ANIMATION | Terms & Techniques
"Animation" is a 2-D / 3-D Motion Graphics technique that uses "Persistence of Vision" (POV) to create the illusion that 2-D and 3-D objects/characters are moving at various "Frames Per Second" (FPS) in feature films, television shows, commercials, interactive websites, and video games.
"Persistence of Vision" (POV) is the visual phenomenon in which the brain recognizes that an object/character is moving or alive after rapidly receiving images, from the eyes' retinas, of the same object or character in different poses and positions.
"Frames Per Second" (FPS) is the rate at which moving images are shown/projected.
- In Feature Films/Television/Commercials, moving images are shown/projected at 24 Frames Per Second (24 FPS). In Hand-Drawn Animation, Action sequences are drawn on 1's; meaning a character is in a new pose every image or "keyframe". Expressive Dialogue sequences are drawn on 2's; meaning a character is in the same pose every two images/keyframes but be adjusted slightly in their "secondary actions" (mouth shapes/expressive eye brows/eye darts/eye blinks/hair).
As an Art Form, Character Animation techniques have been perfected by animators over the years by referencing the "12 Principles of Animation" from Frank Thomas & Ollie Johnston's book - Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life (1981). Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston's
"12 Principles of Animation" include:
1. Squash & Stretch
2. Anticipation
3. Staging
4. Straight Ahead / Pose-to-Pose
5. Follow Through / Overlapping Actions
6. Slow-In & Slow-Out
7. Arcs
8. Secondary Actions
9. Timing
10. Exaggeration
11. Solid Drawing
12. Appeal
...
1. "Squash & Stretch" refers to an object's weight as it bounces or moves on the Stage. A Stage is also known as a "3-D surface" or "2-D background/Layout art". (Example of Squash & Stretch : In character animation, a creature walks/runs/jumps around the "stage" and the animator's keyframes reveal squash & stretch principles by bending/extending the creature's legs, waste, arms and head.
2. "Anticipation" refers to performance holds in poses which are depicted in character's expressive/physical reaction to internal or external forces. (Example of Anticipation : Character prepares to Sneeze...audience anticipates a sneeze.)
3. "Staging" refers to the region of a frame that a character is placed (or) acts. Characters, placed center-stage, are often performing alone in a close-up shot . Characters, placed stage-right or stage-left are often performing dynamic actions / dramatic reactions with other characters/objects in frame.
4. "Straight-Ahead" refers to keyframe animation on 1's; meaning: the character is in a new position every frame to create the illusion of fluid motion. "Pose-to-Pose" refers to keyframe animation on 2's; meaning: the character is in a new pose every other frame to create realistic dialogue and expressions.
5. "Follow Through" refers to physical forces reacting to a character's movement. (Example: If a character with long hair is running, the character's hair will follow behind them until the character stops at which time their hair will swing & fall against their neck.)
"Overlapping" is the illusion that two or more objects will cross/intersect in each other's paths yet continuing in their own line of action. (Example: A character's arm may swing behind their torso in a walk cycle and reappear on the other side.)
6. "Slow-In"/"Slow-Out" refers to a straight-ahead keyframe technique where a character is animated on 1's in barely rotates its position in 3-5 poses (making a total of 6-10 keyframes to slow-in/slow-out to the next position).
7. "Arcs" refer to a character's path of action. Arcs serve as guides/maps for animators when deciding the direction and motion of a character's path of action.
8. "Secondary Actions" refer to a character's eye darts, eye blinks, eye brow expressions, hair movement, ear movement, clothing follow-through, and mouth shapes.
9. "Timing" refers to the Frames Per Second (24 FPS) in a feature animated sequence which affects the animator's decisions in Staging character's primary actions (Intentions, in pose-to-pose movement) in a scene and secondary actions (Mouth Shapes, to match the dialogue).
10. "Exaggeration" refers to deformations of a character's design to evoke specific emotions. (Example: A character gasps in shock/amazement, as their eyes bulge and their jaw drops to the floor.)
11. "Solid Drawing" refers to having sharp, dark 'contour lines' around any characters in the foreground as they act against soft atmosphere of the layout art (background objects).
12. "Appeal" refers to the attractive design of characters' physical features and entertaining gesture poses in each keyframe.
- Cody Taylor, ANIMATION Terms & Techniques 2013
Animation Process > Timing and Spacing Keyframes:* Keyframe animation (or) Pose-to-Pose staging techniques are used for the production of animated Objects and Characters in Commercials, Feature Films, and Video Games. If video files run at a rate of 24 frames per second, animators should concentrate on the Timing (24 "Frames Per Second", a.k.a "FPS") and the Spacing (blocking of character poses in a frame) in an effort to match the intent of their character's primary actions (acting) and secondary actions (eye darts/lip sync's/clothing/hair).
Keyframe animations should block each primary movement or "keypose"; twice (on 2's), so the character's staging or pose can register with the viewer's eye. As a keyframe animator create "In-Betweens" (transitional keyframes to connect a character's keyposes), the animator should be aware that "In-Between" poses are ONLY for rotation movements and secondary 'Follow-Through' (eye darts/lip sync's/clothing/hair). In-Between poses are NOT for 're-staging' (shifting base positions of objects or characters).
After animating your basic Keyframe Poses and In-Between's, test your animation and revise your 'Timing' of poses to better match the emotions expressed by the voice acting in your audio clip. - [copyright Cody Douglas Taylor, 2013; CTE Animation / Motion Graphics].
CODY TAYLOR, Freelance Animator
| 2D Animation reel : https://vimeo.com/codytayloranimator/videos
Animation : Demo ReelsFreelance Animators use demo reels as a promotional business card to show prospective clients and companies their best animated work. Most demo reels include 1 minute to 3 minutes of animation clips.
Often times, the animation demo reels are catering to a specific market: Motion Graphics (Interactive Websites), TV/Commercial Animation (Character Animation/Video Compositing), Film/Games Animation (Character Animation/3D Modeling), and Visual Effects Animation (Simulations/3D Modeling).
Animators need to include their contact information (name/profession/e-mail/phone number) in the first 10 seconds of their reel or in the last 10 seconds of their reel.
Example:
https://vimeo.com/codytayloranimator/videos
Animation Principles : Solid Drawing
“In traditional character animations, foreground characters should have thick contour lines to emphasize their actions for the viewer. Background characters should have thin contour lines to de-emphasize their animated features. It is important for animated crowds and background characters to have thin solid contours so that they do not distract the viewers’ attention from the main character actions in the foreground.”
- Cody Taylor, Character Animator (June 23, 2013)
Animation Principles :
POSE-TO-POSE
In Traditional Animation, the "Pose-to-Pose" Principle refers to the blocking of an animated scene. Animators will draw the first pose for a character's line of action and dialogue. The first and last poses drawn for a character's line of action are called "Keyframes". After drawing the keyframe poses for a character's line of action, Animators will draw "In-Between" poses to create the illusion of movement from the first to last keyframe pose.
- Cody Douglas Taylor : Author / Animator (May 29, 2013)
FREELANCE ANIMATION JOBS : a big budget, cattle-call for animators is something to look for online. (This of course will happen, periodically/not day-to-day.) Check for job opportunities like this on: CreativeHeads.net!*
When applying for jobs (on-line), you should send a studio your website (make sure its easy to read with your demo reel/resume). The demo reel should include five (5) of your best animated scenes that showcase a specific style of animation that caters to a company's own game/film/commercial style. You might get a small task as a freelance animator for rigging/character animation/lighting in 3-D computer animation; or character animation/clean-up artist/compositor/rotoscoping in 2-D animation.
Just remember to be respectful of a studio's pipeline (check out their tools/software before you apply) & attitudes of art directors/animation supervisors. If your work meets a studio's request and the art director wants to stay in contact for future work, that one small freelance job opportunity could lead to a career as a freelance animator with a studio. *The freelance work is still periodic, so develop your own properties (films/games/tv shows/instructional dvd's) in your free time & sell your products through Amazon.com!
*Advertise your work on-line. Get a booth at Comic-Con conventions where you can meet fans interested in Animation!* Create a niche for yourself in Medical Animation, designing animated tutorials for medical schools, national geographic, animal planet, or discovery channel. Have a Masters in Education? Then become an Animation Instructor at a local college! All of these job opportunities will help sustain your dream to work as a freelance animator in a really fun but competitive industry!
- Cody Douglas Taylor : Author (May 28, 2013)
Freelance Animator : SERGIO PABLOS
Freelance Animator / Film Director, SERGIO PABLOS is an amazing character animator, who took a risk when leaving the Walt Disney Animation Studio to open his own animation house, SPA Studios.
Sergio Pablos knew that his skills in character design, story art, and character animation would allow him to work as a a freelance animator / character designer for hand-drawn animation studios like Disney (CA) and Blue Sky (CT). Before leaving his supervising animator's position at Disney, Pablos strengthened his skills in character animation, by supervising the animation of Disney characters "Tantor" (Tarzan) and "Doppler" (Treasure Planet). Pablos' appealing character designs and expressive cartoon style of animation quickly attracted more roles for Disney feature films. However, Pablos had his own stories to tell. His imagination created Leyendeckerish film concepts like "Giacomo's Secret" for SPA Studio, and funny feature cartoons like "Despicable Me" for Blue Sky Animation.
It's easy to assume Sergio Pablos made good contacts/clients while working for Disney Studio, but his imaginative characters & funny stories were the source of his success as a freelance animator (SPA Studios). SPA Studios (originally called 'Animagic') is now one of the most recognized animation houses, having supplied Blue Sky Animation Studio with fantastic story art, character designs, and animated scenes for their feature films: "Rio" and "Despicable Me".
* The lesson here is that imaginative animators may need to work for the big film / commercial studios to learn the film business and to make connections. It is too difficult to break into the film industry as an unknown animator!
To learn more about Freelance Animation + DEMO REELS, take a look at my "Animators" BLOG @ http://pinterest.com/ctaylorgraphics/animators/
- Cody Douglas Taylor : Author (May 28, 2013)
