Calling all Modelers/Animators

[jeffroig]

I agree, DD may of just found his true calling.
DD we may have to revisit the forest scene and re-adjust the lighting there.

[DesignDevil]

Well, we could do so but...

the normal pipeline in creating animations is more like this:

x. have a idea
x.x. draw scribbles to define characters, scene layouts, props, etc.

Post Production
1. write / rewrite the book
2. write / rewrite | draw / redraw a story book (go back to 1 and adjust), normaly together with the director, producer etc.
3. create a principle design of the characters, models etc. and start modeling of props etc. including rigging the characters, doing tests etc.
4. record the voices from the actors (together with 1./2.)

Production
5. create a story real (a movie with the drawen scribbles and the actors voices, so you can check if the story wil "work" and the timing/cuts etc. are correct) If not, go back to step 1
6. create the animation splittet in scenes given by the story or better by the story real. For props use placeholders
6.1. at first create a blocking version
6.2. redefine the blocks into smaller pieces
6.3. finalize the animation
6.4. setup/animate the camera (story real will help) show it the director and go back to 6.1. if needed

note: At this point no textured element is used, no real prop is used or effect is added, except if it is needed for the animation (i.e. animated props).

7. if the animation works, setup the scene with all the (now hopefuly finished and polished) props
8. lightning, test renders with DOF, Motion Blur etc.
9. final scene renders (as image sequence)

Post Production
10. adding the images to a animation and add effects etc. If you think something is wrong, go back to the specific point

Well...normaly more than 1 person is involved into such a production so that all points hang together (more or less) in the time where they done. But the importend point is:

Lightning is normaly one of the latest things that you do, except the scene stays or falls with/thrue the light.

So, start to animate and don't think about to much for the lightning. You will spent a lot of time into it and later you find out that it is wrong or it doesn't fit to the scene and you have to start again.

...and btw. it is much more easier and faster to animate with placeholders, clean colored characters, and a simple lightning.

well, the point is (especialy in trueSpace): is it possible to animate with a character different from the final one (i mean the texturing). But if you animate in MAYA it should be no problem.

[jeffroig]

DD,
Here is my normal process for doing a animation, I will give brief steps.
1) Concept or Idea
2) Story
3) Design characters
4) Create script
5) Record voices/effects etc...
6) Animate a low quality version
7) Edit and add music
8) Way a couple days and then watch (time to clear the head)
9) Edit the script if needed.
10) Animate final version
11) Edit video and add sounds
12) Watch and enjoy

[jeffroig]

Technical errors, Technical errors and more Technical errors.
Over the past week I have ran into more technical errors than ever before.
The reason being is that I am trying to push everything beyond its limits.
The limits being memory, I did have 2 gig of memory in the render PC's I quickly learned I had to have more.
So now they have 6 gig each and all of them have been upgraded to Windows XP 64.
Here is a low quality render of the opening scene to Country Squirrel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCIYycx1tjw

[DarkScythe]

Nice one jeff

i really like the way pops talk it is really good.

[Steinie]

Early first thoughts,
I think the lighting is too dark.
The child doesn't move at all, have him move head slightly, adjust pillow adjust blanket for example.
The scene is too long without a camera placement change. Sorry but your going to put the audience to sleep too. I would have this camera angle in the finale shot before the animals appear.
Possibly start camera left of finale position with child sitting up on pillow and father reading story, as camera moves right but keeping father and son centered in scene, the child slowly sinks into the sleeping position. All this time the father is reading the story.
Are you rendering out to an animation file or individual renderings for editing later?
The voice work is pretty good.
Great to see your progress Jeff!

[froo]

Regarding the voice, I hear gasps of breath before each line of dialog.
Looking good Jeff. Keep it up!

Froo

[jeffroig]

Steinie,
The childs head does move slightly back and forth.
The camera slowly moves in as the story is being read to draw the audience in.
This will make more sense when the other part fades in as one cam is gets closer while the reading is going on the other for the forest scene will do the opposite.

Froo,
I actually asked for some of that in the reading as I wanted the person doing the reading to do it as if he was reading to his son.

[jamesmc]

The camera angle on the child eeps me out. It's like the mouth is some slit orifice of dark dimensions. The child's head also seems nonproportional to me (too large.)

I would suggest some shadows across the head or perhaps blanket pulled up higher.

The rest of the shot is right on the money!

[Breech Block]

Most people have pointed out the obvious flaws, but even so I think the clip is pretty darned good and the potential is there in abundance. I think the biggest problem you will face is, as with all animation, trying to hold people's attention. How many YouTube clips have you started to watch and clicked the off button within 10 seconds? Its not like the cinema where you have paid to get in and so will sit through a good 30 mins before you make that kind of judgement. To that end, you really need to study every single shot in detail and just see what you can pack in there. Be it mood, scenery detail, action or whatever. You just have to ramp-up the production values. For this particular scene, what I would add is a child's night-light. Something that would project very soft cut-out images on the walls/ceiling and also have them rotating slowly. You could either have something like the stars and the moon/planets or perhaps a more disney' esque woodland creatures type pattern. The latter might also help with any transition to another scene if you can create an impression that these slowly rotating glowing images/objects are the last thing the child sees before drifting off to sleep.