How to Make Animated Films: Tony White’s Complete Masterclass on the Traditional Principles of Animation

Front Cover
How to Make Animated Films
Copyright Page
Contents
Preface
Introduction
First … A Reality Check
Your Own Personal Animation Course
2D Or Not 2D?—That Is the Question
However…
Prerequisites for Study
Equipment
Let the Fun Begin!
Acknowledgments
PART 1: How to Be an Animator
10-Step Foundation Course
Masterclass 1: Animation Basics
Key, Breakdown, and In-Between Positions
Creating Key Positions
Creating the Breakdown Position
Top Pegs/Bottom Pegs
Charting Explained
In-Betweening
Flipping as Opposed to Rolling
Arcs and Paths of Action
Timing and the Spacing of Drawings
Suggested Reading
Assignment 1
Masterclass 2: The Bouncing Ball
Weight, Mass, and Flexibility
Gravity and the Path of Action
Key Positions
Squash
Stretch
Timing
Weight
In-Betweening the Bouncing Ball
Distorting Mass and Volume
The Descending Bounce
Flip Your Drawings … Always!
Final Double-Checks
Suggested Reading
Assignment 2
Masterclass 3: Generic Walks
The Lower Body
Walk Cycle
Shooting a Walk Cycle
In-Betweening on One's
Testing the Walk
The Upper Body
Suggested Reading
Assignment 3
Masterclass 4: Personality Walks
Hip and Shoulder Rotation
Overlapping Action on the Hands
Overlapping Action on the Head
Rotation on the Head
Keeping Good Balance Throughout
In-Between Placement and Timing
Double-Bounce Walk
Chart Timing and Variation
Observation and Reference Footage
The Animator's Survival Kit
Suggested Reading
Assignment 4
Masterclass 5: Generic Runs
Key Generic Run Stages
Run Exercise
Additional Pointers for Runs
Head-On Runs
Suggested Reading
Assignment 5
Masterclass 6: Quadruped Walks
Front Legs
Rear Legs
Synching the Legs Together
Adding the Body
Neck and Head
Adding the Tail
Moving Background
Multilayered Backgrounds
Nonwalk Pans
Realistic Quadrupeds
Suggested Reading
Assignment 6
Masterclass 7: Weight
Standard Rubber Ball
Ping-Pong Ball
Bowling Ball
Comparing the Three Versions
The Pose Is Everything
Tips
Suggested Reading
Assignment 7
Masterclass 8: Anticipation
The Benefits of Anticipation
Anticipations Are for Everything
Suggested Reading
Assignment 8
Masterclass 9: Dialog
Body Language
Facial Animation
Lip Synching
Two-Character Dialog
Further References
Suggested Reading
Assignment 9
Masterclass 10: Final Project
Staggers
Successive Breakouts of Joints
Eye Blinks
Eyebrows
Always Gravity!
Conclusion
Suggested Reading
Assignment 10
PART 2: How to Make an Animated Film
Production Challenge
Film Production 1: Exploring Ideas, Storytelling, and Scriptwriting
Meaning and WTF?
Assignment
Film Production 2: Concept Art, Viz Dev, and Camera Maps
Concept Art
Camera Map
Assignment
Film Production 3: Character Design
Style
Personality
Attitude
Proportion
Head Heights
Silhouette
Detail
Process
Warm-Up Exercise
Assignment
Film Production 4: Thumbnails
Assignment
Film Production 5: Storyboards
Process
Final Check
Assignment
Film Production 6: Filmmaking Techniques
Framing
Transitions
Staging
Continuity
Crossing the Line
Assignment
Film Production 7: Audio Record
Guide Track
Final Track
Assignment
Film Production 8: Animatic and Bacher Boards
Bacher Boards
Animatic Process
The Animatic Is Your Film Bible
Check Your Scene Timings
Assignment
Film Production 9: Background and Environment Layouts
Distance and Perspective
Focus of Attention
Silhouetted Action
Process
Dividing the Layout
Pose Test Animatic
Assignment
Film Production 10: Color Script
The Right Time to Do the Color Script
Process
Professional Approach
Size of Artwork
Don't Ignore the Color Script!
Four Valuable Tips
Assignment
Film Production 11: Audio Breakdown
Assignment
Film Production 12: Block in Key Poses
Assignment
Film Production 13: Placement and Timing
Assignment
Film Production 14: Two-Dimensional In-Betweening
Assignment
Film Production 15: Rolling, Flipping, and Pencil Testing
Flipping
Full-Scene Flipping
Pencil Test
Assignment
Film Production 16: Clean-Up
Line Quality
Shapes, Dimensions, and Volumes
Assignment
Film Production 17: Scanning
Peg Bar
Secure the Field Guide Scanning Area
Scanner Size
Assignment
Film Production 18: Background and Environments
Compositional Color Values
Horizontals and Verticals
Light Source and Contrast
Perspective and Lines of Focus
Verticals in Panning Shots
Light Against Dark, Dark Against Light
Areas of Greatest Contrast
Use Your Eyes
Assignment
Film Production 19: Coloring
Flat-Colored Backgrounds
Imported Background Artwork
Assignment
Film Production 20: Compositing
Layers
Transparency
Cycle Animation
Depth of Field
Titles and Effects
Assignment
Film Production 21: Rendering
Screen Format Ratio
Resolution
Frame Rates
Assignment
Film Production 22: Final Edit
Scene Edit
Music
Sound Effects
Final Audio Mix
Music and Effects Track
Assignment
Appendixes
1: About the Accompanying DVD
2: About the Desktop Academy
3: About the Animaticus Foundation
4: About the DigiPen Institute of Technology
5: Exposure, Exhibitions, and Festivals
6: Exposure Sheets and Production Folders
7: Glossary
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Index
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