Proof of Concept

[TheToadStool]

I wanted to compile my many experiments with Animation Master recently as it pertains to a particular short I am working on. This project is inspired by Twin Peaks, the Twilight Zone, and Phantasm possibly. I am trying to see what I can get away with regarding our favorite software- Animation Master. Recently, I've been trying to rig complicated .obj models and have been utilizing smartskinning and rigging. Some of these shorts are old and I didn't understand hair and the like. Also, there's a bit of motion Capture using Brekel Pro Face 2. Anyhow, thanks for letting me post. More updates later!

 

Adam

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcQhap93-tM

[RS3D]

I liked that little subtle eye movements that you put in some of the talking segments. It adds a lot to the project.

[John Bigboote]

Great stufff- a lotta work!!

[TheToadStool]

I just wanted to put some of these ideas out there to perhaps invite criticism or support for certain techniques. One of the things is that being a lone animator with big dreams can be difficult. There's so much to learn and then there's all the trial and error in addition. The one rig I'm working on seems to snap at the elbows a bit an I'm really trying to deconstruct the process and am discovering the nuance of control and cosmetic bones. It's interesting to see how many ways there are to go about a particular problem. I'm also in awe about how "animated" some of the work I've seen on this forum have been, involving a study of human feeling and movement and being exaggerated for cartoony effect. This is not a strength of mine and so I'm hoping to deconstruct the process tweaking motion capture. (Kind of like Data on Star Trek trying to figure out Humans.)

For this project I have relied heavily on the tutorials of Barry Zundel which I can't recommend enough: http://barryzundel.blogspot.com/p/animationmaster-2005-tutorials.html

I am very interested to know what people think about that method of rigging and what alternative ideas there out there.

 

I'll let you all know when the film is finished. We'll likely have VR by then and animation will be obsolete but who cares !

 

 

 

Adam

[itsjustme]

The one rig I'm working on seems to snap at the elbows a bit an I'm really trying to deconstruct the process and am discovering the nuance of control and cosmetic bones.

 

I'm biased, but I'll give you my two cents.

 

Before watching the later tutorials, you'll need to understand Expressions. This thread has a few tutorials (throughout the thread) that might be helpful: https://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=39551&p=345915

 

The most accurate arm/leg rig I've worked with is outlined in this tutorial: https://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=40164&p=352433

 

The popping can be minimized in any rig using the method outlined in this tutorial: https://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=39551&p=366938

 

A more involved example of these two methods are in Squetchy Sam (rigged with the Squetch Rig) located in this post: https://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=27815&page=9&do=findComment&comment=404735

 

 

 

Hope those help, Adam.

[TheToadStool]

Hey David, I did download all of the expressions tutorials some time ago and I have managed to use expressions to adapt a 3rd party face capture program to Animation Master : https://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=37735&hl=brekel&do=findComment&comment=409469

 

I know very little about this and am very interested in learning. I knew there was a reason I re-took Calculus a few years ago (mid-life crisis).

 

I think part of the problem with the bones popping as I mentioned above may have been solved when I discovered the roll handles on various parts of the arm were not properly set. I discovered this while watching your tutorial scalene_arm_rig_tutorial.mov . Forearms rotate differently than bicepts for example (duh!). I'm hoping this gives a little fluidity back to the character movement. If not, I still have to follow the other tutorial you mentioned above.

 

I would like to know more about expressions, at least examples of what they can accomplish so that I can get my imagination going on them. I'd be excited to see the many ways in which they can be applied.

 

I just have to be patient and try and grasp the math.

 

thanks,

 

 

Adam