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Testing the Latest Rig


Dhar

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I am not going to continue rigging my character with the older versions of the Squetch Rig due to the tremendous improvements achieved in the latest version. So, for testing purposes, I'm using Sam in this month's 11 Second Club to put the rig in a real animation project.

 

First blocking stage

Unbelievable.mov

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It's starting to look pretty good Dhar, keep at it. I'm assuming you will be adding some finger movement on the right hand at some point. When the left hand goes down out of view, possibly the right hand comes up with some sort of hand gesture.

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Thanks Mark. I will consider your suggestion for the right hand, but having the left one take some focus from the facial expressions, I'm afraid additional movements with the right hand will be overkill. I'm going for subtlety and facial expressions - we'll see how it goes.

 

Here's some lip sync.

Unbelievable.mov

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Looking good!

 

Love the little mouth sneer at one point.

 

Suggested tweaks:

 

Get into position on the consonants before they are said

instead of staying in your open neutral positions so long.

 

Less jaw/teeth movement.

 

More eye movement. Some darting.

 

More work on the brows to show consternation.

 

Some breathing.

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What stage are you at, Dhar? It's looking great. A hard clip to get much out of. But you are so improving every time.

 

I guess you haven't got to the eyebrows / eyes / blinks yet?

 

My main observation is that I find the cheekbones distracting - they go up and down with the lip sync - is that intentional?

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Thanks for the great feedback guys, I really appreciate it.

 

I may have found a problem with the eye controls; when I turned the Eye target ON and tried to animate with it no animation is created. The eyes do follow the target, but do not animate. I had to use the Eye Aimer for it to animate and register. Its possible I'm missing a step?

Unbelievable.mov

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Which eye targets did you turn on? Was it the master eye target? If the eyes follow the target, it should be animated. Can you post an action file of this problem?

 

It's the 'eyes_aim_at_Master_Eye_Target'

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Love the hand drops!

 

Ha! Now there's too much brow movement. :)

 

suggested tweaks:

Lead with the brows to show thinking before he speaks.

Change brows before the individual sections of his little soliloquy but not during.

He's drifting downward until about frame 67 for some reason.

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Which eye targets did you turn on? Was it the master eye target? If the eyes follow the target, it should be animated. Can you post an action file of this problem?

 

It's the 'eyes_aim_at_Master_Eye_Target'

 

If you're using the "aim_at_master_eye_target_switch", you might need to set a key for it or it will act like any other bone/null and start moving from the first frame.

 

You could also set the "interpolation method" for the "aim_at_master_eye_target_switch" to "hold" in the Timeline, since what is being controlled is an on/off switch.

 

Hope that helps, Dhar.

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If you're using the "aim_at_master_eye_target_switch", you might need to set a key for it or it will act like any other bone/null and start moving from the first frame.

 

You could also set the "interpolation method" for the "aim_at_master_eye_target_switch" to "hold" in the Timeline, since what is being controlled is an on/off switch.

 

Hope that helps, Dhar.

 

David, that was not the issue. What was happening was that keyframes were being made but no movement. I'll try and repeat the action and see if it happens again.

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Looking good Dhar! Question...Are you using 'Zign Track' to aid in the facial animation?

 

Thanks John. No, I am not using any mocap application. I have nothing against it, I'm just old school like that :)

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Is the "cheekbone" area moving up and down with his jaw something you are doing or is that automatic?

 

It's too active I think.

 

It's automatic. The CP weights look fine - I'm not sure why they move so much?

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Is the "cheekbone" area moving up and down with his jaw something you are doing or is that automatic?

 

It's too active I think.

 

It's automatic. The CP weights look fine - I'm not sure why they move so much?

 

It can be adjusted...I don't have it in front of me, so I'll have to post the Pose location later.

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Just tried to duplucate the eye master target problem but couldn't. It works fine - it must be the gremlins.

 

Here's an update

 

To turn down the cheek movement, you can use the Poses in the "Animation_Controls/Face_underlying_controls/face_setup/cheek_setup" folder...the "cheeks_move_with_jaw" Pose looks like it needs to be turned down, I'll correct it the next time I post an updated Squetchy Sam. Try turning it down to something like "5", Dhar.

 

Looks good so far! The shoulders could be relaxed a little and the first deep breath around frame 19 or so makes me think his whole body should sag...maybe some shakiness around the ragged breathing stuff. Around frame 310, I think both of the r's in "re-write" could use more "oo" movement.

 

I know nothing, so take my animation recommendations with a whole lot of salt. I'm looking forward to the finished animation.

 

Good luck in the competition!

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  • Hash Fellow

I'd keep the music sheet out of frame until he gets to "torn up a huge section". Then lift it up to reveal a big hole torn out of the middle.

 

34- slap to forehead seems too soft. It's probably slowing in. The fingers are probably taking too long to finish their overlap also. I see some head squetch on the impact, but I dont' think that's the right motion to convey impact.

 

138-160 when the head drops in despair, some anticipation and/or overlap onthe way down would help give that weight.

 

in general- too many jaw motions per word, I think.

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Yeah Marcos, I saw your entry. I'm glad you're getting involved, I like your composition, can't wait to see the final pass.

 

As far as my entry is concerned, what you see is pretty much it. I already submitted it in.

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Dhar,

 

Lipsync is looking pretty good!

 

In my opinion:

I think you could get a lot more impact if this was not just a soliloquy,

but an exclamation to the viewer/audience.

So, talking and looking (sometimes) at the viewer, not just talking to himself.

 

And, how about . . .

 

. . . a little anticipation time/action before he makes his verbal delivery.

This also gives him some thinking time.

 

. . . having his shoulders down to indicate sadness.

. . . shoulders up during "I can't rewrite what's perfect." Then, down again.

 

. . . bringing his hand up sooner, before "It's unbelievable."

 

. . . a little breathing motion with the chest and/or shoulders.

 

. . . a head tilt to the side too, not just forward.

 

. . . keeping his brows up during "It's unbelievable."

 

. . . his head shaking "no" as he's saying "It's unbelievable."

 

. . . keeping the brows down while he's saying "The director . . . of my music!"

 

. . . lips close together a bit before ". . . rewrite what's perfect."

 

. . . brow staying up during "I can't rewrite what's perfect."

 

But that's just me. : )

 

Wow, you've got a whole week to finish this!

Cool!

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