Page 140 - DCAP303_MULTIMEDIA_SYSTEMS

Multimedia Systems

notes 7. secondary action
Secondary action creates interest and realism in animation. It should be staged such that it can be
noticed but still not overpower the main action. A good example of this is a character at a table
acting and delivering their main acting. A side piece of acting business might be the character
thumbing their fingers on the table. This is not the main action say, perhaps it occurs as the other
hand is more largely gesturing and your focus is on the face. But it is something that the character
is doing/acting that adds a more realistic and natural feel to the animation. As mentioned, it must
be staged so that the main action is not overpowered. It is the kind of thing that is usually more
subtle or can be felt more than noticed immediately.
8. follow through and overlapping action
Follow through is the same as anticipation, only at the end of an action. It is usually animated as
something goes past its resting point and then coming back to where it would normally be. For
example, in throwing a ball, you put your hand back, that is anticipation, it is the preparation
for throwing action itself. Then you throw the arm comes forward for the main action. Follow
through is then the arm continuing past the normal stopping point, overshooting it and then
coming back. The arm has continued or “followed through” on the action it was doing before
returning back to rest.
Overlapping action is an action that occurs because of another action. For example, if a dog is
running and suddenly comes to a stop, its ears will probably still keep moving for a bit. Another
example, if an alien is walking and it has an antenna on it, the antenna will probably sway as a
result of the main body motion. This is overlapping action. It is caused because of the main motion
and overlaps on top of the main motion.

9. straight ahead action and pose-to-pose action
There are two basic methods for creating animation. Straight ahead animation is one where the
animator draws or sets up objects one frame at a time in order. For example, the animator draws the
first frame of the animation, and then draws the second, and so on until the sequence is complete.
In this way, there is one drawing or image per frame that the animator has setup. This approach
tends to yield a more creative and fresh look but can be difficult to time correctly and tweak.
The other approach is Pose-to-Pose animation. Pose-to-Pose is created by drawing or setting up
key poses and then drawing or creating in between images. This is the basic computer “keyframe”
approach to animation. It is excellent for tweaking timing and planning out the animation ahead
of time. You figure out the key poses, and then the motion in between is generated from that.
This is very useful when specific timing or action must occur at specific points. You always know
exactly what will happen. The basic difference is with Pose-to-Pose you plan out, and know exactly
what will happen ahead of time, whereas with straight ahead, you are not quite sure how things
will turn out until you are done. With computers, some people tend to create a hybrid of the two,
planning out the overall poses, and then straight ahead animating the stuff in between.

10. staging
Staging is presenting an action or item so that it is easily understood. An action is staged so that
it is understood; a personality is staged so that it is recognizable; an expression so that it can be
seen; a mood so that it will affect the audience.
In general, it is important that action is presented one item at a time. If too much is going on, the
audience will be unsure what to look at and the action will be “upstaged”. With characters, it is
important to really think about whether or not each pose for an action adequately and correctly
reads to the audience. You should also make sure no two parts of a character contradict each other
(unless it is intended). For example, if you are staging a sad pose you may have the character
hunched over with his arms hanging at his sides and a high camera angle... but if you give him
this big grin on his face it would not fit with the rest of the pose.

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