What is the relationship between time and mass and the creation of animated movement? How do time and mass relate to one another to create a visual language instantly understood merely by the shaping of time through animation?

In this course you will investigate the concepts of ‘time envelopes’ which are a unit of movement that has been shaped to express the intention and consciousness of a character or natural phenomena. You will also investigate how real world forces of weight and energy can be translated into animated sequences. This will be achieved through stop-frame workshops and projects that focus and single out movement and it's translation into animation. You will further explore how time can be reshaped into the consciousness of a character so that, for instance, a simple pause becomes the character considering something, an alternating pattern of time and movement becomes hesitation. These concepts will be applied to a set of 2D digital animation formats.

The course is the study of how the basic elements of movement, mass, momentum, inertia and decay of energy can express a sense of presence in a character or a process in nature. The course will also conduct further experiments into, for instance, how sound can focus attention on unseen movement, the nature of screen time, and different ideation skills. There will be an emphasis on developing a timing style and focus on what is possible (and not so possible) in any shot, scene or whole narrative arc.