Rules by Emma Coates

I came across something on the internet that I found extremely interesting by Emma Coates, Pixar's Story Artist.

I will post it here to help and inspire myself and others:

These rules were originally tweeted by Emma Coates, Pixar’s Story Artist. Number 9 on the list - When you’re stuck, make a list of what wouldn’t happen next – is a great one and can apply to writers in all genres.

1.You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.

2.You gotta keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun to do as a writer. They can be very different.

3.Trying for theme is important, but you won’t see what the story is actually about til you’re at the end of it. Now rewrite.

4.Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.

5.Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You’ll feel like you’re losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.

6.What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them. How do they deal?

7.Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.

8.Finish your story, let go even if it’s not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.

9.When you’re stuck, make a list of what WOULDN’T happen next. Lots of times the material to get you unstuck will show up.

10.Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you; you’ve got to recognize it before you can use it.

11.Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you’ll never share it with anyone.

12.Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.

13.Give your characters opinions. Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it’s poison to the audience.

14.Why must you tell THIS story? What’s the belief burning within you that your story feeds off of? That’s the heart of it.

15.If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.

16.What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if they don’t succeed? Stack the odds against.

17.No work is ever wasted. If it’s not working, let go and move on – it’ll come back around to be useful later.

18.You have to know yourself: the difference between doing your best & fussing. Story is testing, not refining.

19.Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.

20.Exercise: take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How d’you rearrange them into what you DO like?

21.You gotta identify with your situation/characters, can’t just write ‘cool’. What would make YOU act that way?

22.What’s the essence of your story? Most economical telling of it? If you know that, you can build out from there.

New Projects

It's about time I update this blog.

I have had several new projects and modules:
Module - Applied Timing and Movement

Virtual Marionette - Maya

The main focus of this component is the creation of character through performance.

Using the character rig(s) provided you will build upon the skills learnt in Semester 1 to create believable and convincing movement with characteristics of weight, gesture and motivation as well as exploring the controls curves and use of the 3D Computer interface to direct your animation.

Once these functions have been learned you will do the following 3 exercises:

Create 10 static poses to facilitate your control of the rigs control curves, which demonstrates you have understood the basic method of using CGi characters.

Create 5 short key‐framed sequences between poses of about 24 frames demonstrating pose to pose capabilities in animating the model rig.

Finally complete a 30 second sequence with a set of geometric shapes as props with the following theme:

“..Noise,_look_walk_stop_look again,_look closer_ Shock_ jump_ run” You will then work on a short CGI animation called the “Match and the Box”.

Using the rigs provided you will develop an idea for a short scenario through the production stages of storyboard into CGI animation.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

CGi character rig animation will be assessed against the following criteria: Evidence of broad action readable poses, gestures and pantomimed action in a set of directed sequences. (40% weighting - linked to learning outcomes 1,2,4)

In the image presented is one of the rigs that we were given to used, the one I chose is Norman where you can find here:http: //www.11secondclub.com/resources
In the image is one of the poses I have put Norman in, the emotion attached to it is meant to be Boredom.
So far I have done a few more static poses. Because of the weather, I am rather behind on my work but I hope to catch up quite quickly.

Stop Motion Armatures

Using the stop motion ball and socket armatures provided you will learn to animate

in a straight ahead method.

You will create a number of simple animated sequences including: Lifting

Pushing Pulling Walking Stretching and imbue these with a good sense of timing, pace and character.

You will then build on these early exercises to animate to a set script and direction with the stage and props available. You will interpret the script freely but the essential criteria is to create a sense of character and performance in your animation.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

Stop Motion Armature animation will be assessed against the following criteria evidenced by examples of straight‐ahead animation in a range of stop motion animation sequences to a set script (30% weighting - linked to learning outcomes 1,2,4)

I have yet to start on this, for the same personal problem with the weather, but I am not worried, I enjoy Stop Motion immensely.

2D Digital Cut-Out Animation - Pre School brief. Toon Boom

The Brief: Research, Pitch, Design, Build and animate a 15 second 2D Digital Cut-Out animated opening title sequence for a Pre- School (ages 2- 5) Children‟s Television Programme. Include Typographic design and original sound in your sequence.

Pre – production (weeks 1 – 4): Under the guidance of Laura Weston you will compile a digital research folder of the sector including Design for Pre-school, Children’s Contemporary Illustration, Children’s television and interactive applications for computer/tablets/mobile devices/web Building from your research you will progress to present ideas for two treatments as 3 Minute Pitches in week three including the following elements: Research influences and styles, Character designs, Concept art, Colour models, character turnarounds, Typographic Samples, Synopsis of idea. Thumbnail storyboard. One of your ideas will be selected for production commencing in week four.

Production (weeks 5 – 12): Working with Teagan Ball you will learn how to construct, rig, animate and stage a simple character in Toon Boom which will have appeal to the demographic of audiences aged 2 – 5 years and their guardians/parents.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

 a set of five animation cycles demonstrating your control of the Character emoting a range of simple gestures (Blinking, Smiling, waving, jumping, through to walking on the spot or equivalent) you will then build on these early exercises to fully animate a short title sequence of 15 seconds.

 A 15 second fully animated cut out sequence including typography and accompanying sound.

(30% weighting - linked to learning outcomes 1,2,4)

I have started this as shown in the image, and I hope to finish it soon.


Module - Sculpture for Animation

Module Description

This module develops three dimensional awareness of the human figure using an understanding of form, volume and weight.

Continuing on from last semester’s life drawing sessions there will be a series of workshops exploring sculpture as a means to develop and generate characters. You will be introduced to a range of sculpture and character modelling methods to support your development in the field of traditional, 2D cut-out, stop motion and CGI animation.

This will enable a greater awareness of volumetric structure and how this applies to animation production.

You will be shown how to design characters using industry level design concepts and techniques.

There will be workshops on making wire armatures for sculpting over, sculpting figures in clay and using Maya and to build GCI characters.

You will be introduced to rapid prototyping technology that allows you to print out a real three dimensional object from a CGI image.

You will be introduced to 3D scanning technology that allows you to scan a real clay sculpture for use in Maya / Mudbox.

Module Content Week one intro

Exploring the center of gravity, poses and distribution of weight using simple wire figures, and designing your first character.

Part 1 (Starting Week two):

Create a First Person Shooter Character and sculpt in clay.

Design a character suitable for a class based first person shooting video game (e.g. Valve’s Team Fortress II). Pick from the following class types;

Scout Soldier Heavy (Weapons) Flame Thrower Sniper Medic Demolition Expert Sentry Gun Engineer

This design will form the basis of a clay sculpted figure.

The final figure will be photographed and painted digitally.

Part 2 (Starting Week Six):

Take your character, make it in Maya and rig it.

Your previous clay sculpt will form the basis of a polygon / NURBS sculpted character generated in Maya.

This character will be textured using Maya and rigged for animation.

I have started this, though it is not in the right order because of my absence.


Module - Film Analysis

What is this module about?

This module's main theme is the textual analysis of films to find meanings or values inherent in them. You will be trained in the basic skills of conducting close criticism. You will explore, in particular, the implications of scrutinising the mise en scène (“everything in front of the camera”), screenplay, sound design, and editing aspects of films, in order to interpret meanings. You will become fluent in the shorthand and terminology of film form for analysing film as a "text", so that you can then conduct a textual analysis of a film’s formal qualities.

Specific formal characteristics of film will be explored in developing your analytical skills for interpreting meaning in films:

The screenplay; Cinematography; Editing; Costume;

Visual effects; Animation (including stop-motion); Acting performance; Sound design; Production design.

You will finish the module with the ability to use the basic skill of close textual analysis to interpret and discuss movies precisely.

How will the module run every week?

We will have regular full film screenings on Wednesday mornings in the Film Theatre. These will be augmented by Thursday morning seminar classes, wherein there will be presentations of film extracts both by the tutors and by student groups. Sometimes, you will also be given research exercises to conduct in and between seminar classes.

The cinema is the only way to fully experience the artistry of movies! You must go to the cinema regularly to experience movies, if you wish to get the most out of this module. The Stoke Film Theatre itself is a great place to start!

You are not familiar with a film until you have experienced it at least twice...

I have another blog about this part as I feel it is and should be separate to my Animation. You can find the blog here: http://filmsanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/

Finished Animation

Deadline over and Animation complete!

If any wishes to view the finished product, please click the link below.

https://vimeo.com/55492592

Main Project Deadline

It is rolling up to my deadline for my main project. The 14th of December is the day it shall all be in for and I'm quite pleased to say that I believe I shall succeed in handing everything in.

My project was as followers:
The Betty Smithers Design Collection
During your visit to the Betty Smithers Design Collection, you will see a number of objects from which you will be expected to select one or a small group to base your short film on. You will be expected to sketch, photograph and document these objects and to start planning on how you wish to incorporate them into your work.
This and all other supporting development work must be evidenced in a bond 'presentation' file and submitted along with the other assessment criteria.

The Betty Smithers Design Collection
You may choose either drawn, CGI or Stop Motion animation to realise your final piece. The finished work should be of a high standard, suitable for public viewing on the Betty Smithers Collection website and Animation Department show reel.
Structure:
When thinking about your film there needs to be a little bit of a story structure to allow your character(s) to be believable.
There needs to be a beginning, a middle and an end.

The Beginning: It's important to set a clear goal.

The Middle: Establish an obstacle that your character(s) encounter. This is something which hinders or complicates the reaching of the initial goal set-up in 'the beginning'. This may be physical or mental.

The End: Your audience needs to have a satisfying resolution to the film. The obstacle is overcome and the goal is reached or achieved.
Keep it short. Keep it simple. Keep it clear.

I believe I've near enough completed what my project set for me. Upon visiting the collection I viewed one shelf in particular, the shelf with the cameras, typewriters, computers and other such old-to-new devices. Unfortunately the cameras were kept within boxes and I was in no fit state at the time to carefully take them down and examine them, so I set aside a hopeful date to come back and view them another time. However, once I was able, the Collection was missing it's keeper and therefore I looked within my own room to gather what items I wanted.
My original idea came very swiftly when I was in the Collection and it revolved around cameras. I had been on a Photography course prior and so my interest for them was, and still is, quite strong. I knew that I wanted to use cameras and a selection of them, ranging from old to new.
Once I had found and gathered three cameras from my possessions I set about thinking up a suitable and simple story for them. My story was, as the project said, short and simple, and was the only clear idea I could come up with at the time. I explained my idea to my tutor and once he agreed that it was a good plan of action, I set about creating a storyboard for it - which later I would make an animatic with.

My story:

The Beginning: Old film camera is on a shelf at the Collection. It wakes, looks around in surprise and intrigue, and shuffles backwards on the shelf as it does so. The goal here is to find out where it is and with what company it keeps - though the Collection has a whole range of items in store, I am only going to show a small part of it, with just three cameras.

The Middle: The old film camera, not paying attention to where it is going, bumps into another camera, this one a digital compact camera. Upon being jolted it wakes, it's flash going off at the same time, showing it's shock at the intrusion. The two cameras turn to look at each other in since - the encounter is not really an obstacle, but it was one for a short time. It hinders the main goal somewhat by 'distracting' the old film camera from it's first mission of looking around.

The End: As the two stare at each other, a long lens slowly lengthens and comes into view behind one of them (the digital compact). They both turn to see another camera, this one a DSLR with a long lens, which as been awakened or attracted by the noise and movements from the other two. They all stare at one another and then all turn towards the viewer with a banner above them exclaiming that they are in the "Betty Smithers Collection"


My idea and story was fairly basic, but after presenting it to the class and receiving feedback from my tutors, I had full confidence to carry it out.

I chose to do the Animation in Stop Motion for two reasons:
Firstly, I knew that I was going to be looking into 3D animation more than anything and so I thought it prudent to try out Stop Motion for a challenge and change of pace/skills.
Secondly, I thought it would best suit my idea. I had the items to use and knew how I wanted them to move.

I wanted no dialogue with my animation but I still needed and wanted sound. I had seen many animations where there was no words, the story told merely by the animation itself and the soundtrack/sound effects. This is what I wanted to achieve.

As I created my storyboard I was made to look closer into the position of the camera the viewer shall be looking through to perceive my animation. I already imagined, automatically, that the camera would pan across or zoom in and out, sweeping over characters etc but once I drawn out my storyboard, I tried to simplify it as best as I could. I knew that I would not be able to create everything I hoped for, I had neither the time nor skills to do all that I wanted.


My inspirations into this were as follows:
PIN - an animated short that a friend sent in my direction. It can be found on Vimeo by Elise Fachon
https://vimeo.com/35321187

This was very inspiring because of how much character and life that had been put into the pins, creating the illusion of life. There was also no real dialogue in this animation either, only sounds and noises made up by the pins, their own language. I hope I can put enough time and depth into my characters.

Knick Knack - an animated short by Pixar

This was a favourite short of mine and when it was brought up by a tutor, I obviously sort it out again with pleasure. If I had taken the 3D route, this would be what I would want my animation to be like. Quirky, sweet and simple. Again, this had no dialogue, only music/sound effects, expressions and movements.

Teclopolis - an animated short that was shown to me by my tutor. It can be found on Youtube by Javier Mrad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4YPDh8_Myw

When this was shown to me in class I fell in love with it straight away. The idea is surreal with an almost never-ending depth to it. You could take this animation several different ways, connect it to many opinions by many people and connect with it. Some may see it as a show of how much technology has come and how fast, destroying things as it goes, while others may just see it as an interesting animation that plays on perception, metaphors, and artistic talent. Once again, this has no dialogue, leaving the viewer to make up his or her mind on what can be said about and during the animation. It's fantastic.


As I, myself, began work on my Stop Motion scenes (first testing shots, seeing how many frames and why, and what I actually need to do to achieve certain things) I noticed that my story would have to change. I did not have the time nor the resources to do exactly what I had first dreamt up and therefore I had to do away with a few things. Nothing major, though I was saddened to cut my imagination and idea short. Not knowing the best way to use a Stop Motion rig and have a sweeping, panning or zooming view of things, I settled for jump cuts. These still did the same job, though not as fluidly as I would have wanted.
I also changed a few scenes, choosing instead to start the animation off with the old film camera being placed down onto the shelf, to show that it was new to the area. I used my own arm, and though it was a struggle to get it down alone, I succeeded and was pleased with both the test shot and the actual shot.
(See my test shots here: https://vimeo.com/55362499 )
Another thing that I changed was when the film camera bumps into the digital camera, before, I had the digital camera wake up as soon as it is hit, but after doing a test shot where I had the film camera circle the digital camera suspiciously, I liked that better and altered it to such.

Slowly but surely, with the help of a close friend and classmate (whom made me a shelf in which to use as my set) I got through my animation in one day, able to quickly have something rather than nothing in which to look at and edit.
The editing process was a long one, with many technical difficulties along the way. Now though, I can happily say that I believe I have finished my animation. Tonight, before writing this, I spent a few hours collecting, creating and editing sound effects onto my animation.
The only thing I have left to do now is make sure all my work is neatly presentable in a folder, ready to hand in on Friday.

Wish me luck!

My first Animation Portfolio

Follow this to see my portfolio: https://vimeo.com/53143076
Password: portfolio

Life Drawing

Life Drawing is one of my passions and something I hope to continue during my time at University.

If you are interested in seeing my progression and what types of tasks I was set in the lessons, please follow this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gemmabirks/

My Presentation

Last Wednesday, the 12st November, was the day of my presentation. A presentation that explained my essay in as great a detail as I could manage.

I knew about said presentation but ignorantly I did not realise that it was so soon, having dealt with health problems and other such projects beforehand, it had slipped my mind. Hardly an excuse, just an observation.

I was therefore, not really prepared though had enough to talk about to keep it up for at least ten minutes. I had also drawn something in my sketchbook to express and show what it was I was trying to explain.

I can only hope I succeeded in getting my point across and explaining it properly.

What I have learnt from the other presentation is a good amount. How others presented themselves and their questions and explantations were very informative.

I also noticed that there are a few that mention the same film(s) as I have in my essay/presentation and that gives me a second opinion and viewpoint, something I can easily add into my essay if I wished.
Many of their research and references would help me also. Looking further into Animation and the whys and the what ifs behind certain films, is something I should look into. As well as looking into what emotions/memories they prompt in the audience and why.