These are two character animations i created last year, the models were provided by Chris Wyatt.
This first animation was viewed by Ed hooks and a free lance character animator, James Finley.
The main feedback i got was that his gestures at the start werent easily readable. My intent was that the woman was using the crystal ball before her, and then began speaking. Throughout this animation i 'over gesticulate' as Ed Hooks put it. People dont constantly move when they talk, and it was suggested that i think about holding poses a little more.
In this second animation, poses are held, but there still too many too varied to make it appear convinsing. These are both things i wish to tackle in my upcoming animations
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Ed Hooks..
I attended Ed Hooks 'acting for animators' workshop at last years animex festival.
After the blocking out stage of the animations i wish to produce i will again touch on Ed hooks, for his advice on facial expression and eye movement.
In preparation for animating however i will take a brief look at Power centres.
Ed Hooks spoke of using power centers as a means of expressing character. A simple example would be a sporty masculine type. Full of testosterone, this characters power center would likely be in his chest. Most comic book superheroes have their power center in their chest.
In the above picture the power center would appear to be right infront of supermans chest pulling him upright and straight.
Characters emotions can be portrayed through the pulling or pushing of the power centers. The dont always have to remain in one place and can shift to reflect loses in confidence or sudden resolve simply by changing the position, thus changing the focus of the characters posture.
These power centers can be used to lead movement, and define personality, is a character being lead by their head or their heart? Standing tall or sinking with depression? Power centers can create more variation in characters and contrasts.
Examples could include the nose of a dog, his movements literally being led by smell (this could also work with a waiter, for a pompous, contemtous look), or the feet of a burguler as he cautiously makes his way around a house, his feet stretching before him as far as he dares, the rest of his body bein dragged along.
Definetly seems like somthing worth experimenting with...
After the blocking out stage of the animations i wish to produce i will again touch on Ed hooks, for his advice on facial expression and eye movement.
In preparation for animating however i will take a brief look at Power centres.
Ed Hooks spoke of using power centers as a means of expressing character. A simple example would be a sporty masculine type. Full of testosterone, this characters power center would likely be in his chest. Most comic book superheroes have their power center in their chest.
In the above picture the power center would appear to be right infront of supermans chest pulling him upright and straight.
Characters emotions can be portrayed through the pulling or pushing of the power centers. The dont always have to remain in one place and can shift to reflect loses in confidence or sudden resolve simply by changing the position, thus changing the focus of the characters posture.
These power centers can be used to lead movement, and define personality, is a character being lead by their head or their heart? Standing tall or sinking with depression? Power centers can create more variation in characters and contrasts.
Examples could include the nose of a dog, his movements literally being led by smell (this could also work with a waiter, for a pompous, contemtous look), or the feet of a burguler as he cautiously makes his way around a house, his feet stretching before him as far as he dares, the rest of his body bein dragged along.
Definetly seems like somthing worth experimenting with...
Where I am now.
Ok so here it is, for this project i will be animating a number of short ten second acting peices. I have a number of models available to me and i have been getting to grips with them during the course of other modules. Im hoping to aquire another rig off Chris Wyatt as well as a number of sound clips from various films This would mean i can get to the animating far sooner, avoiding having to pick suitable clips.
So pending meeting with Chris i have gotten my Ed Hooks notes out from animex last year, as well as the acting peices i animated in his character animation module in my final year of my undergraduate degree. I will attempting to critisize these clips myself, as well as make note of critism offered to me by Ed Hooks and James Finly (a local freelance animator) last year.
I may then be able to make a list of does and donts for these new animations.
So pending meeting with Chris i have gotten my Ed Hooks notes out from animex last year, as well as the acting peices i animated in his character animation module in my final year of my undergraduate degree. I will attempting to critisize these clips myself, as well as make note of critism offered to me by Ed Hooks and James Finly (a local freelance animator) last year.
I may then be able to make a list of does and donts for these new animations.
Observation
Heres a few of the observational drawings i made over the christmas break sitting in my loacal, making some quick sketches, i tried to pay attention to the general mood of peoples conversations. And then see what their body language communicated.
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