I am now coming up to the final hurdle for my graduation animation. The work is just about completed. Just a few loose ends to tie down. I would have liked to have done more but unfortunately I have been unable to do so due to illness.
However, I have to say that I am happy with what I have got. If you were to look at my animation from before I started the FdA for Film and T.V. Production right through to the here and now you would be able to see how I have progressed. The movement contained within the animations themselves is a lot smoother, and I now have the experience to add those little touches to the animations that turn them from being amateur into that something a little bit more special. Although this may not be easily noticed by most, it is these simple little touches that just add a little bit more to the animation that make them so much more impressive. Such as the understanding for where to use sound effects and music and what dialogue is right to use.
This progress can be see most clearly in my final animation piece for the Fda and the update of the same piece I did within the last couple of months. As seen below:
As seen above with the original and below with the update.
So clearly the same animation, but in the second you can see improvements such as: the characters never being still, achieved by the use of 2/3 images of the same character/object on a cycle. The effect of this is to create continuous movement whihc adds more life to the picture when in effect the character isn't moving. It is the same technique that they use in the simpsons or other shows where characters are stood still for a time, but they have a couple blinking every now and again just so that you can see that it is still being animated and that there is still movement so that it doesn't look like the screen has frozen.
Most of what I have learnt has come from being able to focus excluisvely on animation on the BA Hons Animation course. As it has meant that I have been able to improve my animation skills and the understanding of the craft that I have. I have had fantastic help both from the tutors on the course as well as the other students who have given me both technical and creative feedback, which has allowed my development from amateur to more professional.
The biggest change I should mention for myself is my work ethic. Whereas before, even on the FdA I was quite content to just get the work done, I am now in a position from the BA where I spend the time on making a quality animation. This means spending time not only producing the animation, but spending the time neccessary to go through the animation and to make any improvements to the animation that may be needed. This is evidenced most clearly for my graduation piece where I have had the luxury to be able to spend the whole of the educational year working on only one project. This has allowed me to be able to carefully craft an idea into something that I am proud of. Having spent that time adding and making that changes to the piece that change it from being just anothe animation among the many to something that is that little bit more special.
I will release it after it has been handed in.
