Blocking in Animation

[Ilidrake]

So I would like to get some feedback from the animators on this subject. How does one "block" in the animation poses using AM? I ask because doing so causes some issues with AM's auto curve of the timeline. How do you guys do it?

[NancyGormezano]

So I would like to get some feedback from the animators on this subject. How does one "block" in the animation poses using AM? I ask because doing so causes some issues with AM's auto curve of the timeline. How do you guys do it?

 

To what issues are you referring?

 

You can set the curve to "Hold" requiring only 1 blocking pose per interval or as some prefer, "Linear", using 2 poses for each interval (start & stop).

 

I prefer Linear because you can also setup intermediate poses to show transitions.

[Ilidrake]

That's kinda what I'm talking about. Could you give me an example Nancy? I ask because I'm putting a tut together and would like as much feedback from everyone so that it is accurate.

[NancyGormezano]

Not sure what kind of example you're looking for, but here goes:

 

I started first with 3 keyposes where I had the Curve interpolation method set to HOLD, 2nd is where I changed curve interpolation method to LINEAR (could also, and probably more preferable, have chosen ZERO SLOPE).

 

My third example shows linear interpolation of the curves, but added holding of each of the keyposes for 2 frames. I did this by copying the pose and pasting it 2 frames later.

 

4th example shows zero slope interpolation, which gives some ease in ease out to curves, with holds.

 

(EDIT: Changed linearwithholds.mov, as I uploaded wrong file first time, added zeroslope with holds)

hold.mov

linear.mov

LinearwithHolds2.mov

ZeroSlopewithHolds.mov

Edited September 7, 2012 by NancyGormezano

[NancyGormezano]

I might also add, I thought you were asking about the mechanics of blocking within A:M.

 

I did not, in any way, shape or form, address the art of blocking, ie how/why one determines those golden poses, nor the best, most artful creative breakdowns/transitions, nor good timing with good easing, anticipation, follow-thru, overlap.

[Rodney]

Very Nice Nancy! (I was about to grab some popcorn in anticipation of your animation... but it was over too fast!)

 

More please.

 

How does one "block" in the animation poses using AM? I ask because doing so causes some issues with AM's auto curve of the timeline.

 

This is the part that I don't quite understand. If you can define what those issues are that might help us understand.

[robcat2075]

One of the methods Nancy demonstrates is often called "paired keys" which is my own preference

 

Here's a tut to add to the pile...

 

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=43472

[Ilidrake]

Good stuff Do you guys have any objections to me adding this stuff to a PDF tut?

[robcat2075]

Good stuff Do you guys have any objections to me adding this stuff to a PDF tut?

 

Go ahead

[Ilidrake]

Thanks guys. Anyone else have any good points on blocking an animation in AM?

[robcat2075]

that's the mechanics of it in A:M. I'll note that not all motion is blocked with pairs of keys. A continuous motion where the character never lingers in one pose, like a walk, will be blocked as a series of single, not paired, keys.

 

Beyond that the "art" of it is a matter of making good posing choices that read well to the camera and tell your story. Then comes the whole long slog of polishing and refining.

[robcat2075]

This Robot Walk post shows "blocking" for a continuous motion. No pairs... but teh essential poses are done first and then you go back to refine...

 

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?s=&am...st&p=345735

[Ilidrake]

Thank you Rob. That's the kind of thing I'm looking for. The technical and the artsy part. I think AM could use a tut like this, especially for newbs.

[Rodney]

I'll add a methodology to the mix that I think should be kept secret.

Its a rapid animation technique that can give you the edge in animating a sequence.

 

It is an approach that to my knowledge is not taught in computer animation (therefore it is probably not the best thing to add to a tutorial as it is not a commonly preferred technique). It outlines a more strictly Pose to Pose methodology with the goal to move from Poses to Breakdowns to Inbetweens in a manner more consistent with traditional hand drawn animation technique. It is also a method that would allow teams of animators to work together on the same sequence... something considerably harder with other approaches to computer animation because everyone down the line must interpret what is going on in the keyframes.

 

The idea is to follow Nancy and Robert's example of creating keyframes but create the Poses on consecutive frames (thereby eliminiating the frames in between). Once we have perfected those Poses* we then expand the sequence to allow one new keyframe space inbetween those keyframes. Now we use that space inbetween those two Poses to create our Breakdown key. With the Breakdown key in place we then expand the sequence again to add a new (empty) keyframe space.

 

*Perfecting the Poses first before moving on to the Breakdown is essential as there will always be a tendency to move on to the Breakdown and Inbetweening too early. In my estimation this defeats the purpose of Pose to Pose animation and the animator is now working Straight Ahead whether or not they wish to work that way (not necessarily a bad thing, but it's just not Pose to Pose animation). Those Golden Poses are a requirement in order to achieve full Clarity in Pose to Pose animation. The goal of strict Pose to Pose animation would be to keep working on subsequent Poses until those Poses can be (mathematically) Inbetweened. This is where people get lost... the animation is complete through the Poses alone. Once the animation is complete the Poses are then simply (often automatically) Inbetweened.

 

(Note that I'll be using a three keyframe animation to illustrate the Pose to Pose methodology here but an animated sequence will contain many more than that. The most basic animated movement however is simply 1,2,3)

 

Let's start again and run through the process beginning with...

 

Key Poses

- Create and perfect the Extreme Poses on sequential frames and lock them down by making keyframes. Do not place additional frames in between these Keys... we'll add those later.

 

Note: We are not working on Timing here but rather on Spacing... but... to do that we do not want to have any spaces between our keyframes... if we do... the computer has created Timing for us and we want to control the Timing... and the Spacing ourselves.

 

This is where 'pairs' comes into play but not in the manner described in Robert's video. In Roberts approach the keyframe pairs are the same Pose. In Pose to Pose we are trying to go from one Extreme to the next Extreme via the path of....

 

Breakdowns

- Grab the sequence (in ideal cases this is only two keyframes) and expand it so that there is one new (empty) frame in between those two keyframes.

(Your keyframes were on 1 and 2 and now you have moved them to 1 and 3 leaving frame 2 empty inbetween)

 

Note: The Breakdown Pose is the one that will supply the personality to the animation. In a Breakdown Pose we often will want to go the opposing direction of where we will go in our animation. This will give the sequence a sense of anticipation. It will maximize usage of screen space. It will set up Secondary Action and Follow Through. It will identify primary Arcs of Movement. It will help set in pace (and place) an ideal Timing for the movement of objects in time-space.

 

Once perfected, lock down this Breakdown key.

You now have three keyframes set on frames 1, 2 and 3.

The basic animation is done at this point and you can pass off this animation to an assistant for them to Inbetween.

 

In my estimation this is the end of 'Blocking' at its most basic definition with one important exception... locking down the over all Timing of the sequence*. An animator does not want to leave this timing up to the Assistant (whether a human being or A:M). So, simply move your three keyframes out to their required Timing. The over all Timing for the sequence is generally dictated by music, dialogue or a set time that has been allotted for the action in that sequence to occur. Timing is not set arbitrarily but is performance based. In cases where the timing of an action is unknown, consider acting the performance out yourself in front of a mirror or on video, or time it with a stopwatch and metronome.

 

The Inbetweener (either the same animator or another animator) will use the same basic approach to setting the Inbetweens as in creating the Key Poses and Breakdown but an important distinction is that they now let the computer assist them in creating the Inbetweens. If the Poses are sufficient to their purpose the computer will precisely place the inbetweens half way in between the established keyframes and the animation may work 'as is'. Lock down that position as an 'official' Inbetween by forcing a Keyframe and move on to the next Inbetween. If an Inbetween is not locked down it's still an inbetween but is subject to unintentional and intentional changes... the adjustment of Timing and Spacing. In computer animation we control Timing and Spacing by the placement of keyframes.

 

Hope I didn't lose anyone.

If I did let me know and I'll clarify.

 

 

*In a three frame sequence the Timing is already locked down which is worth noting because of how it removes that time-factor from arbitrary change or speculation.