Introduction to Animation
We learned about the definition of Animation:
The technique of photographing drawings or positions of puppets or models creates an illusion of movement when the film is shown as a sequence.
We have also learned about different animation methods including:
Hand Drawn = Drawing or Painting backgrounds and models by hand either on paper or digital.
Stop Motion = Using materials to create sets and models with a given material such as clay or Lego.
Later on, we discussed the definition of FPS = Frames Per Second
and the desired fps for animation on different concepts.
Television FPS = 25
Cinema FPS = 24/48
Video Games = 30/60
Before Animation became digital, in traditional animation each frame was drawn by hand on celluloid sheets, those sheets were later summed up to create the illusion of a moving image.
We were taught how to use Adobe Animate including how to use frames and layers, including other tools such as the selection tool, free transform tool, and the oval tool.
The shortcuts for each of those tools are:
Selection tool: V
Free Transform Tool: Q
Oval tool: O
Our aim in this lesson was to use that knowledge to individually create our own little animation of a bouncing ball.
Whilst our primary objective was to create a bouncing ball, we had the freedom to explore other available tools in Adobe Animate to create another animation added to our ball.
In this case, I decided to use the rectangle tool (R) to create an animation of a falling square.
In order to create this animation, I first created a new project with a resolution of 1280 x 720 (HD)
The animation was set to 24 frames per second.
By using the Oval Tool (O) I first placed a circle starting upper left of the canvas, which then was gradually placed on the next frames, using the selection tool, at a lower point of the canvas which created the illusion of a falling ball.
Later on, I used the free transform tool to squish the ball simulating real-life ball physics, then bring the ball back up to show the bounce.
To reflect on my work, I would say that I am overall happy with how it all turned out. However, with the opportunity to do it again, I would make sure to keep the ball the same size all throughout the animation as I can spot minimal differences in the size of the ball during it.
Issues I've had are to remember to make new frames every time I would like to create a movement and accidentally move the ball on a previous frame rather than a new one.
I would also make changes in the general movement of the ball to try to make it more realistic.
As a whole, the experience was enjoyable and instructive, and I would say others who were put up for the same would say that too!
By continuing to develop the basics of animation and programs such as Adobe Animate, I am hopeful to create a better animation next time.
The 12 Principles of Animation
On 12/09/23 we were to improve our understanding of the principles behind animation production.
We were introduced to the 12 principles of animation, including:
Squash and Stretch
Squashing and stretching characters, shapes, and other objects can create an impression of weight flexibility and persona.
Timing and Motion
The amount of frames and drawings can interconnect to a set speed, more drawings are used for a slower animation, and fewer drawings are used for a faster animation.
Anticipation
Anticipation can be used to set up to lead to a movement or action, it is used to present a realistic movement
Staging
This is the use of a space to set up a scene, this includes a particular placement of the characters, objects, and background. It is initially how a camera angle is set up in a 3D animated space.
FollowThrough and Overlapping Action
This is the idea of how some connected body parts or objects may continue to move due to the different weight, it can also be exaggerated for a comical effect.
Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose Action
Those are two different procedures to a way of drawing an animation, it can either be animated frame by frame from the start to the end or the portrayal of a few keyframes which are then filled in between.
Slow In and Out also known as Ease In and Easy Out
While an object moves or breaks it may need time to accelerate or decelerate, without this it can look very machinelike or peculiar. In order to accomplish this more frames have to be added near the beginning and end of animation.
Arcs
Typically everything moves in a type of arcing motion as it is unnatural to move in a straight line, when animating a character's movement agling should be taken into account to create a naturalistic look.
Exaggeration
This is used to emphasise a movement or action, it adds more appeal to an action.
Secondary Action
Secondary Action is used to support a main action, it is typically very subtle and does not distract from the main action happening.
Solid Drawing
This is when you take characters to fit in a 3-dimensional space, understanding how a character looks from different angles is important in creating an animation.
Appeal
When creating a character they must have a specific appeal to be recognised, the appeal of a character can also tell them something about their personality.
With the knowledge taken from our lesson on the 12 principles of animation, I created an animation of a boy performing a shocked to awkward facial expression. I would say this went pretty well as I believe it applied secondary action and appeal.
Animation Homework
For our homework, we had to create a 5 to 10-second animation depicting a sense of speed and movement. For my homework, I attempted to create an animation of a spinning woman's head, to create this I made a drawing of a front-side view of a woman's head, a 3/4 front view, a 3/4 back view, a side view, and a back view. I have received positive feedback from my peers on my animation however I believe that I could have made the animation smoother by drawing more frames.
Introduction to Sound Production
On 14/09/23 we were introduced to the fundamentals of sound production and different microphones used to create different sounds.
We began listing different shows or games memorable by their sound design.
Those included are:
The Minecraft soundtrack
Killer instinct
High fire rush
when creating a film or video piece it makes 50% of what the viewer experiences.
The three main components of sound are:
Foley
recreating sounds with other objects.
Music
The music used to set a particular scene.
ADR (automated dialogue replacement)
Recording Dialogue also known as dubbing.
We were also presented with different types of microphones used in sound production, where each one has its own pickup pattern. It determines the area and how far the microphone will pick up sound and where exactly from.
We were introduced to microphones such as:
H2 Handy ZOOM Recorder is a directional microphone meaning it only picks up sound from one direction, in this case, it is 90 degrees.
It allows for external microphones to be plugged in, but it also has its own. Its sensitivity can also be adjusted for different sounds for pickup ranges.
RODE - NTG2 also known as a shotgun mic due to its stand is also a directional microphone that picks up sound from where it is pointed at, and its interference range is about 1 meter.
Beyerdynamic MCW is a directional microphone with a 120-degree pickup pattern.
This microphone can also be called a boom mic as it is used to capture loud and further away sounds, it is good for where there are multiple voices at once.
AKG D230 commonly used by reporters is an omnidirectional microphone, meaning it picks up sound from all directions. It isn't a very sound-sensitive microphone as it has a short pickup range.
We were then shown how the sound effects were created for Batman: Arkham City.
The video, it showed how celery was used to represent the sound of broken bones, and a leather jacket and silk bride' maid dress to create a heavier sound to represent Batman's cape. We were introduced to how some rollerblade gear and motorcycle helmets with an old ski boot getting hit with a hammer can create believable face punches to a game character in a robotic confining-type suit.
In the video, while gun shots were recorded using actual guns, the Foley artists mentioned how they were recorded in 24 channels which allows for the audio designers to show sound from different angles in the game to show Batman being shot from different perspectives and distances.
We had the opportunity to record different sound effects using one of the microphones.
With the RODE- NTG2 also known as the shotgun microphone we recorded 2 different sound effects and one voice recording.
During recording we encountered some problems in understanding how to use the provided microphone, leading to us having to re-record sounds as the microphone was the recording.
However, after learning to use the microphone we created the recordings above.
Introduction to Animation Methods- Lip Synching
On 18/09/2023, we practised using Adobe Animate to further develop our skills in digital drawing and the principles relating to hand-drawn animation.
We recapped the basic principle behind creating animation.
Animation
To create the illusion of movement by juxtaposing frames together to create a sequence.
We discovered how different drawn positions correspond to different sounds. Below are some examples of drawn mouths and what letter they correlate with:
Odds & Ends: Lip Syncing.
https://fmspracticumspringOdds
& Ends: Lip Syncing.
https://fmspracticumspring2017.
blogs.bucknell.edu/2017/04/18/odds
-ends-lip-syncing/. Accessed 24
Oct. 2023.
Using this knowledge I created a short animation lip sinking to the words:
"We've got to have money!"
Personally, in my opinion, it looks kind of rushed. While the mouth does follow the sound I've encountered an issue with exporting it leading to the video having no sound. I believe to have used a touch of exaggeration at the end of the facial expression when it says "money". Something I would improve on if I were to re-do is the liner art, especially on the last frame.
Dds 1 - The Animation Process
Introduction to Audio Editing in Adobe Audition
On 19/09/2023 we recapped the three types of audio: Foley, Music, and ADR and the types of microphones.
We were taught different ways of using audio.
Parallel Sound
When the audio matches what you see it helps to convey a story
Contrapuntal
When the audio doesn't match the video (usually to set a different tone)
Diegetic
The characters can hear it as the sounds originate from the fictional world.
Non Diegetic
The characters cannot hear the sound (only the viewer can) this can be either the narrator or background music.
After that, we were put up to the task of experimenting with the program using different sfx using Adobe Audition.
Personally, I found Adobe Audition quite easy to use and operate with, the interface is straightforward for basic audio editing.
I experimented with amplifying parts from my previous recordings as they were too quiet to hear. I have also looked at the different sfx and by going to Effects > Time and Pitch > Pitch shifter I have turned my voice down a few semitones to make it sound deeper.
Above is a mix of the deepened voice recording and pre-recorded footsteps from our last audio-related lesson.
In the future, I would love to learn to create cooler-sounding audio by using different effects and equalizers in the proper settings.
Introduction to Adobe Premiere Pro
On 25/09/2023 we were phased in our first video editing program Adobe Premiere Pro.
It was asked for us to import any visual and audio files that we have preferably from our previous work into the program and were taught about the different windows in the program including the timeline, where to preview specific videos/audio, and where the preview everything in the set timeline.
We had the freedom to experiment with different effects and transitions to add on our timeline from the program. I have decided to implement a video lighting effect on my illustration and a sliding transition to a black screen.
This is what the test result looks like:
In my opinion, the hardest part of using Adobe animate is understanding how to properly apply and adjust effects. Hopefully in the future with more practice, I can fully learn to understand Adobe Premiere to create more interesting edits.
Animation Project Advertisement
19/09/2023 - 28/09/2023
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On 28/09/2023 we presented our team project work to the rest of our class and we received feedback on it.
To summarise what people think is the strongest part of the animated advert people's answers with the majority saying that the music for the video was the strongest suit and others referring to the nice background shading, pacing, and the detail of the artwork.
The disliked parts of the animation are its simplistic nature with there being a lot of negative space and the text being too fast to read.
The animation principles that were well applied include the appeal which is simplistic yet nice on the eyes, the music, the timing and sense of speed, the staging, and the environment and colour pallet.
Lastly, things that people think could be changed to improve the piece are to add dialogue, more principles of animation, a fade on the bottle rather than falling, and make the label more appealing.
Dds 2- Analysing Animation Practitioners
Original Animation Project
On 02/10/2023 we were introduced to the beginning of our second animation team project,
we were to understand the animation processes skills and skills and design tools to generate different concepts for our own original project. We have a 3-week period to complete an animation assignment which must have anywhere between a 1-minute and 2-minute runtime. It must contain three audio components including at least one walking animation, one head-turning animation, and at least 5 different angles shot sizes.
At the beginning of the project, we were provided with the mandatory soundtrack that we had to make the storyline follow.
This is the soundtrack:
The first time we listened to the audio we received quite calm and tranquil vibes we discussed the different types of ways this story and went to follow this music, and this helped us write our prime synopsis. This synopsis was hanged in order to meet deadlines.
Below is the new and old synopsis:
Synopsis
Dds 3- Working In The Animation Industry
Reflective Journal Week 1
One week has passed since the initial start of our project, and during this week we still haven't started production. Our main focus was to gather ideas for what our animation should be about based on the given sound. Ideas that we thought about during this time period were creating an animation focusing on the abduction of three characters and their escape. This is to be set on an unknown planet far away from Earth. We also discussed each of our roles in the project with the settlement of having two people focus on animation and one on editing. Three main folders were set up Pre-Prdocution, Production and Post-production on Google Drive. This is to help organise all of our ideas and work together for housekeeping.
Those three main folders include subfolders with things that we may need for our project.
Schedule
Initially, we didn't really have a schedule to help us with organising who was going to do what when as we mainly focussed on verbal communication. This however did pose its issues as there were moments when we were missing a person working in the team and couldn't make an essential decision without them. In week two of our group animation, we set up a schedule listing what each person is to focus on.
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Reflective Journal Week 2
During pre-production, we realised that our idea was too complicated in order to complete in the time period we had left thus causing a change in the storyline and characters. What originally went from three different individual characters, eventually was broken up into one. This was in order to save us time in pre-production as there is only one focus and overall make it easier to draw as the character is far more simplified than our original ideas.
The designs for the original characters before the changes are:
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The new character:
During week two of the animation project, we still haven't begun the animation part of our production which we should have. Since our idea changed mid-way through the week a storyboard was finally created. This storyboard wasn't supposed to be the official storyboard but rather just a layout of the new story so I can personally understand it. However, since the storyboard was accurate it was used in our project.
The storyboard was made using a younger version of one of the original characters hence explaining the brown hair.
We also created an animatic to also help us follow the same structure in our animation.
Throughout week two we also followed with creating our audio recording for our Foley to use in our project.By hitting a wok with a palm consistently we received our metal star sound when the character is running on the stars. For occasional footsteps, we also combined 3 different materials together those are paper, foam and wood.
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On this same day, we also did some ADR work which had the words from the following script:
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DDS 4- Animating for Video Games
Reflective Journal Week 3
During week 3, we started taking the animation seriously and actually working on it.
I was tasked, as decided by my group, to do 2 different animation shots. The first included the backshot of the main character and the second one being a door peek.
Shot one:
Shot two:
In animating these two shots, I'd say that shot one was the easiest to draw as it only involved hair movement. I had some difficulties in drawing the second shot this was as I was struggling to make the body look natural when leaning sideways.
Here is a change that I made when creating this scene:
In the first screenshot, we can tell that there is a lot of open space which merely asks for it to be filled. However, as I was struggling to get it to look right it resulted in me thinking of a solution to make it easier for myself by making the shot size smaller and more zoomed in.
Shot two:
In animating these two shots, I'd say that shot one was the easiest to draw as it only involved hair movement. I had some difficulties in drawing the second shot this was as I was struggling to make the body look natural when leaning sideways.
Here is a change that I made when creating this scene:
In the first screenshot, we can tell that there is a lot of open space which merely asks for it to be filled. However, as I was struggling to get it to look right it resulted in me thinking of a solution to make it easier for myself by making the shot size smaller and more zoomed in.
While I did work on creating this shot once due to incorrect exporting of the file, I had to re-draw the scene. When working as a team we experienced some technical problems in creating the project I'd say that we finished the project okay in the time we had left, if we had better scheduling then it would have gone better and we would have had more time to animate.
Tonal Values and Human Proportions Presentation
Final Piece "Rosa and The Stars"
Here is the complete one-minute animation project:
Feedback Regarding the Project
On 30/10/2023 we were asked to present our animation in front of our classmates, and we were given feedback based on it. The most appreciated part of the project is the animation of the running scene as it was smooth however, the downside of the animation is the fact that the running scene was too long. As a whole people who watched the animation said that the music the storyline was based off matched very well.
Evaluation
During the pre-production of the animation, there were multiple changes that occurred. On 7/10/2023 those include our synopsis and characters. The reason for this change is that by the of week one we had to begin production and the story was too complicated with the amount of characters and overall we would not have it finished by the end of our deadline.
Issues I've faced in the project include the pre-production not understanding the new synopsis right away and the production exporting issues and quality issues. The way I've overcome those issues is by drawing out a storyboard to the storyline in order to recognise the vision. Along with, re-animating a shot that had a quality issue, this was due to the fact that one of the shots was animated on mobile, and when stretched out to the same size as all the other shots it was quite blurry and pixelated.
The formation of this project assisted in the improvement of learning to work as a team and meeting deadlines, this was as at the beginning of the project a great chunk of time was wasted which was managed to sum up all of the production in the time left to meet the deadline.
Based on the research I have conducted or sourced out I implemented the use of the 12 principles on animation. I've used follow-through and overlapping action. This was used on both of the two shots I animated. I have also implemented two different shot sizes which we learned in our cinematography lesson.
Looking at our final group animation we have mainly received positive feedback from our peers. There were some things we have to improve on shortening the long-running animation and the eye-piercing background.
To conclude my overall look at the project I am happy with the way it turned out even though we had limited time to action to do the production. Individually I could have animated more of the project but overall I like the way it looks.
For future projects, I've learned that in working as a team it is better to first bring all of our ideas in a shorter time and directly figure out how everything is going to be in pre-production in order to have more time to focus on production in the future. It is important to have a more comprehensive schedule early in the start to show what everyone is supposed to complete and by when. Following it can help with communication issues in the future.
notes:
Word Documents-
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Youtube Videos-
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Sound-
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Presentation-
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