Entry #119

Re doing Paris...
She was too clunky done in toon boom studio frame by frame.
So she is being re done, in the long run the effort will be worth it, more appealing Paris and possible and most definite a smoother animation.

ps; Hoorah for Melbourne cup which = a day off to work on Pearl!

Entry #118

Lip sync

Jack has made mouths in Maya for lip sync, Brilliant this is the answer to my problem!
Thank you Jack!

I have changed all wav files to 16bit because Maya does not like 32bit. Good thing about this I can listen to the wav file, in toon boom I could not play in the timeline you clicked and a separate window would pop up... and what use is that, so changing the mouths and syncing to the line that was said was non existence although there is a automatic lip sync but it doesn't do a great job, 'looks out of sync'.

Now to get all my shots ready and animate them without mouths!? Except when they are silent they will have a little toon boom mouth.
This is going to take quite some time to finish off the shots ready for lip sync.

One thing I know that I am daunting Maya 2012 interface I hope I know where everything is, I have not touched Maya in quite some time.

Entry #117

Lip sync isn't going all that well, I am running out of time and yeah, my fault.
Thinking I need to go old school and use dope sheets.
That is an possibility, so time consuming but this may have to be done.
I must say lip sync is great and all but when you feel pushed for time it's the last thing you want to do.
A total of 10 lines for Pearl and 5 for Wesley
Paris has a line, but hey that may be said 'off screen'
And lemon aid girl does say her line off screen.
someone wish me luck!

Here is a picture of Wesley with out his Beard, looking young and youthful.

Entry #116

Press kit epiphany!

So I started to make a giant clam shell, to then find out the press kit has to be something you can reproduce... (I could make a bundle of giant clam shells) anyway besides the point.
The giant clam shell idea is scrapped in the bin it's rubbish, if you threw it on a rubbish pile the rubbish would say 'ha, there goes the neighborhood'.

It needs to be something that can be reproduced yet I can put all the press kit assets in is what I am aiming for, I could hand in a booklet/ card or something along the lines of that, but I like idea of a press kit being presented in something that the assets can be in all in a neat package.

Two words that solve that problem; TOTE BAG!

Pearl of wisdom tote bag, which can be re produced and all aspects of the press kit can go in!
The dvd, posters, post cards, showreel, CV an biographical information of key cast and crew, promotion still images, plush toy and I think that is all that will be in it, I would love to go all out, but the funds are low, should of started that cake stall a long time ago...
Anyways Press kit problem solved!

I best get snapping to the design of it, with it being due in two weeks along with my film!
Things take time to print/order and get delivered & once the press kit is on it's way less to worry about!
Pressure is on!

Other than this epiphany I have been animating like crazy.
Stay tuned for WESLEY!!! dun dun daaaaaaar.....

Entry #115

Lip sync....

So toon boom animate has automatic lip sync... and this is how it looks... not really that good.

Entry #114

Pearl double bounce walk test... hoorah!

(I hope he has personality now)

And working on press kit; Pearl of wisdom post cards 'collect the alphabet' ha! (only getting 8 done tho)

Entry #113

Pearl has so many walk cycles!

I am attempting a double bounce walk... but I have class soon and won't get time to finish it off this morning, waking up early and animating is the bee's knees!
Staying up late and animating, not so good.
As soon as I get home more toon boom, and at school I shall make some new shots in AE... and then once that is done start to create Pearl of wisdom post cards for my press kit, yes I should be animating but while at school I need to use my time wisely considering I am animating mostly at home on toon boom other things can be done when I carry my mac with me.

ps- Pitch shifting on Pearl needs to be adjusted and the end of the sentence cuts off (must of got carried about I shall zoom in and be very careful what I cut), not to worry this can be re done within half an hour.

Image below the beginning of a double bounce walk...

Entry #112

So today I was going to go into class but I decided to stay home...

Reason being I had to solve a problem!

The problem being exporting in Toon boom, you see... I would export my animated pearl as a PNG file but it would have a 'black background'... no alpha... so I looked up some sites and presto a forum had tha answer I had to go to the network window and change some settings!

Being new to this program this year I am yet to still learn a few things but the beaut about choosing 2D this year it's been a learning curve!

Hooray for learning!

IT WORKED SEE BELOW FOR A IMAGE OF WHAT WORKED!

(still yet to colour grade/effects this a test BUT... a test that worked!)

And I am un happy with the run cycle I re did... re do again? YES!... g'day endless hours on the computer!

Entry #111

Hooray, all the voices are now recorded and diced and sliced and named... lip sync awaits...

But even before that more animation.

My days consists of endless hours on the computer.

Today I re did the run cycle from 05_sc... run cycles are a challenge well any walk/run cycle is a challenge.

I am needing to fix up many shots and create numerous numbers of shot like 01_sc and 2 other shots (same background but cropped slightly)

Pearls run cycle...
Speaking of run cycles I best go for a run or walk...

Entry #110

Pearls walk cycle will be improved!
Thanks to Jack and his feedback on my animating.
What it was lacking was contact!
I admit it, I did not pay attention to the feet! Very bad!
Also little blocks to help guide the contact so his walk cycle will flow better.

Entry #109

Animating Wesley!

Wesley is a wisdom tooth who is old and shaky, animating Wesley shaking all over the place is challenging!
None the less, it is going okay, lip sync, my my might leave that for now...!

Today I also plan to also animate 05_sc (when pearls silhouette runs)

Run little Pearl, run.

Entry #107

Snippet of the beginning of his walk cycle which floats and pops, and which I need to re do, horrid just horrid.
On another note deleting key frames has been a hassle, for some reason F7 does not delete key frames which it should!
So if I make a mistake it's hard to correct. little things how they turn into big things!

Other than that I am concerntraiting on getting all characters that are toon boomed done and dusted because I have to do animating in toon boom at home on my PC, because that is where the program is well the right version; Toon boom animate pro 2, which unfortunate I do not have for my mac which is portable and can be brought into school.

So when I get back to school I hope to be comping Pearl into the scenes.
School = After effects the production
Home= Toon booming animating Pearl and Wesley
And gee I hope the editing suite isn't full and busy, like it always is near the end of the year because everyone is trying to get there films done!
Would like to do the editing in final cut! On lovely big screened i mac (glasses not needed then) or even sync the sound with pro tools, BUT may not have time for that.
If all else fails premiere will do! hell even after effects but still can't quite tweak the sound you have way more control in FC or Prem.

It is the way I have to work, and it just makes sense!

Tomorrow awaits, until then.

Entry #106

Making a pearl move has it's perks, it is amusing seeing him walk and interesting making him move because he is round doesn't really have a pelvis/hips or distinctive shoulders his character animation is going to be plain, I hope what I have done has some sort of character to it, I shall exaggerate even more if not.

Ps; Pearl has little cute stumpy legs ^_^

good day.

Entry #105

Wesley the wisdom tooth!