Small animation, just started, need help badly.

[SkyePhelps]

Ok... right now this guy is moving way to uniformly, He criks his neck, rubs his hands and then goes... it'd be cool if maybe he used on of his hands to pop his neck, and then as he rubbing his hands he gets into that running stance and then takes off...

as far as the running goes... it's like boom one step run, then a step walking and then jump... to make this work, i'd move him back a bit, do two running strides, and as he comes down on that second stride, bend him all the way down, and then push off with that leg to throw his body up there...

this will give him the inertia he needs to reach the bars, and if you do it right, he can grab hold of the bars and hurl himself over it, and then in mid air twist himself to face the way he came from and land, then get up shake himself off, and walk away...

That's just a real basic way of doing it, but if I was you, I'd either rent a gymnastic movie, or try to get some of the Olympics Gymnasic clips and see how they do it, that'd make a really good reference for you...

[lifeofillusion]

hi,
thanks for your suggestions and analysis... i was really at a deadlock as to what

is wrong and how to get out of it.....u told to some gymnastic movie...u mean some

kind of a gymnastics training stuff or some live action or 2d/3d movie which has

these kind of actions for reference, could you please suggest some names..if any..

will work out your suggestions and post a second version in d coming day..

in d meantime, do check out 1 more shot... link : http://www.geocities.com/freakbaba/killfall_3.avi

thnx

cheers

[SkyePhelps]

Well the link you just posted isn't working at a moment, so I'll have to take a look at it later...

As for the reference movie, I would just go to block buster and take a look at what they have for Gymnastic live action movies, I mean they should all have pretty much all the same basic stuff... or you could do an internet search for clips from the Olympics, and you'll want to check out scenes from the High Bar, this will probably get you the best reference material.

[lifeofillusion]

Hi,
The link is working now, might be some network problem before.

Thanks,

Cheers,
Freak

[dever]

Do you have The Animator's Survival Kit? If not, I'd grab that... it's dreaaaamy. What turns me off in the first animation (along with what the guy above mentioned) is that he lacks moving holds and his body tends to die when he's doing specific stuff. Roll your neck around lik he's doing, without moving your shoulders or arms. Doesn't feel natural, does it? Even the act of moving your head in a circle should probably accompany some movement of the root node, even if it's small. Right now I'm working by animating just the butt for the whole scene to get the timing and weight right, and then following through with everything else, it works really well.

Good start though, keep up the good work. I like your second animation a lot more, though I think it'd flow a bit better if he took longer to eas into each fall... so that he'd already started the second "click" after he fell down the first part... but really gradually, ya know? Almost a moving hold, just in the direction of the fall.

[lifeofillusion]

Hi Dever,

thanx a lot for your encouragement. Yes i do have the Animation Survival Kit and i do refer to it certain times when i feel i am in a deadlock..as for the moving holds, i am nt very clear about it...can u explain 2 me a bit...or any site where i can read abt it..

you are rite that doing certain things the entire body looks dead..im workin on it..so will show you the next version soon..

yup my second anim is more better than the first..actually the first one i was really confused and just to make a beginning i had to start somewhere...i have done a bit more in that animation....link will be given in the next post....

do let me know what other advise/suggestion you have for ppl like me who r just starting animation..

your guidance will be highly appreciated....

thanks once again, do keep checkin out my posts...

cheers,

[dever]

Random Article (http://www.siggraph.org/education/materials/HyperGraph/animation/character_animation/principles/lasseter_s94.htm)
This has a bit on moving holds. Okay, a moving hold is a way to make him stop moving without "Freezing". Bassically, you keep him moving very slightly. It doesn't seem like he's trying to move, but he doesn't look like a statue either. If you're animating a node in the graph editor, the way you do it is placing a point 5-20 frames after the important key, then move the important key up a bit, making the bulk of the movement happen in the time you planned, but allowing the body to "settle" into the pose just a bit more over a long time.

[lifeofillusion]

thanx for the article...i have got a little bit of idea what moving hold...when i actually use it in an animation....i guess it will be more clearer...

btw....another version of my bar jump anim is kinda ready..

check it out...

http://www.geocities.com/freakbaba/bar_jump_2.avi

cheers,

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