This week, I focused on creating some environment assets and polishing my body mechanics animation.
Environment Modeling
Modeling a City
I modeled some skyscrapers and towers as I wanted to create a city for my background and convey the idea that my character is running on a rooftop.
Body Mechanics Animation
Animation
This week, I added a parent constraint on the balloon to make its movement smoother and I also focused on fixing my arm rotations in the graph editor.
Furthermore, I added a Mr. Crocker inspired electrocution animation after the lightning strikes my character.
Reference: The Fairly OddParents, dir. by Burtch Hartman (Nickelodeon, 2001) [Motion Picture].
Further Thoughts
In the following weeks, I will work on overlapping the hands and fingers, as well as tracking their arcs. In addition, I will also include some deformation of the balloon, when the character grabs it. Finally, I will include some special effects when the lightning strikes and electrocutes my character.
This week, I focused on making some research on different cartoony techniques used in animation and then I started with my blocking process.
Cartoony Techniques
I used two main books to further my studies in cartoony animation techniques:
Cartoon Character Animation with Maya: Mastering the Art of Exaggerated Animation by Keith Osborn.
The Animator’s Survival Kit by Richard E. Williams.
Smear
I will create smear frames to simulate motion blur when my character moves from one place to another one.
Multiple Limbs
I will use multiple limbs in my animation to exaggerate when my character is about to run.
Animation – Process
To start working on my animation, I divided the sequence into three different parts, as I wanted to break my main task down into more manageable pieces.
This week, I focused on converting my body mechanics animation from blocking into spline. To do so, I focused on cleaning the keys from my graph editor.
Spline Animation Process
In order to start converting my stepped animation into spline, I divided the sequence into manageable parts when the character:
Looks at the balloon.
Makes the first jump.
Takes two steps.
Catches the balloon.
First Outcome
For my next draft, the first thing I need to fix is the timing of my balloon animation.
I also need to improve the arm rotation at the end of my animation and improve the arm overlapping throughout the sequence.
Second Outcome
Even though the arm movements look smoother, there are still some rotations I need to improve.
Furthermore, I need to work on tracking the arcs of my waist at the end of my animation, as I have stretched the leg and it affected the position of the waist.
This week, I created my previs animation of my animated artefact and imported my reference videos into my Maya file.
Creating my Previs Animation
My animation will take place indoors, so before working on my previs animation, I created simple props (bed, table, pictures) to setup the environment.
Previs Animation
In order to start planning the timing of the movements, I created a previs animation.
I used some basic volumes to represent both: the character (in red) and the creatures (in green).
Importing Reference Videos
Creating New Expressions
Importing the reference videos was a huge challenge as they all started by default in frame 1 even though I moved them in the graph editor.
In order to fix this issue, I had to manually change the expression of each image plane and write on which frame I wanted the sequence to start playing.
Retiming Reference Videos
Retiming Reference Videos
After having both my reference videos and previs animation, I combined them into my scene.
However, I needed to retime the reference videos according to the previs animation.
In this sense, my reference videos will guide me on how the character is moving and the previs animation will help me understand the timing of each movement.
Further Thoughts
Now that I have my previs shots and reference videos, I can start blocking my animation. Furthermore, in the following weeks I will replace the placeholder props with smoother 3D models.
This week, I defined what type of rig I wanted to use for my animation and I also started shooting some reference videos to help me pose out my character.
Customizing my Character Rig
Original Rig (Animation Mentor)
I downloaded the Steward Rig from Animation Mentor, as I was looking for a friendly and cartoony character.
The rig I chose has limited facial expressions, since I wanted my animated artefact to specifically focus on how the body can communicate an idea and feeling.
Customized Rig (Mime)
I edited the textures and colors to convey the idea that the character is a mime as they are known to use their body to express an idea.
To do so, I had to unlock the geometry layer and select the faces individually to change the colors.
Shooting Reference Videos
In order to start blocking my animation, I created some reference videos based on my animatic. In the following recordings I only focused on the movements of the main character.
Part 1
A creature appears out from a bucket and gets the attention of the character. However, when they inspect the bucket it is empty.
Meanwhile, a creature appears from the back and when the character sees it, they start running into the next room.
Part 2
The character enters into the room next door, and when they think they are safe, they realize there are more creatures observing them.
Part 3
The character crawls back into the main room and looks around to see if the first creature is gone.
After inspecting the room, they feel relieved as they think it is empty.
Finally, the character leaves the scene, failing to notice that a creature is attached to their back.
Further Thoughts
In the following weeks, I will import these reference videos into my Maya file and retime the clips I recorded. I will also create a previs animation to integrate the creatures into my scene.
This week, apart from working on my blocking animation, George gave us an overview of some aspects we need to apply on our animations.
Blocking Process
First Outcome
In order to create my blocking sequence, I added my reference videos into the Maya scene.
This helped me to create the key poses and breakdowns of my character.
Even though I added the squash poses of my character, I failed to add the stretch poses.
Second Outcome
For my second draft, I added some stretch poses when the character jumps off and lands on the ground.
The main aspect I need to work on for next week is to change the last jumping sequence as it is quite repetitive. In addition, I need to work on adding more breakdown poses.
Blocking Plus
Blocking Plus
We learned the concept of ‘moving holds’, which is a slight movement we need to include when a character has to stay in the same pose for a long time.
We also have to think of how many breakdowns we need to include in our animations and make sure to track the arcs.
We should also work on anticipations (pre-movement) and overshoots (post-movement) to enhance our animations.
Further Thoughts
For next week, I will try to apply the new concepts we learned in class into my blocking sequence and make sure I track the arcs of my character.
This week, we held a presentation of our animated artefact and showcased our concept, storyboard/animatic and pictures in development.
Concept
I will create a body mechanics shot, emphasizing on the idea that the body can be perceived as a powerful medium of expression. It will be heavily influenced by silent films as they convey the narrative visually and the characters communicate their feelings only with their body.
Narrative
Synopsis: The character in the story has the feeling they are being observed by creatures and it is their fear and obsession that leads them into a paranoid state of mind.
Animated Comedy
Cartoony Techniques: I will implement cartoony techniques into my animation, as I want my animated artefact to be an animated comedic short film.
Sketching my Storyboard
Storyboard 1/2
Introduction
A mysterious creature appears from a bucket.
When the character inspects the bucket, it disappears.
Main Body
A giant creature pops up from the back.
The character runs to the next room, however, more creatures start appearing (climax).
Storyboard 2/2
Conclusion
The character crawls back into the main room.
Looks around to see if they can find the huge creature.
No creatures are in sight anymore.
They leave the room failing to notice that a creature is attached to their back (plot twist).
Creating my Animatic
Animatic: I converted my storyboard into an animatic, as it will help me in the future to pose out my characters and record my reference videos.
Key Poses: I will also use it as a reference to create the key poses of my character.
Work in Progress
Environment: My animation will take place in an indoor environment, and I will use Buster Keaton’s interior spaces as a reference.
Visual Language: I want the environment to be displayed in grayscale to suggest the idea of silent films. However, I want the characters to be in color, so that they stand out from the background.
Characters: For my main character, I will use a cartoony and friendly character as my animation is targeted to a younger audience. Ideally it will not have many facial features as I want to only focus on body mechanics. When it comes to my creatures, I want to incorporate one-eyed monsters, as I want to tell the story of how my character has the feeling they are being observed.
This week, George gave us an overview on of Advanced Body Mechanics assignment. In the following five weeks, we will have to deliver a short animation featuring a body mechanics sequence.
Idea Development
I would like to animate a character chasing a balloon and when they finally catch it, a lightning strucks on them and the balloon pops. The character will be jumping across some buildings, showing off some body mechanics animations.
Shooting Reference Videos
I recorded some reference videos in order to draw some key poses for my thumbnail sketches.
Looking at the Balloon
At the beginning of my animation, the balloon catches the attention of my character.
The character stares at the balloon flying above their head and follows it with their eyes.
Catching the Balloon
Before catching the balloon, the character almost falls from the edge of the building.
Getting Familiar with the Rig
Mecha-Mechs Free Proxy
I will be using the female Mecha-Mechs Free Proxy character for my animation. This implies also animating the hair controllers of the rig.
In addition, I will be also using the MG Picker tool, which will allow me to control my rig more efficiently.
In the following ten weeks, I will be working on my animated artefact which will be a short film inspired by silent movies and that focuses on body mechanics.
Concept Development
What will I produce?
Short 3D body mechanics animation in Autodesk Maya.
What is my concept?
The body as a medium of expressing emotions.
What is my aim?
Explore how body language can be seen as a form of communication.
Analyze how physical behaviours can be used to express an idea.
Background Research
Since I wanted to create a body mechanics shot that focuses on how the body communicates an idea, I decided it was best to research more in depth about silent films and some influencial actors. This motivated me to explore Buster Keaton’s short films and analyze his movements throughout his animations.
Time Management
In order to plan my animation and deliver it on time, I created my own personal timetable to help me organize my tasks and priorities. I am looking forward to sticking to this workflow and hope that I will not encounter major difficulties.
