So guys we are back and we’ll start with staging now.

Staging
Hand gesture staging summary
· Use the hand that will not be too close to the character or not too close to the camera (hand or arm further away from the camera).
· Keep character staged more open to camera so that audience can better read their actions.
· Avoid showing the characters back unless absolutely necessary or called for in the story.
Eye line staging
summery
· Try to avoid profile staging unless specifically needed.
· Keep both eyes in view of camera to aid in reading the characters mind and heart.
· Use eye direction to indicate sight line rather than aiming with the nose.
Thumb nailing weight in posses
Summery
· Define line of action in your scene.
· Draw 3 balls on LOA (line of action) to indicate placement of head, chest, hips for planning posses.
· 3 balls techniques are useful for any proportion of character.
· 3 balls to help diagnose pose problems.
Introvert & extrovert posing
Summery
· Used to define internal vs. external dialogs.
· Create contrast in acting.
· Be clear about when the character is in one or the other.
· Move screen space to express the shift from internal to external forces.
· Great for working with two or more characters. Shifting each character. in and out of intro vs. extro for scene energy.

Eg: like two chatterers are there in a scene one character is shouting at one and other char. Is in extreme fear but u can only judge it from his face or expressions that’s an introvert posing by that u can tell audience that what’s going in that characters mind.
3 main areas
· Timing
· Spacing
· Phrasing
Timing
How long a move takes to get an action.
Eg.: head turns takes 8 frames or less.
Timing how to find it
· Stop watch time your action (u can act out your action and re cur timing on your stop watch).
· Use metronome to get a feel for the beat.
· Act it out.
· Take video reference.
· Observe life.
· Break out the dialogs on the x sheets/track read.
· Act it out
· Uhhh…….did I mention acting it out.
Spacing
· How u space (spread out or bunch together) the movement within a given timing.
Example: The head turn takes 8 frames but the head moves very little for frames 1 to 4 allot 5 to 6 then little again 7 to 8.
This is called slow in slow out and fast middle move.
Spacing-possibilities
· Slow in.
· Fast in.
· Slow out.
· Fast out.
· Slow in/out, fast middle.
· Snappy.
· Slushy.
· Smooth.
· Skippy.
Animation as language:
Let’s take an example with a sentence:

“Keith went to the store”
Always 5 words. Never more, never less that’s akin to timing.

Dozen of ways to say those 5 words to give different meanings that’s like spacing.
Phrasing
How u arrange the moves (with their different timing and spacing) to build a point of emphasis in the scene.
Example: the character slowly sneaks for a few steps, then hears a sound and quickly scurries for hiding place.

So guys hope…these tips will help u in your animation.
Net time we’ll talk about work flow, breakdowns, anticipations, eases blocking & basic timing, offsets and micro anticipations.
So have fun enjoy doing animation because animation is all about fun!!!

with regards
Arvin

Some useful tips to remember starting an animation

hi guys just wanted to share some basics with u which one can keep in mind at the starting of an animation so after planing lets come get on to first key thing which is posing.


# Good poses instant communicate character.

Story is not a king
Characters are king

# Poses has preliminary functions.

(Appeal and Emotion)

Appeal: tells what character is feeling.
Emotion: express what heart is feeling.


Pose
↓ ↓
Appeal Emotion
↓
Character
↓
Conflict↔Story


↑
Character
↑ ↑
Appeal Emotion

Pose→ Character→ Story

Better story if better characters.
Have better character by using better poses

Good poses = Good storytelling

Most animations are a series of 2d shapes moving on a flat screen to convey a story or character.
We must focus on understanding how to best use 2d shapes to express idea.

What is line of action?
The line of action is an imaginary line through the characters body that shows the primary force of a pose indicating energy (Kinetic or stored) of character poses.

Pose variety:

· Vary the intensities of your poses & lines of action.
· Make one pose of greater importance’s that all the rest.
· Use all the other poses to concert to lead to this key pose.

Reversing the line of action:

· Build contrast in the scene.
· Build up & release energy to move character and story forward.

Uses for vertical line of action:

· Vertical lines of action are useful for adding a point of emphasis to scene.
· Vertical lines of action, when contrasted against other strong directional lines are like exclamation points useful to make a point.


Flow lines

· All parts of character should work together to create a visual flow for the viewers eye to follow.
· Viewers tend to “feel” body language but not focus on it.
· Viewers generally focus on the characters face
· The best poses lead the viewer’s eye where they should be focusing for a given scene.
· Use arm, legs, torso, props etc to lead the viewers to see what they need to see in order to follow the story.
· Don’t force animation principles on a scene.
· Use the Principles to guide how u construct a scene not as a checklist of things to stick into you work.
· Be mindful of props into the character use.
· Be sure to work props into the visual flow as well.
· Good flow in your posses makes your animation easy to understand its “easy on eye”.
· Your story is better told, your ideas more clearly stated as your visual flow.



Tip
Tilt the head

· People don’t hold there head up straight very often.
· Head tilt adds weight to pose.
· A head tilt is a useful indicator for “attitude or emotion”.



So guys try out to show proper weight with proper posing in your animation. And have fun in your animation.
Hmmm so good poses takes time a good pose... Can take your whole day and that’s a key for a good animation.

Next time we’ll catch up with
· Staging
· Thumb nailing weight in poses.
· Introverted and extroverted posing.

Here are my sketches illustrating thumbnailing poses :




























Animation Tips by -Arvin-