Description

In this exercise, you will apply an image sequence as texture object in Blender, render a final Blender animation as an image sequence, and import it into after effects. You will create a compressed video in a web streaming format called H.264.

Instructions

  1. Watch the tutorials.
  2. Create and set a project folder called LASTNAME-animated-expression save your .blend file in the project folder.
  3. Use AfterEffects to create an image sequence of a facial expression changing.
  4. Create an animation with the following:
    • EEVEE render engine (Cycles is fine, but takes too long to render for this exercise)
    • A polygonal model of a character with an animated face. UV map the character.
    • Animate an expression, like sadness or surprise!
    • 3 seconds (72 frames of animation)
  5. Render your animation as an image sequence (not a video file) to a folder.
  6. Following the video importing and exporting tutorials. Import your image sequence to After Effects. The sequence defaults at 30 FPS, which is incorrect. Right click on the image sequence footage and choose Interpret Footage → Main. Change the frame rate to 24FPS.
  7. Export an H.264 MP4 movie file with the Vimeo preset. (It should be well under 1MB in total file size). (See tutorials).
  8. Save your animation file as LASTNAME-animated-expression.mp4 and upload to the submission dropbox. Do not upload your blend file and image sequence, the files are too large in size.
  9. Double check that you’ve included all files and that your files can be downloaded and opened.
Learning Objectives

  1. Become familiarized with adding animation sequences as moving textures on 3D geometry.
  2. Practice rendering image sequences and producing video files capable to be streamed online.

Blender Tutorials

To get a deeper understanding of how Blender's rendering system works, have a look these tutorials

    Blender Character Animation Tutorial: Model and Rig a Cute Robot

    Animated Textures (2 Parts)

    Blender 2.8 Tutorial: Rendering an Animation

    Blender 2.8 Tutorial | Alpha Transparency in the EEVEE engine

    Rubric

    Criteria Description Assessment Weight
    Attention to Detail This criteria looks at if the assignment was submitted on time, if each step was completed to a high degree of accuracy, and if file naming conventions were followed. 5 pts
    Learning by doing (Completed all steps) This criteria assess whether you completed the assignment's given set of instructions. This indirectly infers how well you acquired foundational skills and theory. 5 pts