Anim 03 – Advanced Body Mechanics Spring 2025
Description
Advanced Body Mechanics picks up where Introduction to Body Mechanics leaves off. This class will guide students in continuing to build on their physicality and body mechanics skills; while alongside being introduced to the extremely important concept of pantomime acting. No longer just about “How” to move something, we really start diving into thought process and the “why” of movement. This class holds a strong emphasis on character motivated exercises.
The goal of Advanced Body Mechanics is to learn how to convey a story, through process and emotions using clear and mechanically correct body language.
Curriculum: Advanced Body Mechanics
- Introduction and Demo Reel Review and Critique
We will cover expectations for the class.
Lecture on Blocking Methods for Animating.
Assignment for Week 2: Character Walk. This assignment will differ from other standard walks as the emphasis is to exude character and personality. - In depth critique of the Week One Assignment using SyncSketch.
Next Assignment: Stop to Start. This assignment will demonstrate a character transitioning from a static state to a mobile state. We will talk briefly about weight transfer and momentum. - In depth critique of the previous Assignment using SyncSketch.
Next Assignment: Start to Stop. Different from the previous assignment, the Start to Stop involves focusing on specific timing to successfully slow a character to a stop and the overlapping principles to show proper weight distribution. - Lecture on Start to Stop.
In depth critique of the previous Assignment.
Assignment for following week: Push and Pull. Starting to incorporate more personality into the performance. Push and pull will emphasize contrasting timing and spacing. - In depth review of the Push and Pull Assignment.
Next Assignment: Weight Lift. The weight lift assignment will incorporate lessons from previous assignments but the mechanics with this assignment are more complex. The assignment will involve demonstrating what happens to the body as there is a weight countering the body. - In depth review of the Weight Lift Assignment.
Next Assignment: Stumble and Fall. This assignment incorporates textured timing learned in previous assignments but adds an additional element of a character not in control of their movement. - In depth review of the Stumble and Fall.
Last Assignment: Dance. This assignment involves a character dancing, but the challenge is to have the character doing something else while dancing. The emphasis is not the dancing but the other occupying action. - In depth review of the previous assignment.
Event FAQs
One session every Tuesday for 10 weeks.
-Starting April 7, 2025
-Ending June 14, 2025
7:00pm – 10:00pm Pacific time
We recommend that students take Introduction to Body Mechanics before taking Advanced Body Mechanics.
A link to your demo reel is required with your registration.
*Advanced Body Mechanics is limited to 8 students to allow for maximum individualized focus. We encourage a comfortable, collaborative environment so that students can learn from their own assignments, the critiques of others’, instructor demos, lectures, and guest speakers.
Tuition: $1,600.00
Includes a $200.00 non-refundable registration fee
Click here to learn more about Partial Payments, Deposits, and Payment Plans.
Pay your deposit here. You can also break your tuition into four easy payments with a Payment Plan. Here are the details of the payment plan. Payment 1: $200, deposit due with registration. Payment 2: $466.67 due on the Monday of the 1st week of the Session. Payment 3: $466.67 due on the Monday of the 4th week of the Session. Payment 4: $466.66 due on the Monday of the 7th week of the Session. *Note: payments are not automatically scheduled. You must schedule them individually.
Note: Animation Collaborative accepts Paypal and Checks. To pay by check, just fill out the form below, hit Register, and select the Pay by Check option underneath Paypal.
