Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose

Pose to Pose (Blocking)

This animation uses a method called blocking which is created using the principle pose to pose. This technique involves planning out animation using strong poses that convey each scene. Pose to pose is the more popular and industry standard of animation. The positives of pose to pose are it is more flexible and is easy to change. It also allows stronger timing and pacing, overall it is more efficient and allows more control. However sometimes pose to pose when executed incorrectly can lead to stiff and unappealing motion. 

This animation uses blocking to allow a base for the story and movement. The character jumps over a wall and lands. To get the effect of blocking stepped tangents were used. Overall the animation is basic but the poses tell the story.

Straight Ahead 

Straight ahead animation involves starting from the beginning and adding a pose to every frame. In stop motion only straight ahead is used, this means that the animation and story have to be planned out in great detail in advance. This also means that everything including secondary and tertiary actions also have to be animated on each frame. Straight ahead allows alot more creative and bizarre happy accidents that can compliment the animation, however if not planned out it can be frustrating to correct errors which can been in this animation.

Overall this animation came out better than expected, the story became a robot falling in love and trying to kiss a girl robot. The animation uses arcs to show feelings of love and embarrassment, however it was not very well planned and lacks timing. On the hand it created some spontaneous motion that might not have happened when using pose to pose. 

The beginning uses exaggeration when the jaw drops off in awe of the girl, As he stands up it shows he is in love with her, the arcs as he moves forward reflect this as though he is lighter. The girl robot was added as staging to get the point across. When he loses his mouth he moves back in embarrassment then leans over to kiss her.

The story and premise of this idea seems interesting, this experiment sparked an idea that could be implemented into pose to pose. the animation is rough and needs work but it was a good experiment.

Uses of Exaggeration, Staging, Appeal and Solid Drawing in Pixar's UP

Staging

 

Staging is used to add more emphasis to a mood of a scene whether the mood is happy sad or scary for example. The staging in these scenes shows the contrast mood and time. The first scene is set in the spring or summer which shows a more positive mood. The characters Carl and Ellie are in the prime of their life, The use of lighting as well as the clear blue sky all add staging to the emotion. The second still shows the opposite mood. The sunset complimented with the season of autumn tell the audience that Ellie's life is coming to an end. The style of clouds are smoggy this is well staged by the big city that shows progress, this also creates a symbol of time and how so much has changed in Carl and Ellie's lifetime.
The staging also uses role reversal with the character's, the first is used in a more lighthearted and feel of fatigue. While the second is more serious and by the staging of the action shows that Ellie is getting weaker and soon to die.

Appeal

Appeal is implemented to display character and personality through appearance and mannerisms. With Carl and Ellie the Appeal can be displayed through the use of shapes Carl is based more on cubes while Ellie is more rounded. This straight away represents personality. In Carl's case as he becomes older the cube shapes become more exaggerated not just the face but the body as well. The eyes in Pixar movies are usually bigger to add a more cute sense of appeal. This is used in allot of animated characters because it allows more expressive emotion than real life, this is also a use of exaggeration. Carl has more exaggerated features from his big round nose to his giant over sized glasses. All this adds appeal to Carl's character and persona    

Exaggeration

Exaggeration is taking something from reality and adding more to it, if it's sad make it sadder if its scary make it scarier and so on. Exaggeration can be used to affect the audiences mood. In these two stills the emotion of sadness is shown. The exaggeration is also shown through the staging, in the first the light is quite intense. In the second image the exaggeration shows feelings of heart break. The strong use of silhouette shadows contrasting against the uncomfortable lighting of the hospital show the feelings of the characters because of the exaggerated bold and dramatic poses.

Solid Drawing

Solid drawing is a term used from traditional art principles. techniques like perspective, lighting and shading, weight, dimension and depth. Even though these principles are more used for traditional animation, the techniques are still implemented with 3D computer animation. One example is that there are no twins both in the poses and the model designs. Twins means both sides of the character are symmetrical creating a bland a uninteresting design.
The use of juxtapositions is used to frame the characters in the center of interest, in a landscape drawing this is known as the golden section. This is also part of the staging as well.
In the first image there is an example of weight the way Ellie leaning over to saw the wood, as well as Carl's balance on the ladder. Weight adds volume that can be displayed in squash and stretch. Solid drawing allows real life observation which also allows more striking poses that show emotion.  

Arcs

ball arc

Here is a ball that moves in a curved arc. Arcs add more fluidity in motion allowing more controlled movement.   Arcs are apart of every living creature and can also show mood and personality.
overall the animation needs more time on the anticipation.

Robot pushing a ball

This animation could a have been more sophisticated however a simple story was applied instead. overall the result is simple but effective creating punchy actions.
Overall the only problem is the follow through on the antenna is to exaggerated.

Arcs of emotion in Ryan J Woodward's Thought Of You

Thought of You Video

the arcs in this animation vary from timing and pacing, they add fluidity and variety to the different emotions that the character and the audience feel.

The story of this animation can depend on different opinions e.g the guy is witnessing a girl in his dreams but at the end he becomes the dream of the girl

The start anticipates the tired mannerism as he first struggles to wake up the arcs first feel slow and subtle, representing the weight of that particular struggle. which everyone can relate to.

As he gets up from his sleep you feel the tension he is feeling. the arcs become faster as he stands up. the arc as he kicks shows anticipation for the next action.
when he discovers the girl the emotion of curiosity and intrigue, as she disappears there is an arc which displays sad emotion on the man as he tries to catch her but misses and drops to the floor in despair.

1:15 shows the use of arcs as the joy builds up displaying sharp punchy actions of slow in and out. This really shows the beautiful relationship that just can't be. The fast and fluid motion shows love and joy.

Overall the animation displays arcs that display, tension, sadness, curiosity, love, surprise, eventually builds up with joy then eventually ends on a sorrowful note. The use of fluid fast and slow actions are complimented by the punchy timing. creating strong contrasting emotions of love and sorrow. This hits the heart and gets the viewers invested in the story and the characters, which are the two main focuses when it comes to animation.

Secondary Action

Squirrel jumping onto platform

This animation required starting with the primary action first, this was to establish what the main action was, which in this case it is a ball bouncing up to a platform. The secondary action complements the primary action creating the effect of a squirrel. Depending on what the main action is determines the secondary action.
On this animation observing videos of squirrels allowed for the correct timing and pacing allowing more fluid animation.
One issue that was noticeable was the tail was not in time with main action, however fixing the pacing of the tail hitting the ground as it takes off created more feeling of weight and dynamic movement.
there is also a line of action as the ball leads the tail.

Dog discovers new toy

    

                               

The second animation shows a dog discovering something new to them. The scene uses psychological anticipation to get across what they are thinking. This allows the audience to gain an experience what the character feels. the animation follow throughs many different emotions and actions. At the start he looks hopeful and curious, then he is sad, then surprised then finally giddy and determined. This was to display dog like mannerisms quickly going from one emotion to the next. The timing and pacing of this animation was taken into consideration as well as secondary actions to add more to the canine mannerisms.

Slow in and slow out was used to show weight. One example of this is when the giant dog toy gets knocked by the dog. creating a bump effect as the toy flies out of the camera view. Overall this animation was the first attempt of showing emotion with a character and also what the character is thinking.

The secondary action in this animation was the tail and ears. The tail showed the mood such as sad when his tail drooped down slowly but then stiff and alert when to show shock. This was inspired by the animated short (Dinner) by Bird box. The ears also show secondary action but they are only effected when he is in shock as they rise up slowing in and out.

The one critique is when the dog runs back too fast instead of gaining momentum as the character goes backwards. This has now been fixed to a certain degree.
    

Critical evaluation of secondary action in dinner

The first primary action is at 0:16 and involves the dog eating his dinner, the use of exaggeration adds emphasis and appeal to the action. The secondary action through the animation is the use of emotion through how his tail wags, weather he is happy, excited, depressed or anxious etc his tail compliments to the overall primary main action of the animation.

The main primary plot is a dog trying to get back his food. at 0:29 the bark also consists of a secondary action and also exaggerates with a wide open jaw, this also adds to personality of the canine.