Disney’s 1929 film, “The Skeleton Dance”, was the first animation to use a click track (or tick system) for animation timing and synchronization to music. This technique has since been widely used in animation and motion design work.

Understanding the principles of motion design is essential to creating dynamic and compelling animations. Using the simplest of shapes to create interest and appeal is a hallmark of beginning animations. One of Disney’s classic first assignments is to animate a sack of flour to give it life and character. This brief asks you to consider a simple shape and animate that shape to a set click track, giving it life and vitality. The animation examples below show how simple shapes can be used to communicate, not merely through their appearance or graphic style, but via how they move. Technical aspects of how to make shapes move and create appeal through that movement will be explored and applied using the 10 Principles of Motion Design.

The Click Track

Animations are seldom created or viewed in silence. There is nearly always an audio track of some kinds — music, sound effects, dialog, etc. — which provides a tempo with which to animate. Often, final audio is unavailable at the start of a project. Therefore, a click track is often used to provide an audio foundation or blueprint for the motion designer. A click track is simply that — a track that marks times with simple clicks.

Creative Brief

Format: 1920 x 1080 HD (16:9), 24 fps (frames per second)

Start a new project folder – Download Class Folder Structure
Assignment 1
- Animate simple shapes using the 10 Principles of Motion Design – timed rhythmically to a click audio track
  - Create 9 separate animations – :10 seconds each – synchronized to the provided click tracks
    - Use all 10 Principles of Motion Design in your series of shape animations (most animations will use more than one principle)
      - Be prepared to note/describe which principles were used in each animation
    - Use white shapes on a black background
      - The goal is to use animation to convey character and meaning, rather than relying on details like physical form, color, backgrounds, sound effects, etc.
  - Download Click Tracks Here
    - Animations must synchronize with the tempo of the provided click tracks
    - Repetition is perfectly fine, as long as it aligns with the tempo and intent behind each animation
- Once all 9 animations are complete, export two separate versions:
  - Version 1 – Compilation of all 9 animations in a grid (Run Time = :10 seconds) – EXAMPLE
  - Version 2 – Sequence, one animation after the other (Run Time = :90 seconds) – EXAMPLE
  - Both versions exported separately as:
    - .mp4 files (H264)
    - 1920 x 1080 HD (16:9)
    - 24 fps
- Create a post titled: Click Shapes
  - Category: 03 – Click Shapes
    - Include YouTube or Dropbox link to both versions
- Upload both versions to the Class Dropbox – HERE
  - Filenames:
    - ART466_03-ClickShapes_Grid_V1_YourName_YYMMDD
    - ART466_03-ClickShapes_Sequence_V1_YourName_YYMMDD
Assignment 2
- In the same vein as assignment 1: Animate simple shapes using the 10 Principles of Motion Design – timed rhythmically to a click audio track
  - Create an animation – :10 seconds – that defines an Olympic sport
    - Pick one Olympic sport
    - Use simple shapes to clearly identify the sport using animation – rather than relying on physical form, color, backgrounds, etc
    - Use one of the provided click tracks for timing
      - You may create your own click track if you prefer – just make sure it is rhythmically consistent
- Create a post titled: Click Olympic
  - Category: 03 – Click Olympic
    - Include YouTube or Dropbox link
- Upload animation to the Class Dropbox – HERE
  - Filename:
    - ART466_03-ClickOlympic_V1_YourName_YYMMDD