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Introduction to 3D Computer Animation
Dr. Midori Kitagawa University of Texas at Dallas Arts and Technology Program
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Table of Contents History: Pioneers of animation
Principles of animation Types of 3D computer animation
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1. History: Pioneers of animation
J. Stuart Blackton ( ) Winsor McCay ( ) John Bray ( ) Max Fleischer ( ) Walt Disney ( )
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J. Stuart Blackton (1875-1941) Father of animation
In 1896 as a reporter/artist for the New York Evening World newspaper, Blackton interviewed Thomas Edison Became a "rapid-drawing cartoonist" for a series of Edison shorts.
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J. Stuart Blackton ( ) Combined stop motion, puppetry, and live action Enchanted Drawing, 1900 Humorous Phases of Fanny Faces, 1906
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Winsor McCay (1867-1934) Father of character animation
Already well known for his newspaper cartoons “Little Nemo”,
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Winsor McCay ( ) Gave believability and personality to his hand-drawn characters Gertie the Dinosaur, 1914 Sinking of Lusitania, 1916
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John Randolph Bray (1874-1978) Founder of the animation industry
Reporter for the Detroit Evening News, 1901- In 1914 Bray’s partner Earl Hurd patented the use of clear cels over background Hurd and Bray formed the Hurd and Bray Patent Company in 1914
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John Randolph Bray ( ) Turned artistic work into an assembly-line production With additional patents obtained by Bray, the company monopolized the animation process The patents expired in 1932 Much of what Bray claimed to have invented have been credited to McCay and others. Colonel Heeza Liar’s, 1913
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Max Fleischer (1883-1972) Inventor of the rotoscope
A cartoonist and photographer for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle Art director for the magazine Popular Science Worked at Bray’s studio
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Max Fleischer (1883-1972) Rotoscope
Traces the movement of live actors, frame by frame
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Max Fleischer ( ) Produced the first animation with a synchronized sound track in 1924 Fleischer studio produced Betty Boop, Popeye, and Superman cartoon series Affected by the Hays Code in 1934 Tantalizing Fly, 1919
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Walt Disney (1901-1966) Inventor of the family entertainment
Film producer, director, screen writer, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur Greatly influenced 20th century American culture
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Walt Disney (1901-1966) Father of Mickey Mouse
Steamboat Willie (1928) was not the first Mickey Mouse cartoon produced or released Not the first sound cartoon either The first sound cartoon that achieved wide commercial success
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History: Pioneers of animation
“Disney’s memory belongs to the public; Max’s to those who remember him by choice.” (Heraldson, 1975)
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2. Principles of animation
Created by animators at the Walt Disney Studios in the early 1930’s Helped to transform animation from a novelty into an art form Still today Guide production and creative discussions Train young animators better and faster Applicable to 2D/3D computer animation as well as traditional hand-drawn animation
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Principles of animation
From Illusion of Life: Disney Animation by Ollie Johnson and Frank Thomas Squash and stretch Anticipation Staging Straight ahead action and pose to pose Follow through and overlapping action Slow-in and slow-out Arcs Secondary action Timing Exaggeration Solid drawing Appeal
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Principles of animation
Physics Aesthetics Squash and stretch Follow through Timing Slow-in and slow-out Secondary action Arcs Exaggeration Solid drawing Overlapping action Appeal Production methods Straight ahead action and pose to pose Presentation of action Anticipation Staging
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Principles of animation
Physics Squash and stretch Follow through Timing Secondary action Slow in and slow out Arcs
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Squash and stretch While many real world objects, e.g. a rock, have little or no flexibility most organic objects, e.g. a human body, have some flexibility in their shapes When an object moves, its movement indicates the rigidity of the object
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Squash and stretch No matter how squashed or stretched out an object gets, its volume should remain constant
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Follow through Termination of action Nothing stops at once
When the main body of a character stops all other parts continue to catch up it, such as arms, long hair, clothing, floppy ears, and a long tail
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Follow through
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Timing Timing, i.e., the speed of an action, gives meaning to movement, both physical and emotional meaning Timing affects the perception of mass of an object
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Timing Timing gives meaning to movement
A character looks first over the right shoulder and then over the left shoulder. Varying the number of inbetweens can imply: 0: hit by a strong force and its head almost snapped off 1: hit by something substantial, .e.g., frying pan 2: has a nervous twitch 3: dodging a flying object 4: giving a crisp order 6: sees something inviting 9: thinking about something 10: stretching a sore muscle
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Timing Timing affects the perception of mass of an object
The slower the object moves the heavier it looks
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Slow-in and slow-out Spacing of inbetweens at extremes
Soften the action and make it more life-like Without slow-out With slow-out
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Secondary action Smaller motions that complement the main action, e.g. hair flows as a character turns its head Increases the complexity and interest in a scene
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Arcs All actions, with few exceptions (e.g., motion of a mechanical device), follow an arc or slightly circular path Especially true of the human figure and the action of animals Arcs give animation a more natural action and better flow
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Principles of animation
Aesthetics Exaggeration Appeal Overlapping action
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Exaggeration A caricature of facial features, expressions, poses, attitudes, and actions Makes it more realistic and entertaining Not arbitrary distortion of shapes nor making an action more violent or unrealistic
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Exaggeration “If a character is sad, make him sadder; if he is bright, make him shine; worried, make him fret; wild, make him frantic.” (Lasseter, 1987)
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Solid drawing Ability to draw weight, volume, and balance
Aesthetic sensibility for forms, textures, lights, and motions
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Appeal Animated characters must appeal to the audience.
They don't need to be lovely, cute and nice, but they must be interesting, somehow attractive. Villains as well as heroes and heroines should have appeals
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Appeal A live performer has charisma; an animated character has appeal
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Overlapping action Starting a second action before the first action has completely finished Keeps the interest of the viewer, since there is no dead time between actions
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Overlapping action "When a character knows what he is going to do he doesn't have to stop before each individual action and think to do it. He has it planned in advance in his mind." Disney
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Principles of animation
Presentation of action Anticipation Staging
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Anticipation Preparation for an action, e.g., when a character is about to jump, he first crouches to gain momentum and the takes off Prepares the viewer for the action that will happen Longer anticipation is needed for faster actions
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Staging Clear presentation of an idea, where the idea can be an action, a personality, an expression, or a mood An idea should be unmistakably clear to the viewer
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Staging One idea at a time
A personality should be staged so that it is recognizable
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Principles of animation
Production methods Straight ahead Pose to pose
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Straight ahead Starts at the first drawing in a scene and then draws all of the subsequent frames until the end of the scene Creates very spontaneous and zany looking animation Used for wild, scrambling action
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Pose to pose Planned out and charted with key drawings done at intervals throughout the scene Action, size, volumes, and proportions are controlled than straight ahead The lead animator will turn keys over to his assistant
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Principles of animation
Another way to look at the principles Before action Beginning of action Middle of action End of action Anticipation Slow-in Slow-out Staging Follow through Squash and stretch, straight ahead, pose to pose, overlapping action, arcs, secondary action, timing, exaggeration, solid drawing, appeal
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Principles of animation
Essential for 3D computer animation
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3. Types of 3D computer animation
Keyframe animation Motion capture animation Procedural animation
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Feature length animation examples
Keyframe animation Pixar: Cars (2011, 2006), Toy Story (2010, 1999, 1995), Up (2009), Wall-E (2008), Nemo (2003), Mosters’ Inc (2001) PDI/DreamWorks: Shrek (2010, 2007, 2004, 2001), How to Train Your Dragon (2010), Kanfu-panda (2008)
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Feature length animation examples
Motion capture animation Fox/Weta: Avatar (2010) Sony Pictures: Beowulf (2007), Monster House (2006), Polar Express (2004)
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Feature length animation examples
Procedural animation There are short films that are procedurally produced. No feature length animation that is entirely procedural animation. Procedural animation is often used as effect animation for live action films and 3D computer animations.
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Keyframe animation Keyframe is a drawing (image) of a key moment in an animation sequence, where the motion is at its extreme Inbetweens fill the gaps between keyframes
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Keyframe animation In traditional animation, skilled animators draw keyframes; less experienced animators draw inbetweens In 3D computer animations, animators set up parameter values for keyframes; software interpolates parameter values between keyframes for inbetweens Every motion is created by animators
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Keyframe animation Different interpolation methods create different timing Linear interpolation Spline interpolation
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Motion capture animation
What is motion capture? Sampling and recording motion of humans, animals, and inanimate objects s 3D data Data can be applied to 3D computer models
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Motion capture animation
Faster to produce animation than keyframing (if an established production pipeline exists) Secondary motions and all the subtle motions are captured, providing more realism
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Procedural animation Motion is generated by a procedure, a set of rules Animator specifies rules and initial conditions and runs simulation
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Procedural animation Provides more realism in natural phenomena than keyframing Frees animators from generating complex objects and keyframing a large number of objects
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Procedural animation Used for effect animation for traditional animation and live action films as well as for 3D computer animation
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Types of animation A combination of keyframe animation, motion capture and/or procedural animation is often used to produce animations
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Midori Kitagawa, Ph.D.
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