SCRAMBLED ACHES (Warner Bros., 1957)

From the Road Runner series...

Helpful Animation Mel Scripts

So in this post I thought that I should speak up about a couple of great Mel scripts that are out there to help us animators along in the process. Hey anything that can make our life even a tad bit easier is always appreciated. So the first is the Tween Machine by Justin Barret and the shelf icons were created by Keith Lango. This is a great tool to help us along inbetweening our animation. It is not a substitute to actually doing it rather a tool to help us get the job done faster. There are many setting and it can be a very valuable tool so read up on it on the site. The other is the autotangent tool created by Comet-Cartoons. It's under the Mel Script Suite there. There are plenty of good tools included in the suite and they list them on the site. The autotangent tool allows you to get the right curve on your tangents after the blocking stage. Many animators have different work flows that work for them from pass to pass. This tool allows you to have better control over your tangents so that there is no or less overshoot as compared to when you use spline. It allows you to have a bit more control over your tangents instead of leaving them to the computer AHHH. These scripts are all for maya. Although Comet-Cartoons has ones for Max. There are also many other helpful scripts at Highend 3D you can check out.
Let me point you in the direction for the scripts I mentioned.

The TweenMachine here



Autotangent here




Enjoy

DANCE OF THE HOURS Part Trois

DANCE OF THE HOURS Part Deux

DANCE OF THE HOURS (Fantasia)

The DANCE OF THE HOURS from FANTASIA opens with a multiplane effect, a series of curtains:




Here, the first (digitally re-assembled) pan background of the stage (the balls of fur are ostriches awaiting their dance cues):

The right half of a huge pan B/G... with a (multiplane camera layer) column in the foreground of epic proportions!

THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE (FANTASIA)

Here we go...

Before the 3D begins, I thought It'd be cool to post what I had so far. Which is the whole film blocked out in key poses, and little bits of animation here and there just to get a feel for how the end product would look. Animating in flash was so much harder than storyboarding in flash, for me. In fact, I'd say that flash is the perfect tool setting up leica reels. But animating straight into flash will still take some time getting used to . The instant playback button was really nice though.

So since I'm now required to animate at least 1/3 of the film in 3D (see two posts down) , the second act will be replaced. From the point where he pops out of the grave, to when he starts to head towards town. Which ironically enough, has the weakest blocking I feel. His poses are stiff and his model is all over the place, amongst other issues!

A buddy of mine at work came to my rescue and is graciously lending his time to modify the classic AM Rig to make it look like Remington. I know it wont look like him exactly, but it'll have to do. Besides, he's a bad- ass and he'll make it look cool anyway. Thanks dude!

So watch out! In about 11 weeks, this could possibly be something decent. Or THE most confusing, disjointed film you've ever seen! Either way, I'll be crying!

Heres the little bugger in 3D!

Highlight Workflow

I wanted to highlight a site that has been around for some time and has a really good example and insight into his work flow. It is a breakdown from blocking to final of a shot of Pussy from Shrek. It's on Justin Barrett's site and he does a great job of breaking his work flow down into his passes and puts them into quicktime so you can frame by frame it. SWEET! Also check out different examples of work flow under Concepts of The Day category. Check out his STUFF page for more.

FUNNY LITTLE BUNNIES (1934)

Happy Easter!

Here's a special Easter treat: artwork from Disney's Silly Symphony FUNNY LITTLE BUNNIES (1934). First watch the cartoon (Thanks, YouTube)...

Now, enjoy some real eye candy, these digitally recreated backgrounds. Beautiful work!

That stubborn bunny refused to budge, but I was able to reveal the rest of this background...


Finally, Pan B/Gs...

This is the left side of the final pan B/G. One day I'll attempt to restore the entire thing. Lovely...

GOOFY: How To Sleep (1953)

Background credits go to Claude Coats.

Heres the cartoon:

Now some of the background art. Clearly the best in this cartoon is this eye-tickling "pseudo-Victorian moderne" house design:

The remaining backgrounds are simple, providing a fine stage on which the action plays itself out: