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Animating Emotional Transitions in Maya

Character Animation Techniques with Chris Kirshbaum

Chapter List

Description

Learn how to animate a character undergoing an emotional transition, from how it affects the character’s body and physics to translating it into effective visual storytelling on the screen. This 2-hour workshop by Chris Kirshbaum is intended for animators of all levels, from beginners just starting their animation journey and students putting together their first demo reel to seasoned animation veterans who are looking for a refresher on one of the core aspects of what professional animators do. This detailed workshop focuses on Maya, specifically using the Graph Editor, Maya’s workspace interface, and the Playblast Function for checking results. Chris also delves into some light scripting throughout the workflow. The concepts taught are from the point of view of working on feature animation films but can be applied to any professional or personal creative project. By completing this workshop, artists should gain a good sense of how to make a complete animation shot for their demo reel. The rigs used in this workshop are from Pro Rigs. A collection of Chris’s playblasts is included with this workshop for further study.


Duration: 2h 08m

Format: HD 1920x1080

Chapter List

Chris Kirshbaum

Animation Director at DNEG

Chris Kirshbaum is an animator, teacher, and public speaker whose work has appeared in numerous feature films, shorts, DVD extras, and holiday TV specials. He has worked in 2D animation as a special effects artist and in 3D animation as a character animator, lead, supervisor, and Art Director. He has taught and mentored since 2007 and has performed as a musician in the studio, on stage, in the theater, and on television.

  • Chris has a wealth of knowledge in both traditional and CG effects and Character Animation. It is rare for someone to bridge that gap so seamlessly and speaks to Chris’s immense talent and feel for the medium. Chris serves as an Animation Director at DNEG Animation and his natural leadership qualities stem from his ability to assess and share advice to his animators, both artistically and professionally at a very high level. Students will have a look at this ability to share knowledge and experience first-hand and will have a blast doing so!

    - Ted Ty
    Global Head of Character Animation, Feature Animation at DNEG

  • I can’t say enough good things about Chris! Even during the most stressful points of production, his positive attitude, professionalism, and sense of humor made animation reviews a blast. Combine that with his talent and incredible understanding of animation and you have someone who was instrumental in helping us carry Nimona over the finish line! The way he not only guided, but more importantly inspired his team, is everything you could ask for in an Animation Supervisor. I watched first-hand as his influence helped the artists on his team improve from shot to shot. He’s the real deal.

    - Troy Quane
    Co-Director (Nimona)

  • I’ve had the privilege of working with Chris on several occasions over the years. He was a terrific animator on Turbo, regularly making challenging shots look easy. Recently, Chris joined our team as an Animation Director on Under the Boardwalk. He managed a talented team of animators at DNEG in Montreal. His experience, knowledge of the craft, instincts, and positive attitude kept spirits high and the quality of animation extremely high despite a tight schedule. Anyone with the chance to work or learn from this industry veteran is in great hands.

    - David Soren
    Director (Turbo and Under the Boardwalk)

  • I have worked with Chris professionally at DreamWorks Animation and have known him personally for many years and am thrilled he is presenting instruction for aspiring animators. He definitely knows his stuff and his professionalism blends beautifully with his raw creative talent. Chris is an asset to the industry and anyone wanting to learn the art of animation.

    - Conrad Vernon
    Director (Shrek 2, Sausage Party, Madagascar 3)

  • Chris has that rare and terrific blend of both technical know-how and creative ingenuity essential to any first-class animator. I’ve seen him take on very challenging shots, always seeking to push himself outside his comfort zone. Chris always found a fresh approach to the material and was able to bring subtlety, clarity, and genuine spontaneity to his actors’ performances.

    - Mark Osborne
    Director (Kung Fu Panda, The Little Prince)

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