Animator Clay Kaytis hosts an exclusive interview with five young artists from the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Each of them came to Disney through its Talent Development Program within the last two years.
(mp3, 25.7MB, 1 hr 23 min)
Animation Mentor: Behind the Scenes at Disney
There are a lot of great resources at Animation Mentor, check out their site. Every time I go there I find something new and cool. Check it out. Here is a great podcast. --- Cornell
Animator Clay Kaytis hosts an exclusive interview with five young artists from the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Each of them came to Disney through its Talent Development Program within the last two years.
(mp3, 25.7MB, 1 hr 23 min)
Animator Clay Kaytis hosts an exclusive interview with five young artists from the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Each of them came to Disney through its Talent Development Program within the last two years.
(mp3, 25.7MB, 1 hr 23 min)
Animation Mentor’s Free Webinar: Give Meaning to Movement
Give Meaning to Movement: Timing & Spacing in Animation Explained!
Timing and spacing give meaning and authenticity to movement in animation. Hear Aaron Hartline and Victor Navone, two animators at Pixar Animation Studios and mentors at AnimationMentor.com, discuss timing and spacing tips and tricks that you can use to make your animation more authentic. You’ll also be able to ask your animation questions live!DATE: April 29, 2010 TIME: 7:00 - 8:00 PM PDT
http://www.animationmentor.com/resources/webinars.html
Animation Mentor’s Free Webinar Training – Past Sessions
GET YOUR BACKSTAGE PASS: A Look at Animation Mentor CEO and cofounder Bobby Beck talks to graduates Ana Cunha and Kevin Worth about how the online learning experience works. Also, get a peek behind the scenes with Admissions Advisor Victoria Tripp.
Original Air Date: September 17, 2009
LIVE THE DREAM! WEBINAR
This Webinar is an interview between Mentor Kenny Roy and two of Animation Mentor's recent graduates who discuss how they became animators and what they learned along the way.
Original Air Date: August 29, 2009
PLANNING AND WORKFLOW WEBINAR
Watch and learn from the authors of Animation Tips & Tricks Vol II. Wayne Gilbert and Keith Sintay share their knowledge in creating great animation.
Original Air Date: July 18, 2009
DRAWN TO LIFE: 20 Golden Years of Disney Master Classes A live conversation with Bobby Beck and Don Hahn. Join us about the life, work and teachings of Disney legend Walt Stanchfield.
Original Air Date: July 14, 2009
LEARN HOW TO BE AN ANIMATOR WITH BOBBY BECK Learn how Animation Mentor really works! Hear from two of our graduates, Alison Sanders and Mike Stern, about what they learned in the program and how it helped them land great jobs.
Original Air Date: July 16, 2008
DEMO REEL DOS AND DON'TS WITH CARLOS BAENA Hear Carlos Baena, co-founder of AnimationMentor.com and PIXAR animator, speak to common mistakes animators make when creating their demo reels and how to tailor your demo reel to stand out from the rest.
Original Air Date: July 9, 2008
MEET BOBBY BECK AND AJA BOGDANOFF Learn how Bobby Beck, CEO of Animation Mentor and former Pixar animator got started in the business. Hear from Aja Bogdanoff, about her experiences with the school and on the job.
Original Air Date: April 30, 2008
TIPS & TRICKS WITH SHAWN KELLY Learn insider tips and tricks from Animation Mentor co-founder, and Industrial Light & Magic animator, Shawn Kelly.
Original Air Date: April 16, 2008
SIGGRAPH 20010 SpaceTime “PRINT EXHIBITION”
Print Category
Students will be expected to print, frame, and ship their work to and from the exhibition.
Poster Design
| Fine Art Print
| Primary/Secondary |
College Students | Primary/Secondary (K-12) |
| Poster Design | Fine Art Print | |
Each accepted entry for the exhibition will be reproduced in a digital full color catalog. The catalog will be available online for a free download on http://education.siggraph.org/
Jury Procedures
- The international jury committee consists of seven members
- The juror selection process is through internet only and all elections are based on the image submitted by applicants
Applications and Time Lines
All applications and images are required to be submitted through the sis system
- Entry forms must include artists’ information, artwork title, media, size and creation date. Each applicant can submit up to 3 works to be considered for the exhibition
- Each entry must have a brief artist’s statement (maximum 250 words) and a brief technical statement (maximum 150 words)
- All submissions must include a publishable image: Tiff format 1500X1200 or 4X5 inches at 300 ppi
All submissions must include an image suitable for the online jury: Max 1220 x 860 at 72 ppi jpg
All submissions must include an image for the Second Life exhibition: 1024 pixels for the largest dimension, RGB, 72 ppi, JPG. - You must have written authorization for any copyrighted imagery used. (Attach a copy of authorization to your entry)
- Works submitted should not have been exhibited at SIGGRAPH before.
- Works submitted for jurying should not be more than two of years old.
- Deadline for receiving submissions: May 8th, 2010
- Deadline for delivering artwork: TBD
- Notification by June 15, 2010
- Please submit work and fill out the online submission form which will soon be available at: the SIGGRAPH Information System
Upon Acceptance
Accepted artists are responsible for the following:
- A guarantee that the contributor is legally authorized to submit the materials for publication and presentation.
- Accepted posters and prints must be professionally prepared, framed and ready to be hung, otherwise it may be omitted from the exhibition. We will not print any posters or prints.
- Final acceptance of any artwork is reliant upon the level of quality of the delivered work.
- Submit all required forms for registration, shipping, insurance, etc. by the due dates.
- Two-way shipping is required to and from the Los Angeles Convention Center. SIGGRAPH 2010 is not responsible for shipping charges and damage; we would recommend that you purchase shipping insurance.
- In addition to the work for the SIGGRAPH exhibition, all accepted artists are required to submit an A3 size (11.7” x 16.5”--297 x 420 mm) reproduction print of their work. These prints will be used for the traveling exhibition, which will take place after the SIGGRAPH conference.
For more information, please contact:
Andrew Au
Curator, SpaceTime Student Print Competition
Contact Form
SIGGRAPH 2010 SpaceTime “INTERACTIVE” Exhibition
Categories
There are two (2) categories for the SpaceTime Student Interactive Competition:
Screen Based
| Physical Installation
|
Interactive Submission Rules
- All submissions must be interactive. Interactive is defined as a program that responds to direct influence by the viewer(s) using some means of input.
- Viewers must be able to experience the program or installation directly, either individually or in small groups.
- All submissions must be made via the SIGGRAPH Information System (SIS). The SIS is an online submission process. To submit their work, student artists should visit [URL to come]
The system includes fields to enter contact information and a description of the project. Please fill in the electronic forms as completely as possible, providing detail and supporting information to help in the evaluation process.
Here are a few of the details we’ll require:- Name of student, school, department and instructors
- A full list of credits
- A brief artist’s statement (maximum 250 words) and a brief technical statement (maximum 150 words)
- A publishable image showing a screen grab or detail of the work (Tiff: 1500X1200 or 4X5 inches at 300 ppi)
- A representation of the work for the Second Life exhibition:
One still image [1024px on the largest dimension, RGB, 72 ppi, JPG.] with an optional URL to your work, OR:
QuickTime movie as a MPEG 4 (click here for specifications) - The date the work was created
- Written authorization for any copyrighted imagery used. (Attach a copy of authorization to your entry)
- Your interactive program or documentation of an installation.
- Works submitted should not have been exhibited at SIGGRAPH before.
- Works submitted for jurying should not be more than two of years old.
- It is preferred that entries be submitted in completed form, though works in progress may be submitted by the May 8th deadline, provided enough of the program is completed to allow evaluation and as long as the completed version is submitted by June 15, 2009. There will be no exceptions.
- Both individual and group projects are welcome. Group projects must be clearly identified, and all group members must be fully credited, with their individual roles enumerated.
Awards:
Interactive – Screen based
2nd Place 3rd Place | Interactive - Physical
2nd Place 3rd Place |
Special Rules for Screen Based Programs:
| Special Rules for Physical Installations:
|
Jury Procedures
Jurors will review all work online. Selection will be based on the quality of the work submitted online by the student artist. Jurors will select their top candidates and discuss their choices with one another to determine the final winners. Notes and comments on submissions are not available for public display. All decisions made by the jurors are final.
Applications and Time Lines
- Each applicant can submit up to 3 works to be considered for the exhibition
- Deadline for receiving submissions: May 8th, 2010
- Notification by June 15, 2010
- The online submission form will be available soon at: the SIGGRAPH Information System
Upon Acceptance
Accepted artists are responsible for the following:
- Accepted screen based programs must be completed and submitted online by Juky 1st, 2010. If you have problems with the online submission, contact the curator (listed below)
- A guarantee that the contributor is legally authorized to submit the materials for publication and presentation.
- Submit all required forms for registration, shipping, insurance, etc. by the due date.
Accepted Screen based programs
- Peripherals such as a camera, mouse and keyboard will be available in the Gallery. Additional peripherals or devices may need to be provided by the artist.
- Attendance to the SIGGRAPH conference by the student artist is encouraged, but not required for acceptance.
Accepted Physical Installations
- Shipping or delivery of accepted entries is the responsibility of the student artist exhibitor and s/he should insure the work during shipping to protect the equipment against damage. The exhibitor is responsible for setting up and dismantling the installation and making it ready for display and interaction.
- As mentioned, if the exhibitor is not attending the SIGGRAPH conference, detailed instructions must be included. ACM SIGGRAPH is not responsible for any damage that may occur during unpacking, assembly, dismantling and repacking.
- Physical works being shipped require two-way shipping to and from the Los Angeles Convention Center.
- SIGGRAPH is not responsible for shipping charges and damage; we highly recommend that you purchase shipping insurance.
For more information, please contact:
Marla Schweppe - Curator, SpaceTime Student Interactive Competition
Contact Form
ORIGINAL SITE: http://education.siggraph.org/students/competitions/call-2010/interactive
SIGGRAPH 2010 SpaceTime “ANIMATION COMPETITION” and Exhibition
Animation Categories
| Industry Animation | Conceptual Animation |
Awards
| Animation – Industry | Animation – Conceptual |
Jury Procedures
- The international jury committee consists of seven members
- The jury selection process will be conducted online and judging is based on the animation clips submitted through the online submission system.
Applications and Time Lines
All applications and animations are required to be submitted through the online submission system
- Each applicant can submit up to 3 works to be considered for the exhibition
- Entry forms must include artists’ information, artwork title, when the artwork was created, instructor name, school info, media and timing.
- Each entry must have a brief artist’s statement (maximum 250 words) and a brief technical statement (maximum 150 words)
- Each entry from industry and conceptual animation must include an animation stored as an AVI or QT file. The animation format should be NTSC (720X486) or PAL (720X540).
- Each animation/video cannot exceed five minutes in length, and less 300MB total size.
- All submissions must include a publishable image: Tiff format 1500X1200 or 4X5 inches at 300 ppi
- Each submission will be required to upload a version of their animation suitable for the Second Life exhibition
(click here for specifications) - You must have written authorization for any copyrighted material (images, sound, animation). (fill out a copy of authorization to your entry)
- Works submitted should not have been exhibited at SIGGRAPH before.
- Works submitted for jurying should not be more than two of years old.
- Deadline for receiving submissions: May 8th, 2010
- Notification by June 15, 2010
- Students will have until July 1st to upload a revised version of their animation.
- Please submit work and fill out the online submission form, available soon at: the SIGGRAPH Information System
Upon Acceptance
Accepted animation artists who are creating an installation as part of their work are responsible for the following:
- A guarantee that the contributor is legally authorized to submit the materials for publication and presentation.
- Final acceptance of any artwork is reliant upon the level of quality of the delivered work.
- Submit all required forms for registration, shipping, insurance, etc. by the due dates.
For more information, please contact:
Anna Ursyn
Curator, SpaceTime Student Animation Competition
Contact Form
ORIGINAL SITE:http://education.siggraph.org/students/competitions/call-2010/animation#cats
The SpaceTime Student Competition @ SIGGRAPH
The ACM SIGGRAPH Education Committee sponsors the SpaceTime Student Competition & Exhibition.
Submission Deadline: May 8th, 2010
The SpaceTime competition is an international juried exhibition for students currently enrolled in school and studying computer graphics and digital arts disciplines. The exhibition captures the state of creative computer-based student work and acts as an annual slice of the computer graphics continuum. College or university students are encouraged to apply to all areas. We welcome submissions from primary and secondary students in the print venue, which will be judged apart from the college submissions.
Accepted art and projects will be on exhibit at the annual SIGGRAPH conference, and will also tour nationally and internationally for approximately one year with the SpaceTime Traveling Student Exhibition conducted by the ACM SIGGRAPH Education Committee.
The exhibition will encompass three general areas:
SpaceTime Flyer
Download a single sheet, letter size flyer summarizing the Space Time program, here.
Online submission form
The online submission form will be available soon at: the SIGGRAPH Information System
Contact
SpaceTime Curator Shaurya Kumar can be contacted using this form
ORIGINAL SITE: http://education.siggraph.org/students/competitions/call-2010
Disney Research Learning Challenge
Sponsored by Disney Research - Challenge: Develop an engaging “Learning Widget” that will impart active knowledge of “Learning Concepts” for children ages 7 to 10.
"Fun and learning shouldn't be contradictory. With response to this contest, we hope to show that sophisticated concepts can be conveyed via entertaining interactions on computers. So our challenge to you is to develop an engaging 'Learning Widget' that will delight, inspire and reveal key learning concepts."
- A “Learning Widget” is a multiphase activity that moves a learner from minimal knowledge to active knowledge in one or more learning concepts.
- “Active Knowledge” is the application of knowledge to various situations that provide more than simply memorization and recall.
- The “Learning Concepts” from key areas of Math, Art, Science, Music, Reading & Writing for this year’s contest are:
- Exploring the structures and gravitational pull of the Solar System
- Creating diverse Rhythmic Music patterns to understand their dynamics
- Solving problems in space with Coordinate Geometry
- Discovering unfamiliar Vocabulary using context clues and word components
- Using Fractional Quantities to plan, construct and design
- Applying the dimensions and scale of Human Time to culture
- Illustrating needs, diversity and cycles in Habitats and Ecosystems
- Understanding Geometric Transformations by creating & reflecting on Visual Arts
- Revealing the Rock Cycle through volcanoes or properties of crystals
- Using combinations of Simple Machines to understand work
Prizes
- Finalists: Travel grants (20 teams @ $1500 per team) and SIGGRAPH registration
- Winners: Cash ($10,000 prize fund), Disney R&D Tours, Walt Disney Studio Tours
Possible Criteria for Judging:
Will be based on submissions. It might include some of the following:
- Fun
Demonstrates the highest frequency of smiles from users - Innovation
Demonstrates a fundamental change to the way learning is enabled through transformative uses of digital media and interactivity - Learning Efficacy
Demonstrates clear progress through the learning concept for the diversity of learners in this age range - Interdisciplinary
Demonstrates unique combinations and connections across diverse learning concepts - Social
Demonstrates the effectiveness of collaborative and competitive learning environments in digital media - Readiness
Demonstrates a clearly evident path to highly scalable production that requires reasonable investments to move beyond R&D
More information: learningchallenge2010.com
Challenge Document http://www.learningchallenge2010.com/downloads/Siggraph%202010%20Challenge.pdf
Expansion Document http://www.learningchallenge2010.com/downloads/Siggraph%20Support%20Material.pdf
Grand Challenges in Education – Panel Discussion at SIGGRAPH
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20XX.EDU: Grand Challenges in Education (Part 1)
This panel, organized by the ACM SIGGRAPH Education Committee and Leonardo/ISAST, brings together a diverse group of outstanding researchers and artists, academy and industry professionals, educators, and government officials to discuss the future of education in its broadest sense, encompassing both formal and informal learning. New digital technologies for human expression and communication have given birth to a 24/7-connected worldwide community that offers individuals and institutions a myriad of new models for shared, interactive learning. Information from a variety of digital devices that we now carry with us at all times is reshaping the way we perceive the world and interact with it. Online collaboration and social networking now play a major role in how we acquire and spread knowledge. How can educational institutions take advantage of the increasing popularity and dissemination of these technologies? How can individuals and institutions benefit from the massive increase of participatory and collaborative learning in our society? What are the major challenges in education today, in the sciences and the humanities? What are the new educational trends and paradigms for the coming decades? What kind of new learning contexts can be created outside of traditional institutions? The recent MacArthur report on The Future of Learning Institutions in the Digital Age provides one set of responses to these questions. This panel continues the conversation.
Panelists
Marc Barr - Middle Tennessee State University
Roger Malina - Leonardo/ISAST
David T. Goldberg - HASTAC, University of California
Rebecca Allen - NOKIA Hollywood
Mary Lou Maher - National Science Foundation
Sarah Cunningham - National Endowment for the Arts
Glenn Entis - VanEdge Capital
20XX.EDU: Grand Challenges in Education (Part 2)
This panel, organized by the ACM SIGGRAPH Education Committee and Leonardo/ISAST, is a continuation of the conversation that begins in Part 1 among a diverse group of outstanding researchers and artists, academy and industry professionals, educators, and government officials to discuss the future of education in its broadest sense, encompassing both formal and informal learning.
Panelists
Marc Barr - Middle Tennessee State University
Donna Cox - NSCA
James Foley - Georgia Institute of Technology
Andy van Dam - Brown University
Victoria Vesna - University of California, Los Angeles
Roger Malina - Leonardo/ISAST
Reimagining Learning: The Digital Media and Learning Competition
It is a little late to get involved this year, but check out The Digital Media and Learning Competition. The focus is to promote learning through innovative digital media projects. It got me excited, so I hope it happens again next year because I want to get involved. --- Cornell
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From the website:
HASTAC and the MacArthur Foundation are excited to launch the third year of the Digital Media and Learning Competition. Today, young people are learning, socializing, and participating in civic life in dramatic new ways and assessing information in ways never before imagined. They are reimagining learning on a daily basis and are engaged in what is called "participatory learning." The 2010 Digital Media and Learning Competition challenges designers, entrepreneurs, practitioners, researchers, and young people to put participatory learning to work on behalf of science, technology, engineering, math and their social contexts in the 21st century.
The Digital Media and Learning Competition, created in 2007, was designed to find "and to inspire" the most novel uses of new media in support of learning. Projects explore how digital technologies are changing the way people learn and participate in daily life. Awards have recognized individuals, for-profit companies, universities, and community organizations using new media to transform learning.
The 2010 Competition, launched in partnership with National Lab Day, challenges designers, inventors, entrepreneurs, practitioners and researchers to build learning labs and/or learning experiences for the 21st Century, environments that will help young people interact, share, build, tinker, and explore in new and innovative ways.
Here is an example of one of the submissions:
Why this focus?
President Obama has called for a renewed focus on science, technology, engineering and math education in the United States. The headlines of 2009 highlight the need for urgency: Whether it is epidemic disease, clean energy, climate change, new economic models, or innovative responses to local and global problems, the next generation will experience a rapidly changing world of daunting challenges. The complexity of such challenges will require sophisticated critical thinking and an ability to understand and affect the multiple systems that shape the economy, society and even life itself. Today’s young people will be called upon to demonstrate the dispositions and habits of mind that have always been at the heart of innovation and achievement – creativity, persistence, imagination, curiosity, storytelling, tinkering, improvisation, passion, risk-taking, and collaboration. These are the very dispositions and habits of mind that are nurtured by the exploration and understanding of science, technology, engineering and math.
This is also a time when the way young people learn, socialize, and participate in civic life is changing dramatically. Today, young people are accessing information in ways never before imagined. Young people are contributing, producing, and making things as they participate in local and global networks. They access just-in-time information while engaging in three-dimensional simulations and global networks. They also collaborate and contribute high quality peer-reviewed work in global “pro-am” communities, and ascend to leadership positions in complicated multiplayer team-based games. Recent studies of young people’s participation with digital media – including games, mobile devices, social networks, and virtual worlds – suggest that young people are re-imagining learning on a daily basis. They are engaging in what is called “participatory learning.”
The 2010 Digital Media and Learning Competition challenges designers, entrepreneurs, practitioners, researchers and young people to put participatory learning to work on behalf of science, technology, engineering, math and their social contexts in the 21st century. Awards will total $2 million.
Cal Arts Showcased work . . . Check it out!
Check out Cal Arts past animation showcases, they go back to 2004 and then have a 20 year retro film. I have not watched them all, but they have some really cool work and is worth checking out. Some amazing talent has emerged from Cal Arts since it opened and it is one of the harder schools to get in to. Last time I checked, it had an over 33% acceptance rate and I am not too sure what it is for the animation department; it is just really tough to get into.
--- Cornell
From their site: http://www.film.calarts.edu/
The School of Film/Video is one of the nation's premiere colleges for studying the art of the moving image. It is singularly devoted to filmmaking as a personal, independent art form. The School is especially unique in that it promotes the studies of all major types of filmmaking: dramatic narrative, documentary, experimental live-action, character-based animation, experimental animation, multimedia, and installation. We offer four challenging programs, each one with its own specialized curriculum focusing on specific areas in filmmaking. At the same time, all four share an ethos for combining rigorous practical training with theoretical inquiry, hands-on production with aesthetic reflection.
Free 4 All Film and Animation Fest
Submission Deadline - April 23rd ( I just came across this, sorry. – Cornell)
About The Festival - May 20, 2010
"Free 4 All Film and Animation Fest" is the initiative of the Fairfax Academy's Professional Graphics Studio and in conjunction with MHz Cable NETWORK “National Shortie Awards” to sponsor a area-wide high school student film and animation festival. The idea was to have a venue for local student filmmakers and animators to see and share the work of others. It is hoped that the festival will highlight the best of our hig h school student filmmakers and animators and give opportunity to view the creativity and skill of young filmmakers and animators as it expands to other counties over the yearsHow the Festival Works
Students are asked to choose a category in which to submit a film or animation. The entries are then sent out to a team of judges, usually local professional artist, filmmakers, media experts, and animators. The judges score the entries in a particular entry category and the five highest rated films in each category are presented on the night of the festival.
Awards At the conclusion of the screenings, the Best of Show in Animation and Film/Video will be announced and awarded a monetary prize plus gifts from Mythic Game Company and Autodesk. A People's Choice award plaque plus prozes will be awarded by audience vote to one Animation short and one Film/Video work. Certificates of Participation will be presented to all participating students. The Best of Show award winners will receive special recognition at the National MHz NETWORK “Shortie Awards”
– Student Film Festival at their public celebration on May 23, 2010 at La Maison Francaise in Washington, DC. Log on to: http://www.shortie.org/ for more detail.
Do you have an Animation or Film to Submit?
Log on to www.thefree4all.org and fill out the Entry Form and submit online. There is NO entry fee this year. Please read all the guidelines and copyright rules before submitting your work. NO Menu DVD will be accepted. Sign up online to receive e-mail updates and news about the festival.
Mail your animation or film to:
The Free4All Festival
3501 Rebel Run
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
E-mail or call the Free4All Festival at: digs2284@yahoo.com or 703.219.2284 if you have any questions.
The Career Coach, a Monthly Column on Animation World Network
Pamela Kleibrink writes a monthly column on Animation World Network called ‘The Career Coach’ It is worth checking out, especially if you are going into the animation or VFX industry. She has over 150 articles covering everything from the interview all the way through keeping your job. --- Cornell
Pamela Kleibrink Thompson is a recruiter/hiring strategist for clients such as Blue Sky, Toybox, Framestore, Digital Domain and Walt Disney Feature Animation. She is a career coach and consults with colleges and universities to design animation training programs. Her animation production background includes features such as Bebe's Kids, the Fox television series The Simpsons and the original Amazing Stories episode of Family Dog. She writes a monthly column on Animation World Network (http://www.mag.awn.com/) called The Career Coach. Pamela Kleibrink Thompson discusses those foolish moments that could hinder jobs or careers.
List of all her articles: http://www.awn.com/category/columns/career
________________________
Here is a short article for your students to read about self sabotage and what people do so that they are not successful. It interesting because I see it all the time with students. They need to learn to get through this before college, but sometimes it is so ingrained at home that it is hard to overcome. - Cornell
By Pamela Kleibrink Thompson | Tuesday, April 6, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Pamela Kleibrink Thompson.
"I pity the fool"–Mr. T, Rocky III
People do a lot of dumb things to sabotage themselves. No one is immune -- not even me. Watch out for these ways we make fools of ourselves.
Failure to Follow Up
When I graduated from college, I wanted to be a film editor. I made cold calls to production companies and editing facilities to try to find work. One of the people I contacted was a film editor named Carol Littleton. She offered to meet with me but I didn't go to the interview. I don't remember why, but I do remember thinking I should have called her to tell her I couldn't make it and try to arrange to meet another time. But I didn't. A few years later, Carol Littleton was nominated for an Oscar for editing E.T. :The Extra-Terrestrial. Ooops.
Overlooked Opportunity
A while ago, a candidate called me and (The Rest of the Article)
http://www.awn.com/articles/advice/career-coach-foolproof-your-career
Unity 3D : Gaming and Education
*Here is an article about how students are using Unity3D in the high school classroom with a cross-curricular classroom project.
An Emergent Technology Project by
Jason Soslow, Keri Maguire, and Karen Oliveira (Glover)
Jason Soslow, Keri Maguire, and Karen Oliveira (Glover)
Abstract:
Unity3D is a relatively new software application and 3D game development environment (also known as a “game engine”) that allows users to create immersive, interactive, 3D games and simulations. The program was developed in 2005 by a group of programmers in Denmark and it currently runs only on the Mac OS. However, the games and simulations that are created with Unity can be easily played on Linux and Windows computers, using either a web-browser plug-in, or running a self-contained executable program. Unity is GUI based and easily imports 3D models and animation from a variety of popular 3D design software applications. Compared to many other game engines, Unity is relatively simple to learn (accessible to any high student with moderate programming/3D design skills) , though it can still be used to develop rich and robust games and applications. Finally, Unity allows users to choose from a variety of coding and scripting languages to program the interactivity and artificial intelligence components of the game (for example, C# and JavaScript).
In this web site we present a hypothetical cross-curricular classroom project, involving two groups of high school students: an American history class and a programming/3D game design class. The two groups will work together over a period of weeks, perhaps months, to develop an interactive simulation of a major Civil War battle. The American history students will need to develop all of the content for the simulation (terrain, equipment, weapons, participants, event sequence, strategy, motivation, etc.) and will then work with the programmers to transform this historical information into an interactive, 3D, multi-player, simulated experience. In the simulation, players will be able to choose from disparate points of view, representative of the different participants involved in the Civil War battle, including famous generals, infantry solders, civilian citizens, and slaves. In such a scenario, each character type would possess distinct game objectives and goals.
By the end of this process both groups will have developed numerous skills, some common, some differentiated, but all the skills developed will be demonstrated by the application of authentic learning. It is hoped that by participating in this project, students will explore curriculum topics in greater depth (and with greater enthusiasm) than would be possible using a traditional approach. The quality of the finished simulation, as well as the degree to which the students demonstrated the abilities to meet due dates and collaborate during the process will form the basis of assessment for the project.
Autodesk’s Maya Fundamentals Curriculum - Storytelling and Design Module
Imagine you're an animation professional, and a producer approaches you to create a short film. Where do you begin? Autodesk's new Maya Fundamentals module will walk you through the basics of 3D construction and animation, while at the same time enabling you to create a story that's entirely your own.
The Extreme Adventure of Ricky the Rat
(Or how an escaped rodent builds a thrill ride)
(Or how an escaped rodent builds a thrill ride)
Ricky is a rat, a domesticated pet with a wild side, who craves adventure. Running around on his exercise wheel isn't quite enough for him. He likes to get out of his cage and explore. This is not an easy task. He has only escaped a couple of times, and then it's back in the cage as soon as he gets caught. He likes to spend his afternoons pretending he's sliding down the stair railings and doing crazy things like the stunts he's seen in the movies (that no one imagines he has been watching).
Ricky may be a small rat, but he's got big ideas and lots of imagination. So he created a master plan. A long time ago, he had managed to sneak into the basement. The basement was full of old junk no one wanted - but to Ricky, it was a dream come true. Remembering the boxes and the broken racetrack he had seen in the basement, he dreamed of the stuff he could build, particularly the race track. His goal was to get back to the basement again and build a wild and crazy obstacle course, something a lot more fun than the wheel in his cage!
The day finally came; the cage door was left open. He leapt out of the door as fast as lightning and shot into the hall. Remembering exactly where the basement was, he scurried down the hall, dashing left and right. Then he saw the stair rail just inside another open door. With a mighty leap, he jumped onto the end of the rail and slid down!
After landing in the basement, he dusted off his fur and surveyed the territory. It was just as he remembered. As he looked around the room, he could see all the cool stuff again and his imagination ran wild. There were objects everywhere - buckets and hammers, a hatbox, a step ladder, boxes, and stacks of papers and books that towered over him. In the middle of all that, Ricky saw the one thing that had had always amazed him: the racetrack! All he could think about was how much fun it was going to be to fly through the turns on a course of his own design (considering it was just his size!). So now it was time to get to work on that Extreme Rat Adventure Ride. What would you build if you were Ricky?
*Resources can be found at Autodesk’s Education Resource Site, http://students.autodesk.com/
Autodesk Introduces Interactive Curriculum for Game Development
Free Curriculum Helps Post-Secondary Students Experience Entire Game Development Pipeline
![ViewMedia[1]](http://lh4.ggpht.com/_i0aFP1tI0Yw/S8vHfj4WH-I/AAAAAAAABSs/7uuPWv4800I/s1600-h/ViewMedia%5B1%5D%5B4%5D.png "ViewMedia[1]")
SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK), has introduced its “Vehicle for Games” curriculum for post-secondary students. The 16-week curriculum provides hands-on training for the entire game development pipeline, from concept art to creating an engine-ready asset. This free* web-based curriculum is designed to be used with Autodesk Maya modeling, animation, rendering and visual effects software, and Autodesk Mudbox digital sculpting and texture painting software. A six-month student trial version of Maya* and a 30-day student trial version of Mudbox* can be downloaded for use with the curriculum. Autodesk developed the curriculum with professionals from leading game developers NCSoft and Double Helix, to mirror the requirements of real-world game development. Laguna College of Art & Design (LCAD) in California is piloting “Vehicle for Games”. Sandy Appleoff, game art department chair at LCAD, said, "Autodesk is a company that cares about the paradigm shift in the way we educate our young people, providing us with resource tools that help embrace the future of education. With the 'Vehicle for Games' curriculum, Autodesk provides a valuable link between educators and the game industry, and helps make sure that our graduates' qualifications match industry needs. Having this masterful curriculum has allowed our students to move faster. By the end of the semester they will have produced game engine-ready assets and have them loaded and functioning in the game engine.”
LCAD instructor Derek Sunshine is currently teaching the curriculum. Sunshine said, “The goals set for my class are aggressive. This curriculum complements what the students are trying to achieve at LCAD by going step-by-step through the process of creating AAA quality art for games. Both LCAD and Autodesk have a standard of quality that really helps push students into gaining the upper hand in this very competitive job market."
Intended for intermediate to advanced students, “Vehicle for Games” takes a unique approach to teaching 3D techniques by providing an art director’s point of view for various steps of game development. The first lesson explores concepts based on a narrative, guiding students through the progression of an idea that starts with a simple poem and moves into a story-rich world with many visual possibilities. The lessons examine storytelling and how important it is to identify and remain aware of the world in which the vehicle asset will be placed.
Students go through the process of modeling and texturing a vehicle for a video game, learning industry techniques. “Vehicle for Games” also provides a taste of what it's like to be an asset modeler working in production. It includes video tutorials, models, textures, concept art, and orthographic drawings that students can follow or use as guides to create their own vehicles with their own concepts.
Access to the Curriculum
“Vehicle for Games” is available in English on the Autodesk Education Community, in the Level 4 content on the Industry Careers Framework micro site. Please note that the Autodesk Education Community is accessible only to faculty and students with a valid email address from a registered educational institution.
About Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc., is a world leader in 2D and 3D design, engineering and entertainment software for the manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment markets. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art software to help customers experience their ideas digitally before they are built. Fortune 100 companies -- as well as the last 15 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects -- use Autodesk software tools to design, visualize and simulate their ideas to save time and money, enhance quality and foster innovation for competitive advantage. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.
*The curriculum terms and conditions are available at http://students.autodesk.com/?nd=legal.The software is subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license agreement that accompanies the software.
Autodesk, AutoCAD, Maya and Mudbox are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Academy Award is a registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.
© 2010 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.
*Can be found at Autodesk Education Community
Autodesk Maya 2009 for Games Curriculum
Our latest curriculum, Autodesk Maya 2009 for Games, has been designed to teach the fundamentals of Maya as well as give students the experience of being an associate environment artist in a game studio. With this curriculum, students will be taught Maya through the real-world processes used by today's game studio asset modelers and environment artists. Students will learn the techniques game artists use to create a visual impact on the screen without limiting a games performance. Exercises divided into ten chapters teach students to build game assets and props, add textures and visual detail, correctly light and render environments, as well as how to organize the final project for presentation.
Free HDR images from the sIBL Archive
Combine a super high-resolution panorama image as a camera background, with a high-resolution HDR as a specular component for reflection mapping and a blurred low-res HDR as diffuse environment lighting. Then place them together with a description file and you have a Smart Image Based Lighting Set.
Between now and Tuesday 4 May, you can download a free sampler of sIBL sets. The sampler includes eight sIBL sets from four vendors: LunarStudio/HDR Source, Bob Groothuis, HDR-VFX and HDR Labs. The sets come from the sIBL Archive, a collection managed by HDR Labs. Visit the sIBL Archive for more information and to download more sIBL sets.
Downloads
Part 1: HDR Labs
Download Part 1 (9.4MB)
From Christian Bloch
Visit HDR Labs
Visit EdenFX
Part 2: Dutch Skies 360
Download Part 2A (134.9MB)
Download Part 2B (112.2MB)
From Bob Groothuis
Visit Bob Groothuis
Part 3: LunarStudio/HDR Source
Download Part 3 (41.1MB)
From Charles Leo
Visit LunarStudio
Visit HDR Source
Part 4: HDR-VFX
Download Part 4 (9.4MB)
From Lisa Yimm and David Bell
Visit HDR-VFX
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