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2011-10-06

【迪士尼動畫師Andreas Deja談動畫裡的視覺焦點】【Y⁺】



Disney Staging
The best of Disney's animators knew how to stage their characters in a way that made them easy to read on the screen. That way their personality statements were uncluttered and to the point.Every line put on paper supports a main thought, and the rhythm of the drawing leads your eyes toward the area you are supposed to look at.This is not an easy thing to achieve.
迪士尼最厲害的動畫師知道該如何組織手上角色,讓他們很容易在螢幕上被辨識與閱讀,讓觀眾很清楚知道每個角色的個性與特色。因此,所有畫面上的線條都強調著一個主要想法:畫面的節奏變化將會引導觀眾的眼睛去看他們該看的地方。這其實很不容易。

An animator needs to boil things down to a clear essence, because the audience only has a split second to see and understand what's going on.I traced these classic Disney moments off from xeroxes of the originals. In most cases the characters were animated on different levels, I combined them here for the final composition.This stuff leaves me in awe. I know that some animators like Frank Thomas and Eric Larson worked hard to achieve this simplicity, while others like Milt Kahl and Marc Davis did it intuitively.Each drawing is accompanied by an overlay that shows the flow toward the focused area.
因為觀眾往往只有很短的時間去觀看,並且理解發生了什麼事,所以動畫師必須把他手中的素材提煉出菁華來吸引他們。我企圖還原這些經典的迪士尼鏡頭,發現多數情況下,不同角色動作的Timing其實是有所間隔的。最後,我綜合這些改變並且將他們湊在一塊兒結果令我感到震撼與敬畏。我知道像是Frank Thomas或是Eric Larson這樣了不起的動畫師努力想要保持每個畫面的簡單性,但同時Milt Kahl與Marc Davis卻已靠直覺達到這種境界了。每一張圖都顯現出畫面流向某個焦點區域。



The first example from "Pinocchio" even had two animators who worked out the staging issues. Stromboli was animated by Tytla, Pinoke by Frank Thomas.Combined they form a powerful composition, the main focus is Stromboli's right hand grabbing Pinocchio. The characters connect very strongly. That firm grip showes Stromboli's physical strength, and Pinocchio's vulnerability.
來自「木偶奇遇記」的例子:即使是兩個不同的動畫師卻能得出同樣的表演結論。繪製Stromboli(右)是Tytla,小木偶(左)則是出自Frank Thomas之手,綜合結果就是視覺主要焦點會集中在抓著小木偶的Stromboli的右手,因此觀眾馬上感受到這兩個角色的強烈連結。這樣結實的一抓,還顯示出Stromboli力量上的強大與小木偶的脆弱特質。



Milt Kahl did all three characters in this scene from "Song of the South".They relate sooo simply, clear personality and attitude in each of them.Your eyes end up at the rabbit.
Milt Kahl完成「南方之歌」這一場戲裡所有的角色動畫。每個角色的個性與關係都相當得清楚明確,妳的眼睛將會停在左邊的兔子上。



Frank Thomas animated Merlin and Mim. Props like Merlin's hat and his magic wand help point to his nose being grabbed by Mim. That's the business of the scene and all lines support the idea.Here again opposing attitudes make up for an entertaining statement.
Frank Thomas 做了「石中劍」當中 Merlin (右) 與 Mim (左) 的道具動畫,像是Merlin手上的魔法棒和頭上的高帽子。同樣的例子,畫面的曲線性撐起同一個焦點,被Mim抓住的Merlin的鼻子。這場戲還說明了另一件事,兩個角色針鋒相對的表演,有時也能製造出意外的娛樂性。



Robin and Maid Marian were done By Milt, their hands/paws connect in such a simple and elegant way. Even the feather on Robin's hat is curved and points toward Maid Marian. This looks so simple, but it really is quite sophisticated.
「羅賓漢」裡 Robin (右) 與 Maid Marian (左) 用一個既簡單又優雅的方式讓兩手扣上。即便是Robin頭上帽子的羽毛都是曲線並且指著 Maid Marian。這看起來再簡單不過,但實際上卻是非常的複雜巧妙。






作者簡介Andreas Deja,擁有30年迪士尼動畫師經驗,現在正籌備自己的動畫短片,做做雕塑,和經營Deja View部落格,偶爾也會回迪士尼做動畫指導。好萊屋很多一線動畫師都是他的徒子徒孫。

原文出處Disney Staging
(閣主負責任翻譯‧有疑義歡迎討論)

後記:筆者去年在北美館聽Pixar20年展系列講座時,師公KyleBalda第一次提到這樣的畫面動線的觀念,當場震撼。所以一看到這篇文章,就覺得fascinatic,棒呆了!





【W⁺】補充

來自:sketchyyy 部落格 - Kyle Balda 北美館演講 PDF 檔
作者:Chih-Ming Chang
文章:Kyle Balda演講
Kyle Balda Speech



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2011-09-24

【AM T&T 夢工廠動畫師 Mike Stern 談他的工作流程 (下)】【Yao】



上集在此

Get Feedback
徵詢意見回饋


After I am happy with my blocking, I usually take one or more of these steps before moving into a first pass.
當我對自己的blocking成果感到滿意之後,我通常還會在真正過關前,再採取以下幾項步驟:

1) Show my peers. I will send out my work to other animators working on the film to get their opinions and check to see if the idea is reading clearly.
1)給我的同事看看:我會把我做好的動畫給為同一部影片工作的動畫師看,然後搜集他們的意見,看看我意圖在動畫中傳達的訊息是否清楚。

2) Show the animation supervisor. I always show my blocking to the animation supervisor to get feedback before showing the directors.
2)拿給動畫指導看:我總是先把我的 blocking 給動畫指導看過之後,才會拿給導演看。

3) Show the director(s). Once I incorporate any blocking notes from the animation supervisor, I put my work up in front of the directors.
3)拿給導演看:一旦我整合好動畫指導的意見,修改過 blocking 之後,我就會把我的作品拿給導演看。

I present my idea through my blocking and see if it is in line with their objectives for the shot.
我透過 blocking 呈現我對這顆鏡頭的概念與創意,然後看看它是否與這部作品的目標相符。


First Pass
第一關


If I get a buy-off on my blocking, or even if I receive some minor adjustments, I take my animation into a first pass.
假如導演滿意我的 blocking,或是只有些小地方需要調整,那我就會開始進入第一關的動畫。

During the first pass my checklist is as follows:
以下是第一關的檢查清單:

1) Switch my curves over to a version of spline and preview the animation.
1)將動畫曲線轉成曲線線性(spline),然後播放觀察。

2) Push full poses around to work out the timing.
2)把全身姿勢(full pose)時間位置做調整,找出最佳的時間點。

3) Adjust full poses to work in some more overlap and try to solidify the mechanics as much as possible.
3)調整全身姿勢,讓身體各部位再多一點的重疊動作(overlap),並試著讓身體力學愈穩固愈好。

4) Tie down the curves. At this point I take a look under the hood and see how the curves are looking. I clean up the flow of the curves and any obvious hitches to ease the process of cleaning up the animation.
4)整理動畫曲線。這時候我會深入地去瞭解動畫曲線給人什麼樣的觀感。我會整理曲線的流線性,並且清除任何會造成曲線不順的起伏。

5) Keep my keys organized. At this point, I am still trying to keep my keys clean and aligned on full frames. Since the directors have only seen the shot once there is still a chance that I may get some feedback that will require me to rework parts of the animation. If I keep the shot clean, I can easily make those adjustments.
5)保持 key 條理分明。這時候我會持續讓整段動畫的key看起來乾淨整齊。由於導演只看過這段動畫一次,所以仍然有可能需要修改或做部分調整。假如我能讓我的key保持乾淨,到時我就很好做調整。

6) Face pass. I take a pass on the face at this point. I add the phonemes for my lip sync and start thinking about how the expressions will translate from one to the next.
6)表情動畫。我會在這個階段繼續加強表情動畫的部分。在口形動畫(lip sync)中,我會加入口音的區別(phonemes),並試著思考,從一個表情到下一個表情之間該如何做變化。


Get More Feedback
更多的意見回饋


Once again, when I have taken a first pass across my shot, I show it to the animation supervisor. Once I get the go ahead, I move the shot into polishing.
再一次,一但我的動畫通過第一關,我就會把它拿給動畫指導看,當我知道可以繼續往下進行時,我就會開始進行潤飾(polish)的動作。

Checklist for polishing my shot:
以下是潤飾鏡頭的檢查清單:

So now that I have buy-off on the idea, I can feel comfortable taking my shot past the point of no return. I will use a series of different animation techniques, including layering and some straight ahead, to get the physicality working in my shot.
現在我的點子已經被導演認可,所以我終於可以輕鬆的通過可能被退件來來回回的折返點,接著我會運用各種動畫技巧,包括一些層次添加(layering)、一些一氣呵成(straight ahead),讓肢體可以在我的動畫中確實發揮作用。

During the polishing phase I start to work heavily with curves. To make things more focused I crop my animation timeline and focus on 50-100 frames of work.
潤飾的階段,我會花很大的功夫在調整動畫曲線。為了讓我能更集中注意力,我會設定讓我的時間軸短一點,像是50-100個影格就一個工作段落

I use tons of checklists when polishing a shot. The all-encompassing checklist is as follows:
潤飾動畫時我會運用大量的檢查項目。

以下就是我無所不包的檢查清單:

1) Find the driving force in the shot. In most cases, it is the center of gravity at the root of the character. I make sure to get the root movement working well because everything else depends on it.
1)找出整段動畫的驅動力量。大多數情況下,驅動力量都是在角色的 root,也就是身體的重心所在。因為身體的其他部分全都依賴著 root 動作,所以我會再三確認角色 root 動作是否正確良好。

2) Work from the root up and the head down. Once the root is working properly, I work my way up the torso into the chest, shoulders, neck, and then the head. I make sure that any movement on the root follows through these joints. If there are certain accents and inflections I want to hit with the head, I will animate those directly on the head, and make sure that movements are either led or followed by the rest of the torso.
2)由 root 向上,由頭向下。當root的動作沒問題之後,我就會開始朝上調整,從軀幹(torso)到胸部(chest)、肩膀、脖子,最後才是頭部。我會確保由 root 引導的任何動作都是按著這樣的關節順序來完成。但是如果聲音有特別的重音或是抑揚頓挫需要用頭部來加強,我會直接讓頭做動作,然後確保這樣的頭部動作有跟隨或是引導著身體其他部位。

3) The limbs. When I have the torso of the characters working correctly, I focus on the limbs. Sometimes the adjustments that I make to the torso can disrupt the original animation on the arms and legs. At this point, I feel comfortable blowing that old animation away and approaching the limbs straight ahead.
3)四肢。當角色軀幹的動態正確無誤時,我才會開始專注四肢的動態。因此有時會發生這種情況,當我調整好軀幹的動作時,卻破壞了原本四肢的動作,這時我會毫不猶豫地放棄之前的動作,然後直接按著新的動作重做設計。

4) Additional Layering. At this point I should have the majority of the movement working properly. I go back through and do some additional layering to make the movement feel organic. I do this by comparing curves and offsetting. For human characters I like to take a layering pass on the shoulders and hips. For non-human characters this is where I consider overlapping on tails and wings etc.
4)添加層次。到這一步驟時,我應該已經把大部分動作都做好了。這時我會再回頭去添加層次,讓動作變得更自然。我的作法是比較動畫曲線然後移動它們。人形的角色,我偏好在肩膀與屁股的地方添加層次,假如是非人形的角色,我則會著重在像是尾巴或是翅膀的重疊動作(overlapping)。

5) Facial animation. I take a pass and really focus just on the face. I get into the eyes to make sure that the eyelines are correct. I like to get very specific about the eye movements by using linear curves and editing my darts down to the frame. Once the darts are working, I add lid movement to support them. I plus the shapes in the lip sync and make sure that the rest of the face is supporting the lip sync movement. I tend to treat the face as a unit. When the mouth opens and closes with the sync, I make sure that the cheeks, lids and brows are all affected. When I focus on the lip sync and facial movement, I also include the head in this equation. I add more texture to the movement of the head to fully support the beats in the sync.
5)臉部動畫。我會仔細觀察眼睛,然後確保視線正確。我還喜歡用直線性(linear)的動畫曲線來讓眼珠的動作非常明確,一張(frame)就會完成暼眼,而且當我做暼眼動作時,我還會加上眼皮的變化來加強。這個階段我還會加入更多新的口形,但同時也要確保整張臉的表情有符合添加的口形變化。我傾向把臉部視為獨立部位。當嘴巴隨著口形開關時,我會確認臉頰、眼皮、眉毛都被牽動。當我把注意力放在加強口形和表情變化時,我也不會忘了連帶調整頭部動作,它們對我來說都很重要,因為我替頭部動作添加如此多的韻味,無非是為了加強口形動畫的整體節奏感。

6) Details. At this point, I should have the majority of my animation working, but I still make sure to take another pass for the things that take a little more love, such as areas of contact or IK switching. Sometimes I frame through my broad movements and see if I can add some scaling to enhance the way things transition.
6)細節。這時候我的主要動作應該都完成了,但我還是必須多一個步驟,確保有些細節能得到更多的關愛眼神,像是:身體與其他物件接觸的部位,或是 IKFK 的切換。有時候我會逐格觀看整個大略動作,然後觀察我是否能再加一些縮放在物件的變化之中。


That was the big list. Now I start to use some smaller lists.
以上是我的大方向清單。現在我會開始用一些更細節的檢查項目。

I play my animation back and list out the things that still need more attention. There are usually a couple of things that are screaming pretty loud, so I hit those first. I continue to watch the animation, make a list of things to fix, fix them, and then repeat the process.
我重播一次我完成的動畫,然後記下我仍需要注意的地方。這些通常都是特別明顯的缺點,所以我會優先解決它們。接著我會再看一次,然後再記下需要修改的地方,再一次修正它們,然後重複一次又一次


Pushing for final
邁向終點

Now that I have taken all of my passes on the animation, it's time to show for final. Once again, I hit a checklist to make sure that I have covered all of the bases:
現在我已經完成自己設定好檢查作品的所有步驟,該是把它收尾的時候。再一次,我重新審視一次檢查清單,確保我照顧到所有需要注意的基礎要素。

1) Is there anything that stands out as unbelievable or possibly distracting from the point of the shot?1)有任何東西偏離真實嗎?讓鏡頭裡發生的事情變得不可信,或者會讓觀眾分心去注意是否真實

2) Does it still have all of the ideas from the approved blocking?
2)我現在完成的動畫有涵蓋我 blocking 時所有的點子想法嗎?

3) Is the physicality pushed far enough?
3)我有把肢體發揮的淋漓盡致嗎?

4) Is there enough texture in the movement?
4)我的表演韻味足夠嗎?

5) Am I happy with it?
5)我看完覺得開心嗎?

Now it’s time to show for final. I run it by the animation supervisor and then put it in front of the directors.
邁向終點的時候到了。我會向動畫指導呈現我的作品,然後在導演面前展示它。


Ship it
交接工作

Alright, I got the final call in dailies. Nice. There is just one more list I need to run through, and then this shot is headed down the pipeline.
好吧,其實我每天都會接到必須交件的通知。很好,這樣一來我就只需要再多做一件事,然後這個鏡頭就會進到下一個製作階段。

1) Run and check all the simulations. If the character has hair or a tail or if I am using any type of simulation, I want to make sure that it has been run with the latest animation and is looking good.
1)播放並檢查所有的動力學模擬(simulation)。假如腳色有頭髮、尾巴或是任何我需要模擬的物件,我會確保他們配合的是我最新修改的動畫,而且可以正常運作。

2) Check the render. I run a full resolution render of my shot on the render farm to make sure that everything looks right. Sometimes environmental elements load differently in the animation software than they do on the render farm.
2)檢查算圖。我會透過算圖農場(render farm)算一張我這顆鏡頭全尺寸的圖,並且確保所有東西看起來正常。有時候,環境元素(environmental elements)在專門做動畫的軟體時看起來未必與最後算出來的東西一致。

3) Save and check in all of the files. I check all of the files into the server so that they can move on down the pipeline.
3)存檔並檢查檔案裡所有的資料。我會檢查伺服器上有所有的檔案,確保它們順利地往下一個製作階段。

4) Let 'em know. Once everything is in the right place, I let the production staff know that the shot is ready to be sent on so that the next artist can start their work as soon as possible.
4)昭告天下。一旦所有東西都到位,我會讓製作團隊知道這個鏡頭已經準備好移交了,請下一階段的動畫師也能儘快接手。


There you have it. These are some of the lists that I follow when working on a shot. By keeping these things in mind, I am able to keep my workflow organized and make sure that I am delivering my best animation in each shot that I take.
大功告成!以上是我在製作動畫時會使用的檢查清單。將這些原則謹記在心,得以讓我的工作流程更有條理,如此一來,我才能在每一部的作品中,交出我能力所及最盡善盡美的動畫。









(閣主負責任翻譯‧有疑義歡迎討論)



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2011-09-13

【AM T&T 夢工廠動畫師 Mike Stern 談他的工作流程 (上)】【Yao】




What is on my animation checklist?
我的動畫檢查清單上有哪些項目?



I have a series of things that I need to consider at each point during the shot. I don't always take all of these steps on every shot, but this will work as a nice master list to pull from depending on what is expected. At the launch, my checklist is a series of questions. Most of the time, these questions are answered as we walk through the sequence with the directors. If these questions aren't addressed, I ask about them when my shots are reviewed.
完成一個鏡頭的過程中,每個步驟我都有一連串的事情需要考慮。當然,我並不是每個鏡頭都照著這樣繁瑣的流程一步一步來,不過列出一張完善有著主要項目的檢查清單,這樣的做法對於我們完成預期中的高品質動畫很有幫助。一開始,我的檢查清單是一系列的問題。大多數時候,這些問題會在完成動畫的過程中,與導演討論一一得到解答。但假如這些問題沒有被解決,我就會在導演審查時提出來。


Checklist of Questions at the Launch:
1) What is the context? What happened directly before and what is going to happen directly after the shot?
2) What are the main story points that need to come through in the shot?
3) Is there a particular emotion that we should be feeling as audience members watching this shot?
4) How much room is there to work the idea? Some shots need to stick pretty close to the boards, while others leave a lot of space for the animator to work with. It's our responsibility to know what type of situation we are dealing with.
If I know the answer to all of these questions, than I am ready to start planning my shot.

初期提問檢查清單
1)故事的來龍去脈是什麼?在這之前發生了什麼事?這之後又將發生什麼?
2)這一鏡需要傳達的故事重點是什麼?
3)觀眾在觀看這一鏡時,需要感受什麼樣的特定情緒嗎?
4)有多少的發揮空間?有些鏡頭我們必須做得跟分鏡表(Storyboard)近乎一模一樣,有些鏡頭則允許動畫師有自由發揮的空間。動畫師有責任瞭解自己負責的鏡頭是屬於哪一種。


假如我已經知道以上述這些問題的答案,那就表示我準備好開始規劃鏡頭了。


Checklist for Planning my Shot:
規劃鏡頭的檢查清單


I use different methods for planning out an acting shot versus a physical shot. For a physical shot, I will try to find some good reference of the movement and then jump right into thumbnailing. For acting shots, I like to spend some time analyzing the line.
我用不同的方法規劃不同的鏡頭,一種是屬於主觀的表演鏡頭,另一種則是屬於客觀物理性的鏡頭。面對客觀物理性的鏡頭,我會找一些合適的參考資料,然後直接畫下規劃用的草圖。面對主觀的表演鏡頭,我則會花多一點時間分析台詞。


My checklist is as follows:
以下是我的檢查清單:


1) Go for my gut instinct. I like to get my initial instinct out on paper and possibly on the camera. I may come back to this, but I may not. Sometimes it helps to get my idea out there so that I can clear it out of the way to make room for better ideas.
1) 順著直覺走:
我喜歡在紙上記下我最初直覺的想法,或是用相機記錄。之後我可能會用到它,但也可能派不上用場。有時候,這樣的發想可以幫助我釐清,讓點子成形,甚至有機會想到更好的點子。


2) Analyze the dialog. There are a few things that I look for in the dialog when I am planning my acting:
2) 對話分析:
我在規劃表演時,會從對話中找出幾個需要注意的地方。


Dynamics: Find the places where the line has inflections. These are great places to hang acting ideas.
抑揚頓挫 - 找出對話語調的轉折點,這些地方就是你讓表演突出的最佳位置。


Phrasing: I try to assign specific verbs to go along with parts of the line. If I can assign a verb to describe what the character is doing or thinking, it is easier for me to create a pose that communicates properly.
措詞語法 - 我試著在每段台詞中,個別找出適合那一段表演的動詞描述,因為如果我能用某個簡單的動詞來形容角色此刻到底在幹麻或是在想什麼,那我就很容易用某個姿勢(Pose)來適當地傳達訊息。

Meaning/Subtext: Many times, characters say something that implies something more meaningful. Digging out the true meaning of the line can lead to some really fresh acting choices.
明義暗喻 - 很多時候,角色台詞其實比字面上擁有更多的背後意義。挖掘出台詞的真實意義,可以引導你創造更多不落俗套的表演。


3) Research:
Character Reference: I always try to think about the character. How would they react to this situation? If this character has been animated already, how did other animators handle this type of acting?
Film reference: See if this type of situation has been handled in other films. Sometimes this will help to inspire acting ideas in a different direction.

3) 做功課
角色研究 - 我總是設想角色可能在想些什麼,面對某某狀況角色會怎麼行動?假如這個角色已經有動畫了,那其他的動畫師又是如何處理這樣的狀況呢?
影片研究 - 找看看有沒有同樣的情況在其他影片出現過。有時候這可以激發你想出不同方向的表演點子。


4) Video Reference. Now that I have analyzed the scene some more, I shoot some reference. I leave the camera running until I feel comfortable. I switch it up between acting and doing. When I am "acting" I am trying to feel the line out and see what comes naturally. When I am "doing" I have a specific idea in mind that I try to imitate with my body.
4) 錄製參考影片
現在我已經對場景做了足夠的分析,我會開始拍攝參考影片。我讓攝影機持續錄影,直到我覺得自在滿意為止。我會在兩種模式中不斷切換我的重心:「即興」(acting)和「演戲」(doing)。當我「即興」的時候,我會試著感受台詞,觀察自己有什麼自然產生的動作;當我「演戲」的時候,我腦海中已經有特定想法,我只需要我的肢體去把它演出來。


Get other animators involved in the reference. I find that if can get direct feedback as I am acting, it can help the ideas develop faster. I take turns acting and directing.
還有,讓其他動畫師也參與參考影片,我發現當我在表演的時候,如果可以直接得到回饋的意見,這可以讓點子更快的成形,我等於是輪流在演出跟導演。


Analyze the reference, find the truths. Sometimes it helps to cut together a super take with what you feel are the best choices for each part of the shot. Make your choices. At this point I usually pick one or two ideas that I like best for each beat and start to prep those ideas for blocking.
分析錄好的參考影片,找出實際的狀況。有時候,這樣的分析有助於你從各段最好的部分中,剪輯出最完美的一鏡(take)。接著,你要做出選擇。這種時候,我通常會選出一到二個我最喜歡的構想,然後開始準備用這些構想去做初步動畫(blocking)。


5) Apply the Principles. I look for places to add physicality, reversals, lead and follow. I make sure to exaggerate the ideas in my reference and push the things that the reference is hinting at.
5) 應用動畫法則
我會找出要加強身體重量感、逆向緩衝、引導和跟隨的地方。我會設法強調我在參考資料中的點子,並且加強參考資料中得到的啟示。


6) Thumbnail.Depending on the shot, I thumbnail instead of shooting reference.On certain shots, I thumbnail after doing the reference to make sure that I am pushing the poses and the physicality.
6) 繪製小草圖(Thumbnail)
根據鏡頭,我會畫小草圖取代拍攝參考影片。在某些特定鏡頭,搜集完參考素材之後,我會更進一步的繪製草圖,確認並加強表演張力以及身體動感。


Blocking
At this point, I have a pretty good idea of what I am going to work into the shot. It's time to start blocking.For most shots, I work in stepped mode for my blocking. This enables me to do detailed poses that communicate clearly without having to worry about the in-betweens.

1) Block in my keys.
These will be the main storytelling poses in my shot. I don't have any limit to how many keys I set on my first pass of blocking, but they tend to be pretty sparse. Sometimes I will leave as many as 10-12 frames between poses. I will block in a full pose including rough ideas for the hands and face.
2) Test it and time it.
I playback my pass of keys and move them around on the timeline until the beats feel like they are in the right places.
3) Break it down.
I add my breakdowns as a part of my blocking pass. I tend to break a shot down until I have a key on about every 3-4 frames. When I add my breakdowns, I think about which key that breakdown should favor. At times I even favor different body parts to different keys. I am also thinking about my paths of action.
Blocking

此時,我已經有一個很棒的構想來完成動畫。現在是該開始blocking的時候了。大多數鏡頭,我都是按著步驟式方法做blocking,這種方法讓我可以做出明確清楚的細節動作,而且不必煩惱鍵間張(in-betweens)(編按:關鍵張前後幾格的動作)。

1) 設定關鍵張(keys)
這些關鍵張將會是用來說故事的主要動作。在第一次blocking時,我並沒有限制自己要設多少關鍵張,但我傾向不要太多。有時候我會間隔10-12張才設一個關鍵張。我做blocking時通常就會設定完整的姿勢(pose),包括粗略的手指動作跟臉部表情。
2) 測試節奏
為了符合節奏,我會播放我完成的關鍵張(keys),並且在時間軸上不斷去移動它們,直到整個節奏對了,它們也在最適合的位置上。
3) 分解動作(Break it down)
我會加入中間張(breakdowns)(編按:動畫筆記本格主稱此動作為中割張),並將之視為blocking的一部分。我會把一顆鏡頭細分到每3-4張就設一個key。當我加入中間張時,我會思考該強調哪個關鍵張。有時候,我甚至會用不同的中間張強調不同的身體部位。我同時也會思考我設計的動作走位。


Once I have a pass of blocking, I will ask some questions again:
1) Is it clear? Will someone get the idea of what I am going for without any explanation?
2) Did I push the posing and timing enough?
3) Do I like the idea? I try to be the first judge of my work before I get the supervisor and directors involved. Chances are, if I don't feel good about it, then they won't either.
當我完成blocking之後,我會再問自己一些問題:
1) 這樣夠清楚嗎?我是不是可以不用解釋,就能讓別人瞭解我在幹嘛呢?
2) 我的姿勢(Pose)跟時間掌握(Timing)夠說服人嗎?
3) 這個點子我喜歡嗎?在作品送到動畫指導或是導演那一關之前,我會試著當自己作品的第一個評審。往往當我自己覺得東西不好的時候,他們也不會點頭通過。










(閣主負責任翻譯‧有疑義歡迎討論)



相關閱讀( Yao 翻譯):



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2011-09-06

【Kinovea 動畫師check影片的好幫手】【Yao】


Kinovea官網畫面

Kinovea本來是一款針對體育教練對運動員動作分析研究的播放器,但很棒的是它也非常適合動畫師和人體工學設計師來使用。Kinovea是免費軟體,有簡體中文版本,可以去Kinovea的官網下載最新版本。



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2011-08-26

【AM T&T決定動畫師的優劣要素?(Ⅱ) 態度篇】【Yao】


原文:What Separates the Good Animator from the Bad Animator?( Travis Tohill)
翻譯:Yao


There are a lot of things that separate a good animator and a bad animator.
已經有太多方法可以區別動畫師的優劣了。


 I will skip the obvious things like talent, speed, good mechanics, fundamentals, etc. There are a lot of animators out there that have all of those qualities.

所以,我們撇開像是天份、效率、正確的力學觀念、動畫基本法則這些明顯的因素不談,因為我知道很多動畫師都能達到上述提及的水準。(編按:我覺得光是達到這個水準,在台灣都可謂鳳毛麟角,起碼閣主我還有很長很長的路要學習與經驗)

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2011-08-20

【夢工廠動畫總監 Dan Wagner 談《功夫熊貓》】【Yao】



原文:CG Society Production Focus By Renee Dunlop
翻譯:Yao

 ANIMATION 動畫 

Dan Wagner was Head of Character Animation. He first started in 2D animation at the age of 8, and switched to 3D on Shrek 2. He started on Kung Fu Panda before the characters had any rigs, so, falling back on his many years as a traditional animator, worked on test animations for main character Po in pencil and paper. The film was in animation for a year and a half. Throughout, Wagner’s mantra was “ambient motion”, the importance of keeping the characters alive through subtle queues, be it breathing, or a lifted hand that was fighting against gravity no matter how strong the pose.

Dan Wagner 是《功夫熊貓》的角色動畫總監。他早從八歲就開始製作2D動畫,參與電影《史瑞克2》時轉型為 3D 動畫師。在《功夫熊貓》還沒有做任何骨架綁定(rig ) 的階段,他就受命開始為主角阿波(Po)做動畫測試,重拾紙筆,回歸他早期從事的傳統動畫。《功夫熊貓》在動畫的製作階段花了一年半的時間。這段期間,Wagner 的口頭禪就是「注意小動作」(ambient motion)。不管你的姿勢(Pose)多麼富有張力,為了使角色栩栩如生,那就必須透過細微之處來表現。像是呼吸的起伏,或是為了對抗地心引力微微舉起的手。



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2011-08-10

【AM T&T 決定動畫師的優劣要素?】【師堯】


【Animation Mentor - Tips & Tricks 】
【What Separates the Good Animator From the Bad Animator?】
【翻譯:師堯】


I would say, from a supervisor’s point of view, that a good animator is one who shows great attention to detail and won’t hand in work that is clearly mediocre or worse, accompanied by a myriad of excuses.

我必須說,身為動畫指導,我認為優秀的動畫師不但能展現他對細節的專注程度,而且不會交出一看就知道是平庸或是差勁的作品,然後再找很多理由跟藉口解釋。


They are aware of the thought processes of the characters they are animating, and are conscious of communicating that to the audience.  A good animator creates interesting rhythm in their shot, and isn’t afraid of using moments of stillness to accent both the rhythm and the communication.

優秀的動畫師會注意角色的思考過程,並意識到他必須透過角色與觀眾溝通。優秀的動畫師會在他的鏡頭表演中注入有趣的節奏,也不會擔心運用片刻的靜止或沉默,來強調表演節奏與溝通。


There are also some elements of detail that I find really separate good animation from bad. One element is shoulder movement. Bad animators will not use the shoulders very much in their animation, when in reality, shoulders have a huge amount of articulation and really connect the arm movement into the torso movement. I’ve seen lots of stiff or non-existent shoulder movement in bad animation.

我也發現有一些細節可以幫我辨別動畫的好壞,其中一項就是肩膀的運動。平庸的動畫師在在做動畫時,往往不太動肩膀這一塊,但是在現實生活中,肩膀被身體牽動,然後再帶動手臂,很大一部分的情感表現其實都來自肩膀的動作。我看過太多肩膀動作僵硬的動畫,甚至有些肩膀連動都不動的。


Good hand poses are another element that take good animation to the next level. Hands are incredibly emotive and communicative, but it is also painstaking to animate all those digits. A good animator will put the work in, not only to make the movement work, but to make the poses interesting visually, appealing, and connect those poses to the character’s acting and emotion.

好的手勢變化( hand poses )是另一個讓動畫提升到更高層次的元素。我們的手可以傳達出豐富細膩的情感與溝通,但也表示需要動畫師繁複細心地設計每一根手指的動作。優秀的動畫師會把這樣的細節加進他的鏡頭中,而且不只是精準地完成動態而已,他還會讓這些動態在視覺上看起來很有趣,很有吸引力,讓手勢變化與角色的情緒和動作之間產生關連。


Other than those particular things, it’s just a mastery of the principals of animation--paying attention to all of the elements that make a great shot! Great posing, great timing, body mechanics, great character acting (and this is something that is very difficult-- mastering the body language and personality of a particular character versus just moving a character around generically).

除了上述這些特別的提醒之外,其實你只需要精通動畫原理的基本法則—仔細觀察了不起的鏡頭構成元素!例如:好的姿勢、好的時間節奏、正確的身體力學、動人的角色表演,其實這有時候非常困難。你要通盤了解某一角色的肢體語言和人格特質,而不只是讓角色普普通通地動來動去)。


Something I can’t emphasize enough is the importance of having strong body mechanics. Whether you’re going more realistic or more cartoony, if the body mechanics aren’t “buyable” the character will never really take on life. If they don’t have that illusion of life, that makes it very difficult for the audience to empathize with them, and it will be much, much harder to draw the audience into the story and maintain the suspension of disbelief.

還有,我必須再次強調,擁有正確清楚的身體力學極為重要。不管你是要走偏寫實或是偏卡通的路線,假如身體力學的部分不夠令人信服,那麼你的角色表演就永遠不可能擁有生命力,如果角色缺乏生命力,觀眾就很難對他們產生共鳴,那你的觀眾將會不停地疑惑,因此很難、很難進入故事當中。




Mentor at Animation Mentor 
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2011-08-04

【AM T&T 動畫師應該要用鏡頭角度去『偷』嗎?】【師堯】


【Animation Mentor - Tips & Tricks 】
【Do Animators Use Camera Angles to Hide Animation Flaws?】
【翻譯:師堯】


If there is a flaw, it is the animator's job to fix it.
假如動畫上有瑕疵,那動畫師的責任就是修正它!


Sometimes animators do animate just the upper body in frame thinking that they are saving time and work by ignoring what isn’t seen. An animation supervisor with a critical eye will immediately see that flaw.

有些時候,動畫師在做動畫時會為了節省時間,而陷入畫面框架(frame thinking)的思維,省略不做畫面上看不見的部份,而只做上半身(或是下半身)的動畫。但是一個擁有「鷹眼」(critical eye)的動畫指導,他可以馬上從中看出缺陷。


The body off screen has to motivate what we see on screen. This is more critical with computer animation because it doesn’t have the “cheat zone” of 2D. No matter what animation medium you work in, you have to create the illusion of feet moving to adjust balance or shift weight to initiate a move, even if it isn’t seen on screen.

電腦動畫之所以有別於2D動畫,其中重要的特性之一就是不再擁有『作弊區域』(cheat zone),在螢幕上呈現的局部動態都必須靠著螢幕外的整體動態來驅動。不論你使用何種媒材來做動畫,你都還是必須藉著調整平衡和移動重心來達到人物做動作時應該擁有的重量感,接著人物才開始下一個動作,即使這部分不會出現在螢幕上。


This does not have to be polished animation, but it has to be analyzed and blocked in. It is dangerous to think that a camera angle will hide an animation flaw, because the people you are trying to impress will likely notice it right away and it could cost you that new job. Ultimately, it’s our responsibility as animators to animate the character properly.

這看不見的部分不需要做得很繁複精細,但至少要有所本地規劃並且繪製草圖。試圖用鏡頭去隱藏動畫上的瑕疵是非常危險的想法,而且會讓你多出更多的工作,因為你試著想打動的觀眾(動畫指導、導演),很可能會馬上注意到這樣的瑕疵。說到底,動畫師的責任本來就是踏實地把動畫做好嘛。





原文出處:Animation Mentor tips & tricks
翻譯來源:師堯的部落格
(閣主負責任翻譯‧有疑義歡迎討論)




相關閱讀(師堯翻譯):
【3D網狀拓樸學的小知識:四角面vs. 三角面】【師堯】
【AM T&T 動畫公司的面試是怎麼一回事?】【師堯】
【AM T&T 關於角色對話的秘訣】【師堯】
【AM T&T 如何讓不討喜的角色討喜?】【師堯】

閱讀更多動畫學習文章:
【AnimEgg 動畫學習 - 分類文章】
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2011-07-31

【3D網狀拓樸學的小知識:四角面vs. 三角面】【師堯翻譯】


【中文翻譯:3D網狀拓樸學的小知識:四角面vs. 三角面】
【翻譯:師堯】(想看白底黑字可按此前往原翻譯者部落格)


到底 3D 建模用 四角面 或 三角面 有什麼差?!

這問題其實不難,可是確實困擾著許多3D建模的初學者,所以,讓我們從不同角度來一窺究竟吧。

首先,讓我們先同步幾個專有名詞。

三角面 ( Triangles ) ,顧名思義,是由三個邊 ( Edge ) 組成的多邊形 ( Polygon )。在3D建模中,你還必須想到,三個邊必然是由三個頂點 ( Vertice ) 來連結。

四角面 ( Quads ),一個含有四個邊與四個點的多邊形。

一般來說,有彎曲與凹折之類動作需求的有機體建模,例如:臉部、身體、動物等,或是設計含人體工學的物件,像是:跑車、中看不中用的高檔家具等,這些通常會以四角面來建模。(編按:簡單說,就是任何與「動態」有關的物件)3D建模該用四角面還是三角面好?我們需從細分面 ( Subdividing ) 、環狀佈線 ( Edgeloops ) 、以及平滑表面 ( Smoothing ) 三方面來考量。


Subdividing 細分面

細分面的原理很好懂。你只需要基礎數學就可以分析了。

四角面:四除以二等於二 ( 4 / 2 = 2 ),非常好,可以整除,達到平衡。
三角面:三除以二等於一又二分之一 ( 3 / 2 = 1.5 ) ,糟糕,不能整除,不平衡,你該怎麼收拾剩下的二分之一呢?

這有點麻煩,因為細分面的用途是增加3D模型的細節,而四角面在這方面表現比較好,你可以很容易預測出細分後的結果,但是三角面在細分時就會變得很棘手,因為它打斷了本來流暢的佈線。建模中特定的流暢佈線就是環狀佈線。 ( 編按:簡單說就是,用四角面建模比較好預測smooth後的結果,三角面則否。這部分在Z-Brush中的面增值功能特別明顯,因為這個功能就是以四為倍數在做計算,若有三角面就導致錯誤 )


Edgeloops 環狀佈線

當我們使用3D模型做動畫時,環狀佈線決定了物體的彎曲與摺疊程度。 ( 編按:表演程度愈誇張動作幅度愈大的物件,需要更多的環狀佈線來支撐,像是人的手肘、膝蓋、脖子這些必定會被彎曲的部位 ) 另外,環狀佈線也是添加細節的基礎,像是皮膚皺紋、衣服皺摺、肌理紋路、邊緣倒角等。

這不見得是壞事,因為三角面在建模中仍然能扮演一個關鍵角色,但是要盡量的少用,而且,可能的話,最好藏在看不到的地方,這樣才不會在動作表演 ( animating ) 或平滑表面 ( smoothing ) 時帶來困擾。


Smoothing 平滑表面

當你使用像Add Smooth或是Subdivide等這一類功能來順一順模型佈線時,你會發現三角面很容易在模型表面上,產生明顯可見的「髒汙」 ( 編按:黑黑的瑕疵面 ) 。這是因為三角形的頂點數是奇數。若是你將三角面置於四角面(由偶數頂點組成)當中,然後使用這樣的模型來做動作時,模型也往往會有尖突現象發生 ( 編按:模型點的權重分配weight發生錯誤 ) ,這就是為什麼你最好嘗試減少三角面的出場機會,或是將它們藏在不明顯的地方 ( 編按:像是人體建模時放在頭頂、腳底、胳肢窩等處 ) 


Exceptions 例外
當然,總是會有例外,相較於大多設計對四角形的偏好,會採用三角形的物件有:低面數遊戲模型、硬邊模型、建築物等等。這些模型通常不需要如人臉般的表面變化,所以不會遇到上述三角面容易造成的問題。


Conclusion 總結

簡單來說,四角面通常優於三角面。

你不大可能完全避掉三角面,但是儘量堅持只使用四角面,這會是很好的建模練習。無論如何,當你遇到只有三角形才能解決的時候,也要學著找到使用它們的最佳平衡。畢竟,三角面並非一無可取。

儘可能地多觀摩別人的佈線,你會開始看出其中的佈線通則。當你的建模能力提升後,你再回頭看看你過去的作品,你會馬上發現有些地方可以更好,這也是一種很好的練習方式。還有,多下載一些模型檔案來觀摩,並試著練習「修改」它們。

希望你能樂在其中!




原文出處:http://0rz.tw/Y60BP
作者Kernon Dillon為資深Blender User
(閣主負責任翻譯‧有疑義歡迎討論)


翻譯來源:師堯的部落格



相關閱讀(師堯翻譯):
【AM T&T 動畫公司的面試是怎麼一回事?】【師堯】
【AM T&T 關於角色對話的秘訣】【師堯】
【AM T&T 如何讓不討喜的角色討喜?】【師堯】


閱讀更多動畫學習文章:
【AnimEgg 動畫學習 - 分類文章】
more

2011-07-24

【AM T&T 動畫公司的面試是怎麼一回事?】【師堯】



【Animation Mentor - Tips & Tricks 】
【Interview at a Studio: What Was it Like?】
【翻譯:師堯】


在職涯初期,面試總是讓人神經緊繃,起碼對我來說就是這樣!

我總是會聲音顫抖,掌心出汗,需要深呼吸,然後變得健忘,即使是最簡單的問題也會愣住,像是忘記自己為何熱愛動畫這樣的事。但我告訴你,面試其實可以更容易,不騙你!當然,你還是會緊張,那是因為你太想要那個工作了,不過你可以把面試當成像聊天一樣,而不是把它當成某種審問。所以,當你感覺到被審問時,記住是因為你讓自己這麼覺得。

講講我的經驗好了。所有曾經面試過我的人,他們人都很和氣,誠懇務實而且平易近人。只不過,我總是會把注意力放在我是否回答得跟事前演練好的內容一樣,因此,我的大腦變得很忙,努力尋覓著最適合的字詞,以至於我從未給自己一個機會放鬆下來,好好地跟他們聊一聊。

但是只要我能克服這點,所有緊張就不見了。一直到我走進面談室的前一刻,我仍然會緊張,可是當我見到對方並且開口說話時,我就會覺得放鬆許多。大多數動畫公司在面試前都會先做一點公司簡介,這其實幫助很大。

到目前為止,我經歷過兩次重要的面試,一次是來自 Tippett Studio 的電話面試,另一次是工業光魔 ( ILM ) 的現場面試,我當然還是很緊張,但這兩次在結束時,我都能感到自在與放鬆。

出乎意料的是,我在接受電話面試時比現場面試還緊張,因為我的聲音和我說的話會是他們唯一可以參考的依據,如果是面對面的面試,至少當他們在問完問題後,陷入沉默時我還可以擺出一副認真思考的樣子,但這在電話面試時行不通,我覺得我必須更快回應,免得對方以為我沒在聽,或是在放空。

跟大家分享一些面試小撇歩:

-永遠準備好履歷跟作品集!
而且最好是裝在別緻的檔案夾裡。我還會另外放進一些有助於個人履歷的物件,像是 demo reel 以及名片。大多時候這些東西都派不上用場,但只要有一次,面試官手頭上沒有這些東西,那這樣的準備就會很有幫助。此外,我還會將我對該職位、專案、或是公司的提問寫在便條紙上,一併放入檔案夾內。我也會準備紙筆作筆記,快速記下面談過程中的關鍵字。這些前置作業會讓我感到胸有成竹,讓我面試時更為自在。

-要做功課!
我在面試前會盡我所能地做足夠的準備功課,過程中我常常發現,其實我瞭解的並不如我以為的多,很多時候,你永遠不知道在面試時會被問到什麼,這樣的準備會讓我感到放心。

-不必穿得太正式!
但也不要只穿T恤跟牛仔褲而已。我知道在我們這行,很多時候你穿什麼去面試,其實並不重要,儘管如此,我還是認為面試時應該多花一點心思在服裝上。我發現,假如我在鏡子裡看起來是專業的,那會使我在面試時呈現更整體的專業形象。

-問問題!
提問能讓面試官知道你對這工作真的有興趣。我不是要你偽裝成即使你不感興趣也要表現熱情,但假如你真的很喜歡這工作,千萬不要退縮,我確信他們會很開心回答你所有的問題,所以,別害羞窩!


Animation Mentor Alumni
Animator at Industrial Light and Magic (ILM)



原文出處:http://0rz.tw/Wp9Qe
翻譯來源:師堯的部落格


相關閱讀:
【AM T&T 關於角色對話的秘訣】【師堯】
【AM T&T 如何讓不討喜的角色討喜?】【師堯】

閱讀更多動畫學習文章:
【AnimEgg 動畫學習 - 分類文章】

more

2011-07-19

【AM T&T 關於角色對話的秘訣】【師堯】




【Animation Mentor - Tips & Tricks 】
【Can You Provide Some Tips on Animating Dialogue?】
【翻譯:師堯】


在動畫裡,角色能使用語言與對話方式讓自己擁有更鮮明的性格。

只要想一想,每個人的左臉右臉並非一模一樣,我們就可以知道,每個人呈現出的說話方式一定也不一樣,就像每個人的走路姿勢大不同一樣。你/妳可以觀察不同的演員,當他們在說台詞時,臉上迥異的表情變化,這樣的練習可以啟發你在做動畫時找到更酷的點子和表演。

最後,即使你手上可能是一個已經設定好說話方式的角色,但通常來說,在任何表演裡,仍會有些許彈性空間可以塞進一些有趣的小細節。


Animation Mentor Alumni
Animator at Sony Pictues Imageworks



原文出處:http://0rz.tw/LE64k
(閣主不負責任翻譯:師堯的部落格)


相關閱讀:
【AM T&T 如何讓不討喜的角色討喜?】【師堯】

閱讀更多動畫學習文章:
【AnimEgg 動畫學習 - 分類文章】


more

【AM T&T 如何讓不討喜的角色討喜?】【師堯】




情感!情感!情感!情感!情感!


我說得夠多遍了嗎?我想即使是最難看的角色,也能因為他展現自己情感豐富的一面而變得吸引人,尤其是令人共鳴的部份:哀傷、同情、憐憫、領悟、喜悅還有愛。

個人認為,史迪奇(Stitch) 的角色設計就很不討喜,即使它有對大眼睛也沒用。讓它超級受歡迎的原因是因為,它的情感豐富,這特質在外星人身上尤其困難。大部分人多以自己習慣的角度看待事物,像是幾乎所有的幼小生物都會讓我們覺得可愛。把角色設計得超乎一般人對可愛的認知,就會令觀眾怯步。

言歸正傳,但是我覺得,當觀眾對某一角色的情感產生共鳴時,即使原本令人倒胃口的設計,也能擄獲人心,因為同理心可以解決所有的問題。讓角色做出關懷他人的舉動,且是出自於角色本身的特質,這樣的設計絕對能贏得觀眾的喜愛。

但是,假如角色都沒有任何讓人共鳴的戲份時,該怎麼辦?要如何讓角色更吸引人呢?當然,這比較有挑戰性,『喜劇』會是解藥。沒有人不喜歡丑角,即使他們顯得很怪異。一個不討喜的角色若能讓人發笑,其實就表示觀眾對角色產生認同,對角色的心情感同身受。由此可知,當你對角色感同身受,或是被它所逗笑時,你已被它吸引,而它也因此顯得討喜迷人。

到目前為止,一切順利,但如果這個角色既沒有感動人心的時刻,也沒有引人發噱的動作,要該怎麼辦?

那麼,你知道嗎?它就是反派人物啦!它不需要討人喜歡,想辦法讓它愈醜愈好,這樣做就對了!



Mentor at Animation Mentor
Director/Writer/Producer

原文出處:http://0rz.tw/zCShd
(閣主不負責任翻譯:師堯的部落格)


相關閱讀:
【AM T&T關於角色對話的秘訣】【師堯】

閱讀更多動畫學習文章:
【AnimEgg 動畫學習 - 分類文章】

more