In this DVD, director Aristomenis (Meni) Tsirbas covers the basics of one of CG animation's least understood components: camera and staging, specifically in the context of effective storytelling. By breaking open one of his award-winning short films Meni reveals his creative process for designing a sequence to play clearly and dramatically. Story beats are broken down, camera motions are developed, and important narrative tools such as zoom factor and depth of field are explained. A detailed Do's and Don'ts section guides the viewer to create polished, compelling, and tasteful camera animation by addressing proper use of motion curves, avoiding the 'digital curse', and overlaying the right amount of camera shake. Instructor for this title: Aristomenis (Meni) Tsirbas

• Scene coverage
• Scene blocking
• Breaking down action
• Camera framing, motion and shake
• The camera axis
• Zoom factor, F stop and depth of field techniques
• Working with motion curves
• Telling a good story

1. Layout camera basics: coverage, blocking, camera motion and axis
2. Layout camera basics: Breaking out beats, motion graph, zoom factor and depth of field
3. Layout camera basics: Action sequence strategy, camera rig setup, staying 'with' a character
4. Layout camera basics: Shooting for dramatic effect and F-stop
5. Camera Do's and Don'ts: Motion curves, flybys and camera shake

• Product Code: ATS02
• ISBN: 1-59762-798-4
• UPC: 805366017668
• Duration: 124 minutes
• Formats: DVD-ROM

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Aristomenis (Meni) Tsirbas

Director, VFX Supervisor, Digital Artist

Aristomenis (Meni) Tsirbas has been directing for film and TV for over ten years and has fifteen years experience as a visual effects supervisor and digital artist. His professional career started in 1996, working as a digital artist on James Cameron's Titanic and national advertising spots for Nike, 7UP and Coca-Cola. As a visual effects supervisor Meni worked on Miramax's A Wrinkle in Time, Disney's My Favorite Martian and Paramount's Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Between 2000 and 2003 Tsirbas wrote and directed a string of highly successful animated short films including SIGGRAPH's Ray Tracey in Full Tilt, Microsoft's Mech Warrior: Vengeance, Terra, and the acclaimed The Freak. In 2004 Tsirbas worked on two back-to-back music videos, including Tears For Fears' Closest Thing To Heaven, before setting off to direct his first feature film, Battle for Terra.