Podcast

Here is a podcast I made briefly showing Maya, and a final project I had done. The entire project took roughly 18 hours total to animate.

Revolution of Animation

Whether you are a cinema aficionado, or just a fan of casual entertainment, you can tell that animation has come a very long way! This is of course due to advancing technology. Artists are pushing the boundaries between the imagination, and your reality; dividing the lines between what amounts to simply entertaining versus creating an experience.

Although the technology and skills exist to advance animation, some movies and T.V. shows like to keep that fake looking feel. The main difference that keeps an animation from looking extremely fake, to more realistic is over-exaggeration. Some people really enjoy this style, especially children. Because children enjoy this, you most commonly find over-exaggeration used in cartoon T.V. shows.

I don't believe this style will ever come to an end, because people enjoy over-exaggeration. Sometimes people like to get away from real life, and creep in to a world that doesn't, or can't exist.

Motion Capture

Motion capture is a newer technology method on creating computer animation. Although this process doesn't take nearly the same amount of skill as traditional, or 3D animation, the result produced is a very realistic, smooth looking animation.

This approach requires a lot of equipment, which can be very expensive. In a room, there will be several cameras surrounding, covering a full 360 degrees. These cameras help capture the movement of the person(s) wearing a special suit, covered in reflective markers. The cameras pick up on the reflective markers, and map out the arrangements and movements into software that lets the artist manipulate the model and animation.

This method is becoming very popular for creating video games and movies. It takes a lot less time, and gives a more realistic look. A good example of this is Gollum in The Lord of the Rings. His movements were created by a man actually replicating the movements wearing a suit covered with the reflective markers. This process is the reason why Gollum's movements are so real looking.

Q & A with David

Below are the same questions I asked before,  but this time to my friend David. He also studies at The University of Texas at Dallas in the ATEC program. Instead of animation itself, he is also studying modeling and texturing, like Nathan. I thought it would be helpful to get another perspective on realistic animation though models from another student.

What aspect makes computer animation realistic to you?
Having a realistic looking texture on a well developed model makes computer animation more realistic.

Is there such thing as an animation being too realistic?
No, the job of a modeler is to create a realistic model. The only thing that is stopping artists from creating realistic models that are perfectly human looking, is the limit that is created by current technology.

Do you prefer movies with more or less realistic character models, and why?
 I prefer to have more realistic models in movies. I like to be fooled into believing that the model could be real.  

Do you prefer modeling high or low poly objects/characters? And how does each impact the animation?
There is a difference in the uses of high poly and low poly models. High ploy objects are used to make thing pretty and realistic looking. Low poly is used to make less realistic, but more manageable objects. I prefer high poly models, but in game creation it is better to have low poly models with a high ploy map on the object to make the illusion that the model is more realistic than it actually is.

Is the texture on a character important on capturing realism?
Yes, without having a very realistic texture, the poly count does not matter. A realistic texture can make or break a model.

Guest Blog

Below is a guest blog from a classmate on his opinion on realism in computer animation. 

"In my opinion, DreamWorks has yet to find its niche when it comes to computer graphic imagery (CGI).  DreamWorks may just want to stay as broad as possible with its projects; however, I have felt a little let down with the realism of the CGI within Madagascar and Ice Age movies.  The amount of detail in every character and scene is severely lacking when compared to other movies created by the company such as Kung Fu Panda and Shrek.  This is very disturbing considering their competition, Sony and Pixar, are known for their very detailed animation and special effects.  With the completion of Puss in Boots, DreamWorks has demonstrated their capabilities of producing a very striking yet detailed character rendering.  Consider the character Humpty Dumpty for a moment.  An animated eggshell would be difficult to visually confirm it is an egg if it weren’t for the overall shape with the off-white color.  DreamWorks took the detail a step in the right direction by challenging its artists to add a very slight texture to mimic the slight stone-like texture of a real egg.  Also, depending on the type of egg, there may be some slight variations in color with some spots that look like age-spots.  This was also addressed in creating Humpty.  Also, fur and hair have always been problems in the animation field.  The realistic movement of every character’s fur has been top-notch in this movie.  My only concern is that clean hair/fur moves more freely than dirty hair/fur.  The way all the fur and hair was moving in the movie leads me to believe that the inhabitants of the wild west of Mexico are cleanest ever!  This is probably not the case, but there will always be room for improvement despite anybody’s mastery.  Overall, I was quite impressed with the product of this company and look forward to its future projects."

-Kenneth Pacheco

Q & A with Nathan

Below are a few questions answered by my good friend, Nathan. He also studies at The University of Texas at Dallas in the ATEC program. Instead of animation itself, he is studying modeling and texturing. I thought it would be interesting to get a perspective on realistic animation though the models.

What aspect makes computer animation realistic to you?
"Being a 3D modeler, I find the most convincing and fluid animations rely on good 3D designs. However, the success of a project relies heavily on the animator's eye for physics and natural limitations of the subject matter. They are the ones who need to know and study every tiny and minuscule movement that will make or break the illusion."

Is there such thing as an animation being too realistic?
"It all depends on the intended style and desired feel of the project. If the intent is to convince the audience that the model is interacting with live actors and scenery, then no there isn't such a thing as too real. "

Do you prefer movies with more or less realistic character models, and why?
"Like I said before, I think it all depends on the style of the project. As long as there is a consistent look that the artists are going for, then some times its better to have a more stylized look, and then sometimes its nice to be deceived. "

Do you prefer modeling high or low poly objects/characters? And how does each impact the animation?
"Mostly I prefer creating low poly models, most commonly used in games. I believe a good base design doesn't need to rely on too much detail to convey integrity and a natural feel. On the other hand, it is very satisfying and visually rewarding to complete a high poly model. When you put in more time and are proud of your mesh flow it yields beautiful work. As far as animating goes, it depends on the rigging, but I imagine you would be more at ease when presented with a low poly model."

Is the texture on a character important on capturing realism?
"Definitely! Every little aspect, such as texture, lighting, how the character moves, etc. sells the illusion. If every aspect is convincing, then it looks natural and in someways normal. However, if even one area is lacking, then its easy to tell something is wrong. "

Creative Idea

One aspect that helps make an animation more realistic, is a clever, unique story that evokes emotion. There's a reason Pixar movies are so popular among people, they cannot only produce very realistic animation, but they can take their audience on a fun journey through their creative anecdotes.

Take the movie Up for example. The story itself is not very believable - a house that floats across the world by balloons, a talking dog, or even Carl's extremely square face. But the story is fresh, no copying old tales, it's something we had never seen or heard of. Not only was it new, but also the emotions that Pixar evokes out of the audience are record-breaking for an animated movie. One minute you can find the audience crying, while the next minute they will be laughing. That is rare in animation, but very convincing and more realistic.

With this in mind, it would be wise to spend a good amount of time planning out a unique story that the audience can relate with. Once the story is ready, then one can move on to the animation process that I mentioned as a step by step guide in a previous post.