For my university project I have been creating short clips of animation exploring ‘thinking’ characters. In this one I have been concentrating on reactions.
One problem I keep finding with my animation is they are lacking the flowing look that professional animations have.
I would really appreciate any specific areas and I can improve and what I can do to improve it.
Here’s the link:
http://sophiemagnante.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/artefact-5/
Thanks
Sophie
First off I just want to say awesome sound clip.Defintley something different. Overall not a bad start but there are a couple things that could be worked on.
I noticed mostly (and I had this problem for a while) is that the movements of your characters look like they’re hitting a wall. For example when the girl first raises her hands, outwards and then they just kind of stop. Although you move the arms nicely right after she says “disney land”. The difference in what you did there is they slowly keep moving. Remember the body is always moving.
Second is their are a lot of symmetrical poses. Try to make some movements asymmetrical, it really give the character a more life like feeling.
I really do love her expression when she starts screaming, that part there is really selling the piece spot on.
As for any other help, really watch other animations that are good and play them frame by frame or just watch them over and over…it really helps. Also you might want to work on the composition…there is a lot of negative space towards the left. I know it’s just an acting piece, but it’s still always good to have a nice composition.
The reactions are good and the timings work well.
Study the liveaction from the ad you took this from and see how the motion in any area of the characters body never becomes dead still. i.e head motion of your boy animation stands out, he does fast little head turns almost over one or two frames that stop completely, try softening these movements a little and keep the head “alive” by not having perfectly straight animation curves.
However you need to be careful not to add too much movement or the the head will drift.
Also his knees flick a bit, try keeping body lower to a point just before they snap straight.
Hope this helps
exagerate.
exagerate the movements a bit. the first bit on the girl it is quite all right, but you need to open her arms far away and make her jump higher, or something. Think about contrasts.
anticipation.
before every move there is a slight movement in an opposite direction.
watch the videos on this channel, starting with this one:
http://www.youtube.com/user/keithlango#p/u/9/lHvQIMBjB78
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