LOSSLESS COMPRESSION

Now I know we've been told not to compress, and for those of you who have 4-5 hours to waste waiting to upload that 2 minute video, fine.

I have been using this old trick for a long time at 3CrowsStudio.net;

http://maketecheasier.com/how-to-compress-a-video-file-with-virtualdub/2009/05/31

This codec and software will compress both audio and video with what i would say is complete losslessness. :D

At least give it a go, if it doesn't work it's more likely you've missed a step than it has damaged the quality.

Took my 459mb file, turned it into 30mb file (129mins to upload 459mb to youtube) or (8mins to upload 30mb to youtube) and the quality, resolution etc is untouched.

Thank me later.

Also watch this space for the video! (actually watch Animatic, that's where it's going)

cool superman classic short film from disney

...with an interview showing the working process.

FLASH Experimentations and animations

(I have created the video output as a Gif image to save on uploading times.)

Click to watch!

Scene 5 - Gorrila throws a stone from top of tree.

Title Sequence 1

Scene 5 - progression. Given him a right arm with animation. Corrected stone flight path to bounce...

Line Testing - Scenes 3 and 6.

Scene 3

Prod:  EVOLUTION

Ratio: 16:9 (letter box missing)
FPS:  25
Cond: Unrendered
Scene: 3, 3.2, 3.3 (combined) - Evolutional Creature - Line Test

Scene 6

Prod: EVOLUTION

Ratio: 16:9 (letterbox missing)
FPS: 25
Cond: Unrendered
Scene: 6 - Caveman Reaction - Line Test

Relevant artist research

Yuri Norstein

I've chosen Yuri Norsteins' animation, The Hedgehog in the Fog (1975) as it contains a lot of relevant imagery, techniques and art styles I want to accomplish in my own piece.

I particularly like the use of lighting in this animation, switching between light sources and depth of field. Chiarioscuro and film noir lighting has always played a big part in the majority of my work and i want to continue that my animation.

Also relavent in this piece, is the side view walk cycles, the short legs and large body of the hedgehog clearly made the animation process simple. 

Interestingly he's used what appears to be photography of a crafted tree in part of the animation. This is a technique that hadn't occured to me and may be something for consideration at some point during my production.

Scripting

Not putting this on the script page as I found it too complicated and unhelpful;

http://www.awn.com/mag/issue4.04/4.04pages/williamsonscript.php3

May interest someone though, personally found it a bit O.C.D on the line spacings and columns side, but definitely a useful example of a script buried in there.

Just an image i liked, thought i'd chuck it here for now...

http://jeffwamester.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/mauitown.jpg

No info to go with it sadly, but i like the art style a lot.

Hand drawn - Walk Cycle animation tutorial

The first in a whole series of tutorial videos, with some good advice on animating a basic human walk cycle with progression in to more detail.

Movement (walking) animation tutorial in CS4 Flash (available on the course!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qOuvtgAkyQ

Incase it helps get you going, how to draw a character in flash - tutorial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr2Y3DKHiJg&feature=channel

Sadly, I'm unable to embed the video.

If it interests anyone, i have another site:

Just to plug my other site:

www.3CrowsStudio.net

Funny commentary, game reviews, competitions, give aways, tshirts for sale etc etc.

Take a look, and please become a follower/subscriber if you enjoy!

- 3 Crows Studio

First Animation Attempt using Photoshop and Easy Gif Animator 5

60 digital frames running at 16/100th's of a second. 

(It's a .gif image, so if it's not running as you see it and it should be obvious, try clicking on it to view)

The quality got a bit sloppy towards the end, but I was experimenting to find how to encourage speed in the drop and also to reduce work in the animation process. Overall I dont think it looks too bad, few more cells in the last couple of animations and it could be fairly smooth.

Videos

Homer evolves from a single cell organism into a couch potato.

Pearl Jam - Evolution Music Video.

Fat Boy Slim - Right Here, Right Now. Music Video.

       Clay Animation by unknown artist. 

 

Amazing clip where scientists and computer experts use CGI programming to bring to life the walk of the primeval link between ape and man. Free video from the BBC.

Walking With Beasts from BBC Worldwide

(even the advert is an interesting stop animation!)

In the Beginning...

This is a blog to document production for the Exploring Animation course at UWE/Bristol School of Animation.

It's a brand new site, and only day 2 of the course so I will be updating this a lot more as I progress.