Topic: Brickfilming Class
Hey everyone.
Well, I am teaching a brickfilming class for my homeschool group, and livinglego is helping me teach at the class. The reason why were teaching this class, is because the kids at our "LEGO club" (Which I started in 2006.) have been asking us "how do you do it?!" whenever I show them one of my brickfilms. I have already wrote down a lot of things I should teach, (This class will also help me with my brickfilming.) and I was wondering if you guys can think of anything else to teach.
Here is my lesson plan:
First Day: The Basics
1. What is brickfilming? - Show 2 brickfilms, and 2 tests
2. What is Stop-Motion Animation? - Show Aardman clips
3. Basic animation - Walk Cycles and raising an arm.
4. What do you need to make a brickfilm?
5. Help them make some tests using what they just learned.
6. Explain FPS
7. Explain Lighting
8. Make more tests.
9. Pass out papers about what they just learned to take home.
10. Leave
Second Day:
1. Review what was learned last time.
2. Explain the difference between n00b brickfilms and really good brickfilms and professional brickfilms.
3. How to avoid light flicker, and what is it?
4. Keeping your hands out of the brickfilm.
5. Why LEGO puppetry is stupid.
6. Make tests with things they just learned.
7. Set building and how to avoid set bumps.
8. Why you should try to perfect your shots.
9. Start making a brickfilm. - Split the 6 kids in the group into groups of 3. This will encourage teamwork.
10. While they are brickfilming, help them.
11. Pass out papers
12. leave.
Third Day:
1. Review.
2. Explain some more techniques.
3. Advanced walk cycles. - 5 and 6 frame walk cycles and run cycles.
4. Start setting up for brickfilming.
5. Start brickfilming.
6. Help while they brickfilm.
7. Pass out papers.
8. Leave.
Fourth Day:
1. Review
2. Advanced animation. - Throwing, etc.
3. Test advanced animation.
4. Review the brickfilms that were made the two other days.
5. Give out awards for:
- Best animation.
- Best set.
- Best idea.
- Most creative.
- Best overall.
Then give out an award to one person for this award:
- Most improved.
5. More advanced animation. - Dancing, etc.
6. Show the kids brickfilms to their moms.
7. Closing Comments.
8. Give out papers.
9. Leave.
These are some stuff I have wrote down to remember to teach about:
- Tedious, you need patience. It takes over 900 frames just to make 1 minute of film.
- Patience is rewarding. It might take long, but it will be rewarding to see the finished product.
- Don't copy other people's work. Think of your own original ideas.
- Try to perfect every shot you take.
- Try your best, even if you mess up, just start over, but this time, try learning from your mistakes. What could you do to avoid that mess up again?
- Before making a brickfilm, practice the things your character will do, so when you start brickfilming, you will know how to animate that the best you can.
So, does anyone have any ideas?
The lowest age for this class is 8, just because of the factor of attention span.
Thanks everyone!
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