Guest- Workshop

Today had to be the most interesting lesson so far, we where introduced to production animator from Electronic Arts James Hobart who has currently been working on the Harry Potter franchise of Games although other than that James has also worked on Mainstream games such as Gears of War. What intrigued me the most was his story about trying to get into the Game industry Naughty Dog, a challenge of proving yourself in less than three days. Seeing another perspective of what it is like to show companies, clients, businesses about who you are and what potential your out for !

My Goal post in life, Hard as it seems, is to aim to work for Pixar! but not just as an animator but as a creative engine or designer, farming the idea to make it work. Though this is only a dream its my goal post in life. Dream Big, Aim BIG!

Anyways back in focus at the moment keying in main poses with in the walk cycle based upon Richard Williams cycles (he is my saviour!) working on frames 1- 25 but when looping it will become 1-24 frames.
Also Scrubbing the legs to make a more smooth operation within in the knee joints.

http://www.jhobartanimator.com/

Heres the link for this main page which shows his demo reel that features many of his creative animating !

Productive yet cautious day as working straight from key frames rather than the biped to key all my poses.

Though thill next week lets kill some locusts !!

Reference Footage (rotoscope)

Stepping Stones 

With a run cycle motion i aim to present a sprint motion that involves Push, Step and Balance. Jumping from stone to stone in XSI will be challenging as the movement has to time well as not loosing stamp an pressure within the legs.

The idea of stepping stones is a classic example of clearing gaps and keeping balance. When reviving my old playstation 1, I had to re live a glory day of playing Crash Bandicoot!, simple and fun platforming levels that seem to be timeless however much i played the original. Though one level caught me out for keeping balance. "upstream" basically is straight forward lillie pad jumping spree avoiding obstacles such as jumping fish and man eating plants. This level has inspired me to animate in XSI a 3-4 part stepping jump finishing with a losing balance and falling.

Woody Falling 


In Toy Story 3, the opening sequence to the film involves Woody trying to save a train robbery but ends up in a backflipping action fight which Woody almost loses balance and falls of from the back of the train after free styling away to avoid the wrath of Mrs Potato head. As he is about to fall he slightly maintains balance until he is punched off. The way woody swings his arms in this sequence is over exaggerated but animating would be quite fun picturing a toy in in real life having this motion in its body.

 For my reference footage i aim have a person almost fall forward in motion instead of backwards.
Here are two rough examples of captured footage of my friend pretending to step stones as we could not find a good old british summer stream.

1.

2.

Next update will involve more technical drawings into the cycle its self.