Presentation: Follow Through and Overlapping Action

I gave my presentation today on my given subject which was 'Follow Through and Overlapping Action'. The presentation was to last a maximum of ten minutes, of which I think mine lasted 3 or 4 minutes. I also ended up using the two videos I found and posted in the previous post (Digital tutors and Disney's Tangled).

I have added the notes that I had put into powerpoint below each slide.

 Slide 1: No Notes

Slide 2:

Nothing all moves at once. When we move ourselves, everything has its own arcs and speed.

Basically means “One part starts first and other parts follow” ~ Richard Williams – The Animator’s Survival Kit.

Overlapping action can effect clothes, hair and loose skin. Can even effect limbs, depending on the pose or action. (Weighting on loose skin can also be referred to as ‘Drag’.)

Picture of Rapunzel and Flynn (Glenn Kean doodle – Disney’s Tangled): If Rapunzel here were to take off running, her skirt would fall behind a few frames due to being effected by Rapunzel’s movement but not an actual part of the action. Same with her hair, some of it will lag behind and fly around behind her. However, due to its length and weight, not all of it will follow suit and drag along the floor.

Slide 3:

Works the same way as overlapping action but opposite. Everything does not start at once, so nothing stops at once either.

Can also effect clothes, hair, loose skin and even limbs. Again depending on the action and weight.

Picture of simple man with javelin (http://www.animationbrain.com/follow-through-overlapping-2d-animation-principle.html):

  After man has completed action (when the javelin has left his hand) the energy does not just disappear, he must follow through. It would look very unnatural if he didn’t and would take away the weight and life out of the animation. Follow through can be done a few different ways. For example, in the picture the man just follows the weight shift and his arm continues slightly. This could be taken to a more humorous level by exaggerating the action which may cause him to fall head over heels following the weight shift.

Slide 4:

Explain pic (from Richard Williams’ The Animator’s Survival Kit)

The starting movement and main action is the turning of the dog’s head. His jowls follow soon after the main action is made. Due to the weight of his loose skin, the jowls ‘drag’ back a little bit/few frames. This gives the sense of weight and realness to the character.

When his head stops, the rest of his skin does not stop at the same time. It still needs to catch up. It should still be lagging behind a bit at this point.

Everything now follows through and rushes forward. This could be taken to a humorous level with some added squash and stretch or exaggeration but here it is simply thrown forward.

The loose skin will catch up and settle back into a resting position. It may swing slightly as it does so.

PUTTING THEM TOGETHER CREATES AN ANIMATION THAT IS FULL OF LIFE AND NATURAL.

Slide 5:

Video 1: Digital Tutors: Follow Through and Overlapping Action

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2wJA9eX3yA

Video 2: Rapunzel’s Hair

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zh-0dRS-4U

Slide 6: No Notes

I am now waiting for feedback on how I did.

Personally, I'm not really happy with how I handled myself.  I think I may have rushed a little bit (due to nerves and other stresses at home) and I quickly noticed while watching other presentations that I had forgotten to reference my images and videos on the presentation! I think I could have constructed a better presentation.
Hopefully I will get another chance to do another one where I will be able to improve and make less mistakes!