Here are the few tips I have for effectively doing video reference.
1.Stop being shy if you can...
2.Make the setup simple. If it is a big setup you won't do it. Keep to Quicktimes, no video transfer..should be as easy as getting up and acting it out.
3.Use friends who might be a better actor to help and act it out
4.Plan to spend time doing this. If you just film it 3-4 times it won't feel natural
5.Memorize audio before you do this
6.Spend time coming up with ideas before you do this...so you can limit the cliches
7.Shoot from camera angle
8.Use props that fit the weight and size used in the scene..also set up a fake head to look at for eye direction
9.Capture at low resolution and 24 fps frame rate...it works best for basic gesture and timing of movement. Exception is facial reference..good to see what is going on clearly.
10.Study it but don't copy...since frames get dropped out...it can break alot of the twelve principles.
11.Shoot against a solid background for good silhoutee
12.Put on a white belt and some dark pants, wrap a line of masking tape around your knees, and film yourself for walks
Nice Links to great more info
Kevin Koch's Tips on Video Reference
Shawn Kelly's Tips on Video Planning
http://animationtipsandtricks.com/2008/06/readers-question-how-do-you-do-video.html
More on Video Reference for animators
Reference Video example
Shawn Kelly Webinar on Video Reference
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Line of Action Thoughts
I am doing alot of posing right now and I feel this is a concept that I always can think about when working in cg...
John K use-line-of-action-to-maintain-guts
http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2009/01/use-line-of-action-to-maintain-guts-of.html
Sponge Bob and Line of action
Hands and Line of Action
harvey-kurtzman-opposing-poses-life
Williard Mullin and Animated Line of Action
Mark Kennedy and Line of Action
Elements and Line of action
richard scarry line of action
Use Line of Action to show force
Tigers and Shapes-clip from Spline Doctors on Line of Action
Why Line of Action...Preston Blair says, the LoA is the basis for rhythm, simplicity and directness in animation. USe it to show change of shape..see here in richard williams book.
It is also useful when looking at the direction and intent of the character’s action.
Glen Keane talks about it alot in his planning notes...
Some Last Thought I got from Animation Mentor
Line of Action:
1.simplest line through a character that describes the action of that frame. If the line of action were taken from each of your frames and separated and played at full speed they would describe the action of the scene without the niceties of all the limbs.
2.It's the force of a pose described in one line and all the other elements of the character compliment the main driving energy.
This line is not always from the foot through the body and into the head. It starts at the forward foot and terminates at the higher arm.
Examples
If somebody is depressed it may start on the ground and go upwards then hook around like an upside down 'U'.
If somebody is about to dunk a basketball it may look like a 'C' whereupon the ball would be at the end of the upper part of the C and the legs are being described by the lower part. The head in this instance is not represented by anything as it is secondary to the action that is taking place.
Some John K thoughts
Line of action helps your poses "read".It makes them clear and understandable and gives them a distinct non-ambiguous direction.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
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