Animation learning

18/12/06
Another couple of hours under my belt. Today was spent creating the first rough action - well exploring creating it. Once again, quite a bit of time spent choosing content - this will reduce when I become more familiar. However, the library could do with a keyword search. I have found an animation for reading a newspaper but no newspaper object! So I tried out a few animations on my characters and then my focus turned to where to put the camera.

This was much harder work than I originally expected. OK, so I placed the first one really easy but as I walked through the action I realised I didn't know how to start or end the scene. When to cut when people move - before, after. Do I need a close up? Wow. I can imagine being on set and real people asking these questions and just freaking out. In a way I was just assuming that somebody (even the software) would pick the best angle and it happens! Of course it isn't, and every time you move that camera to try a new shot, getting back to the original isn't always easy!

Invaluable is the ability to look through the camera and manipulate it. Of course, I am also learning how to do this in the software so that is slowing me down as well. After 2 hours I had done quite a bit of learning, but not much on the finished product which can be frustrating. Also I have started to realise what a MASSIVE job this is and it's easy to be disheartened (went a bit AWOL worrying that I would never finish anything). So I am going to constantly remind myself that I am learning, celebrate even mini successes and use a few Michael Neill tips to underline that I knew more than the day before!

Lots of Xmas stuff on so I am also worried that I will not have any focus for a few weeks and progress and learning will be even slower! Still...

On the plus side, got some feedback today from Rory on "The Killer Job" - my latest script. At first it was much more than I expected and I was worrying about another big rewrite. On reflection, there are only a few points and most valid. There may be a difference in our thoughts on tone and we may just have to leave that as is. However, I want to meet up to discuss because I need to explore his POV more and understand if I can make changes to improve and meet his needs.

Fingers crossed that this goes all the way. Back to Xmas card writing now!