SIGGRAPH 1997: Visual Proceedings/SIGGRAPH 1997: Visual Proceedings - Disc 2.iso/pc/contents/sketches/animatn/defries/abstract.txt

Text File | 1997-07-08 | 6KB | 88 lines

Sketches Abstract
Little Fluffy Clouds
Mainstay Mutual Funds Up...Down...Up

    Up...Down...Up..., like many of the projects we do, is a hybrid
    production combining traditional cel animation with the best enhancement
    that digital animation can offer. Our goal in this 30 second commercial,
    as with every project we undertake, is to push the envelope in exisiting
    software and in our techniques, a little further each time.

    On this production we worked closely with a director from a traditional
    animation background, John Hays, of the production company, Wild Brain
    Inc.  On first looking at the boards it seemed that our task would be
    to model elements and render and print out digital frame reference for
    the cel animators to ink and paint the boat. However, we felt strongly
    that we could also create many of the elements animating them in 3D
    saving time and money and more importantly pushing the technique of
    combining cel and digital animation further. We were given the caveat
    that the 2D woodcut look and feel, so defined an original series of 15
    second spots, had to be preserved at all costs. That meant that a
    seamless synthesis had to be forged between the traditional cel animation
    and the 3D digital animation. This began a series of experiments that led
    to the dragonesque sea-serpent, along with the sea of mutual funds and
    all the letters representing the wake and splashes from the sea, being
    created, animated and rendered in 3D.

    Boards and loose sketches were quickly interpreted, in-house by LFC's
    Animation Director, Jerry van de Beek and director, Hays and changes made
    almost on a daily basis to create a more cinematic story line. Elements
    were modeled and specific black and white textures hand drawn at LFC and
    applied to the polygonal based models to give them just the right 2D look
    and feel. Our biggest challenge by far was the 3D sea-serpent.  LFC's
    van de Beek was confident that he could model, create the texture maps,
    apply them to the model and animate it so flawlessly that it would fool
    the viewer (and the client) into thinking that it was traditionally
    created in 2D cel animation. Thus saving the production time and money.
    Again, for the sea-serpent each texture was hand drawn and applied to
    the model. There are over 20 different textures on the head alone.

    Special code was then written by van de Beek, to create a field chart
    that could ensure the deadly accurate registration for the cel to digital
    ink and paint transitions essential to hybrid productions such as this.
    Digital frames were printed at LFC as reference to guide the cel
    animators at Wild Brain who were creating the cel sailboat, cloud god,
    water effects, droplets and splashes. This ensured a seamless match.
    This digital referencing program is designed to work with the standard
    Softimage Toonz settings in NTSC or PAL for ease of use in digital ink
    and paint.

    On this production, as in many that we have worked on and are now seeing,
    there is a movement to utilize the best of traditional animation in
    combination with all that digital animation has to give. This is not only
    to alleviate the stress of the ever downsizing production schedule and
    budget but also because production benefits from the synthesis of the two
    distinct but not so different mediums. Everyone is educated to the
    problems and possible achievements on a production.  At LFC we are seeing
    a movement back to the traditional style of animation, almost as a
    refreshment from the automated special effects look. Through experiment
    and play, even within the tight confines of the creation of a 30 second
    commercial, we were able to satisfy our clients' needs and take digital
    animation one step higher. All of which proves that it is possible to
    create different kinds of looks, not generally associated with 3D, and
    that we can synthesis 3D and 2D in a such a seamless way that no one
    can tell the cel from the digital.  We continue to work in this style
    and with a very specific look combining cel and digital animation and
    in this we hope to revive a very traditional look but with all the
    benefits of digital animation.

    It's worth noting that this entire spot was composited in-house using
    Softimage's Eddie. The benefits of this are not only felt in the budget
    but more specifically that each scene as it is completed can be comped
    and shown to the client as production moves along, saving time and
    enabling the client to truly be a part of the production. This is
    especially important for smaller digital animation studios that put
    their time, effort and energy into focusing specifically on digital
    animation but who still have to compete with the ever expanding larger
    houses and the trend to place 3D 'quick fix' departments in post houses.

    Shown will be the animatics, from original storyboards to complete comped
    scenes as cut into the exisiting story board layout and then finally the
    spot as broadcast. The focus of the presentation will be on the challenge
    and creation of the 3DCG sea-serpent. Showing concept; rough models with
    texture maps; wire frames; shape animation, combining  2D look with a 3D
    move; revised sketches; stages of modeling and the process; hand drawn
    texture maps; skeleton; one specific scene; a flipbook version; digital
    reference wireframes and final elements. Also shown will be the layers
    and then a final comp of all the elements in Eddie.