Simon Edmondson

Rodney thats terrific visuals and possibly a lot more impactful than if done in a cg 'realist' style ? A lot of thought went into the design and shot composition. impressive stuff. regards simon

Robert Thank you for your video and feedback. Much appreciated. I was aware of the changes in altitude when animating it, but couldn't find a way of setting the keys to overcome the problem. I suspect that might be a case of editing the curves appropriately ? The sudden propulsion off the board was supposed to be caused by the board grounding on the opposite side, initially by Ray ( the red figure ) deliberately doing it, then the late return of Winona ( the blue figure) returning to the board. There is a four frame positional hold at those points but I think the read' would have been assisted if the board itself had flexed at the end, in the way diving boards do ? The model wouldn't allow that in this attempt, but will for this weeks brief. I was using the 2008 rig and wondered if the body null might be an appropriate centre of gravity ? I'll give it a whirl today and see if that works. Trying to find decent reference footage is not the easiest of things, not everything on youtube is as graphically organised as Muybridge ! Thank you for your help. regards simon

Rich Thank you for your reply and kind comments. You are right about the ramp boards. I intend to go back and adjust the hand positions on the ball and will try to adjust the ramp at the same time. They haven't got any sound yet and I'm hoping a friend who is a sound specialist will do it for me ( I'm doing a huge amount of rotoscoping in photoshop on his behalf... ). I will make the adjustments then I think. Its really the keying and movement I need to focus on at the moment. I'm still hoping to learn how to use the f curves by watching Roberts tutorials later this week. regards simon

Rodney Thank you very much for your favourable comments, I blush rather at them. I think of myself as improving, certainly not an expert, as evidenced by all the questions I ask. In answer to your question about set up. I asked in the animation master section about possible ways to do it and Robert kindly did a tutorial for me. What I did was very simple. Heres the model. See_Saw.mdl Basically, There was a bone at the centre of the plank and all the cp's were assigned to it. There were two child bones at the end of the plank with no cp's assigned to them. They each had a null constrained to them and the two figures were constrained to those. The figures were constrained up to the point of release when they leave the plank. If by 'eyeball it' you mean do it by eye rather than with a system ? Then yes, thats what I did. Once the constraints were set up the rocking was done straight ahead, doing the extremes,then adjusting the spacing until it seemed right, up to the point of release. Then went back and adjusted all the feet and leg positions. Then did the hands on the handles and adjusted those through the sequence. The somersault for the red figure was done straight ahead then adjusted until it looked OK. Theres a bit were he lands and slides backwards that doesn't show in this version. Likewise with the blue figure. The first version had him going in the air, falling back down and meeting the board going up, which sent him into the spin. Tried several variations on timing but couldn't get it to read properly, so took out the contact with the plank and made the spin off faster. The answer was perfect equilibrium, in my foolishness I had assumed seesaws were balanced. They are but not perfectly. The animating started last monday I think. I usually do about 5-6 hours a day if possible. There are still things that need adjusting on the figures, cp weighting and smartskin for example, but will address that more fully with the next models. The point of using the simple figures is to make it obvious if anything is wrong. Started to develop an idea for a more elaborate 'story' using the seesaw as a metaphor but will leave that to a later date as its the acting and movement that needs most attention. The next ideas for the seesaw are possibly to put a more pliable ( dynamic ?) bone system in the plank to allow it to vibrate on contact but not sure yet. The next blockhead was to be based around the two figures on swings but may do another seesaw before that. Hope that answers your questions. Thank you once again for your favourable comments. regards simon

You are doing great things here. We should all be so bold as to publish such frequent animation! I must have some repressed memories from my youth with regard to painful teeter totter experiences for me to care so much about them. Rodney Thank you. I'm hoping to do 10-20 seconds worth each week on a different theme or aspect. I realised that it might be possible to get more done but trying smaller ideas rather than the 2-3 mins of the other work. Still developing other projects but will try to stick with the 'briefs' untill Xmas. Much to be done. regards simon Ps I had thought to try and get some bounce into the board, so it would 'twang' at the extreme position, but the setup for this one wouldn't allow that, so it may go into the next one instead.

Rodney Thank you for your reply. I didn't have any reference footage so was trying to work out were the weight went with the intentions of the figures. The thinking (?) was, He sits down sharply, forcing her end up rapidly. He starts to move up again so, when she lands back down, the impact launches him up in an off balance position and sends him backwards. This was the second take. The first had him going up in the air after she landed back down, then catching the 'plank' on his way back down, which sent him over backwards. I'm trying to get used to keying and vary the speed and actions more. Its enjoyable to do and gaining a lot from the process. regards simon

This weeks brief, on the theme of balance. Still work to be done. today.. Any feedback welcome. simon VGA conversion from 720HD. Seesaw640.mov

Robert Thank you. I shall try that later.I dl'd the Vamp files and will work through them steadily. regards simon

There's something a bit odd going on with permissions and passwords these days and the closest thing I can think that would be the problem is that forum users might have to log out and then back in again to get the new permissions to take effect. Permissions should just work but yours isn't the first report of access problems I've encountered. Try logging out and back in again and see if that doesn't work. The forum you are looking for is here. And here is the direct link. Rodney. Thank you. The direct link worked. I'll try the relog in ( is that a word ? ) a bit later. regards simon

VAMP signal lit! Simon, Look for the forum at the bottom of your screen (under the Animation:Master Users Groups section on the main forum page). Rodney and Robert. Thank you for your offer to include me, much appreciated but, I'm being a bit lame here I suspect, because I went to the AM user groups section but couldn't find VAMP ? Regards simon

Mark and Robert Thank you both for your replies. I shall follow up the link and look forward to Robert's tutorial. regards simon

In the startup screen for V17 there is a link for a tutorial on editing curves. When clicked on it says that it is not yet available but will be presently. Is there any news on when it may be available? Its an area that I need to become more familiar with. regards simon

Robert Thank you for your reply. The idea presently, is to have two characters swinging back and forwards next to each other, then start to do the sort of 'stunts' kids do when showing off to each other and no adults are around. regards simon

Rodney Thank you for your help. Here is the edited version. I just watched it several times and recalled Roberts observations regarding hand moves on the sphere. I think I'll go back to those later as I need to crack on with the seesaw. regards simon Pushing.mov

Robert Thank you for your help and apologies for my delayed response. I was trying to finish the heavy push. I will watch the movie before starting on the seesaw animation tomorrow. regards simon

This is in anticipation of next brief, so not urgent but,I was thinking of using the theme of a swing in a child's playground and wondered if anyone had any thoughts on the best way to rig the swing? I was thinking about a kinematic or dynamic constraint for the rope but is there a more efficient way ? Any help gratefully received. regards simon

[Rodney Thank you once again for your help. I thought a scene before might address the question of momentum, so prepared this today. I will try to edit the two together tomorrow. regards simon Slope.mov

Revised in the lights of earlier comments and suggestions. Theres a furrow were the sphere rolls in, the ramps replace the slope and the sphere settles at the end. The ground opens as for the head goes in ( honest ! ) but thats not visible here. His legs do kick in reaction to the impact of the sphere, but that was in the earlier version too. Any feedback welcome regards simon Pushing_Ramp.mov

Robert and Rodney Thank you for your feedback and help. Much appreciated. The intention was to go for a more cartoon ish, comic, approach rather than a splatter I'm a bit too squeamish for the latter. The intention, as ever, was to keep it as simple as possible so as to make it more obvious what the bits were that needed revision. Had tried to keep the hands planted on the ball and stepped through checking it but will go back again. Have ( just) had an idea for the staging so will try that, before getting on with the seesaw thats to be the next brief. regards simon

Robert. Thank you for your help. I wasn't before, but will now. regards simon

I'm about to do some briefs using two figures on a seesaw ( teeter totter in US ? ) and wondered what the best way might be to constrain them to sit on the plank might be ? Tried constraining them to a bone in the seat, with a translate to but they seemed to move relative to the bone when the board was rotated ?. Now have two nulls, one to each side and the figures translated to those. Are there other methods anyone can suggest ? regards simon

Nancy great work, with your signature tactile approach. If hiking already it must be underway already but Best wishes for your full recovery. Take care simon

This was to have been an attempt at the "Pushing a heavy object theme". But thought I best get on with something else . Any feedback welcome. simon Pushing_B.mov

Mark Thank you for your reply and help. I didn't know you could do that. I shall try it today. regards simon

Robert Pardon. I didn't see your reply initially. Thank you. We've collectively had the discussion regarding help files in the past. It will be a definite bonus when they are working again. Across all skill levels. regards simon