I was checking one of Pixar’s behind the scene youtube video… here is the link… youtube.com/watch?v=O6XWlD7b9nc
I still don’t understand why “blocking” has to be done in “steps” instead of “curves”. Can anyone in the know please explain why? Many thanks.
My guess would be an easier way to get a “smoother” final animation. “Steps” seem to make detailing the animation easier to me…
It also helps the director, editor, and animator find issues in the scene. A character gesture might not fit right. A character might be placed in a spot where it doesn’t look good. The light may be hitting something in the wrong way. Basically, it give those working on the film a chance to tweak and nitpick. Plus, there’s nothing worst than getting a image or shot completely done, waiting 20 hours for the rendering to finish, then finding a booboo. >.<
Can someone please explain the difference between steps and curves like Snappywave said?
The Star Swordsman, “steps” keys are shown in the youtube video that I posted at the top of the thread. Using “curves” keys will allow smooth transitions from one pose to next without jump.
I am using terms found in Maya.
I guess I 'm wondering if this is a popular method? Maybe for such traditional 3D animation done by Pixar, Dreamworks etc?
BTW; found this info on Wiki:
Blocking is an animation technique in which key poses are created to establish timing and placement of characters and props in a given scene or shot. Blocking is most commonly used in 3D computer animation.
Blocking is often the first step in the pose-to-pose style of animating, as opposed to the straight-ahead style of animation (though blocking sometimes plays a role in straight-ahead as well.) Blocking poses are not necessarily exclusively keyframes. Blocked-in poses may also include important in-betweens, extremes, and breakdowns necessary to establishing the flow and timing of a particular shot.
In 3D, the animation curves of a blocked shot are often created using stepped or square tangencies, which provides no interpolation between animation poses. This allows the animator to see the poses of the animation without any strange and/or unintentional automatic interpolation. While this sometimes problematic due to gimbal lock, seeing the poses in this way allows the animator to adjust the timing of an animation quickly, without the distraction of the softwares automatic interpolation.
vimfuego, hey good luck with your classes. I guess this is all about using 2d animation method with 3d animation.
BTW I have this book “The Animatior’s Survival Kit” which is a good book by Richard Williams. Lot of 2d animation references and written by a 2d animator. The book itself said that the info is useful for all kinds of animation including 3d. The foundation is great but it can be tricky applying it in 3d.
Oh well just thinking out loud.
I love my animators survival handbook! hugs big book
back to stepped or curved - i was taught in class to use flat (sorry for the maya talk), they never ever mentioned anything to us about stepped but it seems logical to do it that way.
with stepped you would get your animation snapping to the different key poses as apose to it floating weirdly between them (during the blocking stage)
[quote=“Lanny”]
I love my animators survival handbook! hugs big bookquote]
I’ve got that book too aswell as “the illusion of life” by frank Thomas and Ollie johnston.
the video was removed… 