Developed Character for Red Balloon Story

Random Fun

http://www.benettonplay.com/toys/flipbookdeluxe/player.php?id=170020

At 1 in the morning I decided to do random things on net.. seeing as I didnt have appropriate packages to do a reasonable animation I resorted to the flip book... yes again!!!

No memory on my older laptop :( need to get programmes installed on new laptop... boo :(

Flip Book Deluxe

A short animation created using Flip Book Deluxe online; Site Link:

http://www.benettonplay.com/

Overall quality of the animation is pretty nasty, but using a programme such as this helps to display the quality of creating animation using minor packages; as you can establish drawing tools are extremely limited - in comparison to Toon Boom/Flash etc, however package is free - reasons why :D

Flip Book Link:
http://www.benettonplay.com/toys/flipbookdeluxe/player.php?id=170006

Lip Sync

Lip-Sync - The precise synchronisation of dialogue to animation.

The basic animation displayed above shows how the words 'No..... no' would be shrieked by a character. Although there would also be movement of other facial areas (chin, forehead, etc) my aim here was to put forward how the mouth movements would appear in this scenario.

As with any lip-syncing created the design issues and styles of the character make every sync look completely different. Take for instance Disney's Snow White to Warner's Elmer Fudd - both characters may be pronouncing the same word/letter but the overall appearance will be different due to realistic proportions from Disney but exaggerated styles from Warners. (In order to portray a specific characteristic - voice and sound can have a huge emphasis on the overall character).

Although all lip sync are different most designers work with clear guides to give an idea of how the word/letter should be sounded/spoke. The technique of lip-syncing simply matches a mouth movement to the dialogue track with the use of timing controls.

Sound gives a character a personality (brings in to life) and to achieve this the lip-sync technique is applied. Animatiors/animations rely on lip sync. In the diagram above it displays how every letter of the alphabet would be synced.

Story Idea

This story I had written previously but never used. I felt the story had everything in it from, love to aggression, from drink to drugs and from life to death. The story not based on anything inparticular stages a dramatic time/experience that many human beings experience. Where a close and loved relative goes of the rails leaving an impact on every soul behind him....

Goody Two Shoes

Goody Two Shoes is brought up in a strong household with the support of his mother, who in time falls really ill. This does not stop him from doing exactly as he set out to in life. As well as caring for his mother and doing all the general household chores, Goody Two Shoes is dedicated to his career and all aspects of that category. From 9am until 4pm Goody Two Shoes spends his time at school and in the local library and from here on after his time is committed to caring for his mother or further school study.

With him being one of the top pupils at school, receiving award after award and impressing all his teachers, Emiy (his future girlfirend) becomes very admiring towards Goody. Not long after the two of them are introduced, the two of them begin to date and simply can't believe they never met each other sooner. Both pupils share the same interests in life and spend most of their time together. Goody Two Shoes is invited to Emily's home to share dinner and becomes familiar with all her family members including her step brother, Craig.

Craig is Emily's father's son and is the only person in her family who seems to have a problem. He was continuously suspended from achool until the point he decided not to return. He thrives on car racing, large crowds, drinking and using drugs more often than a normal person. For some reason Goody believes he is a good catch and if he could prove to Emily that Craig and himself bond pretty well this would work out as a bonus on his behalf. Therefore, Goody creates a friendship or rather interest in Craig.

Goody begins to be invited out and about eith Craig jusy yo do the usual boy things, such as playing football or in Craigs case fixing cars and in time Goody Two Shoes becomes very involved and volunteers to accompany Craig to many more excursions. Not long after meeting Craig, Goody is introduced to several of Craig's closer friends, or gang mates as he would call them. They invite Goody out to join them for a drink on the streets which obviously involves trouble of some sort.

The end of school year report is delivered to Goody's mother who displays that he has been slacking off at school. When confronted he violently reacts and runs away from home. He spends the rest of the week at a friend of Craig's taking a lot of drugs and drinking his hard earned pennies away. With school beginning to flop and Goody thinking it was a waste of time in the beginning, he sets himself a new resolution and that is to 'enjoy life to the max.'

With Goody's frame of mind changing and less visits being made to his first love, Emily becomes worried and calls to speak. He rudely embarresses her in front of his new friends and ends the call. Goody finds himself in masses amounts od debts due to his life style. Suffering from deep depression Goody takes life to a new level and experiments with new drugs - heroin to be precise. Goody becomes an addict and his aspects in life come to a complete end.

Due to previous down-grading towards her, Emily end the relationship. Although, Emily weeps to sleep every night and Goody lies in a corner to drugged up to care, she eventually gets over him and her life is on track again. Unfortunately for Goody his life only came to an end when he became involved with drink and drugs.

Noticing what Goodyis now dabbling with, Craig immeditately informs Emily who is obvioulsy devastated for him, but seeing as shes moved on she simply shrugs it of after a few moments of sympathetic thought. Shortly afterwars, Goody's mum dies after a massive heart attack, which leave him believing there is now nought to live for.

A few weeks down the line Emily rekindles her romance for Goody as she discovers a budle of pictures of both of sharing good times, emotions come flying back. As she is on her way to inform him that she still loves him, Goody purchases a bigger quantity of his addicted drug and brings his life to an end.

Unfortuantely for Emily, she is again left to pick up the pieces as she finds his lifeless body.

Comparison of 2 Animation Packages

Toon Boom Studio

Pros:

The aspect of Toon Boom following a Traditional approach to animation.
Ability to work from an exposure sheet style, each scene step by step.
Onion Skin Tool which gives you the ability to view several previous and later drawings.
Lip Sync Tool allows you the option to preview how specific words should be synced to the mouth.
Pegs available allow motion to be delivered with the use of the camera; also, attaching your character to a peg using Toon Boom where the work will be done for you in giving the impression the character is moving closer or further from the camera (Toon Boom automatically adjusts the character proportions to how it would appear realistically).
Basic layout and drawing tools.

Cons:

Unable to provide a Motion Tween Tool like Flash.
More effort required for animation produces.

Flash Macromedia

Pros:

Motion Tween tool that flash provides allows the user to provide start and end keyframes and the package will complete the inbetweens.
Smoother animation.

Cons:

More of a technical approach, a tad confusing for animators starting out.

Character Profile

Real Name - Gary

Age - Teenager (17)

Height - 5ft 8

Appearance:
Gary has an image that adolescent girls fall head over heels for; he sports a well matured body frame (build) alongside his sleek black hair (may i mention that he never leaves the house without sorting). Gary has a Glasgow Tan slang for a sunbed tan due to slightly over-doing it. As well as his tracksuit bottoms, gary is glued to his Verghaus (berghaus) jacket and to finish off his appearance he walks in gleaming white sport training shoes.

Personality:
Gary is a typical Glaswegian Ned, who truants from school and disobeys orders from family, friends, teachers and so forth. Each and every day is a count down to the weekend, where he tends to group together in a gang and cause utter havoc; despite the fact he is always in trouble with police, etc. Regardless of his aggressive nature and sarcastic behaviour towards people (young females in particular) gary is a ladies man - adored by most girls at school. He has an overall tough appeal, which blends nicely with his swagger (postier when walking).

History:
Gary was brought up in a town known as Govan, where he lived in a high-rise flat. Although his parents where hard-working, go happy people, who were not involved with drink or drugs, Gary had a particular image that attracted the wrong people, so he ended in the wrong road. From the beginning of High School life changed dramatically for Gary as he was introduced to the world of booze and cigarettes, which may I say he took to very well. Now addicted to cigarettes and booze, Gary became a typical ned, whos life set out ot haunt everyone else around him.

Rules:
There are no rules for Gary, although they were tried it never worked out. He had the say in most things his life entailed.