Lesson 4. Animation: bright future or sinking into oblivion?

 

Brainstorming

Discuss the following questions in your group:

1) Do you watch cartoons or animated series (мультсериал)? Is it fair to say that they are only for kids?

2) Nowadays with cartoons coming out one after another aren’t people fed up with them?

3) To your mind, which country/company is the leading producer of animation? Can you explain why and provide some examples?

Vocabulary

CGI (computer-generated imagery) –компьютерная анимация/графика cell animation –аппликационная анимация (метод создания движущихся изображений, при котором целостные прозрачные рисунки поочередно накладываются на неподвижный фон, имитируя движение) frame-by-frame drawing –покадровая прорисовка storyboard –раскадровка sketch –эскиз, зарисовка, отрывок (graphics) tablet –графический планшет (специальное устройство, предназначенное для поточечного ввода контурных изображений с помощью специального пера)

Keyframe –ключевой кадр in-betweens; tweening-построение промежуточных отображений (в процессе превращения исходного объекта в целевой) lip synchronization (lip sync)-синхронное озвучивание render –перевод animator –художник-мультипликатор, аниматор voice actor –голос актера

 

Paraphrase the first sentences using the words given (do not change them). You can use between 4 and 8 words, including the word given.

1) The animator immensely impressed the general public.

Made

The animator made an immense impression on the general public.

2) The absence of lip synch came as a great shock to everyone.

Aback

Everyone was taken aback by the absence of lip synch.

3) My boss says I can use the tablet whenever I want to, so long as I am careful.

Disposal

My boss says the tablet is at my disposal, so long as I am careful.

4) He is certain he will finish drawing the keyframes this afternoon.

Bound

He is bound by drawing the keyframes this afternoon.

5) How do you feel about drawing the in-betweens?

Like

How do you like drawing the in-betweens?

6) You won’t be able to become an animator without certain knowledge, skill and education.

Prevented

People without certain knowledge, skill and education are prevented from becoming animators.

7) The animation in the cartoon was so exaggerated and confusing that nobody could understand what was happening on the screen.

Baffled

Everybody was baffled by animation.

8) The young actor was very nervous before the audition.

Butterflies

The young actor had butterflies in his stomach before the audition.

 

2. Fill in the gaps using only one word (a verb, preposition, noun, etc).

1) I’ve always dreamt of becoming a voice actor.

2) While some people find animation to be an easy thing to create, there are others who find it a time-consuming activity.

3) Developing a character, making dozens of sketches can be very productive when being in the right mood.

4) Many people argue that the implementation of CGI had more negative effects on the animation industry than positive ones.

5) To cope with the growing demand for the production of 3D animation many new companies appeared during the 21^st century.

6) In her report Mary throw light on the hardships animators encounter.

7) Rendering might be the fastest part of the animation process, but don’t be misled by it, as sometimes this process takes days and in some instances even weeks.

8) It goes without saying that the animator creates a storyboard of all the events of the cartoon, usually containing only key moments before the animation process begins.

3. Make up 5 sentences in Russian and 5 sentences in English using the active vocabulary from Lesson 3 and Lesson 4 for your group-mates to translate.

In Russian:

1. I am still under the impression of the recently seen adventure film.

2. He told me that he had been disappointed with the musical saying that there was not enough singing and dancing.

3. Many people do not understand mute films because without voicing they find it rather complicated to understand what it is going on in the scene.

4. Elderly generation does not approve of computer generated imagery as it is thought to be too unrealistic and eccentric.

5. I was taken aback by the absence of lip synch in the sensational comedy-drama I have recently watched.

In English:

1. I am looking forward to seeing a screen version of my favourite book written by N. Sparks.

2. The educational film was not educational at all. It lack scientific evidence and examples.

3. I prefer full-length films to short-length ones as I like details and lots of descriptions.

4. Before you shoot a film you’d better make a sketch.

5. I’ve been watching this- tv-series since 2001. So many episodes it has!