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3D Graphics and Animation

Basic of animation;

Harri Airaksinen

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Animaation

Sense of sight is a connector – hearing is a separator Viewer see set of single pictures in certain frequency

illusion of continuous movements Animation can be created in many ways:

Cel animation – the most traditional Stop motion photography Mocap – motion capture

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Animation unit- frame -

Frame = single picture Typical animation frame rate is 30 fps = 30 frames

per sec. Movie; normally one second includes 24 frames Interactive real time 3D environment 8 - 60

frames/sec. A shot – a string of frames recorded by a single

camera without interruption

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Keyframe and interpolation

Keyframe = “important picture”, define objects location and position in animation sequence important time point – we know that moving object need to be in this location in this time 3D Studio Max – Autokey

Software calculates missing frames between keyframes = interpolation, how we can find the target location using defined number of frames

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Keyframe and interpolation

Interpolation techniques can be used: to calculate the position of objects in space to calculate objects shapes in space (morphing) to calculate other attributes.

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Interpolation types and effect to object parameters

constant change slope, how fast the change is happening

variable change if the change is not linear, also the parameters change is not linear accelerated motion, inversion motion

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Interpolation types and effect to object parameters

3D Studio Max, Key Info, you can

control how objects values will change = how fast and the interpolation style of change

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Interpolation types and effect to object parameters

How these implements the animation?

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Interpolation of Shape or attribute (MORPHING)

Objects form/shape morphing Examples http://www.mikejs.com/graphics/morphs/

Objects attributes morphing (example. light, camera, texture, transparency)

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Forward kinematics (FK)

Every movement part is defined separately. More accurate and “natural” movements. Takes a lot of time…

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Inverse kinematics (IK)

If object have a good skeleton with rule based joints, we can just define starting and ending situation. Software calculates other needed and allowed movements.

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Animations with mathematical functions

Wave Functions

Surface material animation

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Camera animations

Camera location is changed by time function location is defined by path 2D splines

Camera direction: looks down the motion path as it moves, looks to the Point of interest or combination of those

[The Art of 3-D Computer Animation and Imaging; Isaac Victor Kerlow]

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Camera animations

3D Studio Max

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Camera animations

Other camera animations types: Focal length changes and other camera movements (zoom) Depth of field changes Light animations (intensity ,color, location …)

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Other interesting animation resources

Sun simulation moving shadows. Generally : light resources should be stable (not moving), on – off and intensity control. Like an exception; head light

Fire and glowing objects look course material, ways to fack

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Other interesting animation resources

Hierarchical structures (skeletons) Animation will effect to the other part of model/model structure

[The Art of 3-D Computer Animation and Imaging; Isaac Victor Kerlow]

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Other interesting animation resources

Hierarchical structures skeletons joint structures freedom of the joint = how many direction joint can move?

Pivot point

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Animation principles

Telling a story with computer animation is based on timing the actions

Action ahead of the story: An animated character reacts to a sound located off-camera by turning

its head. The character's action is ahead of the story because it indicates to us that something will happen before we know what it is

Action behind the story: The audience knows beforethe character what is going tohappen next. For example, theaudience can see that a pianois falling from the roof of abuilding right over a characterwho is unaware of theimpending and disastrous action.

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Animation principles

Animation is combinations of timing, speed, rhythm, and choreography result in different types of motion including: primary and secondary motions overlapping motions staggered motions motion holds

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Animation principles- production line -

Preproduction: all the conceptualization and planning that takes place before a computer animation project is produced -> screenwriting, planning the management of the project, storyboarding, developing the overall look of the project

Production stage: 1) modeling, 2) animation, and 3) rendering. previewed in the form of digital flipbooks displayed on the screen. Cameras, lights, textures end product; rendered animation files

Postproduction: Composing, sounds, texts. Extra effects can be added, fixing colors and so on. Normally done by using other software than modeling

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Storytelling

Stories communicate facts Stories provide answers to questions Stories make us feel different emotions Stories sometimes even provoke actions that shape

reality. Whether they are linear or nonlinear, whether they depict an event with cartoon characters or a colorful dance of abstract shapes, stories are the essence of animation

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Storytelling

Do flowcharts – showing the events/actions Linear events, parallel events

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The Screenplay

written document that tells a story by using descriptions, dialogue, and some production notes

a screenplay is defined by: what the story is about who the characters are (human – nonhuman like) what happens to them throughout the sequence of events

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Motion, tempo and rhythm

Can you see the difference? What are those?

Pictures: [The Art of 3-D Computer Animation and Imaging; Isaac Victor Kerlow]

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Animation creative and production Teams

Creative Team: Creative Director -- (dude with the Vision) Art Director -- (Knows how it Should Look) Copywriter -- (Knows what it should rely to viewers) Producer -- (Big Man With The MONEY) Account Executive -- (Takes care of the money)

Production Team: Animation Supervisor -- (Oversees the whole process) Senior Animator -- (Spanks the juniors and knows a lot) Junior Animators -- (Sweats 24h per day and makes the REAL

work) Producer -- (Big man with money AND vision) Production Manager -- (Timetable Man) Technical Assistant -- (That you blame when nothing works)

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Some numbers

Making an animation is a hard task = expensive to do!

30 frames/second 30 minutes = 54,000 frames 5 minutes/frame, 12 hours/day ~ 1 year Limited animation Computer-assisted animation

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Computer-Assisted Animation

2D

–Create & draw frames

–Computer helps ink & paint

3D

–Create models, sets, poses

–Computer interpolates

–Computer renders, composes

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Because animation is so hard to do…

We use simulation software’s computer calculates, almost everything can be simulated, no more hand made keyframes and animation: Clothes Collisions Atmospheric effects (fire, smoke, fog, dust,

wind, rain, particles) Hair, fur Elastic materials