Well, got confused for a moment. I'm half way through my presentation about.. 'How to train your dragon' and I've just noticed that couple of people did presentation about the same movie. Luckly, different clips. This means, my presentation has to kick ass! That is why, for better effect I'm doing everything in Flash. This will look awesome! Welp, going back to work.
Wow, actually I can't believe I haven't wrote anything for 6 days now.
I finished first animation, reference shooting will be done at home, same as presentation and.. I was bored. So I've refreshed my portfolio page.
For around a week I was working on this day by day (you see, I used to be a web programmer) and well, actually night by night (I took advantage of less crowded labs from 20-02am) and yay, it is finished! Enjoy!
Okay, so here: - Made eyedarts more subtle, revised lids - Revised B, V, F phonemes (lip roll) - Left hand (shoulder, hand, palm) delayed by 1 frame - Exaggerated E, A phonemes
Okay, a lot happening last days. I got really got feedback from Remi. Also, Scott during the classess noticed, I'm missing one phoneme - u - in 'once' phrase. I've watched this video over 1000 times and I haven't notice that one.
Feedback is really helpful. I love it - I feel I improve with every change in my animations.
Enough of talkie-talkie. Watchie-watchie now.
Totally forgotten to upload that couple of days ago. So.. here it is:
Based on my reference I added exact body moves. Oh.. exact.. I exaggerated it a bit.
Well, I posted that on Facebook couple of days ago, got my feedback.
I'm just going to change some things now.
So, I started working on lip sync task.
For now I've created phonemes (Yes, phonemes. I like old ways) poses in PoseMan plugin, which always helped me a lot in lip syncs.
So, based on my phonemes sheet (which I created some time ago) I got following basic poses:
I think I will go for 'Talk About' from 'Searching for Bobby Fischer' movie, because I always wanted to do lip sync full of emotions, I mean sad emotions. Just to show good acting skills. And that's going to be a challenge for me.
Transcript:
Voice One: "He is better at this... than I have ever been at anything. My son has a gift. He has a gift! And once you acknowledge that, then, maybe... we'll have something to talk about."
Okay, I just uploaded last sketches for Animation Practise 1 module. The last few days were crazy. Sketch sketch sketch sketch!
Well, a few words about the module. To be honest, at the beginning I was very sceptical. Not about me (if I can handle), but about tasks. When I came to Middlesbrough I expected at the first classes something like: 'Okay! Gimme your scenarios and start animating your short for whole year!'
But as I googled Animation Mentor classes I realized, that silly tasks like animating a ball is everywhere and has to be done - even by guy who worked in the 3D industry for a year.
By a matter of time, I understand what for these tasks were for and I can proudly say - I enjoyed everything so far and learned new things. That's why we're here for.
I can't wait for lip-sync part! I always liked it a lot, because when I animate lip-sync I always involuntarily move my mouth and act strange. Strange for non-animators co-workers.
It's fun!
Yes, it's finally here!
Well.. I finished it like couple of days ago but I gave it a time to settle. Now, I'm sure it's final.
Change log:
+ Added anticipation before he puts bag down
+ Added ambient sound
+ Redone sound effects - different timing in newest version
+ Rendered in 720p
Problems during whole production:
My main problem was in.. render farm. I followed all steps on tutorial on SCM but it seems to be disconnected. I wrote to the technicians on Wednesday. Today is Saturday - no response. Even I stated it's very important and has to be rendered as soon as possible. Well.. Big disappointment.
Luckily, I managed to render everything on 5 machines in labs. It took me 6 hours. Wasted six hours.
Thoughts:
I can say, the hardest part was when character was putting bag down - which took most of time animating whole scene. Comparing it to the walk cycle, second one was piece of cake.
I spent some time studying references - I have no idea how I could animate without them in the past (well.. hard beginnings). I would like to thank fellow mates from MACHARACTER group for brilliant feedback.
Also, I am really happy that we have weekly feedback sessions. Without that I wouldn't add anticipation, and without anticipation scene was totally understood only by me. I love that feeling when I go back to my previous work and say to myself: 'What I was thinking when doing this this way and not that way.' Ah! Self-development!
To sum up, I spent 40 hours animating, and whole week before for planning - I can fully agree with Ollie Johnston: 'Spend half your time planning your scene and the other half animating.'
Okay, so Animation Practice 1 module is done. Can't wait for lip-sync now!
Okay, since last version:
+Added facial expressions
+Fixed knees popping
+Remade head moves (0:00-0:06)
+Added palm animation
+More 'Goofy' run
+Fixed many bugs
+Added hat animation - It is soft body dynamics modifier - I'm not going to create another rig and animate it. Also, it's only for creating just a little movement - I don't want it to be still.
This version was posted on MACHARACTER group for feedback.
Based on my reference footage I have created basic animation in one working day.
This version is not public - it means it's not feedback ready. Still much to do.
It's 1:15, I think it's high time to go home.
As library scanner lost all details of my sketch book I decided to redraw everything I got there so far.
Well, I don't use it a lot as I prefer sketching on tablet but still, there is something.
Change log:
- Added shadows (pass)
- Added bag rig (described below)
- Added present box
- Replaced old snow - added NURBS only
- Optimized render time from 0:45 to 0:20 (720p)
Bag rig:
Just fast rig with 5 controllers:
OPEN/CLOSE CTRL - placed for opening a bag (present box). It also rotates upper part.
UP CTRL - Bend/flex purposes. Also it will guarantee that bag will align to characters shoulder.
MIDDLE CTRL - Same. Also it will control swing.
BOTTOM CTRL - It controls bending (up/down) when character is crouching.
MAIN CTRL - Just for moving bag with controllers.
I am happy with the results so far. As I got 5 days till reference shooting I will probably concentrate on sketches. There is nothing more to do with 3D for now.
Based on my quick sketches I have created environment with no more than 600 polys (which is okay I think) including studio sphere. As roof only was not enough for me I've added tailor and character. Then character didn't match so.. I have dressed him like a Santa! I have imported my Santa's hat which I made like year ago for my previous Christmas animation. Everything took me exactly two hours. Time well spent.
Okay, that's all folks! I'm going home.
Okay, so today also I started thinking of Animation task 6 - All in one.
So my first idea was fetching a ball by squirrel. But.. it's not original at all.
So I come up with another one (as Christmas are almost here! :D) - Santa!
Yes, so long story short: Santa want's to go through the chimney, he puts a present box to step on and easily get on the chimney. He climbs somehow and suddenly sees something at the bottom. He gets scared and jumps off the chimney. After him a mad (or even evil!) squirrel chases him on the roof. Ta-daaa!
Yay, so while you enjoy my storyboard below I started modelling the scene.
Okay, okay!
It's the final, final version this time.
Added some space after the reaction (face) and before he grabs his phone.
Also, added iPhone text sound.
uh, done!
As promised! Final version is here!
So to sum up this project, I've created a personality walk strictly based on reference (showed in background in previous posts), created environment and modelled an iphone.
Animation is fun!
Right, after 7 hours (it's 00:15 now! oh wow..) here is another take. Rendered version, added phone, environment and I think that's it.
Still image (which is only for timing purposes) will be replaced tomorrow (or.. today?) with moving hand.
Ok, I'm going home.
+ Added desk on every screen
+ Changed third pose (more contrast)
+ Blurred screen on first pose - let viewer be unsure till third screen what is character happy about
So here is first 'public' version of personality walk. There are still some glitches but I got whole week to polish it up.
Meanwhile I start thinking of next task - combining everything.
After so long time I just recognized Art Babbitt's style in my personality walk. Like old style animation. I realized that after reading again walk cycles section in 'Animator's survival kit'.
It seems I got the early alpha version of personality walk. I don't even post that on facebook to get the feedback. It is the stage where I see what's wrong but just to show the progress I post here my playblast.
Aye, welcome november!
