate, open, save and retrieve files on a computer. Experience of using a DSLR camera is helpful but not essential.
You should be able to follow written and verbal instructions, hand-outs and health and safety information and will be invited to take part in group discussion.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught through a range of techniques including demonstrations, hands-on exercises and group and individual advice and guidance. Please note the City Lit uses Apple Mac computers in the animation studio.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
The latest professional software and equipment will be available for you to use in the class throughout the course in our Animation studio.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
You can further develop your skills and interest in Stop motion Animation through a range of courses at the City Lit including Stop Motion Animation for fine art practice or Narrative stop motion animation. The City Lit Animation Course is a long course teaching you both digital and traditional animation techniques and allows you to work on your own final major project. We also offer short courses in digital animation using After Effects, Animate and Photoshop and digital editing courses in Premiere Pro CC, Final Cut Pro or DaVinci Resolve to enhance your moving image practice.
John has been animating for 40 years, and has taught animation at every level, and for every age group. He has taught classes in stop motion animation, digital animation, CGI animation, compositing and VFX, as well as the History of Animation. He has a passion for his subject area, and a never ending quest to learn more. John is a professional stop motion animator, and has collaborated with various other organisations to produce animation for Film, Theatre and Television. John teaches animation in the Richard Williams style, by embodying the character and action, and has insights into nearly every form of animation, and film-making and story telling in general. Recently he was invited to teach stop motion at the Disney Framestore HQ. John's company Skatedog films recently debuted its 16 minute short film 'Jolly Girl' onto the International film festival circuit. www.skatedog.co.uk
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.