Advanced Animation Techniques Guilford County Sci Vis V204.02
Animation Animation  is giving movement to drawings or objects. Two Types of animation Student generated animation  Computer generated animation
Animation Student generated animation Students can manually transform, move, and/or modify 3D objects. Students can manually set animation parameters.
Animation -   Student Generated  Manual animation changes will create  key frames . Key frames are frames that demonstrate major action. A computer will fill in the frames between each key frame. These filled in frames are called  tweens . This process sped up the animation industry greatly since all of the frames did not have to be hand drawn. tweens key frames
Example: Frame one is a key frame set by the student (teapot on a table.) Frame 100 is a key frame set by the student (teapot on the floor.) Frames 2-99 are filled in by the computer and are called tweens. Animation - Student Generated
Animation - Student Generated  Key Frame  # 1 Key Frame  # 100
Animation - Student Generated  Students can  insert and delete  key frames in appropriate locations. Students can  move and copy  key frames to appropriate locations. Movements into and out of key frames can be controlled. Imagine a ball bouncing on the floor. The movement of the ball is not smooth since the ball slows as it nears the top of its path and speeds up as it bounces. This effect can be achieved by editing these movements in and out of the key frames.
Pivot points  (axis origin) can be adjusted. Example: A door hinge has a pivot point on the side of the door. The door’s pivot point needs to be moved from the default (center) to the edge. Animation - Student Generated  Default pivot point New pivot point
Animation- Computer  Generated  Students can apply computer-generated transformations, movements, and/or modifications of 3D objects. Students can apply computer-generated settings of animation parameters. Morphing  is changing an object’s geometry from one shape to another. Used for facial animation Blends from one object into another object Materials can also be morphed
Animation- Computer Generated  Controllers  can add animation. An object can be made to follow a path in a path controller.  Animation can simulate environmental effects such as detonation,  gravity,  water movement and flag waving. Particles can be rendered. Particles can include sprays, rain, or snow.
Animation- Computer Generated  It’s raining teapots
Timeline for 3D Animation  Frame rate  is the number of frames used in an animation and how fast they will run.  Students can lengthen or shorten an animation by adding or subtracting  frames. Students can make adjustments to key frame for editing purposes.
Timeline for 3D Animation  Students can set the frame rate and number of frames.  24 frames per second is used for editing  motion-picture  film. 25 frames per second is used for editing  PAL  (European standard.) 30 (29.97) frames per second is used for editing  NTSC  (North American standard) video (television.)
Timeline for 3D Animation  Students will be able to calculate the number of frames and play rate in an animation. Using NTSC, a 120-frame animation will play for about  4  seconds.  120frames/30frames per second =  4  seconds If a NSTC animation plays for 10 seconds, then there are  300  frames.   10 seconds =  300  frames/30 frames per sec Loop  animation -- animations can be looped many times. This is useful in repeating a needed movement such as a bouncing ball.
Animating Cameras Camera movement can add to your animations by allowing your audience to know more about the environment.  The rate of movement helps the viewer understand distances within your scene. Architects use  walkthroughs  to show clients what the proposed structure will look like.  The camera follows a defined  path , which is a line of motion the viewer takes as they walk around or through the building.
Animating Cameras Look At  tools automatically point a camera’s Z axis at a selected object’s axis origin and keeps the camera pointed at the object regardless of the path.  In some programs, the  look at  tool can be used to control not only cameras but also other tools such as a light. Look At Tool Camera
Attaching a camera to an object is a simple way of getting the camera into the action.  An example would a roller coaster ride where the camera is glued to a passenger car and set to look ahead as the objects in the scene pass. Motion   blur   tools blur everything in the scene, which can add realism to the scene. Animating Cameras
Hierarchy and Linking To achieve realistic action, you must study movement.  Professional cinematographers expend significant resources mapping the motion of humans, animals, insects, and objects when trying to create realistic computer graphic scenes.
The motion of a bouncing ball is simple when compared to the multiple movements involved as the human leg is lifted, moved forward, and replanted on the walking surface.  Complex objects may be created from several parts (each with its own origins) that require individual movement or movement of all parts together as one unit. Hierarchy and Linking
Hierarchy and Linking A part of the solution to complex structures with different origins and X, Y, Z-axes is to organize the parts into a  hierarchical   structure.  Hierarchies allow the user to move the entire object and/or select and move individual components.  An example is the model of a truck, which consists of wheels and a body.  The wheels need to rotate around their axes while moving forward with the body in a defined direction.
Hierarchy and Linking Hierarchical structures allow the  individual parts  to be moved, rotated, scaled, colored, or textured independently.  A complex object formed by parts that are unioned will only assume a single color or texture and allow only a single transformation of the entire structure.
Hierarchy and Linking Computer graphics programs allow the parts to be linked using different hierarchies, the most common being the  Parent-Child  and the  Sibling . The highest element within the hierarchy is the parent or in our example, the entire truck. The lower levels would be the children or in our truck example, the individual wheels.
Hierarchy and Linking The child(ren) will follow the parent wherever the parent goes in a  Parent-Child  relationship. Where the individual links are equal and do not contain a “highest level,” you have a sibling relationship.
Render and Output  Rendering  will allow an animation or scene to be used in other applications. Also, files can be rendered using different file formats and different compressions. A scene can be rendered form any view including a camera.
Render and Output  Output can include a single frame, an active time segment, and a range of frames. Common output sizes include 320x240 through 800x600. The larger the output size, the  longer  the rendering time.
Render and Output  Common  single  frame output formats include bitmap, JPEG, TARGA, and TIFF. Common  multi-image  formats include AVI and MOV. Rendered images can be compressed.  Compression will reduce the size of the file. A  CODEC  is used to compress the file. A common CODEC is  Cinepak .  Using different CODECs will depend on your subject matter and desired output.
Render and Output  Basic post-production editing are effects that are added to a scene after the scene has been rendered. Lens Flare  -- reality by recreating real camera lenses such as streaks of light and secondary flares. Glows, rings, and streaks
Depth of field -  Objects inside focal range can become blurred while main subject stays in focus. Depth of field is determined by the focal point and focal parameters. Environmental mapping -  adds a map to the environment. Add clouds or stars Blurs  - added to give the illusion of movement. Render and Output
Render and Output  Atmospheric effects can also be added when rendering. Examples include fog, volume fog, combustion, and volume light. Adding fog to a scene can add realism. Once files are created, they can be converted from one format to another depending on the software application. AVI QuickTime Real Player

Advanced animation techniques

  • 1.
    Advanced Animation TechniquesGuilford County Sci Vis V204.02
  • 2.
    Animation Animation is giving movement to drawings or objects. Two Types of animation Student generated animation Computer generated animation
  • 3.
    Animation Student generatedanimation Students can manually transform, move, and/or modify 3D objects. Students can manually set animation parameters.
  • 4.
    Animation - Student Generated Manual animation changes will create key frames . Key frames are frames that demonstrate major action. A computer will fill in the frames between each key frame. These filled in frames are called tweens . This process sped up the animation industry greatly since all of the frames did not have to be hand drawn. tweens key frames
  • 5.
    Example: Frame oneis a key frame set by the student (teapot on a table.) Frame 100 is a key frame set by the student (teapot on the floor.) Frames 2-99 are filled in by the computer and are called tweens. Animation - Student Generated
  • 6.
    Animation - StudentGenerated Key Frame # 1 Key Frame # 100
  • 7.
    Animation - StudentGenerated Students can insert and delete key frames in appropriate locations. Students can move and copy key frames to appropriate locations. Movements into and out of key frames can be controlled. Imagine a ball bouncing on the floor. The movement of the ball is not smooth since the ball slows as it nears the top of its path and speeds up as it bounces. This effect can be achieved by editing these movements in and out of the key frames.
  • 8.
    Pivot points (axis origin) can be adjusted. Example: A door hinge has a pivot point on the side of the door. The door’s pivot point needs to be moved from the default (center) to the edge. Animation - Student Generated Default pivot point New pivot point
  • 9.
    Animation- Computer Generated Students can apply computer-generated transformations, movements, and/or modifications of 3D objects. Students can apply computer-generated settings of animation parameters. Morphing is changing an object’s geometry from one shape to another. Used for facial animation Blends from one object into another object Materials can also be morphed
  • 10.
    Animation- Computer Generated Controllers can add animation. An object can be made to follow a path in a path controller. Animation can simulate environmental effects such as detonation, gravity, water movement and flag waving. Particles can be rendered. Particles can include sprays, rain, or snow.
  • 11.
    Animation- Computer Generated It’s raining teapots
  • 12.
    Timeline for 3DAnimation Frame rate is the number of frames used in an animation and how fast they will run. Students can lengthen or shorten an animation by adding or subtracting frames. Students can make adjustments to key frame for editing purposes.
  • 13.
    Timeline for 3DAnimation Students can set the frame rate and number of frames. 24 frames per second is used for editing motion-picture film. 25 frames per second is used for editing PAL (European standard.) 30 (29.97) frames per second is used for editing NTSC (North American standard) video (television.)
  • 14.
    Timeline for 3DAnimation Students will be able to calculate the number of frames and play rate in an animation. Using NTSC, a 120-frame animation will play for about 4 seconds. 120frames/30frames per second = 4 seconds If a NSTC animation plays for 10 seconds, then there are 300 frames. 10 seconds = 300 frames/30 frames per sec Loop animation -- animations can be looped many times. This is useful in repeating a needed movement such as a bouncing ball.
  • 15.
    Animating Cameras Cameramovement can add to your animations by allowing your audience to know more about the environment. The rate of movement helps the viewer understand distances within your scene. Architects use walkthroughs to show clients what the proposed structure will look like. The camera follows a defined path , which is a line of motion the viewer takes as they walk around or through the building.
  • 16.
    Animating Cameras LookAt tools automatically point a camera’s Z axis at a selected object’s axis origin and keeps the camera pointed at the object regardless of the path. In some programs, the look at tool can be used to control not only cameras but also other tools such as a light. Look At Tool Camera
  • 17.
    Attaching a camerato an object is a simple way of getting the camera into the action. An example would a roller coaster ride where the camera is glued to a passenger car and set to look ahead as the objects in the scene pass. Motion blur tools blur everything in the scene, which can add realism to the scene. Animating Cameras
  • 18.
    Hierarchy and LinkingTo achieve realistic action, you must study movement. Professional cinematographers expend significant resources mapping the motion of humans, animals, insects, and objects when trying to create realistic computer graphic scenes.
  • 19.
    The motion ofa bouncing ball is simple when compared to the multiple movements involved as the human leg is lifted, moved forward, and replanted on the walking surface. Complex objects may be created from several parts (each with its own origins) that require individual movement or movement of all parts together as one unit. Hierarchy and Linking
  • 20.
    Hierarchy and LinkingA part of the solution to complex structures with different origins and X, Y, Z-axes is to organize the parts into a hierarchical structure. Hierarchies allow the user to move the entire object and/or select and move individual components. An example is the model of a truck, which consists of wheels and a body. The wheels need to rotate around their axes while moving forward with the body in a defined direction.
  • 21.
    Hierarchy and LinkingHierarchical structures allow the individual parts to be moved, rotated, scaled, colored, or textured independently. A complex object formed by parts that are unioned will only assume a single color or texture and allow only a single transformation of the entire structure.
  • 22.
    Hierarchy and LinkingComputer graphics programs allow the parts to be linked using different hierarchies, the most common being the Parent-Child and the Sibling . The highest element within the hierarchy is the parent or in our example, the entire truck. The lower levels would be the children or in our truck example, the individual wheels.
  • 23.
    Hierarchy and LinkingThe child(ren) will follow the parent wherever the parent goes in a Parent-Child relationship. Where the individual links are equal and do not contain a “highest level,” you have a sibling relationship.
  • 24.
    Render and Output Rendering will allow an animation or scene to be used in other applications. Also, files can be rendered using different file formats and different compressions. A scene can be rendered form any view including a camera.
  • 25.
    Render and Output Output can include a single frame, an active time segment, and a range of frames. Common output sizes include 320x240 through 800x600. The larger the output size, the longer the rendering time.
  • 26.
    Render and Output Common single frame output formats include bitmap, JPEG, TARGA, and TIFF. Common multi-image formats include AVI and MOV. Rendered images can be compressed. Compression will reduce the size of the file. A CODEC is used to compress the file. A common CODEC is Cinepak . Using different CODECs will depend on your subject matter and desired output.
  • 27.
    Render and Output Basic post-production editing are effects that are added to a scene after the scene has been rendered. Lens Flare -- reality by recreating real camera lenses such as streaks of light and secondary flares. Glows, rings, and streaks
  • 28.
    Depth of field- Objects inside focal range can become blurred while main subject stays in focus. Depth of field is determined by the focal point and focal parameters. Environmental mapping - adds a map to the environment. Add clouds or stars Blurs - added to give the illusion of movement. Render and Output
  • 29.
    Render and Output Atmospheric effects can also be added when rendering. Examples include fog, volume fog, combustion, and volume light. Adding fog to a scene can add realism. Once files are created, they can be converted from one format to another depending on the software application. AVI QuickTime Real Player