Today’s Lesson
Key Planning Considerations:
- Shot planning should be detailed and purposeful.
- When viewing the animation, the audience should immediately understand the action and intent.
- Example: A character throwing a snowball might first show excitement, then fear or surprise upon being hit.
Movement Dynamics:
- Ensure the action has a clear arc from point A to point B.
- Introduce obstacles or complications to create tension or surprise.
- Makes the animation more engaging and less predictable.
- Example: A character attempts to jump into a pool but slips and falls instead.
Character & Story Elements:
- Include contrast in personality traits to add depth.
- Example: A character who is capable of violence but gently cares for a flower.
- Employ exaggeration to enhance the clarity and appeal of pantomime.
- Blinking will not be included at this stage.
Technical Notes:
The camera will be locked in place for now (subject to change later depending on scene requirements).
Reference Selection
- While some references are useful for body mechanics alone, choose those that also convey character personality.
- Personality is crucial for engaging and believable animation.
- Avoid relying solely on motion-focused references lacking emotional intent or context.
Workflow Checklist
1. Planning
- Begin with conceptualizing the animation.
- Mentally visualize the sequence.
- Voice record yourself performing the scene to help establish timing and tone.
- Import audio into Maya and block out keyframes based on this initial timing.
- Utilize Anamotolong timing tools to assist with early planning.
- Journaling: Maintain a record of your daily work.
- Note key decisions and approaches.
- This helps preserve consistency and avoid unintended changes to core elements.
2. Blocking
- Start with clear, strong poses.
- Ensure all body parts are keyed together during blocking to maintain control and consistency.
- Optional:
- Use stepped mode for clean pose-to-pose visibility.
- Alternatively, stay in spline mode and use the “
.” and “,” keys to toggle between poses.
3. Animation
- Work section by section.
- Aim for 1 second of spline animation per day.
- Prioritize clarity and refinement within each segment.
- Watch playblasts, not just Maya’s viewport, to better evaluate motion, weight, and timing.
- Emphasize the movement of:
- Head
- Hands
- Waist
- These areas are most critical for expressive animation.
- Lower body movement is less essential in many cases but should still be addressed as needed for balance and realism.
Progress on my shot
This week, we were tasked with completing the planning phase for a body mechanics animation shot. During the brainstorming process, I developed several initial ideas. However, I quickly realized that the timing of these concepts far exceeded both the project limitations and my original expectations. This prompted me to reconsider the scope of my ideas and explore more concise alternatives.
Additionally, I was interested in continuing with a concept from my previous work—specifically, the balloon story used in last semester’s previs assignment. I saw this as an opportunity to begin developing the opening sequence of my Final Major Project (FMP) and begin refining it early.
However, upon further review, I recognized that the beginning of that scene lacks the physical complexity typically required in a body mechanics shot. It involves minimal weight shifts, limited upper and lower body dynamics, and few expressive movements of the hands or feet. As a result, while the idea holds narrative value, it may not be the most appropriate choice for fulfilling the technical goals of this week’s body mechanics exercise.
Reflection on First Idea – Fencing Animation
The initial concept I developed involved a fencing sequence. In this story, a fencer repeatedly attempts to strike a dummy but fails, even after trying various techniques, including a spin. Eventually, in a humorous twist, the fencer surrenders by handing the sword to the dummy, playing on the idea of slapstick comedy.
However, upon further consideration, I realized that the story was quite long and complex. Beyond the body mechanics required for the character’s movements, conveying the full narrative would likely demand a significant amount of time and effort to execute effectively. The extended duration, combined with the intricacy of the movements, would pose considerable challenges both in terms of animation and meeting the project’s time constraints.
As a result, I decided to abandon this idea in favor of a more manageable approach that better fits the project’s requirements.
Reflection on Balloon Story Concept – Previs Continuation
This idea essentially represents the beginning of my balloon story from last term’s previs project. I expanded the narrative by adding more detail, such as the boy poking the balloon at the end, in an attempt to enrich the scene. However, upon further evaluation, I determined that this idea also wasn’t suitable for the current body mechanics shot assignment.
The movements involved were limited to slight rotations of the upper body and minimal hand and head motions. While the concept had potential for emotional expression, it lacked the necessary physical complexity, particularly in terms of body mechanics. There was little to no significant weight shift or dynamic movement in the body, which is essential for the assignment.
As a result, I recognized that I needed to develop an idea that would incorporate more substantial body mechanics, such as weight shifts, turning movements, and more dynamic use of the hands, feet, and torso.