Character Animation Evaluation

Character Animation Evaluation

1. Physics of Motion in relation to character movement

2. Interaction with objects

3. Expression of weight and volume on the character

4. Expression of intentions or feelings

5. Use of anatomically correct animation

6. Deviation from real or expressive movements

7. Lighting and camera angles

In this evaluation essay I will be addressing each of these points individually and then justifying them in a collective summary at the end.

To begin with, the movements of my character at the beginning of the animation fit within the boundaries of realistic movement and so follow the physics of possible movement for living things, it has been done in this way because the first half of the animation connotes a serious feel and so the character must move realistically and not exaggeratedly. However in the second half of the animation when the screen fades in to reveal my character running away from a large boulder, his movements are comically unrealistic and although are physically possible are not a realistic because the scene connotes comedy toward the character and the situation he is now in.

My character successfully interacts with an object in the first scene of the video where he makes a hat grow from thin air in his hand and places it on his head. This object subsequently later interacts with the second object of the animation, the large boulder, as it is flattened under the boulders weight after falling from the wizard’s head whilst he comically runs to escape the boulder.

The expression of weight and volume on my character is subtle, like with an average sized human being, and can only really be see during the walk cycle at the start of the animation. The characters weight is portrayed by the amount that his legs bend during each step, in this case they seem to bend a little bit exaggeratedly for his apparent size. However the movement can be an indicator of his volume as heavier characters tend to larger and lighter characters tend to be small or skinny (or both), so this indicated that despite his proportions he is a heavier character.

During the animation the character expresses two emotions and two intentions. The first emotion is in a wink to the camera, which connotes friendliness and a happy emotive state. The first intention is when the wizard is casting a spell, this is a dramatic intention and the movements are slightly exaggerated to show that he intends to cast this spell. The second emotion and intention come in the same piece of movement, while he is running from the large boulder his exaggerated movements and his action of running connote the emotion of fear and the intention of attempting to escape the boulder before it crushes him like it does his hat.

Anatomically I believe my character animates correctly. His joints are in the correct places and they bend in the correct directions, so he moves normally e.g. when he moves his arms the elbows bend in the right direction, same for the knees. His head can roll around the shoulders. His shoulders and hips bend properly etc.

Despite my character having anatomically correct movement such as walking, putting the hat on his head and casting the spell, he is not limited to realistic movements and actions. The characters run cycle is comically exaggerated and although the movements are anatomically possible for the skeleton they are not logical for any living creature to do, this was to add another level of visual comedy to the scene on top of the already comical situation of the character running to escape the large boulder rolling after him.

The lighting used in the scene was simply an area light appropriately placed above the scene to illuminate the character and his actions. A single light was used because the scenery surrounding the character was an empty white space, aside from a horizon line, and if spot lights would have been used the character would have been washed out with brightness, because of the empty bright scene surrounding the character, a single are light that illuminated everything equally was all that was needed.

To conclude, my character animation uses simple scenery and lighting to put full focus on the actions of the character, which at the start are realistic and set up a serious scene as he walks toward the camera and casts his magic circle, the wink is a part of this serious scene to give the character a personality instead of appearing robotic and to stop it being too serious and boring (seriously boring). The movements of the character and the events of the whole animation create two contrasting scenes, the first a serious build up to the second, which is a comical conclusion. I believe that the two together create an enjoyable animation.