Walk Cycle #04 - Double Bounce

A double bounce walk cycle using an odd number of frames (rather than even), making for a more equal division of frames. The double bounce gives much more character to the walk with a more jolly and happy tone.

Eyes, Tail, Object Exchange - Rigs

Handy rigging methods for various scenarios, starting with eyes, tails and passing one object to another.







For some reason, Maya kept crashing when trying to mirror the joints for the Object Exchange arms for no reason whatsoever. It seemed to be fine for the body rig if I remember correctly. Anyone else experience a similar problem?

Final Animation - Cantankerous Refrigerator

The final result after hundreds of drawings, I can present to you the Cantankerous Refrigerator.



Despite the amount of time spent over a lightbox, I've certainly enjoyed the process of animation as the one feels a great sense of satisfaction when it all comes together; nothing quite compares to feeling of seeing a character you designed come to life on the big screen. Needless to say, I have developed a huge respect and appreciation towards the world of animation as a whole, requiring vast amounts of talent and dedication that is truly remarkable. I've learnt a great deal in this project, which I can hopefully take further and build upon improving my approach to animation as whole.

Animatic with Sound

Whew, got all the drawings done, scanned them in and now well into the process of putting it altogether. With regards to music, my initial thoughts of a slow paced track was not quite cutting it, so I've settled on a faster paced track which I think works well in driving the tension before the finale.

Here is a second version of my animatic to experiment with sound, it also includes the brief opening frames of my animation as I've still working on it.



With some finer tweaks as well as more sound effects should help round out the sound as a whole. Eager to hear your thoughts.

Pixar's Toy Story (1995)

Pixar's Toy Story (1995) marks the first success of CG animation as a full feature length film. Its universal success laid the foundation for Pixar Studios to create many more successful CG animation films including the sequel Toy Story 2 (1999), The Incredibles (2004) and the most recent Up (2009).



Toy Story struck a chord with audiences as Woody, Buzz and all the characters were believable where their presence is strongly felt. The simple yet effective three act story structure allows for a very clear and satisfying resolution. Both the original and sequel are often cited as one of the best movies of all time, receiving a 100% 'Certified Fresh' award on Rotten Tomatoes and deemed a must-see by the British Film Institute as one of top 10 films to see by the age of 14.

While Toy Story marked a great step into the world of digital animation, John Lasseter (animator and Head of Pixar Studios) himself states that successful CG animation derives from the very same basic founding principles of all animation; from drawing and a fundamental understanding to traditional animation techniques, to film grammar with shot compositions and storytelling with a three act story structure.


John Lasseter Q&A Any advice for aspiring animation student?

Overall, Toy Story is one of the finest examples of CG animation to date leading to a revolution in the entertainment and animation industries respectfully, as computer animation became recognised as credible form of animation and a popular form of mainstream entertainment in feature films.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) is one of the first feature films to combine live action with traditional animation. An important and critical success, the film marked a resurgence in animation.



Set in a world where cartoon characters interacted with human beings, the plot follows a private detective who investigates a murder involving a famous cartoon character known as Roger Rabbit.



Not only did the film bring life to one of the most iconic animated characters including Jessica Rabbit, the film also featured cameos from many famous cartoon characters including Mickey Mouse to Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck to Donald Duck; the only film to feature Warner Looney Tunes and Disney characters together.

Jessica Rabbit



Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse



Donald Duck and Daffy Duck


The impact of the film marked a resurgence into the American Golden Age of animation, where previously the world of animation suffered a lull during the 1970s and 1980s. With the passing of Walt Disney himself in 1966, even The Walt Disney Company was questioning the future of a animation. The risky venture of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, provided the breakthrough in animation that was needed in reviving a global interest and new-found recognition into the world of animation.

Without its presence, animation would simply not be the same as it is today in regards to the techniques developed and the revived prominence into the entertainment industry as feature films.

Hayao Miyazaki - My Neighbour Totoro (1988)

Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, is best known for many popular animated films such as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Princess Mononoke (1997) and Spirited Away (2001). Recently, I had the pleasure to watch My Neighbour Totoro (1988), one of Miyazaki's early films that propelled him on his road to success.



Being the very face of Studio Ghilbli, My Neighbour Totoro is considered one of Hayao Miyazaki's greatest films with universal acclaim. The story follows two wonderful daughters living with their father in a rural village of Japan, where they encounter a range of friendly wood spirits and the one known as Totoro. Its a delightful plot that will certainly bring a smile to your face.



Made in 1988, the animation and visuals are truly exceptional, with characters moving alive with purpose and charm over lovingly painted backgrounds. The two daughters, Satsuki and Mei, are definite highlights being simply adorable as they capture the blissful innocence and magic of childhood reminiscent in all of us, perhaps more than any other of Miyazaki's films.






Where Disney Animation techniques refers to the use of exaggeration to personify their characters, the animation techniques adopted in Miyazaki's films move with a deliberate economy of movement, a certain grace and stillness that provides a much more personal experience to the character that are meant to be savoured. A prime example is the scene where Totoro is introduced to an umbrella, the animation pausing to hold on the characters with secondary movements relishing and savouring the moment in its entirety.




Another example is when Mei meets the forest spirits for the first time as she squats moving with only a subtle blink of the eye.





Overall, My Neighbour Totoro is an exceptional film capturing the imagination and wonder of childhood with such innocence that is simply awe inspiring - a must see of Miyazaki's films.

Trailer



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On a side note, the character of Totoro also makes a cameo appearance in the upcoming Toy Story 3 (seen in the trailer 0:48 seconds in), as John Lasseter and Miyazaki are more than acquainted when Miyazaki makes a surprise visit to Pixar studios.

The Animation Podcast

While working on the many drawings of my animation (about half way), I've been listing to The Animation Podcast by Clay Kaytis, an animator at Walt Disney Animation Studios. The podcast dates back to 2005 featuring interviews with some of the great animating legends such as Andreas Deja and Burny Mattinson. Not only is it most insightful, but it is simply fascinating and a joy to listen to hearing all their wonderful stories in experiences in the world of animation.

One show features stop motion animator Ray Harryhausen, where he talks about his introduction to stop motion animation and his works such as Jason and the Argonauts with the famous skeleton battle. Another even features a recorded lecture from Milt Kahl, one of Disney's very own nine old men!

For those interested more in the CG side of things, Eamonn Butler, animation supervisor on 'Chicken Little' and 'Reign of Fire', explores his experiences in the industry and the important relation between 2d animation and 3d animation.

Overall, its a fantastic podcast and one well worth listening too. Updates tend to be a bit on the slow side but the great archive of previous shows are more than brilliant - I recommend starting from the beginning show and moving on from there. You can listen to them all on their main site:


http://animationpodcast.com/

What better way to get inspired than with the wisdom of some great animation legends talking soothingly in the background... enjoy!

Animatic - Cantankerous Fridge

Initial animatic of the story



Some areas need a little refining such as the conflict between snowman and fridge, as well as giving much more movement into the refrigerator as he still feels a little static at this moment - though I am confident these can be resolved. Most importantly, the structure and pacing seems intact which will hopefully give the desired effect on an audience.

Storyboard Draft #2

Second version of the storyboard, rearranging some shots along with the addition of new ones.



I decided to keep the initial shots of the snowman outside to help establish the space and characters of the story i.e. snowman is outside with the fridge inside as shown in the window. While additional shots amongst the action help vary the pacing and camera angles within the animation for a more dynamic effect.

Refrigerator Concepts #02

Further refinement to the current design of the cantankerous refrigerator, sporting an old and worn look of an 1950s American design.



In contrast to the snowman, the unappealing aesthetic being full of rust and mould will further deter audience sympathies to the cantankerous fridge as he refuses to aid the snowman's plight (and perhaps relishing it), making his untimely end feel 'just' in a sort of 'serves him right' fashion.

Snowman Character Concept

The concept character design for the snowman.



I've decided to stick with the cute approach of the snowman to not only further contrast the cantankerous refrigerator, but to also maximise the story as audience sympathies with his demise will lead to a greater sense of poetic justice as the fridge also receives a 'shocking' end.

Additionally, the simple clear approach will also ensure I won't fall fault of complexity when animating each hand drawn frame.

Sketches

Pixar's Up - The Many Endings Of Muntz

As recommended by Richard, I just watched this fascinating snippet into the making of Pixar's Up, which talks about the resolution of Muntz, where several alternative endings felt as if Muntz's character stole the story/limelight from Carl making for an unsatisfying end. In the end, they essentially shaped Muntz story to support that of Carls' as the hierarchy of storytelling determines your main character's needs as central, and everything else must support this.



I found it particularly intriguing as it resembles a similar concern in my story for this project, where the initial ending of the snowman's demise perhaps stole the highlight of the story away from the central refrigerator. Now that the cantankerous refrigerator also meets a similar demise, this begins to focus the story on the main object of the fridge. Essentially, I have to be sure that the snowman's story supports the refrigerator's needs and not overpower it, as perhaps ultimately it is the Cantankerous Refrigerator's story.

Pixar Knick Knack (1986)

Just found a great retro Pixar short known as 'Knick Knack' (1986), also featuring a snowman character.



What strikes me most in relation to this project, is that the snowman's design remains neutral - being neither overly appealing or repelling. As such, our sympathies are detached and not so directly in favour of the snowman.

Thus, in this way perhaps a similar effect can be achieved with my own snowman design shifting its cuteness to a more neutral demeanour, which will allow the focus to remain on the main object of the cantankerous refrigerator.

Snowman References

Some snowman visual references.

Storyboard Draft #1

Initial storyboard to help further refine the story and pacing.

The cantankerous refrigerator, old, rusty and out of his prime, is resting (perhaps confined to the back garden shed and not in the home of the kitchen). With the rising sun, the snowman interrupts the scene seeking refuge inside the refrigerator. He slips as he is slowly melting, making a loud crash that wakes the cantankerous refrigerator from his sleep making him particularly grumpy. A battle of wits occurs as the fridge resists the snowsman's attempts to get inside him. Finally, the sun has reached its peak leaving the snowman to melt in his demise, yet the fridge also meets a similar fate being short-circuited from the water of the melting snow of the snowman.

With a plain background, this helps focus the animation to the central characters while avoiding unnecessary complications by establishing scene and setting. While keeping the cantankerous fridge as the centre in the majority of frames helps to emphasise the focus to the fridge.

A few issues that need to be resolved is that the snowman is perhaps a little 'too' cute, which starts to shift the focus away from the fridge with sympathy in his demise. Shots 1.3 to 1.4 similarly bring attention to the snowman and may perhaps not be necessary to the narrative, as shot 2.5 or 3.2 may work sufficiently to convey the element of the rising sun.

With some further refinement, I believe this could work well in providing an engaging little story while keeping the economy of hand drawing each frame into consideration. Any thoughts and feedback is welcome.

Some rough sketches while drafting the storyboard.

Life Drawing #10

Been a while since I last used charcoal for life drawing.

Cantankerous Walk Cycle

A walk cycle with the tone/mood of our story element, so in this case, a 'Cantankerous' walk cycle.



I tried to emphasise his movements with a stomping motion, wider swinging arms and a hunch. With more inbetween frames and perhaps not so straight edges in the legs, would help smooth the animation as a whole.

Walk Cycle #03

Third walk cycle using the legs of Felix, with a greater emphasis on the contact mechanics similar to that of the previous hand drawn walk cycle.



I'm certainly gaining more confidence with each walk cycle I make, where I look forward to adding the upper body and further tone/mood variations to the walk.

Rig - Arms

With the addition of the arms, this completes the basic rig for a character model.