Being a human is remarkably hard. We have all these weird movements and bones and facial expressions. It makes it difficult to animate too, which is why having a reference point is good.
These articles talk about how to make good reference videos because if you need a reference it needs to be good. It is probably preferred to use yourself but when the case comes up it is good to use friends too. If you are referencing movement to dialogue the first article tells you to know your audio so that you can get everything right and not focus on your words. You need to focus on the reference you are making and embody your character because you can look lost and confused in what you are using to make an animation. It is also good to just straight up speak instead of mouth your audio. You need to be able to see the right amount of emotion in order to animate it, so why hold it back by now speaking or yelling or whatever? If you are not able to yell, however, just talk in a high pitched voice. It gives you the same reaction you are looking for.
It is good to keep the energy level up. Or down. It depends on what you need for your video reference. You don't want to under gesture for an energy filled scene, but you also don't want to over gesture for something that is subdued and solemn. Within all this energy upkeep it is good to know your physical limitations. Hurting yourself just to be able to get an animation down pat is not worth it and can affect your animation itself in the long run because, well, you are injured.
To further the idea of physical limitations it is necessary to really know them. Get personal with them, understand them, and don't test them. If you don't do pirouettes and flips and this and that on a daily, it is not a good idea to suddenly believe you can do them just for a reference video. It is also good to take breaks, because even the most athletic people get extremely worn out after a while. So if you're running or spinning repeatedly to get a scene perfect, and you sit in front of your computer day in and day out, it is safe to say you can take a break sooner than an athlete. Also, do not push your body. Like stated, you need to know limits, so if your body is feeling drained or even slightly in pain its time to listen to it and stop. Go take a nap instead and come back to the reference later. If you know an athlete, get them to come help. They are more likely to be able to do the wicked stunt you are aiming for, and you are more likely to not hurt yourself. And finally, if you're injured, don't ignore it. Putting off doctor's visits always end in something worse, so just put off your animation instead and go get yourself better. You will be thankful later.
Video references are very helpful, and knowing tips on how to create them is good for your future animations. Maybe you will use them, maybe you won't. But always remember to keep the right energy, speak with all your might, and know your limitations.
These articles were interesting and helpful. I've thought about making my own video references but I've never really known how to be able to sell them for myself, because I felt I might look dumb. But maybe I can suck it up and just do it with this advice.
However, I wish she had gone more in depth about how to piece them together. Watching hers showed that she used only herself for her references, and then just edited them together, but I have no idea how to do that, and probably won't. Some short and easy tips on how to piece your video together might be helpful.
No comments:
Post a Comment