JBarrett
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Posts posted by JBarrett
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- shameless plug -
I've got a little product coming out in the near future which talks specifically about facial animation in A:M. I can't go into any further details here, however, but keep an eye on the Anzovin portion of the forum for more info.
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Sweeeeeet stuff there, Sam! You're really capturing the emotion well. I especially love the sad clip...incredibly well done! Inspiring! Woohoo!
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Looking good! The head's not the right size in proportion to the body, though...needs to be bigger. That's the main thing that jumps out at me now.
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Once again the SIGGRAPH Nazi has grabbed me by the lapel and yelled, "NO SIGGGRAPH FOR YOU!"
*sigh* One of these years...
Not gonna Make it!I have had a DNA altering event!
.... I'm Moving my Genes back to Texas
I've accepted a position at "DNA Helix"!
Congrats, Mike! We'll be double-Miked again once you and Comet get here...although I gotta say that you guys both went to the wrong company.
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The two methods -- bones and pose sliders -- aren't as mutually exclusive as you might think. Remember, pose sliders can drive the movement of bones.
If you haven't already seen it, check out this thread where Victor Navone reveals some of his techniques for rigging the mouth of his character:
http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4582&hl=
I've only used pose sliders to drive muscle motion so far, but I might give bones a try one of these days. The advantage of bones is that they move the points they control in arcing paths instead of straight lines, which leads to more natural movement. While it's possible to get muscle motion in arcs by making multiple changes at various points of a pose slider, it's a tad easier to set up with bones.
But to answer your question of which is the "best" way, I'm not sure there is one. Each situation is different, and each person has their own preferences for rigging techniques. If you've got the time, experiment with both and see which one you like best.
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I'll echo Fuchur. To get decent lip sync, you're gonna have to tweak what the dopesheet gives you anyway, so you might as well just tweak it while starting from scratch. It should take about the same amount of time, and it'll allow you to build a more robust facial rig that doesn't depend on the dopesheet's setup rules.
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So sorry to hear this, Robert. My heart goes out to you, and my prayers are with you. Be well, my friend.
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That's one killer Rex, Carl! Nice work! Can't wait to see more from this beastie!
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Killer work there, William! I'm glad you're still working on this. The model blew me away when you originally posted it. Schweet schtuff!
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Gorgeous work! Can't wait to see more!
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Daaaaaannnngg.... that's very nice work there, Xtaz! Looking forward to seeing more!
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Can't see it. "This picture has been deleted by its owner."
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Sweet cuppin' cakes!
Awesome work, guys!On a side note, is it possible to get a translation in English, even if it's just for that last phrase? That "geil" word is repeated so much in the song, I'm uber-curious about what the heck they're singing.
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While working with ReelFX on the GI Joe project, I've been working with a wonderful project management system that they made (proprietary). It automates and eases the hassle of so many things (even test renders), it's amazing. And it works for both the artists in-house at ReelFX as well as remote folks like me. (not remote much longer, though)
Anyway, regarding your specific question: for additional/alternate passes, what I've done is just to make a separate test render of my idea and send that to my supervisor either via IM or e-mail, keeping the online system clear of extraneous stuff. I also keep that pass named separately in my local files until I know whether or not it's been "cleared," at which point I'll move ahead with that version.
Typically, though, I wouldn't want to do that for going past the blocking stage, as in your example. If your director/supervisor is one who wants to approve the rough anim pass before details are added, then from my experience it's best to just move on to another assignment (if one is available) or bug the dickens out of the director/supervisor until he/she looks at your work and says either "yes" or "no." If those fail, then kick back and read a book until you hear something.
It might be useful to have an "alternate pass" track, but it could start to get a little confusing if things aren't really carefully tracked. In the system I'm using now, I submit a pass for review, and then wait for comments on it. It's either sent back to me for another pass, or it's approved and sent to the director for his review. It *is* possible to submit multiple files in a single pass (I think), so that might be one way to present further/alternate ideas. But it's not a separate track, and as such, it keeps the file path fairly clear. It's left up to me to know which version I'm supposed to be working on (i.e. what's been approved for further work), so that anything I submit down the road is easy to recognize. In other words, the supervisor/director doesn't need to figure out which track is the "approved" track, because whatever I submit next is going to be based on previously-approved work. It then just becomes a matter of whether or not that new pass is satisfactory, or whether it needs further refinement.
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So how's this for a scheme - a wireframe still, a textured turntable, and then a brief animation (where applicable)?
Sounds like a good plan. Make it sew! ...er, I mean, make it so!
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I didn't want to avoid doing animations (even though it's not my strong suit) because I wanted to emphasize that my models were animatable and that my characters weren't just nice to look at (if they're even that).
One way to accomplish that, then, is to include turntable shots for any models you animate in addition to an animated sample shot. If the only view of a model is an animated view, it makes it difficult to study the shape and form, which is easier in a turntable. By showing both, viewers can look at how you handle form and also know how the model performs for animation.
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Nice work, Carl! If I may offer an odd suggestion, I would recommend that you don't animate a thing if you're making a modeling reel. Not implying that the animation is bad, 'cause it's not...some of it is quite good, actually..., but for a modeling reel, the people watching it generally don't care to see it animated. In fact, animating the models may actually be a distraction. Reviewers want to see the detail of how the model is built, and it's tough to focus on specific areas when it's moving around a lot.
Some of the other suggestions already made are quite valid. Definitely show wireframes, and show more texture...sometimes a modeler is also called upon to texture their creations, so a progression from wireframe to shaded to textured is quite appropriate.
Another tip re: the typical "turntable" shots. Instead of having the camera move around the model (i.e. your dino head), rotate the model and leave all else static. The problem with a moving camera is that by the time you get to the rear view of the model, the lighting is such that the detail can't be seen. By treating it more like a true turntable, where the model is on a rotating surface and the lighting and camera remain static, the full detail of the object can be more clearly presented.
Keep at it!
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Sorry to hear that you will not be able to make it.
Did the other job come through? Where are you relocating to?
Best of luck in your future ventures.
Thanks.
I posted the notice to the OT forum, as it wasn't connected enough to A:M to justify its mention here. To briefly summarize, I've accepted a position at ReelFX, and we'll be leaving Jersey on our way to Dallas, TX, in...um...about a week and a half. 
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Just a quick note to share my new domain address with everyone:
http://www.justinanimator.com/
In addition to animation samples and other stuff, I've got a couple mechanical rigging tutorials on there (old ones, nothing new), which are also linked from Vern's ARM. (quite a versatile ARM that man has). I did some PHP fiddling on my old domain a little while back that (I think) broke the tute links from the ARM, but with the new domain in place and a little help from Vern, everything has been fixed. Here are the new direct links:
Rock an object with a square/rectangular base on its edges and corners...
http://www.justinanimator.com/rocking.php
Roll an object with a circular base on its lower edge...
http://www.justinanimator.com/rolling.php
Zack's awl, yolks...
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Mid Atlantic Animation Master Users Group (MAAM)
Ya like that name... sounds official doesn’t it?
Actuallly, it sounds like you didn't quite complete the acronym. With "Users Group" on the end, wouldn't it be MAAMUG? If so, please tell me that group newsletters (or announcements or anything of the sort) will NOT be called MAAMUG-Grams (or MAAMUGrams).
Name aside, I won't be able to attend, for I will no longer be in the Mid Atlantic region of the country. I therefore call upon Vern to represent me from here on out. He's already proven himself quite capable at handling more than one personality.
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Didn't seem very offending to me, and I used to animate VeggieTales for a living.
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The danger with a 3D course is that you'll "waste" too much time learning how to use a tool, rather than learning the art of animation. While learning how to use a tool is all fine, I think you're better of learning how to animate in the long run. So if you find a 3D course that is heavily geared towards teaching you how to animate, go for it...otherwise I would go for the 2D course and play with AM on the side.
Sound advice.
From what I can see, a certain number of the popular animation schools over on this side of the pond are coming 'round and realizing that they need to equip their students with good animation and storytelling skills, not just button-pushing skills, and I'm constantly seeing more and more great work from these places. When I took my courses, it was much more generalized, and it was up to the student to put in the effort to study whatever aspect of 3D CG they wanted to specialize in (character animation for me). However, the nice thing about the course was that the first animation class presented was 2D animation. While it was just one quarter, and there wasn't much time to really dive deep into it, the teacher drilled home the point that whether it's on paper on in pixels, the same animation principles apply, and that it's important to learn the principles and not get too lost in the buttons and menu items when the computer courses come around.
That said, it's entirely possible for someone to tackle 3D work first and learn the core animation principles at the same time, but I don't know many official courses that operate that way. Several folks I know have gone that route on their own, though. And that's another option to consider...taking time off to study on your own. Get a day job that allows you to pay your bills (and doesn't drain you of all energy at day's end) and focus the rest of your time in animation study. It's a little risky, in some respects, but it can be done if you're the type of person who is dedicated and focused when it comes to self-learning.
My thoughts...take them with a grain or two of salt. Perhaps some basil, too...and a little oregano...
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From: entity_primus@comcast.net entity_primus@comcast.net
Date: 2004-5-09 23:53:38
Did you say,
>"Well, I came to Jersey last year to work as the lead animator at DPS in Newark.
Left that a few weeks ago to pursue a new job possibility in Dallas.."<
Does that mean the job is open? Or are they just going to fill in the gap with another employee?
To my knowledge, the job is open, but I haven't seen any public postings about the position yet. Then again, at the point I left they were at a stage where they weren't going to have anything for me to do for several months. I'm guessing they're either 1) starting the search through their existing batch of contacts, or 2) holding off on posting for the position until they really need someone....or possibly both 1) and 2).
I doubt they've put an existing staff member in the slot. The reason they hired a lead in the first place was because they didn't have anyone already on-staff capable of doing the job. It's a small group, and they have certainly improved their skills in the past ten months, but the team still needs a lead.
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From: entity_primus@comcast.net entity_primus@comcast.net
Date: 2004-5-09 04:34:27
It's nice to visit, but it is dead as far as animation and graphics work. Dallas!!! One of the places you'd want to be with animation skills?... Do lots of artists seem to reside there, too? I think there are some anim. studios there, not sure though.
Well, I came to Jersey last year to work as the lead animator at DPS in Newark. Left that a few weeks ago to pursue a new job possibility in Dallas...hopefully will know more tomorrow, and I'll pass the word to the list once it's all definite.
Breakfast inspiration!
in Work In Progress / Sweatbox
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Lookin' better, Mike! It still feels like the head's a tad too small, though. Or maybe it's the absence of a neck that makes him feel awkward. Or a little of both...???