OK, back to 15f and can get some animating done (the first in a long time). Just blocking keys straight ahead - 3 seconds.

2_10_02 Wip 1 (231kb, .mov) - Updated

When putting the scene together, did anyone realise that Trot is too short to get to the door handles?

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No. An option would be to raise her up off the ground. Then on the camera cut, she can go down again or go in closer on the second camera angle. Good start.

Hmmmm - well I'm done. I'll wait till there is a new version of AM released before I try any more. I'm spending more time reloading after a crash than actually animating now (17 crashes in the last 24 hrs - OSX version. I could use my Windows laptop but with such a small screen it's only useful for blocking)

Edit - OK - Experimenting with a second monitor attached to my Laptop seems to be working giving me the higher resolution I need (my eyes aren't what they used to be)

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I think I have finished the first part of this scene, but I am never good at judging my own work and it has been a while since I have done any animation - all thoughts welcome?

2_10_02 Wip 2

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When you're blocking like that I'd suggest nailing down your main poses with a pair of keys instead of letting her just pass thru each one.

Still blocking! I though the first part (door open and exit - up to frame 80ish) was done.......

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Animation looks most of the way there to me. Is there any more in the second camera shot? It could nearly stick with the first camera all the time. The angle change doesn't really add much. Don't know who blocked it out.....could have been me.

I'm doing the shot in 3 parts. The Exit, the passage to the second door and the second door. The Chor came with 3 camera moves/shots and I wasn't planning to change those.

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I was going to use a walk cycle for Trots move between the doors but it looks a little mechanical. The script says 'Tip toes' and I'd like to do that instead BUT what type of tip toe? There is the "up on the toes short fast cycle" tip toe and the "very long stride and slow cycle" tip toe (sneak!) and possibly other types in between.

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I'd say the latter. There used to be an action for the Knight. Like that.

I've been struggling with my tip toe action for a couple of days now. The action in the action window looks fine but I can't get it to work well in the chor. I think I figured it out. It appears that there is no difference between the 'Blend' option and the 'Replace' option. ie 'Replace' = 'Blend'. The problem is that without the replace, Trot now has a very bent knee walk that just doesn't look right and I can't fix it (yet). Any advice? (Win 7, v15f)

Edit - Problem turned out to be an unkeyed bone - my bad.

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Blend only seems to have an effect if you set the Blend Ratio. When an action's Blend Ratio is 100%, I believe the action above it (in the PWS) is fully active. At 50%, both the current action and the one above are at 50%. At 0%, the current action is fully active.

You don't have to use the Blend method if you plan your camera cuts. You can set the action to Replace, then time a camera cut to coincide with the frame Trot moves from the Sneak action to a different action so you don't see the abrupt change from one action to the other.

For the blend to work, you need to turn off "hold last frame" in the first action.

Not too much more but at least it shows I'm still on it.

Another WIP

To maintain the shot timing with my changed walk I had to jump Trot ahead on the camera change.

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Are you going for a sneak walk? They're usually more hunched/stretched. And more often than not require both hands for balance. She looks a little odd walking down the hall with her hand plastered to her mouth. Maybe she could do that at the end reaction shot to keep it fresh.

Cool!
Trot isn't really sneaking in this shot. She is more curious than anything. "Where is that crying coming from?" "Who is crying?"
David, do you have "The Animator's Survival Kit" by Richard Williams? That book has a brilliant section on walk cycles.

Sorry - I haven't animated from the hips up in the walk other than the original pose (hand on wall and hand to face). I'm going to have her run her hand along the wall for a while, she will then turn to look behind her in mid walk. When she gets to the door she will press her ear against it first, the unloack and open it. I spent a lot of time tyring to stop her feet sliding (I didn't use a path).

Yes - I have the book - I'll take another look at it (it's been a while). I obviously don't want a cartoony walk though...

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Still somewhat stilted and blocky but you get a better idea about where I am going with it.

2_10_02 Another WIP

Boy am I rusty

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That's working better. There's something about her look out the door that bothers me. It's like she's just doing it for show.....but knows already where she's going to go. I guess there needs to be more confusion. What's that noise? Someone crying!? Where's it coming form? All that needs more brain time than there is. I think also having her look first in the opposite direction to the crying and then realise it's coming from the other end would help too. The face will help in all this of course.
So, it's just an acting issue rather than an animation one.
The walk is much better too. It think the hips are a little high. Makes her look like she's in the nazi army.
It's just surface rust I'm sure.

Actually she was looking to check the corridor was clear rather than looking for the sound. Shot 2_10_01 shows that the sound is coming from the adjoining room so there is no need to 'wonder' when she exits the room.

I still don't like the walk and am thinking of throwing the action away and just animating the walk directly in the chor, I think it would look a lot more natural that way and I would have a great deal more flexability in her movement.

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Much better! You are getting less and less rusty. It's nice to see the progress.

Sorry that this is taking so long but I swear it's not me....... 11 crashes tonight in between creating 20 keyframes and attempting 2 renders (Mac OSX 10.6.2) I'm averaging 10-15 minutes per keyframe per bone!

Anyway, I told you I didn't like the walk so trying a new action (Sneak) based on Richard Williams version as suggested by Ken. I'm liking it but just need to see how it fits in the chor. I might still animate it directly in the chor. What do you think?

Trot Sneak Walk Action (340kb .mov h264)

Note that I have only animated from the hips down.

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That is a nice looking sneak. But it seems a bit much for this situation. That's just my perspective. Others may feel differently. If you continue with that idea, don't forget to adjust her skirt so it doesn't intersect her legs.

You may want to go back to 15f (or 15e) and see if that is more stable?

A bit much as in the extremes are too extreme or something else?

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My interpretation is that Trot is more concerned with finding out who is crying than she is about getting caught or being noticed. But I think your interpretation is just as valid. If you can pull off the sneak cycle in a convincing way, then I think it will be good.

By the way, I have uploaded some rough animatics of many of the scenes. These may be useful if you ever wonder about what comes before and after your scene.
Will add more as I set them up.
http://www.holmesbryant.com/files/video/sc...of_oz/animatic/

OK, here is the modified sneak, rear and front quarter views. Extremes are less extreme and the motion is a little quicker.

Sneak - Rear Quarter view
Sneak - Front Quarter view

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That looks great David. Nice work

Now the actual scene using the new sneak walk.
WIP - Sneak

Full rendered version

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OK - Updated and polished (for me). Just have to add the open door and peak in and it should be done. Comments/thoughts welcome...

Almost Final - WIP

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Looks great David. From frame ~142 until she gets to the door, do you think there's any chance of being able to speed her sneak cycle up a bit? Then allowing her to listen at the door a little longer? There are a couple of frames at the end of the sneak cycle where she appears to completely stop all movement, which begins to look awkward after a few cycles.

Hmmmm...... this will be an interesting since I did not use a path. So I will cut the existing Action at 142 then add a new action at 143 and shorten the cycle to make her arrive at the door sooner. Yes? How much sooner? (I have to keyframe the model bone on every step and then realign the last action frame to match the current one so the next Chor Action first frame doesn't need re-tweaking - but maybe thats the other problem area that has to be fixed anyway!)

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How practical would it be to:
Make a copy of the sneak action with "Stride Length" ON.
Add a path.
At the camera cut at ~142, constrain her to the path. (do it at the camera cut so you don't have to futz with it when she jumps from frame ~141 to the path constraint on frame ~142).
Make her sneak to the door using the sneak action/path constraint. (Set "Hold Last Frame" to OFF).
Set the following chor action to "Blend" and put it 6 frames before she stops sneaking.
6 frames before she stops the sneak action, set the chor action's Blend Percent to 0. (make sure it has Zero Slope Interpolation and is set to 0 on frame 0)
6 frames later set the chor action's blend percent to 100.
If her feet slip unacceptably during the transition from the sneak to the chor action, move the camera in so you don't see her feet.

It would be nice to have her listen at the door for at least 12 more frames.

I don't mind the extra keying - it ensures that her feet don't slip

You make mention that there are a couple of frames at the end of the sneak where she appears to stop all movement. I can't see this. What frame number? Mind you I'm just looking at the feet - perhaps you meant the upper body area which does look a little stiff!

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Maybe I'm just noticing the upper body. When I step frame by frame it seems something is always moving a little. It is only when I play it through that she seems to "stick" a little at the end of each cycle.

The upper body is keyed in Chor1 Action. Hips and legs are in Sneak Action, Post Sneak cycle legs and body is in Chor 2 Action and Face is in Chor 3 Action.

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Her hips don't go up or down much in the sneak. It makes her look Umpaloompa-ish. Oh that sounds bad, but that's how it looks. Otherwise, I think it's a go.

Thats the trouble with trying to animate inside a 4" window on a laptop (a shame AM is so unstable on the iMac - can't use those 24" and 27" windows)....

Here's the next installment. I've given her as much hip movement as I can without causing her knees to pop. I've quickened the pace post camera move and given her 20 extra frames listening at the door.

Next WIP

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That looks better to me. Why did you take out the look behind her shoulder? That broke up the "cycle" a little.

Woops - the change in hips in the cycle meant some foot changes so I deleted and re-keyed the chor. I deleted more than I should have! I'll add it back in.

New version is now up and yes the transition looks much better with the head turn.

WIP

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Mucho better!

That looks done to me! Please commit the final prj/chor if you haven't already.
Would you like another one?

I was just going to add the door opening or will this be covered in the next scene? If done then I'll take on 2_10_01 next.

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Trot doesn't actually have to open the door. The next scene opens on Gloria, then the camera turns to show Trot (who has already opened the door). Save yourself some work
2_10_01 is good enough for now.
How about 2_12_01?
You can see "animatics" at:
http://www.holmesbryant.com/files/video/sc...of_oz/animatic/

2_12_01 it is.

Cheers