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STUDENT CATALOG

Special thanks to Daniel Stimmler,Associate Director USC University Bookstore,

for sponsoring this publication.

The School of Cinema-Television welcomed itsnewest division, Animation and Digital Arts in 1995. Sincethen it has flourished, attracting well-known artists andanimators to its faculty, and energetic and talented studentsfrom all over the world. Within a few years, it has emerged asa leading international program that not only preparesstudents for professional work in traditional animation, butalso innovates and experiments, expanding animation into newforms that will impact cinema and digital communicationsmedia well into the next century. This collection of images bysome of our gifted students provides a glimpse into thatfuture.

Elizabeth M. Daley, DeanSchool of Cinema-Television

MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

Animation is the art of motion, and art in motion. It is thatwhich gives something life. Animators create the illusion of life bytransferring organic gesture to their chosen medium. From handdrawn images to computer animation, from stop motion to cels, awide range of media are used to record complex gestures and putthem into motion. It is through a succession of frames in time thatthey become organic metaphors imbued with symbolic meaning,becoming stories and experiences that reveal our individual andcollective imagination. It brings our dreams, myths and memoriesto life.

Organic, physical gestures are those we know instinctivelyby being alive and interacting with other living things. It includesthe movement of our hands, bodies and minds in time and space,fusing the performing arts (dance, music, theater) with the visualarts. We see living gesture every day, and know it through ourinteraction with animals and plants, as well as a wide range ofother dynamic phenomena of the visible and invisible worlds. Weknow it through all of our senses, and express it through a re-ordering of them as sense expressions. The animator observes theworld with all of his or her senses carefully and critically, andtranslates them into a living form others can see.

Grounded in this notion that organic, physical gesture isthe basis for all animation, our undergraduate and graduateprograms encourage the integration of physical and digitalprocesses, spanning a wide range of media from traditional drawingand cel to contemporary interactive computer. Therefore, there isa dual emphasis on the exploration of physical media and newtechnologies. While students can choose to work primarily in aspecific medium, they are encouraged to explore and develop newforms and techniques that result from new combinations of digitaland physical media. This is a largely unexplored territory open tothe influence of creative imagination and invention and thereforestudents can contribute a great deal to the growth of new forms ofanimation. We feel that animation transcends any one specificmedium, and therefore encompasses them all. It is up to eachanimator to define the approach which best communicates theirideas and imagination. We embrace traditional and contemporarytechnologies, and the continuum in between.

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All data in the computer, regardless of origin, areconnected in this continuum by a common digital foundation.Because of this, animators are provided limitless opportunities fortransformation of data from one modality to another. Sound filescan become images, human gestures can be captured and turnedinto colors. Because image data is discrete, it is malleable, oneelement or frame at a time. This is what animators do: they affecteach image in a sequence one frame at a time. The computerprovides unprecendented opportunities for data transformation,both in real-time and not in real-time. It allows animators to workwith both 2 and 3-D animation, including real-time interactivevirtual environments. They are a hybrid form of filmmaker,functioning at various times as directors, actors, cinematographers,and editors. Computers are transformative instruments providingvast new spaces and possibilities for animators.

Our program sits at the intersection of academia, industry,and the arts. We are located within an academic institution andtherefore balance the intellectual and pedagocial needs of thiscommunity with the needs of the film industry, as well as the fineart community. Los Angeles is home to Hollywood and manypotential employers. It is also home to a vibrant fine artscommunity, a major influence on the entertainment industry.

Our animators are adept with a range of media andcontemporary technology. Because it changes so quickly, they haveto be both aesthetically sophisticated and technologically aware.This means they have to embrace change not only as part of theanimation, but also in their approach to media. They are a windowto the future where more and more people will be using animationin their communication of information on the internet and relatedtechnologies. They are on the cutting edge, protoyping humanisticuses of these technologies, and providing new ideas and a new wayof thinking about their relationship to the world around them.

Finally, we encourage students to apply to our programsfrom a wide range of cultures and countries. We hope that they willbring with them the richness of their cultural traditions, and helpdevelop animation into an even more international art form than italready is.

-Vibeke Sorensen, Division Director and Professor

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The USC School of Cinema-Television,Division of Animation and Digital Arts offers bothan undergraduate Minor in Animation programand an intensive three-year MFA in Film, Video andComputer Animation program.

The undergraduate Minor in Animationoffers students an introduction to the theory andpractice of animation, including its relationship tothe history of art and cinema, creative writing, andbasic film production. It provides students with anopportunity to create both personal andcollaborative work in a wide range of genres, fromtraditional character to contemporaryexperimental and computer animation. Thisincludes cel, stop motion, collage, mixed media, 2and 3D computer animation software, andinteractive digital media. Successful completion ofa final project is required.

The MFA in Film, Video and ComputerAnimation curriculum focuses on animationproduction, including a wide range of techniquesand aesthetic approaches, from hand drawncharacter animation to state of the art interactivecomputer graphics. While embracing traditionalforms, the program strongly encouragesinnovation and experimentation, and emphasizesimagination, creativity, and critical thinking.Courses include the history of animation, lifedrawing, computer animation, and writing foranimation, among others. Successful completion ofa Thesis project is required.

Upon graduation, our students possessboth depth and breadth, positioning themperfectly for leadership roles in the field. Suchpositions usually require vision, scope, creativeproblem solving skills, adaptability to newconcepts and working methodologies, as well asexcellent “people” skills. We expect our studentsto be ambassadors for the field to the field.Graduates of our program have gone on to DisneyFeature Animation, Microsoft Graphics ResearchGroup, Fox, Warner Bros., Digital Domain, Pixar,Dreamworks SKG, Pacific Data Images, IndustrialLight and Magic, among others.

The School of Cinema-Television, indowntown Los Angeles, is in close proximity tomany of the leading studios and major artmuseums in Southern California that providestudents with opportunities for exposure to theindustry and contemporary fine arts, includinginternships and employment.

Becky BristowCornelius ColeMar ElepañoKristy KangEverett LewisLisa MannMichael ScrogginsAgueda SimoTom SitoKathy SmithChristopher Vogler

Vibeke Sorensen Professor and ChairChristine Panushka ProfessorIshu Patel Visiting ProfessorDr. Richard Weinberg Research AssociateProfessor

FACULTY

ADJUNCT FACULTY

STAFF

Mar Elepaño Production SupervisorWill Evans Systems AdministratorHye Kwon Program Coordinator

For More Information:

USC School of Cinema-TelevisionDivision of Animation& Digital Arts, LPB 200CUniversity ParkLos Angeles, CA 90089-2211(213) 740-3986

hye@felix.usc.edu

ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE ANDVISITING SCHOLARS

Marcos Magalhães BrazilTadao Matsuno JapanTakako Saijo JapanKathy Smith Australia

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Third year: graduated class of 1999

Andrew ChoJoshua JonesMichael LangStephen MannRichard SandovalAlyssa SherwoodLulu SimonBrian SmithJamal SullivanLeda TsoukiaGlenda WhartonJanet Yen

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Second year

Matt ButlerMitch CockerhamChris LexingtonIan MelchingerRohini MontenegroVan PhanRebecca RogersClaudia SpinelliIana VelezPablo Velezmoro LercariHan S. YiMarcos Magalhães, Visiting Scholar

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First year

Eric AndersonScott BogoniewskiTeresa Antonia DeyNoel GoinRoberto GomezShivani KhannaKaren KnightJung Eun LeeGabriel PulgarinSergio RamirezBrett RutlandRaqi SyedTakako Saijo, TBS ExchangeMichael WalshWilson Wang

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Course Listings and Credits 24-25

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Credits

List of films to date

A tale about letters, and a guy named Sydney.

Master’s Thesis.3D computer animation.

Written and animated by Andrew Cho.Computers donated by Intel and SGI.Software donated by Alias/Wavefront andMetacreations. Inspired by all of the ladies whostone cold dissed me.

Dear SydneyBlind SpotNeeds

ANDREW CHOUnited States

Dear Sydney

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An open and exploratory view of the commonimages and characteristics of the subconsciousthat surface during people’s dreams.

Master’s Thesis.3D computer generated piece created in Maya.Final image manipulation and filtering wasperformed in Photoshop and Painter.

Directed and Animated by Joshua JonesDigital Photography Directed byMikael KreuzrieglerEquipment donated by IntelSoftware donated by Alias/Wavefront andMetaCreations

Portrait of a Subconscious 1999A Short Lifetime’s Poem of Memory 19983 Dreams 2 Deaths 1998

JOSHUA W. JONESUnited States

Portrait of a Subconscious

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Synopsis

Production details

Credits

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A film based on my family’s struggles of escapingfrom Vietnam.

Master’s Thesis.Hand drawn animation. Scanning and cleanupcompleted in Toonz. Digital ink and paint done inAdobe Photoshop.

Animated by Michael Lang.Computer donated by Intel.

Silver MoonChickensThe Wishing Tree

MICHAEL LANGUnited States

Silver Moon

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A wandering mind gets the best of the characteras he begins to question what’s real and what’snot and decides to take action against a nuisancein his home.

Master’s Thesis.Animation created using Maya, AdobePhotoShop, and StudioPaint on an Intel PC andSGI 02.

Story and animation by Stephen K. Mann.Computers donated by Intel and SGI.Software donated by Alias Wavefront.

Behind the WallTexFlow

STEPHEN K. MANNUnited States

Split

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Synopsis

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I wanted to avoid the use of spoken or writtenlanguage as well as the use of representationalimagery. I am interested in creating worlds thathave no predefined meanings and recreatingemotions and experiences that are common toall human beings.

Master’s Thesis.Computer manipulated composited images.Created using Alias/Wavefront Composer,Adobe Affer Effects, Adobe Premiere, andProtools. 35 mm stereo optical.

the residual artifacts artifacts of communication35mm 1999with portfolio (mogwai) video 1998rachmanioff/skragg theme (aerial m) video 1998that which makes vision possible 35mm 1997of water and navigation (slint) video 1997d is the first letter of the word disciple 16mm1996

RICHARD M. SANDOVALUnited States

the residual artifacts ofcommunication

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Synopsis

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A meditation on the meaning of gardens.

Master’s Thesis.Watercolor and paper cutouts animated under theoxberry rostram camera. Filmed on 16mm color,mono. Running Time 3 minutes.

Sound by Fausto Caceres.

Garden Without Flowers 1999Spill 1999

ALYSSA SHERWOODUnited States

Garden Without Flowers

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Synopsis

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A monkey meets a turtle and saves him from ahungry alligator.

Master’s Thesis.Created using Softimage 3D on a SGI O2

Directed and Animated by Lulu J. Simon.Written and Narrated by Sabina F. Simon.Sound Mix and System Admin by zuzu P.Spadaccini.

The Turtle and the MonkeyBlack Spot Required

LULU SIMONUnited States

The Turtle and the Monkey

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Synopsis

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Blades of beach grass are blown together intothe figures of a man and a woman. Theydiscover each other and dance and love. For amoment, they become one. But the wind thatgave them this gift, also takes it away. They areblown apart except for one remaining bladewhich flies off under its own power.

Master’s Thesis.China marker, cel vinyl, and colored pencil onfrosted cels. 16mm color, mono.

Directed and Animated by Brian G. Smith.Music Performed by Matt Heineke.Recorded by Steve Kaplan.Sound Effects by Anita Knowles.

Don’t Be Afraid of the DarkA Total Lack of ControlJolly Mon SingA Moment In Time

BRIAN G. SMITHUnited States

A Moment in Time

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Synopsis

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This film is in essence a prayer ritual/meditation/dance. It deals with three different symbolswhich all represent the individual’s state of beingat some point in the film. The film deals withreference to reality and exactly how close whatwe perceive is to the absolute reality.

Master’s Thesis.Modeled, animated, and rendered with Softimage.Composited with Adobe After Effects.Additional 2D elements created in AdobePhotoshop.

Created by Jamal Sullivan.Music score by Maestro Lazaro Galarrago.Music coordination by Percussion ArtistsWorkshop.Sound Engineer, Steve Haplan.

JAMAL SULLIVANUnited States

The Meaning

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This film is based on Carl Jung’s theory aboutanima and animus.

Master’s Thesis.Created using Painter 5.5

Directed and Animated by Elpida Tsoukia.Original music composed by Kalliopi Paltadaki.

ELPIDA TSOUKIAGreece

Anima Animus

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A child is held captive by the monster the Zountil her imaginary friend appears and helps herescape.

Master’s Thesis.Hand-drawn animation.

Animated and Directed by Glenda Wharton.Sound design by Ian Melchinger.

The Zo and the Invisible FriendDark StarThe Henrietta MarieThe Red Shoes

GLENDA WHARTONUnited States

The Zo and the Invisible Friend

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Synopsis

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This myth is the view of the Chinese people onhow the world was created and completed.

Master’s Thesis.Created and assembled in Adobe Illustrator,Photoshop, and Premier.

Animated and Directed by Janet Yen.

Genesis 1999Blazing Phoenix 1998A Minute and Half 1997Just Do It 1996

JANET YENTaiwan

Genesis

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Medea

MATT BUTLERUnited States

United States

MITCH COCKERHAM

LockJaw

(Production details)Animation Production II and III.35mm, white china marker on black paper.

(Films to date)Medea, Under the Bridge

(Credits)Directed and Animated by Matt Butler.

A story of light, darkness,and a relationship made in Hell.

Irresistible force meets immovableobject in this abstract narrativeabout the use of technological formin systems of organic entropy.

(Production details)Animation Production I.

16mm color. Stop-motion.Lightwave 5.0 for previsualization.

(Credits)Directed and Animated by Mitch Cockerham.

SECO

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When Men Wore Hats

CHRIS LEXINGTONUnited States

United States

IAN MELCHINGER

Coffee vs. Muse

(Production details)Contemporary Topics in Animation.

Hand drawn and manipulated in Adobe Photoshop.

(Production details)Animation Production II and III. Digital Sets created andrendered in Maya and RenderMan, hand-drawn charactersinked and painted in Toonz..

(Films to date)Grace’s Wish 1998

(Credits)Directed and Animated by

Christopher Lexington.

A gangster and a detective go headto head over a femme fatale in thishomage to film noir and slapstick.

(Credits)Ian has done sound design/editing on morethan a dozen independent films, including thirdyear student Glenda Wharton’s “The Red Shoes”.

SECO

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Tryptamine Dreams

ROHINI MONTENEGROUnited States

United States

VAN PHAN

Delusion

When the situation is “GRIMM”,fantasy may be your only option.

(Production details)Animation Production II and III.

Computer animation created using Maya and Composeron an Intel PC and SGI O2.

(Films to date)Delusion, Wild Card

(Credits)Directed and Animated by Van Phan.

(Production details)Animation Production II and III.Pencil and watercolors.Adobe AfterEffects and Photoshop.

(Credits)Directed and Animated by Rohini Montenegro

An abstract magicalmusical journey.

SECO

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R16

Mission

REBECCA ROGERSUnited States

United States

CLAUDIA SPINELLI

Harken the Harde Hiccups

A metaphysical journey.

(Production details)Animation Production II and III.Filmed on digital video, animated using Adobe After Effects.

(Films to date)Mission 1999, Body 1999, Cave 1998

(Credits)Performed and animated by Rebecca Rogers.

Music and Cinematography by RandallHarrington.

What do you do when your dragonhas the hiccups?

(Production details)Animation Production II and III.

Traditional animation. Scanning and cleanup done in Toonz.Digital ink and paint done in Adobe Photoshop.

Assembled in Adobe AfterEffects.

(Films to date)Harken the Harde Hiccups 1999.Sit! Stay! Good Dog! 1998.

(Credits)Animated and Directed by Claudia Spinelli.

SECO

ND

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R17

Girls! Girls! Girls!

IANA VELEZUnited States

Peru

PABLO VELEZMORO

I’m Hungry!

A hungry vagabond steals somesausages, and adventure ensues.

(Production details)Animation Production II and III.

Traditional animation.

(Credits)Directed and Animated by Pablo Velezmoro.

(Production details)Animation Production II and III.Digital stop-motion piece using forty-four legs and edited withAdobe After Effects.

(Films to date)Girls! Girls! Girls!,

selfcentered, Planet Pink

(Credits)Directed and Animated by Iana Velez.

A musical extravaganzadraped in pink.

SECO

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Machine

HAN S. YIUnited States

Brazil, Visiting Scholar

MARCOS MAGALHÃES

DoiS (TwO)

Contemplation and corrosionof cycles and systems.

(Production details)Animation Production II and III.Photographs and ink on paper. Digital paint and manipulationwas done in Adobe Photoshop. Effects animation was done inAdobe After Effects.

(Films to date)Machine 1999, 12 Square Miles 1999,

Environment 1998, Panorama 1998

(Credits)Animation and Sound by Han Yi.

In a universe made of light,a body is born with two heads whichhave to learn to overcome theirconflicts to survive.

(Production details)Visiting Scholar Project.

Animation scratched directly on black film,3D computer animation created using Maya.

Copyright 1999 Marcos Magalhães.

(Films to date)Mão-Mãe, Meow, Animando, Bull on the Track,Eight Point Star, Uncle Francisco in a Merry-Go-Round

(Credits)Music by Helio Ziskind & Tuco Marcondes.Sound by Matt Butler.

SCOTT BOGONIEWSKI

The Kiss

(Production Details)Expanded Animation.Paint on Glass.

(Credits)Animated by Scott Bogoniewski.

United States

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ERIC ANDERSON

The Looking Planet

(Production Details)Animation Production I.

Stop-motion and computer animation.

(Credits) Animated by Eric Anderson.Additional Animation and Design by Tim Cleary.

Music Composed and Performed by Doyle Towles.Voices by Laura Morton, Thom Southerland

and Eric Anderson.

United States

TERESA DEY

Thunderstorm

(Production Details)Animation production I.

Ink drawings under paint on glass.16mm color, mono.

(Credits)Animated by Teresa Antonia Dey.

United States

FIR

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ROBERTO GOMEZ

Plug Jr.

(Production Details)Animation Production I.Traditional animation. 16mm color, mono.

(Credits)Animated by Roberto Gomez.Sound design by Sergio Ramirez.

Mexico

NOEL GOIN

Soucayant

(Production Details)Nickelodeon Experimental Animation.

Pencil on paper.

(Credits)Animated by Noel Goin.

Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

SHIVANI KHANNA

Exile

(Production Details)Animation Production I. Cut-outs, cell animation,

and stop motion. Digitized 16mm color.Effects added in Adobe Premiere.

(Credits)Animated by Shivani Khanna.

Sound and Editing by Anuj Majumdar.

India

JUNG EUN LEE

Inner Rhythm

(Production Details)Animation Production I.Drawings on paper, cell, and collage.

(Credits)Animated by Jung Eun Lee.Sound by Carlo Palazio.

Korea

FIR

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KAREN KNIGHT

Last Words

(Production Details)Animation Production I.16mm black and white.

Pencil on underlit paper.

(Credits)Animated by Karen Knight.

Sound by Matt Butler.

United States

GABRIEL PULGARIN

Transcending Energy

(Production Details)Nickelodeon Experimental Animation.

Ink on film.

(Credits)Animated by Gabriel Pulgarin.

United States

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BRETT RUTLAND

Self Reflections

(Production Details)Animation Production I.Stop motion animation utilizing wire armatures andmixed media.

(Credits)Animated by Brett Rutland.Sound design by Sergio Ramirez.

United States

SERGIO RAMIREZ

Five Variations on 12

(Production Details)Animation Production I. 16mm color.

Underlit colored clay and black cutouts animatedunder the oxberry camera, and layered

on the optical printer.

(Credits)Sound and Animation by Sergio Ramirez.

Colombia

RAQI SYED

ka hotep

(Production Details)Animation Production I.

16mm color, mono.Paper cut-outs and drawings.

(Credits)Animated by Raqi Syed.

Sound by Cole.

United States

FIR

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MICHAEL WALSH

Identity

(Production Details)Animation Production I.Computer animation, acrylics, and colored pencilsmanipulated and animated using Adobe Photoshopand Maya.

(Credits)Animated by Michael Walsh.

United States

TAKAKO SAIJO

Showtime

(Production Details)Animation Production I.

Computer animation created in Softimage 3D.

(Credits)Animation and sound design by Takako Saijo.

Piano performed by Hye Kwon.

Japan, TBS Exchange

WILSON WANG

Down the Memory Lane

(Production Details)Nickelodeon Experimental Animation.

Mixed media.

(Credits)Animated by Wilson Wang.

Hong Kong

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Becky Bristow

Cornelius Cole

Mar Elepaño

Kristy Kang

Everett Lewis

Lisa Mann

Christine Panushka

Ishu Patel

Michael Scroggins

Agueda Simo

Tom Sito

Kathy Smith

Vibeke Sorensen

Christopher Vogler

Richard Weinberg

Animation Production II and III

Life Drawing Workshop

Basic Motion Picture Techniques for Animators, Animation Department Seminar

Creative Interactive Animation

Animation Theory and Techniques

Introduction to Film, Video and Computer Animation, Animation Production I

History of Animation, Directed Studies, Master’s Thesis I and II

Nickelodeon Experimental Animation, Thesis Committee

Introduction to Computer Animation, Fundamentals of Computer Animation

Virtual Reality and Stereoscopic Animation

Character Animation

Contemporary Topics in Animation, Expanded Animation, Directed Studies

Creative Interactive Animation, Animation Department Seminar, DirectedStudies

Writing for Animation

Animation Department Seminar

FACULTY AND COURSE LISTINGS1998-1999

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All student work produced in the Division of Animation *and Digital Arts, School of Cinema-Television,University of Southern California.

©1999 University of Southern California.

(Catalog design)Han Yi

(Project manager)Kathy Smith

(Cover image & www design)Rebecca Rogers

(Publication Sponsor)USC University Bookstore

(Printing Company)Ready Reproductions, Inc.

For More Information:

USC School of Cinema-TelevisionDivision of Animation& Digital Arts, LPB 200CUniversity ParkLos Angeles, CA 90089-2211(213) 740-3986

hye@felix.usc.eduwebsite - http://felix.usc.edu

* The word ‘animation’ is derived from theLatin word anima, which means soul.

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http://felix.usc.edu