Character Animation

I often find that a lot of my classes are connected in ways that aren't super obvious. Other than Motion Graphics & Animation, Program Development is the only other Park class I'm taking right now. In my class we come up with ideas for television shows, movies, documentaries, web shows, and many other types of visual media that can be sold. One of the fundamental elements to any story is character--people know this from a very young age. What I didn't realize was how much character affects every process in an animation.

This video gives a brief behind the scenes look at the making of the 2012 Pixar movie Brave. The narrator of this short video describes how every movement Merida makes reflects her character. I thought this was really interesting. I mean, it obviously makes sense but I guess when I'm watching the movie I'm so absorbed in the world that I'm not analyzing or thinking about things like that. I believe this is what makes an animated character seem so real and likable. The same goes for Anna in Disney Animation Studio's Frozen: Anna is energetic, quirky, and awkward so she does things like jumping on couches, stumbling around the castle she lives in, and accidentally throwing a bust into a cake. This part of an animated film is so essential and specific. A director can't rely on his actors to move like the characters, rather each movement has to be created. I guess my question is, whose job is that? Is it the responsibility of a person involved in the actual animating process, or someone involved in the writing process that works with an animator? 

Oops

"Devour" Commercial

The M&M's commercials are always some of my favorites.  They take inanimate candies and give them life, and the commercials are always funny and enjoyable to watch.  There is an art to their commercials too.  They really use precise and detailed animations to create the M&M characters.  They have very specific personalities through the details they are given.  

But the animators do something great.  They insert these characters into real life footage.  I'm sure that the process is difficult.  My guess on how they do something like this is that they take a similar approach to what we have been learning in class with the "inserting ourselves into a movie" project.  There must be a way to simply take the animation and place it into the footage.  I doubt a green screen is used, but maybe it is for some parts.

Here is a commercial that I'm talking about...

Partly Cloudy

Pixar's use of 3D animation is incredible, but you also have to admire their knack for story telling. In just 2 minutes, the creators of this piece were able to develop character, create a conflict, and convey a message. And how inventive is this short! It takes an entirely unique look at the classic stork story by developing character out of a creature conjuring cloud. I think one of the powers of animation is to create characters out of the inanimate and this piece represents that greatly. In no other medium could you create a character out of a cloud and convey such emotion through this character. I think story-tellers of all forms could learn a lot about conflict and character arc through Pixar shorts.

Pictoplasma NYC

The Pictoplasma NYC Festival will take place next month at Parsons the New School for Design, as well as in numerous other locations throughout the city. For two days only, November 4th and 5th, Pictoplasma will offer ticket holders a chance to attend lectures and presentations, state of the art animation and character based screening programs and panel discussions. This festival will kick-off New York's Illustration Week, an event which brings together designers, illustrators, filmmakers, producers and artists to discuss the current status of character-driven art and design.

How To Do It

Welcome everyone!. The following project structure is intended to provide you with a methodology to be both specific and help you track the progress and meet your milestones. Since individual projects vary widely some points might not apply. However, you can use it as a roadmap to define/clarify your deliverables and go back to it frequently and methodically.

It has four distinct phases:

DISCOVERY

This phase helps you understand the big picture and the opportunity to achieve the main goals of your project; to take an idea from conception to completion in the most effective manner.

Brainstorming, sketch models, scenarios, analysis and feasibility assessments.

Define the requirements, scope, timeline, budget (your time and resources) and benchmarks for the project.

Requirements of Analysis:

• Prioritize and validate requirements based on quality(1) and strategic factors
• Determine success criteria and metrics
• Define a preliminary list of production requirements.

Synthesis:

• Produce a final document with the discovery result.
• Develop a high-level implementation plan. (storyboard)
• Present a timeline and a budget estimate.

DESIGN

During this phase, create the look and feel of the solution (style). Develop the story requirements, the creative components, the technical design and infrastructure that supports the project.

Creative Design:

• Storyline
• Script
• Storyboard
• Art Direction
• Audio Design
• Production Design

Technical Design:

• Software requirements
• Set/backgrounds/location/plates
• Lighting diagrams
• Special efx design
• Models, textures

PRE-PRODUCTION

Develop and integrate all the creative, technical and information components.

Creative Production:

• Story
• Character Design
• Prototypes
• Graphics, 3D video/audio production needs
• Technical integration

Technical Production:

• Green Screen
• Lighting
• 3D camera
• Sound
• System testing
• Problem resolution
  

DEPLOYMENT

Demonstrate the solution after all final specifications and testing results.

Live environment:

• Rendering
• Audience Test performance and feedback
• Implement promotion/communication strategies

Showtime!

That's all folks!

1-Quality: the true nature of things, the peculiar and essential character

All Illustrations custom made by Rich Powell