Howling Wolf - 2D Animation

This is my attempt at hand drawn 2D animation.
 

Though the wolf was initially hadn drawn, I then used Adobe Photoshop CS5 to create them in to a graphic style and animate them. Despite the fact that this was a time consuming way to animate, especially drawning the wolfs walk cycle, I absolutely loved creating animation this way.

The writing, by the way, is Greek myth of King Lycaon from which the term 'Lycanthrope' derives. The word means wolf-man and has come to mean werewolf. I've put the text in latin in the animation but if you want to know the story check it out at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycaon_(Arcadia

Satisfying this Craving!

Animated trailer for E.F Morris' book - "Craving"


This is a trailer for the vampire novel, "Craving", by young adults author, E.F Morris. I made this using a combination of Cinema 4D and Adobe Premiere Pro, both of which I have really grown to like.

Make Your Animations A Little Xtranormal.

If you have't yet encountered xtranormal then let me enlighten you, xtranormal is a "free" online animation application that lets you create 1 or 2 character animations, complete with a script, using their special text-to-movie software. All you need to do is select your characters, set and sound scape and then start typing what you want your characters to say. You can also add in your choice of expressions, gestures, sound effects and camera angles to your film. And don't panic you don't need to know anything more fancy then drag-and-drop.



As you can see from my attempt, there are limits... not least to my scripting skills. Not everythings free and a lot of the characters and scenes etc cost a little extra to use. Additionally don't expect Laurence Olivier style vocal performances from your actors, the voices will say what you've typed (most of the time) but not suprisingly with minimal inflection or emotion. Also your characters movements are minimal - you can select from a range of premade gestures but they're not going to dancing around... not using the free online facilities anyway.

Which brings me to the topic of Xtranormals software, State. This, I'm guessing from the video posted on YouTube, gives you a lot more freedom of choice and movement but this time at the bargain price of $49.50. Personally I wasn't willing, I'd prefer to go and download iClone if I just wanted to have some animated fun or learn Blender and produce real 3D, but thats just me. If you've tried it please feel free to leave a comment and tell me what I'm missing.

There's a lot to be said for xtranormal. If you just want a bit of fun then its a fantastic tool, and if you want a simple way to test out a script, understand a scenes pacing or look at the effect of various camera angles then its excellent. However, if you think you are trying to create stuff for an animation showreel or think you might be the next James Cameron and are looking for the right too for making Avatar 2 then keep googling, xtranormal is not the tool you're looking for.

REVIEW: Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls of Ga'hoole

Lord of the Rings... with wings!

Okay, so this is my terrible confession... I have wanted to watch this childrens film since I first saw the trailer at the cinema back in March! Strange perhaps that, anticipating this movie as I was, that whilst on holiday in Cornwall this year I happened to visit the Screech Owl Sanctury near Goss Moor where a team from the film were filming some of the sancturies residents as reference material for the film.

Guardians is based on the 15 book series by Kathryn Lansky and marks the animation debut of film director Zack Snyder - known for directing more grown up fair such as 300. It tells the story of Soren, an owlet who taken from his parents by evil owls begins an epic quest.



Audiences have no doubt become complacent about amazing CG landscapes and realistic water, as these things have become common place with films like Avatar and the Chronicles of Narnia raising the bar. Still you have to concede that the look of Guardians is incredible, from the beautiful (and often slow motion) sequences of owls gliding and soaring through theatrically lit rainstorms, to the wonderful way that the production team at Animal Logic have developed the characters without making them, visually, human.

I have read in some reviews that this film is too violent for kids but I disagree, certainly there is a lot of action, dark characters and fighting but there is also some strong statements on family, friendship and some pretty heavy moral themes on liberty and equality. I will save you from my thoughts on any symbolism that could be seen in this story and instead end by saying this that on the whole I liked this film. Though it is a little Lord Of The Rings with wings, Legend of the Guardians is was unquestioningly beautiful avian epic, and even though the story felt like it dragged at times, it still managed to be both action packed tale of adventre and warm-hearted family film.

If you would like to meet some real owls, as well as other incredible creatures, and find out about how to help conservation of these amazing birds visit - http://www.screechowlsanctuary.co.uk/

Sound Advice

Is sound the unsung hero of animation?

Sound is important across the film industry, and I'm not just talking dialogue, from the bellowing roar of Jurassic Parks T-Rex to the gentle vocal score that accompanies Gladiators grand finale, it is the sound that can make or break a good film. If you don't believe me then just then just, for a moment, pretend you are swinging a lightsaber... did you make the Vwoom-vwoom sound? Of course in the world of animated film this becomes a lot more important because unlike live action for a animation the whole sonic world needs to be created from scratch.

A good sound track can be the thing that makes or breaks a good animation, the right sound can be the thing that brings it too life and the wrong thing will make it sounds like a joke. Audio ques are a big part of the audience experience and though they are expected - we knew that Monsters vs Aliens Insectosaurus should sound big and the acoustics on Carl's porch in Up should sound very different in flight to when its on the ground - but they can also heighten the emotional experience of a viewer... or put another way, get the sound right and you can play your audience's heart strings like a fiddle!!

Just think of how you felt when Toothless, as Hiccup stands over him with the dagger, makes that pitiful, low, rumbling moan, or how comical the little noise of the Terrible Terror sounded and that was no accident as sound designers Randy Thom, Jonathon Null and Al Nelson told designingsound.org about their time making How To Train Your Dragon. Alternatively think about the world that WALL-E inhabited sounded, with it's swirling sand storms, and how different the world aboard the Axiom. These sonic worlds were created by sound design legend, Ben Burtt - remember the lightsabers, vwoom-vwoom sound? That was his handy work! - who has become known as the father of modern sound design, check out the WALL-E special feature on sound to find out more. Sound tells us who to like, where we are and what to feel - it is as vital as texturing to any animated landscape or character design.

And all this without even touching on the musical score, the masters of which like John Williams, Hans Zimmer, John Powell and James Horner have played us all for years, their iconic themes making as jump, laugh and cry.

And yet sound design seems the last consideration, I am currently fighting to research sound production for animation for a university project and its tough, so far I have found only one book that has proved any real help - that's Robin Bauchamp's "Designing Sound For Animation", just so you know - and compare that to the amount of "Art of... insert film name here" or How To guides for ZBrush, Maya or 3DsMax! So my fellow animation students, it may not be what you focus on, but don't forget sound either, it has too much power to be ignored!!

Animation Festival 2010!!

Its time to get festive!!

The Ottawa International Animation Festival is looking for entries! This is the biggest animation festival in Canada, which means, if you make the cut, awesome exposure for you and your work.

There are six catagories for entries:

• Feature film
• School Competition
• New Media Competition
• Independent Short Film
• Student Animation Competition
• Films/Videos made for children
  

Check out there website for more details

The closing date for entries is June 1st!!

REVIEW: How To Train Your Dragon

Go see it! Take your kids, take your friends, take your granny... its awesome!

What? You were expecting more of a review? Ok...

It's shaping up to be a busy year for Dreamworks, with the next installment of the Shrek series on its way and this month's 'How To Train Your Dragon'. With Shrek such a booming franchise, its easy to think that this adaptation of Brit writers Kids-lit book might come out as the poor realation but that's turns out to be far from the case!

I can't really describe why, but there is something that really appeals to me about Dreamworks latest animated outing. Yes, it - like the series of books from which it takes its name - is for kids. Yes, the plot - translated to the screen by "Lilo and Stitch" team, Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois - is a little standard. And yes, its not the same as the Cressida Cowell novel in which it is based, instead appearing to be more like a prequel to the novels. But, with all that said, I found something truly endearing about this dragon filled Viking romp.

There is no doubt that the look of the film offers a healthy does of eye-candy, from the beautifully rendered scenery (did anyone else drool over the look of the seas surrounding the island of Berk or was that just me?) to the thoughtfully designed characters to the wonderfully quirky look of the dragons themselves. The modelling, visual effects and texturing in the film is incredible, with water, hair and fire being virtually photo-realistic, but the movie also has a definite stylized aesthetic and its creators have, it seems, made a conscious effort to move away from the Hollywood-standard in 'dramatic dragon design'.

Created by "Kung Fu Panda" Character Designer, Nico Marlet, the dragons are reminiscent of Quentin Blake illustrations, and certainly aren't the majestic, ethereal beasts but more akin to children's monsters. They are all at once angular, disproportionate, colourful and comic, making them both suitably scary and yet amazingly charismatic. Unlike Dragonheart's Draco and Hobbits Smouge, these fiery fiends are not humans in dragons clothing! Instead they behave like real, believable animals. Though Hiccup maybe the hero of the film, it is the wonderfully named dragon, Toothless, that steals the show! A breed known as the Nightfury (Yes, yes, I know he wasn't that breed in the book!), Toothless, designed by Chris Sanders, is the least colourful of the dragons that appear and yet he is by far the most appealing. No doubt some of this appeal is due to his large yellow-green eyes, but more, I think, is due to the fabulous animation that makes him so likable. Toothless' actions must be familiar to any cat or dog owner. Though much of his look, such as his stumpy legs and face, and some of his movements - his walk is very lizard-like - is obviously reptilian, much of his behaviour is both feline and canine. This means that, thanks to animators Simon Otto and Gabe Hordos, Toothless appears grumpy cat and playful puppy, and is every bit as much ultimate kids pet and playmate as the monster under the bed.

The characters are beautifully drawn in more ways then one too and it goes towards the films sterling calibre. The dialogue is funny, witty and often moving, a wonderful combination of a tightly written script and the vocal work of actors including Gerald Butler, Craig Ferguson, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill and Ugly Betty's America Ferrera. The relationships in the story may be between Vikings and Vikings and dragons but they are still familiar enough to be touching; Toothless' panic to get to and save Hiccup from the Monstrous Nightmare and Hiccups powerlessness and distress to save the captured Toothless, truly tugs at the heart strings and the struggle of Stoic to understand and respect his unfathomable child is all too poignant.

Ok, I admit it, I fell in love with this film! I have seen it twice - within a week, ahem! - and will confess to still being smitten. Yes, some of the humour is physical and childish, and the story not mould shatteringly original. I also concede that it may not be to every one's taste and is not true to Cowell's book. However, its healthy dose of good natured slap stick, fast paced action, real drama and the small pinch of Dreamwork's delightfully dry trademark humour, has certainly sold me!

The only thing is... why exactly are most of the vikings Scottish?

Shameless Self Promotion #1

This is the result of my university group project...