Help with starting a my first animation.

[stewartjones]

Format etc - Shouldnt that be a question for your college? When I was studying it was a case of it had to be a 640x480 .MOV file... Is that not an issue with where you are?

As for which program to compose everything, which programs do you have available, and which are you most comfortable in!?!

Sorry if I'm not much help here, but these questions seem to be limitations on what software you have, and what your college/uni wants from you.:)

[rayk]

There is no real size specified, so I was thinking there might be some world wide used formats and aspect rations (like 1:1.5 for digital work).

Also I own a PC at home, so any software that allows the most control will be great.

[stewartjones]

Aspect ratios really depend on the medium it will be going on. If nothing is specified then maybe go for a web-based sorta thing (640x480, 800x600 etc). You could then embed that into HTML for a website, or put it straight onto CD/DVD-ROM, which would be pretty cool as you could show off your still work within the video too.

I guess the compositing software depends on what software you are using for the animation. If it's 3D then maybe try out After Effects, or Combustion, or Premiere etc. If it's Flash, then... well just use Flash! :D

All these programs take a little time to learn so you can use them confidently. I found After Effects to be pretty simple for general transitions and stuff, nothing special though!

Hope this helps dude, and good luck! :thumbsup:


-Stu

[rayk]

Thanks for the tips people! I now have a better idea of what to do.

[Dave_Hingley]

Vyn , 640 x 480 and 800 x 600 are web based ? you must have a mad internet connection !

I would say that 320 x 240 are more web based but good advice either way :)
if you are looking to make some kind of trailer then you might want to think about making it NTSC or PAL res cropped to widescreen proportions. Sorry dont have those facts to hand but PAL is 720 x 576 @ 25 fps NTSC is 30 frames this is assuming you will be outputing your filnal trailer to video/DVD


I also think you should take a second before you start animating to really think about what you REALLY want with this project and what you can realisticaly make for your deadline. I have spoken to a number of students who want to make a 3 minute short film in 12 weeks, worked their backsides off and made stuff they werent happy with or stuff that didnt meet its fullest potential. Frankly if you have a deadline like this then i would seriously reconsider on what i was planning on doing, sorry for being a killjoy:). of course if your deadline is months away and you have all the assests and you got your sets all built and lit and your music and sound effects sorted out already then go for it!

[rayk]

Thanks! Yeah I already figured out what size to work with - Pal 728 x 576 @ 25 (squarepix). Also Started working on it, it's nothing too complicated. Since I'm in the visual arts course I don't think they will be heavily assesing how good our time based work is, more the fact that we actaully made a time based work (since many never had before like me).

The dealine well, it's in about 3 weeks :D. But - I don't need to make sound and the total time will probaly go for less then a minute (or around it). It's jsut going to be the base ground of it. Since most proably I'll spend time refining it in the holidays and polishing it off.

Basically I'm putting this - http://www.deviantart.com/view/18271002/ into animated version :)

[stewartjones]

Vyn , 640 x 480 and 800 x 600 are web based ? you must have a mad internet connection !

I would say that 320 x 240 are more web based but good advice either way :)
if you are looking to make some kind of trailer then you might want to think about making it NTSC or PAL res cropped to widescreen proportions. Sorry dont have those facts to hand but PAL is 720 x 576 @ 25 fps NTSC is 30 frames this is assuming you will be outputing your filnal trailer to video/DVD


I also think you should take a second before you start animating to really think about what you REALLY want with this project and what you can realisticaly make for your deadline. I have spoken to a number of students who want to make a 3 minute short film in 12 weeks, worked their backsides off and made stuff they werent happy with or stuff that didnt meet its fullest potential. Frankly if you have a deadline like this then i would seriously reconsider on what i was planning on doing, sorry for being a killjoy:). of course if your deadline is months away and you have all the assests and you got your sets all built and lit and your music and sound effects sorted out already then go for it!

ACK! HAHA! Yea, u r totally right! What I mean is render out at that res, and then change it to fit, sorta thing! :thumbsup:

[CGTalk Moderation]

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.