Thinking Animation Bridging the Gap Between 2D and CG

by Jones, Angie; Oliff, Jamie

• ISBN13: 9781598632606
• ISBN10: 1598632604
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-06-16
• Publisher: Cengage Learning PTR

Summary

Learn how to think before you animate. Thinking Animation is a one-of-a-kind book that emphasizes how artists can use traditional animation techniques and principles with the computer generated animation technology of today. Written by seasoned animators with experience in both 2D and CG, Thinking Animation is an exquisite guide aimed at experienced animators; however, the skills taught within are still accessible and valuable to the novice animator. This full-color book includes numerous interviews with experienced contributing authors from a wide range of backgrounds, including stop-motion, visual effects, traditional animation, and CG. Thinking Animation is non-software specific. It contains a history of the field of animation as well as insight into how CG studios operate. It embraces the future of animating with the computer while still retaining the core values that traditional animators use as formulas and principles.

Table of Contents

Preface: When Worlds Collide	p. xvi
Foundation	p. 1
Fleas on the Shoulders of Giants	p. 3
The Evolution of the Art Form	p. 3
Aesthetic Appeal Changes	p. 4
Broadening the Audience for Animation	p. 4
Unappealing Storytelling in Traditional Animation	p. 4
The Importance of History and Trends in Animation	p. 5
Digital Artistry Begins	p. 7
Times Are Changing: 1981-1994	p. 8
Roger Rabbit Pushes 2D and CG Forward	p. 12
Popularity of the CG Medium or Story?	p. 13
Visual-Effects Movies Broaden the Audience	p. 16
The 1990s Shift: CG Becomes a Player	p. 18
A New Digital Artist Is Born	p. 21
The Animated Movie Industry: Moving into the Millennium	p. 24
The Best of Both Worlds	p. 27
Tell Me a Story	p. 31
Plot and Premise	p. 32
Here Come the Talking Animals	p. 36
Desire and Growth	p. 37
Growth and Character Arcs	p. 39
Orchestration and Back Story	p. 40
Storyboards, Animatics, and Pre-Viz	p. 43
Intention and Essence	p. 48
Handling Cuts and Camera Staging	p. 49
Savor the Moment, but Not for Long!	p. 52
Storyboards for Television versus Film	p. 54
Storytelling	p. 57
Storytelling Strengthening	p. 58
Storyboard Musts	p. 58
The Good, the Bad, and the Just Plain Annoying	p. 61
Memorable Characters	p. 63
Inspiration from Your Own Experience	p. 67
Flaws and Emotions	p. 69
Character Bio	p. 71
Stereotype versus Archetype	p. 73
Believability and Credibility	p. 74
Motivation	p. 76
Show, Don't Tell	p. 78
The Fine Art of Being a Bastard	p. 80
Design	p. 84
2D Drawings Translated into CG	p. 86
Handling Textures in CG	p. 90
The Rig Equals Solid Drawing	p. 92
Character Bio Questionnaire	p. 94
Character Development	p. 95
Animation	p. 97
The Thursday Animator	p. 99
Thinking and Planning	p. 101
Using Reference and Acting It Out	p. 103
Gesture Drawings and Thumbnails	p. 109
Sharing	p. 113
Ten Things to Think About	p. 113
Listen	p. 114
Subtext	p. 115
Experiment	p. 116
Rhythm	p. 118
Empathize	p. 120
Simplify	p. 121
Texture	p. 123
Honesty	p. 126
Eyes	p. 126
Commit	p. 128
Ten Things to Think About	p. 129
Every Frame Counts	p. 131
Spliney, Gooey, Computery, and Watery Motion	p. 133
The Graph Editor	p. 138
Stepped, Linear, and Spline	p. 140
Posing and Layering	p. 142
Breaking the Rig	p. 145
Using Breakdowns	p. 147
Animating Frame by Frame or on the Twos	p. 149
In-Betweening	p. 149
Creating Overlap and Secondary Motion	p. 150
Creating Principal and Secondary Characters	p. 152
CG Tools	p. 153
Pushing Your CG Animation to a Higher Level	p. 156
Weight	p. 156
Contrasts in Timing	p. 159
Reality versus Entertainment Exaggeration?	p. 160
Dialogue and Lip-Synch Styles	p. 161
Moving Holds	p. 162
Attention to Detail	p. 164
Motion Blur and Squash and Stretch	p. 165
Drawing Skills	p. 167
The Approval Process	p. 169
The Revision Process	p. 171
The Cleanup Process	p. 173
Acting the Moment Again and Again and Again	p. 177
Motion Capture and Acting in CG Animation	p. 178
Improv	p. 182
Helpful Improv Tools for Animators	p. 183
Charlie Chaplin, Empathy, and Acting	p. 186
Get Inside the Character	p. 189
Body Structure	p. 192
Psychological Gesture and Subtext	p. 192
Stay in the Moment	p. 194
Acting Tools for Animators	p. 195
Remotivating the Moment	p. 195
Improv	p. 195
Power Centers	p. 195
Status	p. 195
Space, Time, and Weight	p. 195
Chaplin	p. 196
Emotion	p. 196
Empathy	p. 196
Observation	p. 196
Body Structure	p. 196
Psychological Gesture	p. 197
Stay in the Moment	p. 197
And Now a Word from the Producer	p. 199
When Push Comes to Stab	p. 201
Workflow	p. 202
Dailies	p. 203
Multiple Art Direction	p. 204
Mentorship Lost	p. 207
Competition	p. 212
Pigeonholing	p. 215
Core and Glitz Skills	p. 216
Responsibility	p. 216
Communication between Departments	p. 219
Problem-Solving	p. 223
Freelancing	p. 223
Networking	p. 225
Mass Production of CG Animation	p. 226
Death, Taxes, and Outsourcing	p. 227
Schedules and Production	p. 229
The End of the Beginning	p. 235
Bridging the Gap	p. 235
Appendixes	p. 239
Author Bios	p. 241
Traditional and CG Productions 1994-2005	p. 259
The Digital Age of Animation Begins	p. 267
Animation Hall of Funny	p. 283
Principles of Animation	p. 289
Character Animation Terms	p. 295
Computer Animation Terms	p. 307
Further Reading	p. 313
Rigging Blog	p. 315
Timeline Bibliography	p. 331
Index	p. 335
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.