tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27899665326397513372024-03-13T01:06:33.345-07:00The X SheetAn exploration of stop motion and character animation.Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-53465913603247542212013-11-16T18:17:00.003-08:002013-11-16T18:17:58.731-08:00LOL Reindeer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='560' height='315' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/BkY8EjC5sfo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Hats off to those who manage to chronicle the production of their own animated short, cuz that's what I intended to do on this blog and, well, I didn't. But here it is the end result anyway, just in time for Christmas.<br />
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So the story is that several years ago my daughters Rachel and Alana asked me to video them singing Rudolph the Red-nose Reindeer together. I had a feeling the recording would have a future use, so I had them sing it a second time. Since then I had been trying to come up with a side animation project that would mix animation mediums and techniques, and the Rudolph recording came to mind. The idea was to try my hand at different forms of animation, including hand-drawn, cutouts, and AfterEffects, while still ending up with a video others might actually want to watch. The end result is something of an animated Christmas card.<br />
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A goal of the project was to get through production without spending much money. This resulted in the creative use of existing props and materials as well as hardware and software that may not have been the ideal choice. For example, I colored the hand-drawn frames in Photoshop even though something like ToonBoom would probably have been better. And certainly a DSLR would be the best camera for stop motion, but the best I could do was an HD camcorder. I patched in a standard-def signal into the computer in order to use Dragonframe while shooting, but captured the frames to an SD card to edit later in AfterEffects.<br />
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This took fourteen months to make, but there were stretches of time I didn't have the opportunity to work on it so it's hard to say how long it actually took. It mainly involved being creative with available time. I did most of the CG animation while commuting to work on Bart and buses. Unemployment provided chunks of time, though I could still get in some work in the evenings while working full-time. I can see spending months more polishing and redoing parts, but it's almost Christmas, and it's time to move on.<br />
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And since I don't have a lot of experience in modeling and rigging CG characters, I want to give a special thank you to the 11-Second Club team that created the rig used for the main singer, as well as the creators of "Andy," the rig I used for the elves.Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-5350583022840592382013-06-28T18:50:00.000-07:002013-06-28T18:50:00.882-07:00Rudolph WIP: Animating Cookie Dough<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='560' height='315' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/OyBBZw2QAn0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='560' height='315' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ah4lKc0VGLk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Have started in on the stop motion bits for the <a href="http://thexsheet.blogspot.com/2013/03/something-for-christmas.html" target="_blank">Rudolph Music Video</a>. This is using a ball-and-socket armature from a kit, a foam/cotton batting body with doll clothes, and clay. Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-20411886548323992782013-05-07T19:02:00.000-07:002013-05-07T19:02:23.711-07:00Ray Harryhausen: Always an Inspiration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/I4DnutvUv9g?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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This is a very nice documentary about the life and work of Ray Harryhousen.<br />
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<br />Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-21515796225688529802013-05-03T20:45:00.001-07:002013-05-03T20:45:59.719-07:00Rudolph WIP: Like Monopoly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='560' height='315' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/NDNlPr72y2M?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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I'm trying different mediums in the Rudolph music video, and this is my first try at animating 2-D characters in After Effects. The technique is based entirely on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xAtfqoFQgE" target="_blank">this tutorial</a> by Dan Stever. I drew the separate body parts, scanned them, "cut them out" in PhotoShop, and imported them into After Effects.Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-62441484423705125472013-04-07T21:40:00.000-07:002013-04-07T21:40:40.863-07:00Rudolph WIP: Yippy!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='560' height='315' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/EoB1NHc-KC8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
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Animation gets underway with this clip a girl jumping through Christmas presents. It will be finished in crayon to look like a child's drawing.Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-7957988419002265432013-03-24T08:28:00.002-07:002013-03-24T08:28:40.197-07:00Something for Christmas<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PpwNQu4cEw0" width="560"></iframe><br />
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This is an animation project I'm working on this year, hopefully finishing in time for Christmas. I took a recording of my kids singing Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and am making an animated music video out of it. All segments are in progress, be it blocking, pencil test, pop-through, or layout. The idea is to utilized many different animation mediums including CG, stop motion/clay animation, After Effects, hand drawn, and cutouts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1FKWQ0wPtsjwqCgqopUNzUd2OQSEXLdLCOQxj6M21fcWQDYvN26DAL-PBUbhoDmEu3CUR9jnlIpnMhmfL-vTwueqAyfn0VgXwp_5uddgTnue8n_G8r0YNYxVHOsTD8EpwNBDgN1ZRqYs/s1600/Animating1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1FKWQ0wPtsjwqCgqopUNzUd2OQSEXLdLCOQxj6M21fcWQDYvN26DAL-PBUbhoDmEu3CUR9jnlIpnMhmfL-vTwueqAyfn0VgXwp_5uddgTnue8n_G8r0YNYxVHOsTD8EpwNBDgN1ZRqYs/s320/Animating1.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
I'm seeing if I can do this on a budget of next to nothing, utilizing what I have on hand from previous projects. For example, the lightbox I am using for hand-drawn animation is an old Light-Brite with a plastic picture frame glued on the top and a peg board taped on. It's actually working. I suspect others have to work like this, so perhaps I will be able to pass on some tips and tricks as I go along.<br />
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My plan is to post individual shots as I move forward with them, and providing what I hope will be some useful insights into how they were created. I would appreciate any feedback, critiques and better ideas at any stage.<br />
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Let's see if this can really get done by Christmas.<br />
Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-5803643590137792192012-09-15T08:21:00.000-07:002012-09-15T08:21:37.481-07:00A Startup Guide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='560' height='349' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/jrZMpA2DSe4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Getting back to basics this time. This tutorial gets you started with the right camera, software, and tools. But from the very beginning you can go further than just making things move around by exploring the principles of timing in animation.Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-25279997713829722012-08-26T17:08:00.001-07:002012-08-26T17:08:42.116-07:00Montrial Stop Motion Film Festival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvbB-EZqMCfB81irV6UICF2isXGcfML_aA7c-dTLcRSXo9cYKDy4E7RQWQuw6gU2dQXM7ToGrE3XS0F91Apmo0neFyS7IHIOV5rV4hJOTX0syFZRsOPxW0MscqR3SKDfZf2cH1DIWFCI/s1600/Montreal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwvbB-EZqMCfB81irV6UICF2isXGcfML_aA7c-dTLcRSXo9cYKDy4E7RQWQuw6gU2dQXM7ToGrE3XS0F91Apmo0neFyS7IHIOV5rV4hJOTX0syFZRsOPxW0MscqR3SKDfZf2cH1DIWFCI/s320/Montreal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">There is still time to submit your work for this year's edition of the
Montreal Stop Motion Film Festival. The submission deadline is September
21st, and the festival itself will run on October 19th - 21st. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Special guest Laika's Mark Shapiro will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the making of <i>Paranorman</i>. More special guests and
judges will be announced later this month.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Visit<a href="http://stopmotionmontreal.com/" target="_blank"> their website</a> for more information. </span>Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-72728913523191860712012-08-05T10:33:00.001-07:002012-08-05T10:33:55.130-07:00Stop Motion Tutorial: Facial Animation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='560' height='349' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/8PfVGr93SxM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Okay, more like clay animation, but the techniques and principles apply to a stop motion rig. This tutorial is about getting the illusion of life into the face through subtle movement when possible, and believable timing.Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-85445797193670710072012-07-08T09:16:00.000-07:002012-07-08T09:17:01.688-07:00Puppet Making Tutorial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='560' height='349' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/EqzKTYrgDOM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Foam latex is generally the material of choice for a flexible stop-motion puppet, but some of us can’t go and bake toxic chemicals in the kitchen stove. Rubber latex isn’t as flexible, but it is an expectable alternative. This tutorial covers the steps for creating a stop motion puppet with a rubber latex head.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Here is the list of tools and materials, excluding what is needed for the armature, eyes, and costume:</span></div>
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<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><u>Tools</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Sculpting tools</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Assorted brushes</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Hot glue gun</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Hair dryer</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Bowls</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Stir stick</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Fan</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Scissors</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Screw driver</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><u>Materials</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Plastalina or Roma Clay</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Sculpey </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Floral tape</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Aluminum foil</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Rubbing Alcohol</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Hot glue</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Wood board</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Foam board</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Mold release</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Petroleum jelly</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Hydrocal plaster</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Water</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Rubber latex</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">PaintAluminum armature wire</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Plumber’s epoxy putty</span></div>Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-25042558771856746402012-06-07T09:54:00.000-07:002012-06-07T09:54:22.689-07:00An Armature We Can All Afford<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='560' height='349' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/uimF41CrMXM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Of course a ball-and-socket armature is ideal for a stop-motion puppet,
and there are some<a href="http://www.stopmotionstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=25&zenid=e15618a5bb093d009ee37ab50d2148a9" target="_blank"> nice kits</a> out there. But a wire armature is an
effective low-budget alternative, and can be a good option for secondary
characters as well. This tutorial goes through every step of creating a
wire armature. It is a method I taught at the Academy of Art, and
observed some common mistakes made by beginners. So as a bonus, here
are some additional tips:<br />
<ul>
<li>Make your puppet as light-weight as possible. Choose light-weight
material. If the puppet is going to walk, it needs to stand up on one
foot. </li>
<li>Clay puppets must not be top-heavy. Design must take this
into account. The head and chest can have a lighter material at the
core.</li>
<li>Clay puppets will also stand better if they have big feet.</li>
<li>Shop for the right stuff. Especially the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Inch-Foot-Aluminum-Armature-Wire/dp/B00251G0FG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339087509&sr=8-1" target="_blank">armature wire</a>.</li>
<li>Have wipes or a wash cloth standing by while working with epoxy putty.</li>
<li>The wire will eventually break. Greater space between bones will spread out the bending point and reduce breakage.</li>
<li>Practice fitting the bolt into the bottom of the foot through the platform before animating. It’s tricky.</li>
</ul>Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-4910763315326516452012-02-06T13:21:00.000-08:002012-02-06T13:21:03.198-08:00A Motion Blur Trick<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5xEf3djRLg8?hl=en&fs=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Okay, so adding motion blur to bad animation won't make it better, and plenty of great stop motion animation is produced without it, but I think it's a fun effect. It's a way of smoothing out fast moves, and can be done in a subtle way so it doesn't draw attention to itself.<br />
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And not to suggest that this is the only way to do it. If you have a different way of accomplishing motion blur, please share it in the comments below.Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-41886591793619766852012-02-05T16:13:00.000-08:002012-02-05T16:13:43.880-08:00Getting a Little Animation Done<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='560' height='349' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/1ZuO1hQ3U7Q?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
So there I was, poised and ready to get a new stop motion tutorial out there after an epic first semester teaching at the Academy of Art, when the 11 Second Club puts up an irresistible audio clip for the January competition. The idea of animating dialogue I didn't understand was intriguing. So I spent a chunk of semester break creating the above animation. Finished second place.<br />
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I plan to have a new tutorial up on the subject of motion blur within the next couple of days.Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-73398403387711978882011-09-22T14:42:00.000-07:002011-09-22T14:42:39.137-07:00Animating Backwards<div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QYqshzV-OSs" width="560"></iframe></div>
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Animating a complex metamorphosis effect in clay can be an epic task. Try animating it backwards and reversing it in post production. Start with your final sculpture and animate it transforming into a blob or simple shape. Then export your frames in reverse or flip your animation in editing. This method will give you greater control over the final appearance of the character, and will go a whole lot faster than forming a detailed character one frame at a time. Lots more details in the above tutorial.<br />
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<br />Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-51550867154237993632011-08-24T11:56:00.000-07:002011-08-24T12:07:37.576-07:00Experimental Animation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitd8cSWTLPxcEpGTDjH00kwoZRqnVkDkBDO0TmUt9ypBSSMX_S5abI04UABA90U_xl_Yr6Rj5uUgygWcrjowVpf0MLEt6U3hut4fYMmyg74uRPsxJVtfwVM2WH9GZ2ATQ9p3DlUV6qzDY/s1600/BalloonAnim"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 319px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitd8cSWTLPxcEpGTDjH00kwoZRqnVkDkBDO0TmUt9ypBSSMX_S5abI04UABA90U_xl_Yr6Rj5uUgygWcrjowVpf0MLEt6U3hut4fYMmyg74uRPsxJVtfwVM2WH9GZ2ATQ9p3DlUV6qzDY/s400/BalloonAnim" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644499916992680258" border="0" /></a>This semester I will be teaching experimental animation at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. While researching examples of found-object animation I came upon <a href="http://www.oddee.com/item_97864.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Oddee+%28Oddee%29&utm_content=Google+Reader" target="_blank">this collection</a> of creative projects.
<br />Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-9523545158880315152011-08-02T21:14:00.000-07:002011-08-02T21:20:27.622-07:00Hallmark Announces Stop Motion Special "Jingle All the Way"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEile4wsm9HImI9IOqC3IkhP4U4zSQfsf2K7XsLHhkLifhEVUKxxzwWFJ_3_yZDDOaW6vFNpQIl7M_G6VDU06bcEzEDTwOwc7R-WaKgzs8vRhTYeWxD2Do0VEdnLxwBY6ZdAim93brJBM/s1600/Microsites_Datafiles_2943_JingleAllTheWay_0001U_KeyArt-e1311973501396.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 149px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEile4wsm9HImI9IOqC3IkhP4U4zSQfsf2K7XsLHhkLifhEVUKxxzwWFJ_3_yZDDOaW6vFNpQIl7M_G6VDU06bcEzEDTwOwc7R-WaKgzs8vRhTYeWxD2Do0VEdnLxwBY6ZdAim93brJBM/s200/Microsites_Datafiles_2943_JingleAllTheWay_0001U_KeyArt-e1311973501396.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636478421811286338" border="0" /></a>Okay, I'm plugging this because I'm on the animation crew...<br /><p>In the tradition of TV’s best-loved animated Christmas classics, Hallmark Channel announces the World Premiere of “Jingle All the Way,” a Hallmark Channel Original Animated Special, starring one of Hallmark’s most lovable characters, Jingle the Husky Pup™, which premieres exclusively on the network, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Friday, November 25 (8 p.m. ET/PT, 7C)</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">.</span><br /></p> <p>In “Jingle All the Way,” a spirited Husky puppy looking for a home at a Christmas tree farm instantly bonds with a young boy visiting with his parents. As the boy rides away, unable to keep him, the pup escapes and embarks on a snowy journey to find his friend again. Guided by a wise cardinal and the sound of jingling bells, he eventually receives the help he needs from a big man in a red suit just in time for Christmas morning.</p> <p>The animated special offers the first-ever opportunity for viewers to activate the Jingle Interactive Storybook and Story Buddy™ while watching original program content based on the book.</p> <p>“Jingle All the Way” is a Bent Image Lab Production. Chad Harris, Jodi Schade, Diana Stuart, Shawn McClaren and Ray Di Carlo are Executive Producers. Tsui Ling Toomer is Producer. Chel White directs from a teleplay by Allan Neuwirth.</p>Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-38869824206641692412011-07-18T07:31:00.000-07:002011-07-19T09:25:56.295-07:00Stop Motion Tutorial: Lip Sync<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/m2HpkP0fytg" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Animating a dialogue scene in CG has the advantage of being able to refine the smallest of details until the very end. But with stop motion and clay animation, A desired change in the timing of the lip sync can call for a complete reshoot. How can you avoid those reshoots and fully prepare for well-timed lip sync? Here is an in-depth look at preparing for and shooting lip sync for a clay animation character. I've includes methods of reading tracks, principles of working with dialogue, and techniques of stop motion and clay animation.<br /><br />Side Note: This week I started work at Bent Image Lab in Portland Oregon on a stop motion project. It's one of those hush-hush projects so I can't get into details or share pictures. It is, however, already proving to be an epic learning experience as I step back into a stop motion studio after being away for fifteen years. So I will at least be able to pass on learned techniques in future tutorials.Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-23923041717741437122011-07-12T16:56:00.000-07:002011-07-12T17:08:33.378-07:00The 2011 Montreal Stop-Motion Film Festival<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqlMPOPY6oz51FMMYRP_zbuusJrkaKrRkO4r1Hul-97-x3892YIRAbOrz9XvFbIpcjICk9Q1ukMlCVOWiv2W-Zlxhs9H45O71t09r1O5OulT2R5ofSX9fILh6fpZqU-fb4rnnT7RuCgTY/s1600/montreal-stopmotion.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 152px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqlMPOPY6oz51FMMYRP_zbuusJrkaKrRkO4r1Hul-97-x3892YIRAbOrz9XvFbIpcjICk9Q1ukMlCVOWiv2W-Zlxhs9H45O71t09r1O5OulT2R5ofSX9fILh6fpZqU-fb4rnnT7RuCgTY/s200/montreal-stopmotion.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628620168277548258" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This was just handed to me:<br /><br />Hot on the heels of the hugely successful second edition of the Montreal Stop Motion Film Festival, we are officially opening the Call for Entries for 2011.<br /><br />To enter your film in the festival, </span><a href="http://www.stopmotionmontreal.com/Entries.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">download a submission form</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, fill it out, and send it in, along with your film.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Deadline for film submissions is: September 26, 2011.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:tahoma;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />Please refer to the entries section on our website for answers to any questions you might have concerning eligibility, dates, accepted formats, and new rules.<br /><br />This year, the professional segment has been updated with a new category for films-commercials less than 1 minute in running time and we will have more guest appearance during this week-end long event that promises to be super cool!<br /><br />The festival will be held in Montreal, from the 21st to the 23rd of October 2011.</span></span></div>Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-25563249266438704732011-07-05T16:17:00.000-07:002011-07-05T16:34:09.260-07:00How to Stretch an Ear<div><iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nnyhtQi_Rf0?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div>A skilled CG modeler and rigger could create a character that can stretch an ear to arms length, but I know I can't. There are some animation tricks that just work better in clay animation, and this sort of squash and stretch is one of them. After completing the short <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9k97zpz4Hw&feature=related" target="_blank">Make a Face</a></i>, I created this tutorial to explore the effect.</div><div><br /></div><div>The second short, <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtV4veTUMUs" target="_blank">Make a Friend</a></i>, went online last week. From that one, what would you like to see examined in a video tutorial?</div><div><br /></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 14.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br /></p></div><div><p></p></div>Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-55328664444265010442011-07-05T16:10:00.000-07:002011-07-05T16:14:58.833-07:00Clay Animation Quick Start Guide<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeD28d0QspTDsSUCQeMtvWwp0cKcrSYNT6BFWz0Xua7X_X7DwQJtEK5yILuQxb-29nGt7AxNh9DwsZGRszdbfeeL8z5jbVP95-680nJ8HDzjTGECpwKgJnkKEuVQJTFGxh2nvMd0_s3_k/s1600/Snail_Still.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeD28d0QspTDsSUCQeMtvWwp0cKcrSYNT6BFWz0Xua7X_X7DwQJtEK5yILuQxb-29nGt7AxNh9DwsZGRszdbfeeL8z5jbVP95-680nJ8HDzjTGECpwKgJnkKEuVQJTFGxh2nvMd0_s3_k/s200/Snail_Still.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626010661489224114" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 14.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;">I am also a guest writer on the 11-Second Club blog. Here is <a href="http://blog.11secondclub.com/2011/07/clay-animation-quick-start-guide.html" target="_blank">my entry</a> on getting started in clay animation.</span></p></span></div>Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2789966532639751337.post-67777503060775551102011-07-05T14:26:00.000-07:002011-07-05T16:38:02.942-07:00Welcome to the X Sheet<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Hi, I’m Michael, and this is my reel.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/14683023?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">When I’m teaching an animation class, that is generally how I start the first day. The reel is not to show off, but to answer the question “does this guy know how to do something I would like to do?” While there are already some </span><a href="http://www.stopmotionblog.net/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">great blogs</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> out there to present you with examples of fine stop motion animation, my goal is to present video tutorials that explore the methods and principles of how this animation can be created on a minimal budget.<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I also give my class a quick review of my career: After graduating from San Francisco State University with a degree in film, </span><a href="http://vimeo.com/15414194" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">animation emphasis</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, I worked at a stop motion animation studio called Matthews Productions for five years. We made shows for PBS, ABC, and the Disney Channel. The daily quota of footage was pretty high, but it was a great opportunity to develop a bold animation style under considerable creative freedom. This job was followed by </span><a href="http://vimeo.com/14682437" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">eight years at Pixar</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. Smaller quota, less creative freedom, but I learned a lot working for masters of animation. After that I worked in </span><a href="http://vimeo.com/19818069" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">freelance</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, games, mocap (Imagemovers Digital), teaching, and video production.</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 14.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Then last year I thought it would be interesting to apply what I have learned while working in CG to stop motion animation. I started with a </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v92kMQY4Sjo" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">couple</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfeQ5KaNIKg&feature=related" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">entries</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> in the </span><a href="http://www.11secondclub.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">11-Second club</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. I then started in on a </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/TheClaythings?feature=mhee" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">series of shorts</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> for Copic Markers. Now I find that there is an audience for video tutorials on the subject, so as I work through these projects, I will make detailed videos about the production process.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I hope you will consider this blog to be not just a site to view these videos, but also to interact with the stop motion and clay animation community. Post links to your work in comments. Ask questions. Answer questions. Request subjects for future tutorials. Share your recipe for microwaved baked potato and beans (who has time to cook while working on animation?).</span></span></p>Michael M Parkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526712436084201337noreply@blogger.com2