What Makes a Good Story Board

A good story board conveys a story clearly using pictures to time out the memorable actions, so that when they are put to animation the acting is clearly staged. Using pictures to show a story instead of words allows understanding of the animation from an actor’s perspective. The story board can be used to show camera angles and editing techniques for different shots of the animation. Simplicity is a key to good story boards, if a scene is too complicated it will be difficult to see what the animation is trying to convey. Continuity is important to avoid errors when animating as well as to keep the flow of the story. The story should be set out as follows, first introduce your story through the character and the conflict they end up in as well as what starts off the conflict. Next set up the gags and story beats to add character and emotion. Lastly subvert the audiences expectations, doing something unexpected will surprise the audience, a twist in the story. Focus on the animation principles and where they can be used to create a more fluid and well timed animation. Lastly the principles as well as clever psychological gestures and mannerisms will bring the animation to life through the storyboard.     

Fox Hungry for Doughnuts

Fox Hungry for Doughnuts

To prepare for the animation study was done on foxes leap into snow. However not as much study was done the focus was on showing some anphromorphism in the animal and to show what he is doing. Camera angles helped to imply his actions e.g. the high camera shot to make the bin look massive and the fox look smaller in comparison. The front shot was to signify it is a fox, since the rig was very simple but the ears signify it as a fox.
the camera panning and dolly at the beginning allowed to set the theme of the location and anticipate the foxes motivation which is the bin filled with doughnuts.


Here is an animation of a fox hungry for delicious doughnuts. The animation was a huge experiment with cinematography and editing as well as staging and   mise-en-scene. Using different camera angles to convey the foxes height and his situation.
The strongest principle in this animation is staging, the use of editing, the way the camera follows the character from one key pose to another.
The use of follow through on the tail needs work however it gets the message across. Secondary action was used on the ears to show foxes emotion surprise when he see's the doughnuts.
The use of squash and stretch as the fox coils back to jump and then the payoff.
The entire animation used motion paths to get the timing pacing, as well as the arcs in the jump.

Character's thought process from start to end

(tired) since he is hungry (the ears are lower and drooped movement is like tiptoeing as he slows in)
(surprised) when he see's the doughnuts (ears pop out in amazement)
(curious/confident) looks round to make sure no one is about (head looks around surveying the street. prances underneath the bin confidently)
(excited) As he gets closer and anticipates to jump in, (nods in excitement and crouches down to jump)
(concentration) as he jumps in to Doughnut Heaven.

The animation portrays some of these emotions but with more time could be executed better. With a more detailed rig more could be conveyed e.g snout sniffing out the food.

Overall the animation is rough but it has character and that is the most important aspect that we are looking at. The focus was on the characters motivations and objective. This accomplished for this animation.



Model credits go to
https://www.creativecrash.com/maya/downloads/character-rigs/c/flyingfox

Character Design Ideas

A child who is mischievous and has a powerful imagination. A child like Tom Sawyer maybe.

Or maybe a creature of some kind like a gecko or a rabbit

Story Boarding Ideas

Here is where ideas for the final animation will be brainstormed and altered.


Proud: lower power center more chilled thought out movement 
Nervous: Higher power center means faster and more agitated movement

Actions

Hiding from someone
A child hiding from there parents after pulling a prank on there sibling. Excited, Proud, Nervous, Sad

example property of Walt Disney Animation

A smooth thief stealthily avoiding guards or cameras in a diamond heist. Proud

A explorer  hides from a group of monsters triggered by traps.

Lifting a heavy object

A character getting a giant package in the mail and trying to pick it up Excited.

A pirate or explorer lifting a rock away to reveal a hidden cave. Proud, Frustrated, Excited

Character lifting an object with there mind, Proud, Excited, Frustrated 


Opening a small gift

An explorer discovering a tiny treasure chest and trying to open it Frustrated, Excited

A character opening a birthday present on April fools day, Nervous,

Opening a locket from childhood. Sad, Happy 


Performing a circus trick

walking a tightrope, nervous, Tired

Talking to talkative person on phone

getting rudely awoken in the night by a friend, Tired, Frustrated, 

Critical Analysis

Roger Rabbit Short 

property of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Image Works

Here is a short animation taken from the film "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" 1988 produced by Disney Animation and directed by Robert Zemeckis.

The film starts off with an homage to the loony tunes with the iconic bulls eye opening emphasizing the two main characters. The style and motifs create a 1940's golden age cartoon short. This can be conveyed through the classic typography as well as the way the entire animation is illustrated through the appeal. The title card introduces and anticipates the shenanigans of a slapstick cartoon.

The cartoon is an homage to classic cartoons from the 40's golden age. The structure of this short goes from one conflict to bigger conflict, while the pacing speeds up as the slapstick becomes more exaggerated. 

Allot of great TV shows and films appeal to me because they take one situation that leads to conflict ,which then leads to bigger conflicts and in the end a good payoff when the conflict is resolved. This form of structure creates more gripping stories, The Protagonist has to face a big conflict in order to achieve a big objective.

The Colour scheme of the cartoon is also visually appealing and portrays the 40s Americana design, the saturated colours of the characters contrast nicely with the less saturated backgrounds  making them almost jump out the screen. However unlike old shorts from the 40's there is more attention to detail in the lighting and shadows. This allows the cartoon to look new as well as vintage.

The cinematography can be realistic in some shots and gets more surreal as Roger comes across conflict an example would be at 3:17 where the kitchen becomes more deformed and abstracted 2:05, While a shot at the beginning 0:24 shows a low camera shot of Rogers height perspective allowing the audience to get more involved with his situations.

The music in each situation is engaging and creates different moods that reflect the two main characters actions.  

The short is also not afraid of breaking rules which is also another example of the animation feeling like a classic golden age cartoon.

The film starts off with an homage to the loony tunes with the iconic bulls eye opening emphasizing the two main characters. The style and motifs create a 1940's golden age cartoon short. This can be conveyed through the classic typography as well as the way the entire animation is illustrated through the appeal. The title card introduces and anticipates the shenanigans of a slapstick cartoon,

You never see the mothers body or face this is another cartoon trope this can be seen in Tom and Jerry episodes and could be where this trope originated.

Rogers Design looks like an influence of Bugs bunny.

The film is a PG which means that the recommended audience can be from older kids to adults. The short would appeal to children and teens, however some adults may find this scene too goofy and silly.

This short appeals to kids but it also like classic cartoons has jokes meant for adults and older audiences. The slapstick is very fluid and also uses some subtle innuendo's and mild language.   

As the plot starts there is conflict straight away, Roger has been given the responsibility to baby sit his owners child or else he will be taken back to the science lab. A scene is a negotiation he ever wins or loses. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZBcVBqAAUI 

The merrie melodies intro opening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqGuxOH4Sg4

Tom and Jerry because of the similarities of the kitchen and two characters conflicting with each other. Roger and Herman are in conflict just like Tom and Jerry. Roger however is trying to protect Herman completely an opposite to Tom and Jerry.  

What is the main characters thought process ?

from 0:27 to 1:17

Roger starts out as relaxed and lazy until the (Antagonist) mother asks him to babysit Herman, next he shows a nervous expression as he is threatened by her.

next he shows pride as he promises he will do well but through his psychological gestures he does seem a little nervous because of his personality he gets carried away and keeps talking even though she has left. This leads to the main conflict as the baby leaves the crib and goes on a mission to get the cookies. Then Roger notices and shows panic. 

Why the Protagonist is likable ?

Roger is an underdog in the film and is more dysfunctional, traits like this can be more relate able  and therefore this makes the audience root for him more. As he goes through the conflict you emphasize with his situations. His goal in life is to make people laugh which is a positive and likable goal. 

Overall I have learnt to be observant and notice new things to create amazing stories characters and animations.

Final Animation Mini Project

Mini Project

This is the final animation where all the principles of animation are combined together to create a story. The animation also takes in for account the rules of storytelling in which there is a beginning middle and end.
The principles are displayed as follows.

The timing and pacing of the animation is snappy to give it comedic elements.
The anticipation of the animation builds up through each act leading to the climax, for example as the robot is first introduced in the first act he slowly sticks his head and neck out to face the audience and anticipates the next action. Next he displays a secondary action in his antennae showing curiosity and also a sense of appeal of personality. Next a slow in occurs as he quickly sticks his head back in. As he jumps he ascends to jump on the A which is the first plot point of the animation. Arcs and exaggeration are used to boost the strength of the jump and the reaction as he squashes the letter. Squash and stretch was implemented to exaggerate and show the mannerisms of the robot as well as the weight. He jumps on the letter twice to anticipate the second act. Next Staging is implemented to build up anticipation the lights start to flash red creating an alarm. the robot then looks like he has got himself in trouble as he crouches and his antenna reacts showing he is only just aware of it. This is a use of comedic timing and psychological anticipation.   Then follow through is used on the A as it starts to jiggle around as does the robot. The robot then shows an exaggerated gulp before he experiences his doom. The letter then uses slow out as it anticipates turning into a slingshot to launch the robot. this is the end of act 2 which leads the animation into its climax the second plot point is clear that the robot will be flung into the sky. Lastly the anticipation is built up as the robot is flung up slowly following a path of action, an exaggerated follow through is then used as his head stays in place then vigorously slows out. This was inspiration from a more recent Wile Coyote cartoon episode Chariots of Fur 1994.

The animation was rendered and lit to add better staging and was composited in adobe premiere pro to get the best resolution. Solid Drawing was used in the poses of the robot as well as in the composition of the staging and the positioning of the camera. Pose to pose was used to get the correct timing of the jump this required using stepped tangents when first beginning the animation. straight ahead was however not used.

The only critique of this animation is to make the gulp at 0:10 would be more noticeable to the audience if the head was on a profile (silhouette) to make the action of exaggeration more readable.
             

Exaggeration examples

The two examples show exaggeration can be used at it's most subtle or its most powerful. Both show examples this principle can be applied for comedy           

Here is an example of Exaggeration in mood. The mood is a fake smile, taking a normal smile and curving it to a point it creates a humorous effect. The eyes show psychological Exaggeration this shows feelings of discomfort and in this case hiding something.
The Exaggeration can also be shown through the appeal the creases and wrinkles show the character is old and decrepit, the purple clothes she's wearing can represent wealth but also insanity

   
Exaggeration is well known for strong and powerful movement. In Looney Toons this principle is used to new heights squashing and stretching the body, rapid timing and surprise reactions with humorous results.