Before starting the animation for my FMP work, I decided to take screenshots of each scene and panel I had drawn then put them all together through iMotion Pro then upload it to YouTube in order to share it on here.
The storyboard took a while, and I discovered that I have enough scenes for about a minute long video. However, I might try to expand the run time or shorten it depending on time limit. Some scenes will be taken out or expanded upon.
This is the activities I’ve got up to during isolation. And this list shall describe what each box represents and why.
During this lockdown, I’ve made sure not to let each activity overwhelm me or make me fall behind on my work. However, I will have to shut off some of them in order to save time, get up to date with certain stuff and finish what I started, no excuses.
This is my Time Management Plan for the moment. Note, I haven’t updated on what I have done the past days aside from tutorial lessons as I’ve been trying to keep up with my main project. Most days are spent doing said project anyway. I’ll get round to updating it soon though.
This plan was made during the first week of FMP. Week two was when it actually started to look more like a time plan.
Week four was initially meant to be my week off due to being in isolation. I arranged two zoom meetings with two teachers at the time.
One of the crucial parts of creating an animation is testing the storyboard animation. Animators call this method ‘Animatic’ where they test the storyboard then do a small animation of something moving to test how many frames there are, whether they’re enough, there’s too much or they need more. The best examples of these are comparisons between the draft version and final version as you will see below.
This video of Team Sonic Racing Overdrive is a comparison between the draft animatic and final version of the episode. It shows certain features from the draft that were tested and thought out, and a few altered or cut out. Like for example, Sonic’s slight eye twitch as he nods in the draft isn’t in the final cut, Dr. Eggman’s art style in the final cut is different compared to his appearance in the draft. His smirk is probably the most noticeable difference. Then there’s the bomb explosion in the next scene. In the draft, it appears before announcement, while in the final cut, it appears after announcement, but both go off at the same time. As Big makes his way over to the gift stall, you’ll notice his draft version starts walking across before his final cut does. Likeliness, they added in a few more frames before moving on to the walking animation. To show a major difference between the draft and the final cut, notice that the cars they’re driving are just 3D rectangles in the draft while in the final cut, they’re of better detail. This shows that in an animatic and in storyboards, the animators don’t go straight into detail as they work on the storyboard.
Another good example, this scene from Disney Pixar’s UP, showing us the life of Carl and Ellie. (this is the sort of animation I was going for, but in a different sort of way) As you watch both the animatic draft and the final version from the actual film, you’ll notice there’s a slight difference between the pacing of the two. For instance, in some scenes, there are more scenes than within the final shot, and where some scenes a little slower in either the final shot or the draft, the opposite version is quicker, like where they’re going up hill in the first scene and the final scene. Furthermore, you notice a difference between the characters’ designs. In the drafts, it would appear that the characters were to look taller and a little skinny, but in the final version, they’re smaller and plump.
Continuation of this blog.
https://euansblog.home.blog/2020/04/26/animation-storyboard-act-3-part-1/
Page 25: A small animation of SON slumping down on the sofa. I thought of this idea to show a bit of emotion that he feels bad or unhappy his sister’s back home.
Page 26: DAUGHTER sits beside SON as she tries to talk things out. SON doesn’t feel like talking to her so turns away while DAUGHTER shuffles in her pocket, pulling out a CD she recorded for him. Meanwhile, YOUNG ELDER and WIFE are watching the whole scene from the lounge door.
Page 27: With these next scenes, we’re basically going from still photos. We cut to SON’s graduation, DAUGHTER’s love, ELDER and WIFE keeping up with their fitness, then a photo of them by the fountain to show these are the same pair that got married by the fountain incase the audience gets side tracked from the ‘other stories’, then we truck out to the scrapbook to remind ourselves this is all a journey through time going from photo to photo through animation while skipping a few years to help shorten it.
Page 28: SON comes into the room and pushes the scrapbook down to see ELDER. The two stare at each other, smiling.
Page 29: The two embrace and we see on the table behind them a ring case, hinting at a possible proposal to someone or a wedding. Either way, we end with a final frame of the box with the word ‘FIN’ beside it as a way to end the animation.
Final Major Project: Mid Point Evaluation 28:4:2020
Research: I have researched four animators and cartoonists of animation. From this research, I have managed to construct a good storyboard and learnt that animation can take a long time. Not just days or weeks, but months or a year depending how big of a project the animation is.
The work of Richard Williams, Tyson Hesse, Chuck Jones and Pedro Araujo have helped inspire me to try animation, and looking at what separates each individual’s animation is how they present and draw their animation. See article FMP Week 1 for more information.
Aside from just drawing comics, animation has been another of my burning ambitions, however, this is still new to me, so I’m learning and developing as I go along. This research has helped me understand more about animation than what I previously knew.
Initial idea: The idea came to my head as I was looking at certain themes for FMP, however, I did have another idea beforehand. See article FMP Pitch. The idea was approved and recommended by peers during the presentation. The idea was also influenced when I was watching and reading a few stories that covered memories.
Experimentation: During the Easter Holidays, I was experimenting with storyboarding by drawing a few short or quick scenes from some projects I do in my own time. In addition, I did a drawing to keep up with my observation drawing skills. Furthermore, during one of my tutorials, I was given a link to an animation cheat sheet that has been helpful as I was trying to learn the basics of animation and figure out what action the camera should do in certain scenes. These experiments were helpful as they helped me figure out how to make an animation storyboard.
Problems: I think the only problems I’ve encountered thus far is time and motivation as being in lockdown has kind of been unhelpful as I’ve been trying to do the work. Furthermore, I had a lack of tools because my toolbox was left back at college until I finally got it back. Time, meanwhile, at this point, I should be starting the animation, but I’ve still got a few bits of the storyboard to complete before doing anything else.
ProCreate: ProCreate is a digital app that allows you to create animation which I have been using to do small animations up until now. The app works similar to Medibang Paint, but unlike that app which I used last year, there’s a setting that allows you to use an animation tool, making every new layer you create a frame. The idea is to draft out the animation through pencil drawing, then draw it digitally, similar to how I made my FMP project last year, only different.
Current Status: I am a few scenes away from finishing the storyboard and moving on to try and create an animatic for it. After a few tutorials and looking at how many weeks I have left to complete the animation, I realise that I won’t be able to complete the animation itself, and so have come up with an easier way by choosing which scene will be finalised for the animation, do the animation for that and keep it simple. This wasn’t originally my idea, but due to time restrictions, I know it’s the best way to go.
Continuation of this blog.
https://euansblog.home.blog/2020/04/26/animation-storyboard-act-2/
Page 20: We truck into YOUNG DAUGHTER and YOUNG SON as they’re in a heated argument. YOUNG SON seems to be upset with YOUNG DAUGHTER as he turns and crosses his arms then sticks his tongue out at her, showing he’s not listening. This infuriates YOUNG DAUGHTER as she turns and storms out of his room.
Page 21: We cut to downstairs to where an older ELDER seems to be writing on another sheet. Suddenly, he leans back, having finished the paragraph he was on, seemingly relieved it’s done. As he does so, YOUNG DAUGHTER angrily walks down the stairs then reaches for her coat.
Page 22: YOUNG DAUGHTER heads for the door then leaves the house with a slam, taking YOUNG ELDER by surprise. We cut back to YOUNG SON in his room as he turns around, looking at something, a little disheartened.
Page 23: We go from YOUNG SON diagonally down to a computer to reveal some major project of YOUNG SON’s and then we go further down to see some sort of script for music, revealing that YOUNG SON was working with YOUNG DAUGHTER, using her music to help with his work. He sighs as he looks at the project he had, upset at what happened. YOUNG ELDER and WIFE peer through the door to see their disheartened son, but find it best to leave him be as he gets to work. We cut to a few years to find SON has grown a little as he fiddles with his laptop.
Page 24: SON leans back on the sofa, taking a breather from something while WIFE looks towards him, seemingly surprised. They then hear a voice and look back. We cut to see DAUGHTER entering the lounge.
Continuation from this blog.
https://euansblog.home.blog/2020/04/26/animation-storyboard-act-1-part-2/
Page 9: About a year or two pass following the wedding. We close in on a desk, looking at the photos. Then, a shadow rushes by. YOUNG ELDER is in the lounge when YOUNG WIFE comes in seemingly shocked or surprised.
Page 10: YOUNG ELDER looks surprised and a little shocked, then he smiles with glee. YOUNG WIFE smiles back to her husband as she sits beside him and he cuddles her closer.
Page 11: We cut to a flash photo of YOUNG ELDER presenting YOUNG WIFE with a pet cat, then a quick animation of YOUNG WIFE jolting a little. We then cut to flash photos of their first child, a few years later, YOUNG WIFE is pregnant again and we finish on a family photo at a hospital bed.
Page 12: We fast forward in time again to a few months later when the family camps out. We watch as GRANNY gets the tent set up while YOUNG WIFE looks for the baby bottle.
Page 13: Continuation of GRANNY setting up the tent and YOUNG WIFE looking for the baby bottle. YOUNG WIFE suddenly jumps from the sound of the mallet and the tent peg, making the pair laugh. Next, we cut to a close up of BABY SON asleep.
Page 14: We truck out to see YOUNG ELDER, YOUNG DAUGHTER and GRANDPA taking a walk along the forest with BABY SON in tow. GRANDPA tells YOUNG DAUGHTER a certain incident with YOUNG ELDER, making YOUNG ELDER cross enough to wake up BABY SON. We fast forward a few years to YOUNG ELDER as he writes on a sheet, then he hears a giggling noise from outside.
Page 15: We see a window view of BOY SON as he runs along a small field, him and his friends playing a small football game. His friends try to tackle him but to no avail as he kicks the ball, YOUNG ELDER watching from the window.
Page 16: As BOY SON kicks the ball, we see a horizontal pan as the ball comes closer to the screen then towards the goal. The BOY in goal jumps to catch the ball only to miss it as it bounces on the net behind. The friends all celebrate the victory.
Page 17: YOUNG ELDER watched the whole scene, seeing potential in his son as he smiles. We cut to quickie moving photos as YOUNG ELDER reveals three tickets to see BOY SON’s football game then we see the football game as BOY SON faces off against a rival player, his parents cheering him on.
Page 18: We then cut to a photo of YOUNG ELDER writing something while BOY SON hugs WIFE, either proud of a victory or crying from a loss. We then cut to YOUNG DAUGHTER as she adjusts her guitar strings before playing her guitar.
Page 19: YOUNG ELDER and WIFE watch as YOUNG DAUGHTER gets herself ready, having a camera record her performance. YOUNG DAUGHTER begins to play a song to her parents. End of Act 2. We start off Act 3 with the viewer seemingly walking upstairs then suddenly, the camera shakes as there’s a shout from SON’s room.
Continuation of the last blog entry which you can find here.
https://euansblog.home.blog/2020/04/21/animation-storyboard-part-1/
Page 3: After bumping into an adult, the children fall down as the adult turns and looks down at them. The boy puts his water pistol away.
Page 4: A few years pass since that day, and we see a teenage girl spinning through a park then stopping, seemingly waiting for someone as someone spies on her.
Page 5: The figure in the bush pops out and hides TEEN WIFE’s eyes. After a little exchange, we cut to a view of the fountain area where the teenagers hurry to it.
Page 6: TEEN ELDER then pushes TEEN WIFE on the fountain bench and sits beside her as they laugh. Then, TEEN WIFE gets her phone out.
Page 7: Meanwhile, TEEN ELDER puts together a selfie stick, then we cut to their eyesight as they hold the selfie stick upwards.
Page 8: TEEN ELDER pulls TEEN WIFE closer as they take a selfie of them by the fountain. The phone takes the photo, then we see a flash and the two teenagers now grown up and in bride and groom outfits by an altar just in front of the fountain. Next, we cut to a bird’s eye view of the wedding party.
After a few tests with my storyboard skills, I finally got round to creating the actual animation storyboard. For the whole week, I’ll be focusing on completing it and once I do so, I can get down to the animation itself.
Page 1. We start off with a fade up on the family house, having a quick view of the lounge then we meet our ‘main character’, the ELDER as he is looking through a scrapbook.
Page 2. After turning a page, we slowly zoom into a photo and see an animation of children playing in a field.
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