Storyboarding
For the summative project, we have to have a walk cycle and ball and tail in the same scene. There has to be interaction and implementation of all techniques learned over the past few weeks.
Below I have storyboarded the shots on both paper and maya. We are to use the animo and ball and tail rig given to us previously so we can animate the whole scene.
We had to first determine what walk we wanted to do. I drew a few examples of walks and key poses of the walk to portray a personality and feeling. I used skills from life drawing to draw quick sketches for the character.
Below I have storyboarded the shots on both paper and maya. We are to use the animo and ball and tail rig given to us previously so we can animate the whole scene.
We had to first determine what walk we wanted to do. I drew a few examples of walks and key poses of the walk to portray a personality and feeling. I used skills from life drawing to draw quick sketches for the character.
Below are some of the ideas I had, although my primary idea was always going to be a sad and slow walk to a hurried walk. I had the other idea of a march type walk and they ball tripping the character over, but after a class discussion, I realised a lot of people were doing very similar ideas, so I changed it.
Above is the guide to the different types of shots I could use.
My idea was that the character was sad, or even just bored as he walks slowly along. However, the ball comes in all hyper and happy as he goes up to the character, surprising him and jumps all the way around. Then, with its tail, the ball points (a gesture to follow) and bounces off. The animo character is stunned and a little confused, but then starts to follow the ball in haste.
My idea was that the character was sad, or even just bored as he walks slowly along. However, the ball comes in all hyper and happy as he goes up to the character, surprising him and jumps all the way around. Then, with its tail, the ball points (a gesture to follow) and bounces off. The animo character is stunned and a little confused, but then starts to follow the ball in haste.
From the original and simple paper version, not much has changed except a few extra shots here and there to add variety. I tried to manipulate the animo character as best I could to show him reacting as the ball goes around him and finally him chasing after the ball. I wanted to show the change of pace from his rather upset and slow walk to a faster pace as he follows and tries to catch up with the ball. The scene will end with him leaving the set.
The actual manipulation of the character for this storyboard was really fun to do. I tried to exaggerate the poses a little, but could have possibly exaggerated the frames more. I will do so in the actual animation.
At the point where Animo sees the ball, I want them both to freeze and then resume the action. This will add comical effect and let the audience take in the actions and scene before going into the change of pace.
The actual manipulation of the character for this storyboard was really fun to do. I tried to exaggerate the poses a little, but could have possibly exaggerated the frames more. I will do so in the actual animation.
At the point where Animo sees the ball, I want them both to freeze and then resume the action. This will add comical effect and let the audience take in the actions and scene before going into the change of pace.
Above is actually a test I did for the camera. Animo is staying still at this point, but I wanted to try the camera angle I set in my storyboard.
Below is my test of Animo slumped over and walking across the screen. By using the Graph Editor like I was shown in the Digital tutorials, I moved him across the screen to look like he is really bored/unhappy as he walks across.
Below is my test of Animo slumped over and walking across the screen. By using the Graph Editor like I was shown in the Digital tutorials, I moved him across the screen to look like he is really bored/unhappy as he walks across.
Above I added the ball and stopped Animo to test out timing and to see how the ball woul interact with Animo. As you can see the ball moves around and then goes off. I still have yet to do the second run.
Below is a camera test I did to follow my storyboard. I rendered this so i could get a better look at lighting, setting and angle.
Below is a camera test I did to follow my storyboard. I rendered this so i could get a better look at lighting, setting and angle.
Above I adjusted the movement of Animo so he reacts to the ball moving around him. I think it works really well, however I cut a few parts off from my storyboard, such as the looking from left to right.
Below is a more refined version of the ball travelling around my character. I added movement to the tail and squash and stretch to the ball.
Below is a more refined version of the ball travelling around my character. I added movement to the tail and squash and stretch to the ball.
Above I did the next walk cycle which is a speedy walk rather than a run. He is reaching for the ball and is following it.
Below is a far off view of everything I animated in one angle.
Below is a far off view of everything I animated in one angle.
Above is my graph editor and how everything looked after doing the whole of my animation... it looks full and messy, how it should!!!
Below is my full set where everything takes place with the various walls and floor.
Below is my full set where everything takes place with the various walls and floor.
Above are the sourceimages I used for the set. I got these straight from google and just added them to image planes as textures. I manipulated a few of them such as rotation or multiplying the image over and over.
Below is when I started editing my various angles on After Effects. As you can see on the picture I have a few different angles. I added a fade in and fade out as you can see the keyframes.
Below is when I started editing my various angles on After Effects. As you can see on the picture I have a few different angles. I added a fade in and fade out as you can see the keyframes.
Final Submission
Below is my final submission piece.
Evaluation
At the start of this project I was rather weary of doing it because it seemed hard. Using Maya is a scary thing, but the more I used it, the better I felt using it. I used a lot of what I had previously learnt, especially from the Digital Tutorial because that knowledge is what I used to animate Animo. The previous lessons on the ball obviously helped me deal with the ball however I still find animating the tail of my ball the biggest problem.
I think my final submission works because the interaction is there, but they don't necessarily touch each other. I think my biggest problem was animating the ball. Animo was really fun to animate and manipulate, but the ball's tail was really hard o figure out. I kept watching other examples of a tail in movement, but it was still hard.
I think it was a good idea to change some of the angles and cuts from my original storyboard. I realised just how many different angles there were in my storyboard. In a way that is a good thing, but because my animation is short, the multiple angle cuts may have been too annoying to the viewer. I tried to add varied angles, but not too many. However, generally I followed the storyboard.
I think my first walk is actually better than my last. The Digital Tutorial tutor said to 'Animate to the Camera'. So whatever the audience can't see, they shouldn't care about. This advice really rang true on the second walk because if you open up the Maya file, the character looks awkward from a front angle. I tried many times to change it, but nothing would work. Luckily from a side view, the walk looked good enough.
Below is the Maya file that you may want to look at.
I think my final submission works because the interaction is there, but they don't necessarily touch each other. I think my biggest problem was animating the ball. Animo was really fun to animate and manipulate, but the ball's tail was really hard o figure out. I kept watching other examples of a tail in movement, but it was still hard.
I think it was a good idea to change some of the angles and cuts from my original storyboard. I realised just how many different angles there were in my storyboard. In a way that is a good thing, but because my animation is short, the multiple angle cuts may have been too annoying to the viewer. I tried to add varied angles, but not too many. However, generally I followed the storyboard.
I think my first walk is actually better than my last. The Digital Tutorial tutor said to 'Animate to the Camera'. So whatever the audience can't see, they shouldn't care about. This advice really rang true on the second walk because if you open up the Maya file, the character looks awkward from a front angle. I tried many times to change it, but nothing would work. Luckily from a side view, the walk looked good enough.
Below is the Maya file that you may want to look at.