icananimate lego

Story board

Previous Idea

These images were from my previous idea story board when i was considering illustrating characters for my animation. However I am not allowed to use them so they have been put down as my experimentation. 

Quick

This is a very quick photomontage I put together using Photoshop CS5.

I don't like it at all, I prefer being able to see the individual photos printed and laid on a table so you can alter the angling etc.

Story line basic

Roughly one of the possible story lines.

1- 7 secs 

Photomontage of girl getting ready for her date (50s style to fit with music)

Close up of eyes from natural to make up

7-12 secs

Photomontage of guy eating, not getting ready.

Notices the time and starts to panic.

12-15 secs

Close up of girls lips

Girl smiles

Zoom out to a picture of her face.

16-21

Guy trying on clothes, stained etc so Starting to panic.

Close up of his face, emphasise frustration

22-25

Girl putting on shoes

Stands up ready, smiling.

26-30

Guy (A mess) pulling hair

comical tic like in old movies using photomontage.

Finish with a close up of clock. 

(music will end on the sliding note of the strings)

photoshop.

These a re a few snap shots of me experimenting with animation via photoshop. I managed to make a ball bounce up and down from one side of the screen to the other. I enjoyed the process but I think I would rather stick to doing something with photography and a video camera. 

I will upload the animation once I have figured out the right format needed for this blog

photomontage

I think if I could achieve an animation in the style of this photo montage I would be really happy, I would keep the hectic, getting stressed theme and alternate between various images of the persons lips and eye expressions. Possibly having one part with the eye opening and closing quickly to resemble a tic which is used humorously within old films to show irritation. 

I may not use as many different photos of the person though, restricting it to the face, eyes, and mouth. rather than splitting the person up as much as above. 

alternative ideas

This video I have found very interesting to watch, I like the way the photos move left or right etc when the person within the photograph is moving that way. Seeing as I am not allowed to use illustrative characters in the animation I feel using photography along these lines is something else i would be interested in doing. I may consider mixing both photography and illustration to see the outcome as a still image and if it could progress into a short animation. 

Various videos of interest

I have posted this video because I like the bit in the video where he uses the cassette tape to make a small animation/image of the girl altering it (supposedly) with his hands. Although this is too complex It makes me wonder if I could used my hands within the animation when placing photos on top of one another and seeing what it would turn out like. 

With this video I like the split screen approach it has to the two central characters. Especially within the first minute or so. I may try that but with my photomontage, however it would create some complications with my story line and would need altering. 

alternative

I have been struggling to come up with an animation that isn't based around literal characters. With my piece of music I envision an old type flick book animation of a family trying to go on a day trip, it's typically rushed with the dad getting more and more stressed as the trip goes on.  However, we've been asked too look into more motion graphics and abstract animations.

 

I quite like how simple this animation is by using a time lapse video, I think in the next few days I will look more into photography and how that can be used for animation rather than drawings and photoshop. 

flick book continued

These are just several more flick books which caught my interest.

This video is very different to any other flick books I have seen, instead of making the entire animation through the flick book it has incorporated the flick book within a short film. I find it extremely compelling and interesting to watch. Although this doesn't fit my old rushed illustration I am intending on doing, it's given me a real insight that animations can be more than just a flick book.

flick books

This is one of my favourite flick books I have seen so far, it's so well done and precise yet he manages to create slow motion scenes within the illustrations. I also like the way its filmed where you can clearly see it is on paper. it also connects with my theme of keeping it black and white to give the impression the animation may be older. 

I will look through flick books more and make a decision whether to follow on with this method or animation via photoshop.

This flick book caught my eye because it's so simple yet appears complex with the rotation the artist has managed to create. Although this isn't something I can put to my music because it isn't hectic enough, it has showed me how a simple animation can look so effective. 

Tutorials on photoshop animation.

These simple videos are helping me see how difficult it may be to create an illustrated animation. I am firstly going to try do a scene with an old car bopping up and down and see how well it comes out after my first attempt. 

Winsor McCay

This is a video from one of the first animators Winsor McCay. I specifically like this video because it's what I envisioned my own animation to turn out like. It's quite clear it's an old animation by the way it's not quite precise and jumps slightly in various scenes. Also I quite like the effect the camera has where it's a little sketchy and making distorted marks on the paper.

I have decided to look more in depth on how to make an animation using photoshop and this was one of the videos i looked to give me a demonstration. Although it only shows the very basics it has helped me understand the fundamentals and made me interested in seeing how complex an animation photoshop can create.

I will also look at a flick book approach to be sure that my illustrations wouldn't look better hand drawn rather than through a graphics tablet.

Music

My music is a fast paced string compilation called stratosphere boogie. When listening the following words came into my head:

Summer
Hurried
Old

So i have decided to do an illustration based on a family going on a road trip to the beach, having various problems on the way so the 'dad' gets more and more stressed. I will also use old techniques ie. A map with a drawn car moving along the streets to show the route of which the family are going.

I will start looking up illustrators to see what would be a suitable type of character for this animation.