Halton Skills Competition 2015 2D Character Computer Animation (Team of 2) - Secondary Level
Welcome to the HALTON SKILLS COMPETITON, the pre-qualifying competition for
the Ontario Skills Competition.
The most prepared and talented team of two students from the Halton District School Board and the top students from the Halton Catholic District School Board will advance to Niagara in April or the Ontario Skills Competition on May 4 - 6, 2015.
Be prepared to commit to this event if you enter this competition.
Coordinator: Ms. Jennifer Patterson Garth Webb Secondary School
(905) 905-847-6875
Animations from the 2008 to 2011 competition are on www.brunato.com or
http://chatt.hdsb.ca/~brunatoe/index.html Click on the “Communications Technology” link at the top. Note that the animations are not ranking in any particular order.
PURPOSE OF THE CONTEST
To evaluate each team’s ability, skill and knowledge of animation as they prepare for employment in the animation field. Competitors must have strong drawing skills and captivate the audience with a good story. Character Animation deals with the creation and animation of characters used in storytelling. They may take the shape of any object in response to the project provided.
The scope of the project will be provided to the competitors at the orientation session on the morning of the competition prior to the competition.
The specific details of the project will be provided at the orientation session as well.
The “main characters” should be the focus of the production. There are no limitations as to the nature or complexity of the characters. A good animated character is one that evokes empathy.
There should be a clear beginning, middle and an end to your animation.
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO BE TESTED
Given a project, participants will be challenged to detail and plan the development of a completed story. Competitors will create their characters and storyline by completing the required storyboard and modeling sheets. Competitors will then bring their story to life by creating, animating and compositing the scenes outlined in their storyboard. This represents the animation process.
PROJECT
In order to reflect the process used in the animation industry, the project will be structured in duration and required form. Specifically the project will be in the form of an animation short, the emphasis of which is to entertain the viewing audience.
COMPETITION EXPECTATIONS
• All competitors must arrive on time for the orientation session with their materials ready.
• Opportunities for questions and clarification will be allowed throughout the orientation.
• If competitors are late or miss the orientation session, instructions will be provided at the discretion of the coordinator: the thoroughness of which will not be guaranteed.
• Produce a storyboard and character model sheets on paper provided that sets out their proposed animation following the project provided.
• Storyboards and model sheets will be collected right before the lunch break. The final product will be
compared to the storyboards. Storyboards will be returned right after the lunch break and storyboards will be initialled. Thereafter, further changes cannot be made.
• Competitors should note that model sheets must include front, profile (side), ¾, and back views of the character.
• Competitors must demonstrate their knowledge of the principles of animation in their project.
• There must be an obvious beginning and end to the animation. This could be through the use of the first frame being black or titling.
• A limited sound library will be provided for use. Competitors will also be able to record their own voice talent using a microphone. No other recorded sounds will be permitted.
• The teams will work independently. Instructors and/or observers will give no assistance and are not allowed in the competition area.
• Depending on time, teams will prepare a presentation to the judges, the format of which is listed below.
• Viewing of the animation directly on the competitor’s computer (or projector if time permits.)
• Questions from judges using correct terminology.
• The presentation process will take approximately 5 to 10 minutes for each team, during which all competitors must remain in the competition area at their computers, or at a specified location.
• After the presentations the competitors leave the competition area while the judges score their work.
• See rules about equipment removal.
EQUIPMENT and MATERIALS
SUPPLIED BY COMMITTEE
• Storyboard and model sheets, pencils and erasers.
• One computer for the purpose of recording voice talent and sounds will be provided. It will be equipped with a microphone and audio recording program. The transfer of the audio computer file will be by means of a supplied USB key.
Some assistance will be given for recording and transferring audio files.
• A limited prerecorded sound library will be provided.
• Extension cords
SUPPLIED BY COMPETITOR
•You MUST bring your own computer with Flash CS4, CS5, CS6 or CC
•You MUST bring your own charger for your device.
• Tablet (the drivers may not be installed on computer in time)
• Headphones (preferred) or speakers
• Fine-tip markers
• Resume for job interview
CLOTHING REQUIREMENTS
You will be required to wear the Halton Skills competition T-shirt that will be provided for you on the day of the competition, in place of, or over top of your shirt. (Please note that the clothing requirement for the prequalifying competition and Skills Ontario is different.)
TIME TABLE
The orientation will begin promptly at 8:30 am.
The competition will commence immediately thereafter.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Competitors are required to follow all industry safety standards during the competition.
JOB INTERVIEW AND RESUME
Don’t underestimate the value of the job interview and resume! In the past, as little as one point has separated the first and second place winner; and worse yet, one point has separated the third and fourth place winner.
To assist competitors in fully preparing for their eventual job searches and to become valued employees, there will be a job interview incorporated into this contest. It is expected that the competitors arrive prepared with a
resume and be ready for interview questions and discussion. Interviews will last approximately 5 minutes in length and be worth approximately 5% of the overall mark. Feedback may be provided to the competitors in order to help prepare them for the real-life experience of job interviews. Sample interview questions are available at www.skillsontario.com/hr
COMPETITION RULES
Failure to comply with any of the rules will constitute an immediate disqualification. Although we will go over the rules on the morning of the competition, you are responsible for knowing them ahead of time.
• A team consists two people. Single competitors cannot advance to the next level of the competition; therefore, they are not allowed.
• Teams must work independently; help from other people is not permitted.
• Only one computer is allowed per team. The one exception is the computer provided by the committee for recording voice talent. Although its availability is first come, first served; it has never been an issue that students did not have enough time to record their voice talent. Please ensure that the voice talent is recorded shortly after the storyboards are done.
• The first hour is to be used for storyboarding and character drawing.
• After the first hour of competition the coordinator will approve your storyboard. They will initial beside your drawings and descriptions. After that, changes cannot be made, or you will be disqualified.
• The only prerecorded sound effects allowed is the sound library which will be provided.
• The microphone is to record voice talent only, which may include dialogue, song, or noises. (For example, you may not record your cell phone ring tone, but if you can make that sound with your voice, that is allowed!)
• No external support programs, plug-ins, or documentation (other than those found in the final shipped version of the software) may be used.
• You may not access the Internet during the competition for anything related or not related to the competition. Don’t get disqualified for checking your Facebook, Twitter, etc.
• The names of the students or their respective schools may not appear in the final animation.
• Final storyboards and project files must be submitted and remain with Halton Skills.
• All competitors and coaches will be asked to leave during the judging process and may not re-enter.
• Students or coaches may not remove their equipment until after the judges have tallied the scores and submitted the results. The early removal of any equipment puts undue pressure on the judges and constitutes an automatic disqualification.
CONTEST THEME
This will be announced at the end of the orientation session. It will be a simple phrase or scenario. Themes from previous years include: “At the Park”; “At the Mall”; “I was on my way to the Skills competition when all of a sudden...”
JUDGING AND JUDGING CRITERIA
Judges will take place in two parts: first, contestants present pre-production work and the final animation to the judges; the contestants leave while the judges score the contestants’ work and tally the results. Tabulation sheets will be given to the members of the Technical Committee for verification of scores. In the event of a tie judges will be asked to confer and come to a consensus on winners. Judges should direct any questions to members of the Technical Committee only. See the score sheet.
Criteria for Judging **
Preparation Work
Storyboard (clarity) - How well the storyboard communicates the visual and sound content of the final
animation, through drawings and descriptions which include dialogue, industry symbols and terminology.
Storyboard (storytelling) - How well the storyboard portrays the final story
Model sheets of characters (technical) - Reflects front, side, ¾, and back views of the character(s).
Model sheet of characters (artistic) - Drawn with exaggerated proportion to create visual interest
Aesthetics of the Final Animation
Setting - Use of colour, shading, texture and shapes applied to the environment to support the characters and mood of the story
Characters - Use of exaggerated proportion, colour, shading to create visual and emotional appeal
Characters - Unity of style amongst the characters, and the characters with their environment
Animation And Story Telling
Technical merit of animation - This includes the movement of the characters; interaction between characters; movement of objects; the timing of all the movements; and use of camera movements like pan, zoom or dolly, tilt, truck, etc.
Animation principals - How well animation principals are applied to the overall animation
Character portrayal: Ability of the character to evoke empathy, which may include the use of verbal
expressions, facial expression and actions.
Plot development (story telling) - Scope of the plot advances with a clear beginning, middle and end. It may include elements of story telling like encountering a problem, suspense, turning point, climax, a resolution, and an ending.
Story is accurate to the storyboard ; characters are accurate to model sheets
Theme is inherent in the animation in a strong way .
Overall impression: How well it entertains!
Job Interview and Resume
Quality of resume and ability to answer interview questions
**Please note that it is highly likely that the judges will use these exact categories, however, it is subject to change on the day of the competition at their discretion. The weighting of each category will be also be determined by the judges in consensus on the day of the competition. To make the judging fair to the competitors, please be assured that all categories and their respective weighting will be finalized by the judges before the judging starts; and that their decision will be made independent of the competitors’ progress.