Computer Animation Algorithms and Techniques Introduction Rick Parent Computer Animation

Computer Animation Techniques Using a computer Moving things that can’t move themselves Techniques “artistic” animation - key frames & interpolation data-driven animation - mocap procedural animation - physics, behavioral Rick Parent Computer Animation

Motion Perception Motion from sequence of still images persistence of vision - positive afterimage perception of motion - beta motion Marque effect: lights flashing object progressing around Marque Sparkler pattern - tracing out pattern static object Flashing dots - alternating and separated object traveling back and forth Rick Parent Computer Animation

Motion Perception (cont.) display sequence of still images update rate v. display rate film v. video interlaced v. progressive scan flicker, critical flicker frequency Rick Parent Computer Animation

Temporal sampling: wagon wheel effect http://www.maxim-ic.com/app-notes/index.mvp/id/928 Rick Parent Computer Animation

Temporal Sampling: Strobing Rick Parent Computer Animation

Motion Blur Models inability of camera to take pictures instantaneously http://www.digitalphotoacademy.com/DpaObjects/viewTip/4418 Rick Parent Computer Animation

Sample scene over duration of frame time Stochastic Sampling in Computer Graphics by Robert Cook Rick Parent Computer Animation

The Heritage of Animation Early devices & advances Conventional animation Disney Stop Motion Animation Rick Parent Computer Animation

Early Devices: 1800s-early 1900s Optical tricks and illusions Used for ‘parlor’ entertainment and child’s toys Sight and optics not fully or commonly understood Rick Parent Computer Animation

Early Devices - Flipbook http://originsofanimation.wikispaces.com/03+Creating+a+Flip+Bookt Rick Parent Computer Animation

Early Devices - Thaumatrop http://education.eastmanhouse.org/discover/kits/files/3/thaumatrope.php Rick Parent Computer Animation

Early Devices - Zoetrope http://library.thinkquest.org/C0118600/index.phtml?menu=en%3B4%3Bci4008.html Rick Parent Computer Animation

Early Advances - Edison http://projectshum.org/society/people/thomas-edison/ Motion Picture Viewer: 1891 http://www.tcf.ua.edu/Classes/Jbutler/T112/EdisonIllustrations.htm Rick Parent Computer Animation

Early Advances - Lumiere brothers (French) First film ever viewed by an audience: 1895 http://victorpaul-vicsmuse.blogspot.com/2012/04/lumiere-brothers-first-films.html http://mjfdesign.net/ths/lumiere.html Rick Parent Computer Animation

Early Animation - George Melies (French) saw Lumiere brothers’ films started making films in 1896 Animation & Special Effects A Trip to the Moon, 1902 Rick Parent Computer Animation

Early Animation - some others Stuart Blackman Animated smoke in a scene (special effects), 1900 1st animated cartoon: Humorous Phases of Funny Faces, 1906 Emile Cohl (French) 1st fully animated film: Fantasmagorie, 1908 Rick Parent Computer Animation

Early Animation - Winsor McCay 1st celebrated animator Gertie the Dinosaur, 1914 1st use of keyframe animation 1st animation of appealing personality Newpaper Cartoonist Cincinnati Enquirer Little Nemo Rick Parent Computer Animation

Disney Technical progress Multi-Plane Camera stand Artistic progress Rotoscoping Sound Artistic progress Study live action Character drives the motion Rick Parent Computer Animation

Multi-Plane Camera Stand http://www.michaelspornanimation.com/splog/?p=1562 Rick Parent Computer Animation

Rotoscoping http://mayersononanimation.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html Rick Parent Computer Animation

Sound Steamboat Willie, 1928 world's first fully-synchronized sound cartoon. http://priceactionscalping.blogspot.com/2011/03/animation-timeline-walt-disney.html Rick Parent Computer Animation

Stop Motion Animation Willis O’Brien 3D Ray Harrihausen model building http://www.dipity.com/timeline/Rosanna-Arquette/ Willis O’Brien Ray Harrihausen Nick Park Tim Burton http://digitaldreammachine.blogspot.com/2005_02_01_archive.html 3D model building lighting animation “rendering” http://www.stopmotioncentral.com/ http://pharosproductions.com/aosma/smhome.html Rick Parent Computer Animation

Principles of Animation Squash and stretch Arcs Secondary action Slow in & slow out Anticipation Exaggeration Solid drawing Appeal In-between v. straight ahead Follow-through Staging 9 old men of Disney “Illusions of Life” Animation an Art form Rick Parent Computer Animation

Principles of Animation Squash and stretch Arcs Secondary action Slow in & slow out Anticipation Exaggeration Solid drawing Appeal In-between v. straight ahead Follow-through Staging Simulating physics Make it appealing Effective presentation Production alternatives Rick Parent Computer Animation

Principles of Filmmaking they have rules and guidelines! 180 degree rule Rule of thirds 3-point lighting Focus the viewer’s attention: light, color, focus, depth of field Framing Types of shots: high/low, close/mid/long Tilt Rick Parent Computer Animation

Animation Production Production->sequence->shot->frame Key frames & in-betweens Inking: drawings onto cells Painting: coloring in Storyboard: the proposal Pencil tests - motion test Model sheet: consistency Test shot - rendering test Animatic: storyboard with timing Sound: voice, body, special effects, background Rick Parent Computer Animation

Storyboard Rick Parent Computer Animation

Pencil Tests Controls for low-cost rendering to check animation Copyright Disney http://blogs.indiewire.com/leonardmaltin/animated-jazzand-more Rick Parent Computer Animation

Pencil tests & Motion studies Place holder objects Use a cuboid Levels of Detail e.g. Solids of revolution Partial renderings shadows texture reflections render ‘on twos’’ Simplified motion physics articulation facial animation Rick Parent Computer Animation

Computer Animation Production Tasks Story Dept. Art Dept. Modeling Dept. Lighting Dept. Animation Dept. Rendering Dept. Rick Parent Computer Animation

Digital Media Cheap digital storage -high resolution No degradation Digital recording process, digital display process Digital special effects Rick Parent Computer Animation

Digital Media Digital editing - insert editing, looping Digital video - storage, copies Digital audio - fidelity, copies Rick Parent Computer Animation

History of Computer Animation Early activity: 60s-70s In the labs Commercial testing The middle years: 80s Animation comes of age: 90s & beyond Games & Films Rick Parent Computer Animation

uses of CG in Movies Special effects in live action: replacing analog techniques Synthetic objects integrated into live action: stunt doubles As ‘animation’ Rick Parent Computer Animation

CG in Movies - Special Effects Rick Parent Computer Animation

CG in Movies - Insert Elements Rick Parent Computer Animation

CG in Movies - Animation Rick Parent Computer Animation

Early Activity: 60s & 70s in the few university animation research labs testing to see what’s possible methods to move things: mainly interpolation articulated figure animation begins (forward kinematics) not much physics or constraint-based animation Rick Parent Computer Animation

Early Activity Utah - first in graphics: DoD Evans & Sutherland, Frank Crow, Ed Catmull, Jim Blinn CMU - Don Greenberg, Architecture Michael Cohen, Andrew Witkin, Barr, Jessica Hodgins Ohio State - Artistic animation, Chuck Csuri zGrass, Dave Zeltzer, Doug Roble U. Penn - Norm Badler - human figure animation N.C. State - John Staudhammer, Early hardware raster displays N.Y.U. - Utah graduates: Ed Catmull, Alvy Ray Smith Montreal - Daniel Thalmann & Nadia Megnenat-Thalmann Rick Parent Computer Animation

The Middle Years: the 80’s Out of the labs, into the movies First computer animation companies emerge (late 70s) Becomes an industry most activity in commercials some special effects for movies a few synthetic objects inserted in movies space ships, environments Rick Parent Computer Animation

The Middle Years: the 80’s Pixar - six shorts; first to win Academy Award The Works - NYU Young Sherlock Holmes - first CG character Tron - first extensive use of CG The Last Starfighter - first synthetic space ship Future World - first use of CG Looker - first CG character The Abyss - first CG blobby particle system effect Rick Parent Computer Animation

CA comes of age! : the 90’s Serious use of CG in film Ubiquitous digital special effects First computer animation accepted as ‘animation’ Synthetic human figures initial viewing conditions: distant and/or short sequence Recently, more realistic human figures Rick Parent Computer Animation

CA comes of age! : the 90’s breakthrough films Terminator 2 - extensive use of CG effects Jurrasic Park - first integrated CG figures Batman Returns - first use of CG stunt double Jumanji - first use of real CG figures Titanic - extensive use of CG human figures Star Wars - first major CG character Final Fantasy - most realistic use of CG human figures Rick Parent Computer Animation

CA comes of age! Use of CG in traditional animation Beauty and the Beast - CG environment (ballroom) Tarzan - hand-drawn figures in CG environment (trees) Prince of Egypt - CG figures in hand-drawn environment Lion King - flocking control of wildebeast stampede Rick Parent Computer Animation

CA comes of age! Use of CG as traditional animation Toy Story Shrek ANTZ Cars Etc. Dreamworks Disney/Pixar Blue Sky Rick Parent Computer Animation

CA comes of age! Other notable films Saving Private Ryan - extensive use of CG sets & doubles LotR - extensive use of CG effects, characters Spiderman, Batman, TRON: Legacy -reconstructs younger version of actor Avatar: hero characters, fully animated Rick Parent Computer Animation