As you probably already know, animation principles are the backbone of professional quality character animation. How you use the principles and apply them is just as important.
When you begin to animate with computer software, especially in 3D software like Maya for example, it’s very easy to become so dazzled with how cool 3D objects [...]
To be completely honest, retakes (sometimes called revisions) are the least fun part of the job of an animator, but they are always a part of an animators job. No matter how talented and skilled, every animator gets retakes.
Retakes and revisions are changes that you have to make to your work. Sometimes it’s changes to [...]
In any animated series or feature film, the director will have a pre-concieved vision of how he/she sees the story play out scene by scene in order to be sucessful as a whole piece.
This is why Animators are provided with support material such as liecas (or animatics), storybords, reference videos, and other support material – [...]
Animators work on computers all day. At least most do today. With FTP sites, web based production management systems and easy file transfering, there’s no real reason why we can’t do our work from anywhere in the world and not have to commute to work every day if it isn’t conducive with your life situation. [...]
In my own experience, being good at what you do and having an ‘easy-to-get-along-with’ attitude are key to being considered for a promotion.
If you rock the boat too much at work or you’re too outspoken it’s probably not going to help you, but at the same time being too aloof and not communicating with people [...]
Although there are permanent/full time positions in studios, most animators work on a contract basis.
An employment contract is a legal document which states the terms of your employment including your salary. This contract is an agreement made between you and the employer before you start work.
Description/What you learn:
Before we start animating we should set ourselves up for easy character control selections. Here’s two different ways to do it and why. We will use a pre-rigged and textured ball.
Exercises: go to animcareerpro.com
Download and open the file. Set up the ball with character sets (or a shelf button if you prefer). Save it to use in Maya Workshop 4
Quick Animation Review
Packed with action and suspense, this story keeps you on the edge of your seat. Although it reminds me of the chase scene in Ratatouille, it's still original and very well done. I have nothing bad to say about the animation, it's all there, looks fantastic. I especially enjoyed the bit of 2D in there with the chef chopping up the squid - really drives the motive for the escape. Nice cliff hanger at the end - looking forward to another one of these!
This is a short created at Gobelins L'Ecole de L'Image (Goblins School of the Image). A school in Paris dedicated to the visual arts which is best known for the Cinéma Department of Animation. Oktapodi won a flurry of festival awards in 2007 and 2008, and was nominated for Best Animated Short at the 2009 Academy Awards.
Also check out the making if Oktapodi - shows a snippet of the extensive planning and pre/post production that went into the film. It's on the Oktapodi site http://www.oktapodi.com