AM3 and AM4 wrapup

I really enjoyed class 3, though I didn't as much care much for class 4.  I liked working on the pantomime shots in class 4, and I think it's highly important to understand.  But I've found I'm really drawn to the action of video game animation.  It's interesting, because the first film I worked on, Flower Story, was all about the emotion.  I know I could do that now, hundreds of times better, yet I still look back on it with an approving nod.  But that's also not where I want to be anymore.

Knowing the difference between strict body mechanics, and the more subtle pantomtime, has helped me realize what I want to do in animation.  Of course, they are of equal importance it comes to animation fundementals, but I can see myself focusing towards one over the other.  I can really appreciate watching animation that is focused on acting and pantomime, but it's those over the top weighty animations that really get me excited.

Onto the next adventure, I suppose!

Animation Mentor Class 4 - Lipsync with a flustered office worker

Ugh, I did not like working on lipsync.  The sound clip just gets lodged in my head, and eventually, it just went flat.  Moreso than other animations, more I hear it and see it, the harder it is for me to view my work critically.

I think that picking out the sound clip was also very difficult for me.  It's easy for my mind to go with pure fantasy and just imagine a really cool fighting combo, or a cute interaction, or a broad motion.  But when the sound came first, and without context, it was really difficult to put a scene to it, let alone with a camera, environment, and subjects.  If it already went through visualization, I bet it would have been much easier for me to make the animation itself.  But layout and storyboarding a dialogue piece was far more difficult than any other piece I've done.

I don't think I'd call this demo-reel material.  It was fantastic practice, and it was really helpful at telling me what I enjoy working on (or don't.)  It just seems to lack the interesting bits that are in many of my older animations.

Progress reel: