Links, enlaces et liens

http://www.timrudder.com/animationmentor/maya-hotkey-placement/
A new configuration for Maya hotkeys, easier for your free hand.

http://www.penciltestdepot.com
Only pencil tests. Great source of inspiration.

http://www.rleonardi.com/interactive-resume/
Interactive Resume. Pretty nice and original!

http://www.splinebomb.com/animation-competition-joy/
Another animation competition at Splinebomb!


Enjoy!

AnimSchool Animation Student Showcase Fall 2013

Some great performances here!

Cesc Pujol Character Animation Reel

This is one of the best character reels I've seen. So many shots full of life and detail.



Character Animation Reel 2013 from cesc pujol font on Vimeo.

TARZAN 3D - Making Of [HD]

Very cool look at the Making of of Tarzan 3D.

Mac n' Cheese - Supermarket

Via Splinebomb.



Mac 'n' Cheese - Supermarket from Mac 'N' Cheese on Vimeo.

Superman 75th Anniversary Animated Short

I'm a big Superman fan, so this is short is just great! :)

David Stodolny: Animation Demo Reel 2013

This demo reel is filled with such an amazing work. Love all the small details and the lipsync is excellent pretty much everywhere! I think what he did on the shot with the guy in cuffs, especially the hands, to keep them alive, is great!

Links, enlaces and liens

http://www.gameanim.com/2013/09/11/seamless-mocap-cycles-tutorial/
Nice tutorial on how to improve your mocap sessions.

http://www.splinebomb.com/panicked-winners/
Winners of the Splinebomb contest.

http://www.cgmeetup.net/home/ultimate-rigs-maya-rigs-maya-character-rigs-free-maya-rigs/
Some free Maya rigs available for download!

http://www.speakingofanimation.com/2013/10/podcast-cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs-double-feature/
Podcast with some animators that worked on Cloudy with the Chance of Meatballs 1 and 2.

Python tutorials for Motion Builder

I found a couple of good tutorials about Python scripting in MotionBuilder done by Alex Forsythe. If you're interested, check them out! Totally worth it!

http://awforsythe.com/tutorials

 Cheers!

Pixel Challenge notes

For a long time now, I wanted to post my notes of the different masterclasses I assisted during the Pixel Challenge conference, both as a way to have a backup and to share them since it must be useful for someone else.

My notes are basically phrases that summarize an idea, generally short and concise.

Here we go!

Cameron Fielding - Understanding reference

Cameron Fielding - Using reference from iAnimate on Vimeo.

• On analyzing your reference: What motion describes physicality?
• What should you copy? (from your reference)
• Never just assume you know what it looks like.
• What to look in your reference: Honesty, not subtlety.
• "It's the quality of the artist interpretation that makes art, not the subject itself"
• The pose is king. Motion is secondary to the gesture.
• Forget about movement, what pictures do I need to understand this movement? Which are my "first impression" images?
• Where do you start?
1. Capture your first impression images (to summarize the feeling of the shot).
2. Think like a technician (forget about art).
• Changes of direction (for characters, focus on one part of the body)
• Ins, Outs (just before and just after a change in direction)
• Weight shifts (not the passing position)
3. Think like an artist
• Motion is secondary to the gesture.
• Leave your first impression poses and add the more appealing ones.
• Smart playback script (I believe is this one, but not sure...)
• How to embellish a shot? Depends on your style.
• Acting: Capture the subtext
• Action: Capture the physicality.

Brett Pascal - Practical Cameras

Brett Pascal - Camera work and staging from iAnimate on Vimeo.

• What is a camera?
• Shutter
• Iris - How much light reaches the sensor
• Lens - Changes what's in view
• + Length (mm), + Zoom
• Jump cuts: Background does not change but position of character does.
• 180 Degree Rule - Hard to break but breakable.
• Rule of thirds: relationship on the screen.
• He mentioned that it is possible to have two characters in the same third, to give the feeling that one is over the other.

• Cutting cameras: cuts needs motivation.
• Fading cameras: implies passing of time.
• Most used lenses: 18, 21, 28, 35, 50, 85, 120, 210
• Reference material: DIY Film Lab, Film Riot (Youtube channels)
• Cameras DO NOT pivot from center of gravity, they pivot from where they are held.

Camera Rotation Pivot

Richard Lico - Destiny

Richard Lico - In games animation workflow from iAnimate on Vimeo.

• On Run cycles: Key essential changes
• Spline should be only to make it look good
• Hips get more motion than the head.
• Do not let the IK animate by itself. Add the kick!

Add the kick to your run cycle!

Ted Ty -Difference between 2D and 3D

I didn't take any notes on this one because I didn't want to miss anything of what Ted was saying.


Ted Ty - Genuine acting from iAnimate on Vimeo.


There are also a couple of videos with the iAnimate panel. Here are the links:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Enjoy!

Carpark

Birdbox Studios does it again!!

Rob 'n' Ron

Excellent style of animation. I just happen to love cartoony animation :P



Rob 'n' Ron from Tumblehead on Vimeo.

Carn by Jeff Le Bars

Great short! I love the mood and the overall style of this short.



Carn - Jeff Le Bars from Jeff Le Bars on Vimeo.