Week 3: Advanced Overlap & Anticipation

In last week lecture more about overlapping action & anticipation, some great examples and analysis...I'm learning so much from this material... Great stuff

The assignment last week was very frustrating, I kept working on re-blocking my shot, I finished the blocking stage on Saturday almost midnight which gave me a little time to work on the splines,(assignment due sunday noon) where all the problems start to show up! but I managed to pull it up and fix some of the problems, but yet I have so much for this week to finish up the animation.

Here's my progress from re-blocking phase to my assignment submission

Week 2 Assignment Submission

Since I decided to use flipbook (First time ever)to plan my animation which stole some time from me,I had to block the part were ballie get scared and turn around then run, I wanted to focus on the 180 turn and get it done first
so I didn't have time to finish the intro were ballie looks to the side and see whatever the thing that scares it away... the intro which was finished in the 2D planning...

last night just before I went to work, my animation blocking in maya was terrible, So when I got back this morning I spent a couple of hours finishing up & tweaking, and now after I have submitted the assignment Its time to go to bed!!! So tired

here's the assignment

Week 2 Assignment Update

Slight Update on the 2D blocking, Its taking me some time to get used to it
So I jumped to 3D blocking in maya, It's still not finished, I need to finish the 180 turn and the jump run out of the frame then go back to the intro where Ballie get scared...I'll post the finished assignment tomorrow.

Week 2: Basic Posing

Half through week two, pretty great lecture as usual, all about posing in terms of composition,Line of Action,Silhouette,& Negative Space plus more... great examples too

First Critique on assignment was good, some tips about what to wear when shooting video reference, and about framing my shot in the thumbnails

a late but an awesome discovery, FLIPBOOK, what a great software Thanks to a tutorial I bought from JASON RYAN ANIMATION website, great stuff, I bought flipbook and It will be part of my planning for animation in 2D before jumping to 3D. Amazing
here's my first test, timing is off but and still more to come

Week 1 Assignment Update

I have decided to work on the 180 Turn/scared1 the second one which my back is to the audience. I have recorded more reference video for this pick & will breakdown for animation reference.I will start working on the thumbnails once I have something to eat.
I have also updated my Class1 Reel, just added some music and titles
here's the videos

Week 1: Walk Through a Shot

On Monday got back the precious access to the AM site, I first checked who's my mentor for this class, I was so lucky to have my first mentor from Pixar, then my second from Disney... Its just Awesome.

The lecture was so interesting , with Rick O’Connor (Industrial light & Magic’s lead animator) go
through an entire shot from beginning to end. Explaining many “secrets” of animation and some hilarious jokes added more excitement to the lecture... Its FUN to learn here in AM.

Now Its time to apply what Rick have revealed in the next assignment(4 sessions long ), for which we have to pick from a list of:

1. Kick a ball
2. Take a big step to the side
3. Turn around 180 degrees

1&2 with difficulity level of one star, while 3 level of two.

Using Ballie as the character,
We have to submit a video reference acting out the assignment alternatives, & we have to submit thumbnails showing the planning/breakdown of the action .

Here's my video reference,



I think I'll go with the 180 turn/scared1 , the one with my back to the audience but I will have to face it toward the audience in my animation. I love the Opened zipper take, but I'm not sure If I can tackle that one at this stage.

more updates soon

Class 2: Introduction to Body Mechanics

Belated Happy New Year & Blog Update

It was 2 nice weeks away from the computer, unfortunately I had to work new year's eve & 9 nights afterward...Finally I got my week off. Great start for 2009, my second year in USA...

Some News I haven't posted before now, Our Fall 08 Class got divided into two pathways as a result of the new curriculum AM starting in Winter09... 4 Classes Continued on the original curriculum (The Short Film Path) vs. 12 Class ( The new Portfolio Path)

I decided to follow the short film path, It was the main reason why I joined AM. The last AM Short film generation ;)

My mentor for this class is Marlon Nowe,currently working under Glen Keane's wing, on Rapunzel at the Walt Disney Animation Studios. He finished 4 years of classical animation in Belgium, after which he worked in Brussels for 2 years on commercials. In 2000, moved to LA where he worked at Blur Studio for almost 7 years. After a year at Rhythm&Hues, working on Golden Compass, he started at the Walt Disney Animation Studios. With credits on BOLT and now working on Rapunzel.