See here for details.  (For sake of time, the maquette portion may be omitted or completed for bonus). Complete and submit by class time Monday, November 9.

Complete the following:

• Complete all production models with which you were tasked.
• Upload renders as a “new version” on that asset in Shotgun.
• Make an H8 folder in your Dropbox submission folder and place the Maya project folder (with renders) there.

Start this during class time and submit before class on Wednesday in an H7 folder in your Dropbox submission folder. One great tool for modern animators is the use of video reference to help figure out timing and movement without going to the use of motion-capture hardware, yet.  Here is a link to the sample files that we will use with this exercise (note that you’ll need to either be on campus or logged-in via the UNCW VPN — see directions on the campus website to be able to download these): Lazy Vault. The video file was broken-down into a still frame sequence which will be loaded into Maya as an image-plane attached to our shot camera.  I used Quicktime Pro to do this, but most video editors can export to an image sequence as well.  Nuke also primarily uses image sequences, so it can be useful for this as well, particularly with the free non-commercial version.  You’ll want to make sure to shoot at (preferably) the same frame what to which you plan to animate and export your image sequence based on that rate. You can use the files above, or shoot your own action that you’d like to animate.  Use the Goon, Groggy, or another rig of your choice (if you’ve explored it enough to feel comfortable using it). Complete the following:

• Create a new camera and name it “shotCamera”.
• Under the attribute editor, with shotCamera selected, find the environment tab and load a new image sequence.
• Point the file browser to the first image in the image sequence of choice, and check the box below the image plane to indicate that it is animated.  (The frame numbers on the image sequence need to specifically match name.#.jpg as in the LazyVault video to work properly).
• If you’ve done the above properly, the video-based image plane should change as you scrub frames in the Maya timeline.
• You’ll want to keep your shotCamera fixed to match the camera in the video reference.  A very helpful setup is to lock the channels for movement in the channel box on the shot camera and pull up a two-panel layout under your panel view.  In the panel on the left, look through your shotCamera.  In the panel on your right, look through ‘perp’ and use it to move around and work.
• Here’s where technique enters the picture.  One could, of course, keyframe each individual frame and have a close match, but we want to avoid that level of work.  We’ll approach things with our workflow we’ve discussed all semester.
• First, make sure that your shotCamera setup is close to what your video reference camera looks like.  In this case, the real video camera did move a bit, but we could mostly imagine it stationary — set it up a similar distance (and in this case, you might want to make a quick prop wall and floor to match).
• Think of the story and major actions to decide extremes then breakdowns per our usual workflow.  From there, treat the video as the thumbnails with timing diagrams that I’ve been encouraging you to make.
• Keyframe the major movement and match the timing, possibly using stepped tangents.  Once the location is good and timed well, look at the center of gravity, working your way down the hierarchy to legs, torso, arms, head, etc.  Think about secondary movements and follow-through as you do this.
• Once you hit the major poses, you could also go for a finer-grain keyframe approach if you like.  Still rather than key framing every frame, look to set keys every few frames instead (perhaps every 5 to 10 depending on the speed of each part of the action).
• The video should serve as a guide for posing, quick changes in timing, and other elements — go through your mental checklist on the principles of animation while doing this.
• Complete your animation of the Lazy Vault (or your chosen action about the same length), and submit your video and Maya project folder per usual instructions.
• We’ll work on lip-sync and facial animation next class.  If you find video-reference useful, it could be very helpful on your project performance and/or walk-cycle animations.

Two well animated shots:

• Walk cycle animated to indicate an emotion, mood, or performance (happy, sad, sneak, gallop, run, etcetera).  See previous post for more info and reference [which you should have practiced at least once by now].  Work to convey your chosen mood here — avoid just keyframing and calling it something after the fact. 
• Performance Piece with Lip-Sync:  Choose a favorite line from a film or game or record your own dialogue.  Have your character act a performance that somehow connects to the dialogue — be creative!  Convey as much emotion through primary animation moving down to secondary, then key-frame lip-sync performance to the dialogue for the final touches along with facial animation to convey the full emotion of the acting.

You may use the Goon in any version, Groggy, the SPA Zombie, or if you choose, another rig — just make sure to test its range of motion and performance and that you can use it before attempting to animate with it. Due by class on Monday, October 26. While completing these, think about a full production pipeline cycle.  Organize your files appropriately with reference and complete layout, shot-camera setup, any surfacing needed, dramatic lighting, and quality rendering.  Submit 1280×720 h.264 mov files based on full renders. Come prepared to present and critique.

We’ll discuss production setup with Shotgun upon returning from fall break.  In the meantime, the “above-the-line” production team should complete a script breakdown that lists all assets that will need to be modeled as well as execute research and reference for look-development of the artistic style.  Art direction images should be created for all assets that can be uploaded to Shotgun after fall break. Today, you’ll work on a walk cycle exercise.  This will be due by Friday.  Upload to your Dropbox submission folder as H6.  [Also, by the way, I've begun grading and several individuals are missing assignments from their folders.  Make sure that you are up to date with H1-H5 before this walk cycle and P1 by Fall Break.  If not, you will not receive credit for these.  P2 is coming right after this, so you'll need to be current on everything].  Also, please do not post .zip files in your Dropbox.  Have folders that contain primarily a 1280×720 h.264 .mov file and a .mb file.  The entire Maya project folder structure may be included (but do not include unneeded extra scene files, etc).

   

Here’s a very basic example of a walk-cycle, a fundamental animation exercise. If you purchased any of the optional books, read chapter 5 in Character Animation Fundamentals as well as refer to The Animator’s Survival Kit or other texts for good references.  Also, David Nethery maintains a blog with some walk cycle examples posted that you can view for reference. Here are some excerpts with additional examples.  Please do not share outside of the class. (I plan to take the link down soon). Here are some tips:

1. Because this is a walk, there will be the first part of the stride (8 frames in this example, thus “on the 8s”) and a second part (exactly the same length in frames as the first).  If it’s on the 8s, double that for 16 frames, and frame 17 has to be exactly the same as frame 1 for it to loop without error.  In fact keyframes from frame 1 may be copied to your (2n+1) frame for however long your cycle is.  For your first attempt, I’d recommend sticking to this example.
2. Even though this is a cycle, you can still think about it in terms of our recommended animation workflow.  Approach it from the story of your character, the mood of the walk, etc., and think about the movement of the mass and center of gravity.  In this case the hips and legs will be primary to our posing.
3. With the previous in mind, you can actually start by posing the hips up and down.  I recommend keying the hips in the same position to start (slightly lowered down, “sticky” should keep IK feet in place and will have the IK chain bend the knees a bit) on frames 1, 9, and 17.  As the leg crosses over, the weight comes up.  In this example you can key the hips up on 5 and 13.
4. Inverse kinematics are useful for the legs on a walk cycle (want to flip that switch probably on your character rig).  [BTW, for rigs, I'd still recommend using goon or groggy for this].  Forward kinematics, though, will actually give more control on the arms in your walk cycle when you get to them.
5. Moving down the hierarchy in our workflow, legs are next.  Pull the left leg back the right leg forward (if you’d like to match the example).  Keep note of the distance; how much one part of the stride travels down the axis the character walks gets doubled for the full stride.  It’s best to keep track of these because that’s how much distance your character will need to move to match the stride (which we’ll keyframe walking in place like a treadmill to start).  If you don’t match the distance when the character starts to travel, you’ll have feet slippage in one direction or the other… leading to bad moonwalks, etc.
6. With the left leg back and right leg forward, keyframe those foot controls in place on frame 1 and match on frame 17.  (You only need to key whichever axis moves forward and backward, but you may want to keyframe Y as well to keep the feet on the ground here — this will be common for respective parts of the walk where one foot is down).
7. Swap the left leg forward and right leg backward by the same distances to match.  Key this on frame 9 to start the second half of the stride.  If you playback now, you should see some nice sliding going on.
8. Take a look at the first part of the cycle and think about our workflow and a breakdown pose so to speak — this is the leg crossover at 5.  Key the left leg up here on Y.  Make sure Y is keyed down on 1 and 9.
9. Think about the crossover on the second half of the walk cycle.  Key the right leg up by the same amount here.  Make sure it’s keyed down at 9 and 17.  If you playback now, you should have some pretty decent lower-half walking going on.  Work in the graph editor to adjust timing, ease (or lack of), exaggeration, arcs, etc. to get looking really good before proceeding.
10. To proceed, note that the arms usually swing opposite of the legs in a standard walk.  There will also be some torso, shoulder, neck, and head movement appropriate to the walk.  Approach these in a systematic way moving down that hierarchy again, adding in the detail in secondary motions.
11. Your character should know be walking in place quite well.  Adjust keyframes for timing, exaggeration, etc., and to fix any mistakes in the graph editor.
12. Now some motion can happen by key framing Z (or X, whichever way your character is pointing) movement.  This should match the stride length, and be careful of appropriate ease or lack-of.  The repeat cycle infinity option in the graph editor can make your animation curves repeat indefinitely.  The main controllers can repeat as a cycle, and the Z movement (or X, whichever you did) can repeat linearly or cycle depending on the look.
13. Submit a play-blast by the end of Wednesday of your progress, with a final movie submitted to an H6 folder on Dropbox by Friday.
14. For bonus, download the Hotel-T Zombie Rig from Sony Pictures Animation and complete a stylized mood walk (happy, sad, zombie, sneak, whatever — plan reference and follow our discussed workflow).  This can upgrade/replace another homework to this point if done well.

 

Sony Pictures Animation and Imageworks through IPAX have offered up one of their feature-film rigs (from Hotel Transylvania) for your fun (and possible submission entries).  This is good timing for this class, as you can use it in any of your upcoming homework or projects! Also, here’s a link to a video where animator Chad Stewart steps through the Zombie rig.  The link to the rig is in the comment section. [Note:  If the jacket does not render, you'll need to find it under the geo in the outliner, select it, then under the attribute editor look for "render stats" and make sure that "primary visibility" is checked].  For extra bonus, try upgrading the texture files (possibly painting new ones in PS or Mudbox).

Animate (using the discussed workflow and principles of animation) a character sizing-up, preparing, and lifting a heavy object such as a big rock (but could be an object of your choosing).  One the character gets the item up in the air a bit, you can choose what to do to end the action.  Think about your character and story to decide this and to exaggerate and communicate good timing and spacing throughout the shot.  Upload to your Dropbox submission folder by Monday, October 5.

Go through the workflow discussed in class (story, actions, extremes & breakdowns, keys, key poses, thumbnails, animation diagrams, careful key framing, stepped tangents, animating major motions down the hierarchy, adding breakdown keyframes or tweaking tangents and keyframes in the graph editor) to animate a character sizing-up a small ledge/hole and jumping over it using as many of the principles of animation in your process as you can.

Use the principles of animation while animating three different types of ball bounces (both up/down and across) to give life and distinguish the different types of balls.  Submit three 1280×720 h.264 .mov files.

Complete and submit the following as discussed in class:

• Log-line
• Treatment
• Script
• Shotlist
• Storyboards
• Animatic
• Color Keys (at least one per scene)

There is more information on this page.  Upload this to Dropbox by the due date.