COM7021 - Animation Locomotion is the first module that our new animation students will encounter at BNU on the MA 3D Animation for Professionals. COM7021 starts on 25 September 2023, and is taught primarily in Autodesk Maya. The module deals...
COM7021 starts on 25 September 2023, and is taught primarily in Autodesk Maya. The module deals with animation basics, such as walks, runs and jumps.
It starts with simple actions such as a bouncing ball, and builds up to more complex physical actions. There is one assignment due: COM7021 PR1. COM7021 PR1 is due on Friday 8th December 2023 at 2pm.
COM7021 Animation Mechanics
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| DA701 PR1 "School Run" by Lee Caller |
Walks, Runs & Jumps
Students then tackle lomocotion, starting with walks, character walks, and runs, and then move onto more complex physical actions such as jumps, weight shifts, and exercises in flexibility. The module culminates in an assessed locomotion exercise: COM7021 PR1.
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| "Circus Comes to Town" by Neil Whitman |
COM7021 PR1 is an exercise based on character locomotion.
The brief is to create a number of character walk cycles and then combine them into one shot to create an imaginative performance.
Suggestions might include a parade, a Sunday stroll, an army on the march, or people commuting. Ideally there should be a story-telling element, and the piece should include sound effects and music. The final animation should be around ten seconds long.
Student work
To see some examples of work in this module, watch the videos below.
Circus Comes to Town by Neil Whitman
Neil Whitman animated "Monty" as a parade of circus clowns, in the imaginative piece below.
School Run by Lee Caller
Lee Caller animated a series of alien characters heading off to school one morning.
Zombie parade by Amedeo Beretta
Amedeo Beretta imagined the submission as a zombie walk.
Assignment submission
COM7021 PR1 is due on Friday 8th December 2023 at 2pm.
Thumbnail sketches are especially useful for planning animation; they allow the animator to plan the shot visually, thinking about what will happen in the shot. Thumbnail sketches - unlike animation - can be done (and re-done) very quickly. You can see examples of thumbnail sketches used to plan animation here.
Assesssment Criteria
Creativity & Pre-Production– 25%
Powers of imagination – powers of invention/innovation both practical and visual – ability to generate a broad range of ideas – ability to select the best idea and refine it ready for production. Is the idea selected appropriate for the brief? Thumbnail sketches, storyboards and/or live action reference.
Production – 25%
Does the animation show an understanding of the twelve principles of animation? Does the shot have weight and flexibility? Has the animator given a performance? Have cameras been used appropriately? Is the animation correctly lit, and have appropriate textures been used?
Post-production – 25%
Has a successful final render been created? Have titles and credits been used appropriately? Has sound and/or music been applied successfully? Is the sound clear?
Quality of Outcome – 25%
Fitness for purpose – does the outcome answer the brief – Economy of means used (effective use of software) – Practicality – Complexity or Ambitiousness
Late Submissions
We strongly encourage all our students to submit their assignments on time, ideally well before the deadline. Students can get feedback at any time, and are strongly encouraged to send work in progress for review prior to the submission date. If your submission is late, you will need to apply for Mitigating Circumstances. To find out more, read this post.
For more on the experience of studying at Buckinghamshire New University, come and visit us at one of our Open Days, take a virtual tour of one of our animation studios, check out what our students think of our course, and see why we're ranked in the top 12 creative universities in the UK.
Suggestions might include a parade, a Sunday stroll, an army on the march, or people commuting. Ideally there should be a story-telling element, and the piece should include sound effects and music. The final animation should be around ten seconds long.
Books - The Animator's Survival Kit
Students are encouraged to start work earlier by reading the core text "The Animator's Survival Kit" by Richard Williams, and start to learn the Maya user interface.
Class Schedule
Class begins on 25 September 2023:
Class Schedule
Class begins on 25 September 2023:
To see some examples of work in this module, watch the videos below.
Circus Comes to Town by Neil Whitman
Neil Whitman animated "Monty" as a parade of circus clowns, in the imaginative piece below.
School Run by Lee Caller
Lee Caller animated a series of alien characters heading off to school one morning.
Zombie parade by Amedeo Beretta
Amedeo Beretta imagined the submission as a zombie walk.
Assignment submission
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| Zombie walk by Amedeo Beretta |
Students are also assessed on their development and pre-production, so please include a single PDF document showing evidence of planning, such as thumbnail sketches and/or live action reference.
PDF Planning Document
The PDF Planning Document should show how you planned the shot. This might include any live action reference you filmed - perhaps you lfilmed yourself doing a character walk, like this animator here?
Storyboards can be used to plan out the shot, and thumbnail sketches are also very important for planning animation (see below).
Thumbnail Sketches
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| Thumbnail sketches used to plan animation |
Assesssment Criteria
Creativity & Pre-Production– 25%
Powers of imagination – powers of invention/innovation both practical and visual – ability to generate a broad range of ideas – ability to select the best idea and refine it ready for production. Is the idea selected appropriate for the brief? Thumbnail sketches, storyboards and/or live action reference.
Production – 25%
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| Zombie walk by Michael Davies |
Post-production – 25%
Has a successful final render been created? Have titles and credits been used appropriately? Has sound and/or music been applied successfully? Is the sound clear?
Quality of Outcome – 25%
Fitness for purpose – does the outcome answer the brief – Economy of means used (effective use of software) – Practicality – Complexity or Ambitiousness
Late Submissions
We strongly encourage all our students to submit their assignments on time, ideally well before the deadline. Students can get feedback at any time, and are strongly encouraged to send work in progress for review prior to the submission date. If your submission is late, you will need to apply for Mitigating Circumstances. To find out more, read this post.
Intro to COM7021 with Alex Williams
To find out more about this module, watch the video below.
Locomotion Resources
For resources on locomotion generally, see the blog posts below:
Walks, Character Walks, and the ZigZag WalkCharacter Walks100 Ways to Walk with Kevin ParryHow to Stop Feet Sliding in a Walk Cycle
For more on the experience of studying at Buckinghamshire New University, come and visit us at one of our Open Days, take a virtual tour of one of our animation studios, check out what our students think of our course, and see why we're ranked in the top 12 creative universities in the UK.