Anyone Can Be Anything

        1. Zootopia focuses on the goal of one bunny, Judy Hopps. Although she lives in a world where predators and prey live together in harmony there is still the issue of other's opinions. No one believes that a meek little bunny could be a cop, and yet she pursues the goal with a passion and even gains it. But even though she got what she wanted she still did not really get what she wanted, because the police chief did not want her on his force in the first place and so she faces the obstacle of opinion. The police force does not see her as a real cop by any means, and even her parents don't want her to go past anything more than being a meter maid. She still tries to be what she wants, even though she herself is plagued by her own opinions. Which leads her to meet Nick Wilde, who she only followed based on her ideas of sly and shifty foxes. She was wrong at first, but ultimately right. She almost gets fired after catching a criminal who merely stole "moldy onions", but makes a deal to try and find a missing otter named Emmit in a short time period in an attempt to keep her job. She then uses Nick to help her find the Emmit because her meek amount of evidence shows that one of the last places he was seen was buying a popsicle from Nick's shady business. He only helps her because he faces the obstacle of her outing his illegal activities, but that doesn't mean he makes it easy. They clash the entire time that they work together, using each other's dislike of them as advantages. Judy, for example, lures Nick over a fence by throwing the pen with the evidence of his tax evasion over a fence so that he'll go over it and she can have a reason to search for her evidence without a warrant. Nick brings her to the DMV to run plates, without telling her that the DMV is run by sloths and then stalling the sloths, therefore making Judy lose time. After discovering that Emmit went feral they go to find the driver who was there for the event, and then end up almost being attacked and Judy almost officially losing her job. Nick points out she still has time to the chief, and so her investigation can continue. He tells her about the time that he was basically hazed and they bond just that little bit. Then they discover Emmit and other missing mammals in a facility, and they are all feral. This turn of events gets the mayor arrested because people are not sure why the animals, all predators, are feral but they do know he is involved and one himself so they take the drastic measure. At a press conference, Judy says some things about predators that negatively affects her and Nick's friendship. In fact, the entire ordeal starts to negatively affect predators, and rallies against them pick up and they start to get fired when all anyone really wants in peace. Judy quits because she feels guilty and this is not what she wanted as a cop. Back home she encounters her old childhood bully and discovers he's changed and her opinions of foxes are kind of wrong, and she also discovers that the whole predator going feral issue could be because of someone using drugs to trigger the episodes. She hunts Nick down and apologizes and from there they work to find and bust the people behind what's happening, and they just happen to be the assistant mayor turned mayor, who was on an evil trip to put predators into bad light so that she could take over and show that the little guys really weren't all that little. Judy and Nick rekindle their friendship, Belwether gets arrested, and Nick becomes a cop. And then the chief treats both Judy and Nick as actual cops because Judy showed that it is not a matter of opinion but more a matter of letting someone show you what they can do.

        2. I believe the central message of this film is to not judge a book by its cover. Almost everyone, from her parents to the police chief, judged Judy for being a bunny. They thought she would amount to nothing and tried to persuade her away from her goal. She showed them though that even a bunny could be a successful cop and not just a carrot farmer or meter maid. But even though she constantly went through judgment for who she was, she also judged others. She immediately thought Nick was bad news just because he was a fox, and in the end, he really was not that bad of a guy. And no one expected Belwether to be the bad guy because she was just a little sheep and they figured someone like her couldn't do any harm. It does no one any good in this movie to judge, and then are many cause and effect moments due to judgment. So even though it is a cliche theme, don't judge a book by its cover. Or in this case, don't judge an animal by its species,

        3. The most important part about the environmental design is that it had a lot of variety. From farmland to the frozen tundra, there was a lot to look at. Though the movie was mainly focused in the city part of Zootopia, the many environments aided the plot. There was the rodent area of the city which Judy ran through on a police chase, which later saved her life because she had previously saved Mr. Big's daughter from the disaster of a giant doughnut. The tundra built some of the interaction between Nick and Judy, and also showed Judy some of Nick's devious ways in the beginning. The rainforest also added to the chase between Nick and Judy and the driver, because that environment provided many obstacles. It is well thought to have a shifting environment when following a plot like Zootopia's because there are many species and also many things going on. Where would we be without mob bodyguard polar bears or tiny rodent towns?

        4. The character design in Zootopia is very diverse. For one, no would consider a vole could be a mob boss. But Mr. Big was designed in such a way that you accept it. He has a grumpy face and big eyebrows, and the suit and stature that don't make you question his position. They really managed to capture the stereotype mob boss physique. With Nick, they made it obvious that he was a slacker with the way his posture was designed to be slouchy, and how he wore a Hawaiian button-up shirt with a tie and cargo pants. The embodiment of a lazy businessman. The way he always has some form of a smirk on his face really gives him the sly fox. All the characters in Zootopia are expressive, really. This isn't really a character but something I noticed about the police department itself. I know Judy was the first bunny, but I just feel other than her the department could strive to have some more character variety. They achieved that with Officer Clawhauser, in that he is a fat cop. But really a design flaw I see is how the entire force is big and buff or just a large stature. Wouldn't you want some small cops? Like when crime goes down in the rodent city is there a separate division for them or does it just happen because every Zootopia cop is way too big to try and do anything about it? It just appears that there is no room for small statured cops in the design of the police force.

        5. The story that Zootopia gives you is, in fact, unique, for an animated movie at least. Sure there is a handful of strong woman lead movies for the franchise, but also Zootopia gives us something else. There is crime and crime solving and a huge focus on cops and just a bigger feel for a diverse world. The dialogue keeps you focused because it flows easily and has interesting quips here and there. The story overall is a wonderful story. It has highs and lows and really resonates with people who deal with judgment or sticky situations or just a general need to achieve a goal. The story flows really well, and anyone can sit down and be able to follow it without getting confused. There is also a definite that it stays with you long after watching it. I have had many instances where I will be sitting, minding my own business, and suddenly think about something that happened in Zootopia. Like her depressing carrot for one.

        6. The actors chosen for this film were very well picked. For one, Shakira voicing Gazelle was one of the best choices ever. Not only did she get to sing for the movie, she also had a moving little speech about peace, which fits her. Idris Elba was a strong choice for Chief Bogo, as was Octavia Spencer for Mrs. Otterton. They both have voices that are strong in person and as animations. the voices for this film were all well-picked, they fit the character and also work with the emotion of each character perfectly. They also seem to fit the build for each animal. Except for Finnick, but Finnick's voice was purposely made deep for comedic effect.

        7. All of the stylistic aspects of the animation drew your eye in, from the colors to the way things were drawn. They were something different and pleasing. However, at points, it felt a little too bright lighting wise, like the Rainforest District. Sure it was night and there were street lamps but it just felt too bright to fit the mood that was currently happening, which the feral chase and the almost permanent firing. The motion was all smooth, though, even when in moving vehicles.

        8. In the beginning with Judy's little talent show, there is a huge moment for exaggeration. She is "attacked" by a predator and then dies, blood and all. There are a good five seconds of Judy just throwing red streamers into the air screaming blood, and then adding in the ketchup. It is awkward for the on-screen audience, but amusing for people viewing it. You know right away that that little bunny is going to have spunk. With the sloth DMVs, there is a lot of anticipation. You anxiously wait in your seat waiting to hear what they are going to say, seeing as everything is slow motion to the extreme. The anticipation also drives Judy crazy which makes it all that more amusing. At the end, when Nick goes "feral" there is a matter of timing. The two had to work together to make it believable that he had actually gone feral so that Belwether would react. If Judy hadn't played getting hurt right, or Nick hadn't reacted to the fake Nighthowler fast enough than the sheep would have caught onto their game and the story could have ended way differently.

        9. A really impressive action in the film is the secondary action. These are all animals, so there is ear movement and tail movement and all that jazz. It was cool to see the action on the tails, and also the follow through on bunny ears. The movement of the animals was also impressive, especially when you compare a fully functioning one to a feral one.

       10. Yes, this film deserved to win the Academy Award for best Animated Feature. Not only did it have a unique and unused story, it was beautifully put together. Every character has a personality. There are different uses of the animal kingdom, and they knew their stuff about the inner workings of animals. The movie also holds a huge personal message that can resonate with children and adults.

Brink O' Death

        I have had an on and off 103 fever all weekend. I hate immune systems. With how they think they are allowed to get sick and stuff.
        This week we learned about lip syncing for 3D. Will I use it? No. Was it interesting? Kind of. It seems more complicated, though, I'd rather just stick to being able to draw a mouth instead. I also learned that debates on a Friday are not a good thing. Chemistry is still terrible, stats is bearable, history is the worst because we have a student teacher.
        In the future, I want to learn how to actually enjoy being in a role you hate. Because I really hate my role in this year's musical and I am not having a good time. The more I hate it, the longer the production will be to be over, so if I can just pretend I like it I can get out faster. But I don't know how to like being a pound of foam, a plant, and a 30-yard piece of fabric. It is just so invigorating you know.
        Something that frustrated me this week was getting sick. I felt meh for the most part all week but also I rarely ever go to sleep when I mean to so I chalked it up to that. But Friday I felt worse, and I pushed through the day and took a nap and woke with a common cold from hell. I haven't had a fever break 100 in a while and do that alone was frustrating. I also wanted to do things this weekend and couldn't because my only pal was low-key death. I was and am still miserable. But just gotta...soldier through.
        I was happy on Wednesday when I went to the mall with my friend Jennie and finally got a caped Hogwarts house shirt. Which is a miracle, because Hufflepuff barely has merchandise. I also got the best stuffed animal in the world and he has really made this weekend better. I really love him a lot. Also sometimes Bronwyn sends me a meme, or I send her one and it always makes me happy. Yay for memes.
        This is a good video explaining depression. Sometimes I just feel like people might need to understand it better.

Don't hurt yourself for animation

        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.

Empty Hallways

        Empty hallways are sort of peaceful.
        This week we learned about dynamics. It was cool to get to know more about 3D animation, and I might use something we learned in my 3D short. I know for sure I'll be using the paint grass because grass is a big deal in my animation. We also learned about rigging, which is kind of easier than I expected but also hard. I also have no idea how a lamp is supposed to move as if it is alive.
        I am not sure what I'd like to learn in the future. Mostly I just want to know what our writing assignment is about. I would also like to learn how to effectively be part of a debate team because we are supposed to lead a debate in English but his instructions are vague and confusing.
         Something that frustrated me this week was working on our musical sign. The lettering for the title was sloppily done in the first place, and so I couldn't completely get the highlight and shadows to line up. Then while I was working my friends walked by and then proceeded to mess up the projector and then I had to spend an hour repositioning the words to the best of my ability. The sign is coming along nicely at least. I would hope so because I spent all of stage working on it.
      Something that made me happy is getting the confirmation that I get to spend the weekend with my friend at Fredonia. It will give me a chance to see her and also the chance to get a feel for dorm sleeping. I also got to hang out with my friend Jennie for a while, which is always nice.
        Here is a little video that might make you think about the issue with gender conformity: Baby X

Animation With Editors? Its More Likely Than You Think.

        When you watch an animated film you often never think about the work that goes into it. Or, if you do, you only think about the animator and no on else on the team. But animation has every job a live action film has, even down to requiring an editor.
        Editors come onto an animation team way earlier in the process than live action film editors. They could be brought on the team years in advance, so far in advance that not even the director has been chosen yet. It may seem strange to even edit an animated movie, but everything can be edited and an animation editor has the longest and most intensive job there is. Every movie starts and ends differently, like how The Black Cauldron had to be changed because of its dark tone even in a time where no one believed that animated films could not be edited.
        Ken Schrentzmann says that a way to look at it is with live action you shoot first and edit later, but with animation, you edit first and shoot later. Editors sometimes get to write part of the animation because they sit with the writer and director through the entire process. An editor is a key role in an animation, they are very involved in the movie. Screenplays are not just written and made into a movie, they are written and then built upwards from that. Ideas are then made into storyboards and the editor will sit and piece together all the storyboards into an animatic with the rough sounds and everything. If a scene doesn't fit well, it will then be remade. With each film having about 27 sequences there is a lot that can be done to fix it.
        An editor is the voice that pushes and guides an animation to the right place. Like with Fantastic Mr. Fox, the whole movie was rewritten and then every scene was rewritten approximately two times. No scene that made it to the movie was the same by the end. It gets rough when a scene gets locked and something needs to be changed like a shot or something or other. Animators know that they're going to be wrong and if they don't allow themselves to be wrong they'll only rely on things that they know will work. They don't plan to get everything right the first time, they plan to get a few things wrong and learn how to improve them.

        Animation is all about improvement and this video essay shows that. Even animated movies need to be edited, no matter how silly it seems. No one gets something perfect the first time, and you can see that in this.
        I wonder what is like to be brought on two years in advance and sit all the way through the process to the end. What is it like to dedicate your life to one movie for years? Or do animation editors work on multiple movies at one time? It seems unlikely, but so does dedicating all yourtime to one movie.

Yikes

        I am a tired human being.
        This week was really quiet for some reason. I learned that I can write a three-page research essay approximately twelve hours before it is due. I don't know if I really followed my thesis, but hey at least I handed in typed on paper. We also went over premiere, which is really good because I forgot how to use it and will need to use it very soon. I don't know what else I learned.
        Something I would like to learn in the future is how to get the motivation back for writing. I'm handing a lot of things in last minute because of the lack of wanting to write and I hope that I can find that want back. I also want to get betterish at 3D animation so my short looks good because I am worried about that.
        This is something that is stupid to be frustrated about but I'm gonna do it anyways. I am frustrated that I only got two honorable mentions in the Scholastic Art and Writings Awards this year. I mean it is great that I even got two awards, but honorable mentions are always kind of "wow you participated here's a ribbon" things to me. I have one more year to enter so maybe I'll get higher next year.
        And on that note: I have now officially entered and won awards for the SAAWAs for four years in a row. I continue to be the only student in Lockport to enter and win. It is a shock to me every time, but I hope I can go a fifth year in a year and let my legacy be half a decade of writing awards. Also, we got Sims 4: Vampires and it is the best thing ever and I love it a lot. Vampires make me super happy. If I'm sad just talk about them with me and everything will be better.
        This is my favorite cut rap and you should watch this animatic of it. I can almost rap it all the way now. (No you can not escape Hamilton if you know me).

Pro Tips For Making Believable Characters

        Animation is everywhere. In commercials and movies and on TV and in your dreams and just everywhere. Every animation needs believable characters, but how do you get there? Well, this week's article gives you fifteen ways to do just that. I'll go over a couple of them.
        One way is to study the psychology of human movement. If there's one thing your character needs, it is for sure a realistic movement. Or something that loosely follows the way a real something or other moves. Every movement has a purpose to it. My hands follow a set pattern when typing that would need to be closely watched for a while to understand it. If you want to truly mimic movement you have to understand the movement and intention. You have to follow the thought behind the movement, and follow it several times. It is good to film the particular movement you are looking for and watch it until you feel a little closer to it. Or look weird in public by performing the movement yourself to understand it, much like me.
       Guide with your eyes. Often times, a movement follows a sequence that starts with the eyes. The eyes move, followed by the head, the neck, the body, everything until the focus is finally set on what the eyes were leading it to. Eyes are the windows to our soul, and also the windows to our focus. They lead us where we want to go, and if you watch anyone you will notice how this movement happens. If you want something to be believable move the eyes first, let them be the guide of the animation, because that is exactly what they are.
        Gravity is important. Without gravity...well I don't know what would happen without gravity but it probably wouldn't be fun. But gravity is highly important when you are animation the real world. You have to have a grasp on it so that you know when something should be floating or dropping through the floor. For example, in walking everything is different. Depending on build and weight, the walk could be different. Thin and tall people could be more light on their feet while as someone who is built a little heavier would have a heavier footfall, with more waist dipping. It might seem dumb to other people to be reminded of gravity, but it is surprisingly easy to forget it and make something move unrealistically. Like with the practice of a bowling ball and balloon, that makes you take a minute to understand the weight and the effects of gravity when you normally don't. Gravity is highly important, don't forget about it.
        Anticipation, action, and reaction. The three main things to any sense of flow. Every movement can be broken into these three things. Like when a character leaps they bend their knees in anticipation. Their jump is action. And finally landing their jump is the reaction. Anything can follow the anticipation, action, and reaction rule. With typing the anticipation is finding the key to type, the action is actually pressing that key, and the reaction is the letter showing up wherever.  It is important to keep in mind that this kind of principle can be used for facial animation and movement and even bring aid to exaggeration.
        There is a lot you can do to improve your character animation. But nothing is going to change if you don't take given advice in mind, so always sit and think about what you were told. It can get you somewhere farther than where you currently are.

        This article is helpful for anyone who struggles to animate characters properly. It gives the tips and tricks that I often follow myself. And also says some other things I didn't think about.
        For one thing I didn't think to not animate every lettera character says, but now that I have read this article I realize that doing that was a little silly. Advice is always good to take, especially from people who know what they're doing.