Berlin

A few shots from around Berlin. When I see these photos it always makes me smile.
Ich bin Ein Berliner!

Timing Animals ’ Movements Horse

Ever been confused by animal walking ...?

Timing for animation by harold whitaker.

The order in which the feet of a horse touch the ground is: back left, front left,back right, front right, back left, front left, back right, front right, etc If 24 frames are taken as the length of a walk cycle, i.e. back left hits the ground on frame 1, ‘ back right ’ hits the ground on frame 13, and ‘ front left ’ and ‘ front right ’ hit the ground on frames 7 and 19 respectively.

In the step position on the back legs, on frames 1 and 13, the back legs form two sides of a triangle. The rump is lower than it is on frames 7 and 19, where one leg is vertical as the other one passes it. The shoulders are lower on frames 7 and 19 than they are on frames 1 and 13 for the same reason. This causes a slight rocking movement to the line of the horse’s back. Also on

the front step positions, as the shoulders go down, the head is pulled into a slightly more horizontal slant than it is on frames 1 and 13.

Great advice.

Breakdowns

Breakdowns (My take on a Keith Lango take on Breakdowns.)

The Breakdown defines the movement. It defines the character of the motion.

If the motion is flat, the breakdown needs punched up!

If you like the performance but not the motion, That's a breakdown issue.

1. Key Poses

2. Primary Breakdowns

3. Secondary Breakdown

4. Polish

Secondary Breakdown.

Define additional details of the motion where Primary Breakdowns are not enough.

Eases, additional arc definition, additional overlap, small anticipation, Overshoot and settle.

Secondary BD develops the interest of the movement.

If you change your key pose, you have to change your BD.

Key out the key poses stacked (next to each other)

Add Breakdowns, but favour the spacing.

Then add the secondary breakdowns that help define additional details, : Overlap, anticipation, etc

Breakdowns help you define the motion between Key poses

Secondary Breakdowns help define the movement between the Breakdown and the Key poses.

Breakdown shows the emotion, Does he get from point A to B, fast or slow.

Do not time out your scene until you finish your breakdowns.

Gesture before you say the word , reactions will be timed after the sound. Good lip sync comes early.

Time it out on your thumbnails. Some moves need more than one primary breakdown. Breakdown help define how the motion works.

Your Breakdowns can effect change in the Key Poses, things can always be changed, to improve the scene, try not to think to dogmatic and use the guide lines and principles as guides.

Adding Breakdown

Keys Stacked. RIGHT?

Drag out the second pose by one frame , select the 1st pose, with all controllers selected and change to linear.

This gives you a half way point. You can borrow that and changes in terms of FAVOURING, DRAG/OVERLAP AND ARC.

Sometimes you require more Breakdowns if the computer is doing to much work.

For example:

You want the BODY to favour and hit the Key poses before the limbs hit

The body is getting closer, the Key Pose, we've got more information now, we're not asking the computer to do are job.

Develop your breakdowns, mess around with them and get more SQUASH and STRETCH in the body, hands and arms.

Just because you change your breakdown it doesn't mean you don't change your Key pose, ALWAYS IMPROVE YOUR SCENE.

Favouring

Pose1 Primary Breakdown Pose 2

Primary Breakdowns

Favouring

Overlap/drag

Arcs

Favouring

Where the Breakdown has a visual appearnece that is more like one pose and less like the other.

SLOW IN or FAST IN

SLOW OUT or FAST OUT

Overlap

Drag or animated forces, Gives the scene of weight and inertia to the motion. Parts lag behind other parts, Creating a combined sense of overlapping motion.

Overlap is built into the breakdown.

Arcs

Bio-motion Moves predominantly in arcing patterns. Good primary breakdowns indicate the major motion arc of the part in the motion.

PRIMARY BREAKDOWNS

· Favouring

· Overlap/drag

· Arcs

I love the breakdowns in all of this.

Kaeloo - Let's play Scaredy Cat from Cube Creative on Vimeo.

Dialogue test

Animation work from http://www.kultan.com/

I was lucky enough to work on this cool project. I Lead the animation team on the project and also had my first expierence of training animators on the job. The game had a fanatstic team and it looks great!!

My break down of Glen keane's notes

Character Development.

Know precisely what actions are right for that personality.

Story - Characters conflicts. We have to care about his story.

Personality - How does he character feel about himself?

What does he want?

What is he afraid of?

His weaknesses?

What is his world view?

History -

Writ history of your character that brings you up to present moment. What events and people shaped him?

Environment - What's his world like? Hostile - friendly, Luxurious - Desolate, poor - rich.

Design - Describe his appearance - Intimidating, sensual, dumpy, etc

Anticipation

Anticipation is built by clarity - A simple, clear idea that communicates and

captures an audience is your goal.

Character - If the audience knows your character they can enjoy anticipating

his reaction in a given situation.

Music - A feeling of "Get ready for this!" is largely due to the right music. It

can anticipate joy, fear, patriotism, love, etc.

Staging - Your point of view must be clear. What do I want to say with this

scene? How do I want the audience to feel in this shot? How you stage the

scene clues in the audience to how they should feel.