AFX AniJam!
Our first AniJam has been completed. It will premier as part of our “Vegan Delights” program of Canadian animated shorts on Saturday, May 7. The full free online festival schedule is coming out today, Wednesday April 28 2021 ! We look forward to running this program again : )
Animate at home during lockdown - some resources:
Inspiration to Get Animating!
How do I make animation?
Animation is still images (frames) played in sequence (video) to create the illusion of movement. There are different techniques to make animation, for example:
• Classical 2D (cartoons like Spongebob or the Simpsons)
• Stop-motion (clay-mation, lego animation, paint-on-glass)
• 3D CGI (Pixar, Frozen, Paw Patrol)
All these techniques create different looks, but basically they all work the exact same way - they create a series of still images, or frames. For you to make animation, you need to make your own frames and play them as a video.
What tools do I use?
There are many different ways to make animation, and the tools (technique) you use will have an affect on the way your animation looks.
Flipbook: make a series of simple drawings on paper that appear to move when you flip the pages. You should use paper that’s a bit stiff - if the paper is too floppy then you won’t be able to flip it very easily.
Stop-motion: use any still camera to take a series of still pictures of objects that will appear to move when they’re played as video. You can use clay, lego, cut-out paper, sand, or any other object you like. You can even use your own body. Just move the object a little bit for each photo. If the camera moves, then the animation will appear to jitter and shake so you will need to find a way to hold the camera still when shooting your frames. You will need a digital camera and a computer to put the frames into a video (a smartphone will serve as both).
Here’s a video tutorial on youtube about stop-motion animation!
Click HERE to download free stop-motion animation software!
Classical 2D: draw a series of frames by hand using any technique you want. There are methods to make your drawings better for animation such as the use of a light-table and registration holes, or you can use a drawing tablet to create your drawing directly on a computer. WARNING: animating with this technique requires a lot of drawings to make enough frames for animation. The drawings don’t need to be amazing, and in fact the simpler they are the easier they will be to animate. Just be aware that even a short animated film will require hundreds of drawings, so if you don’t enjoy drawing then it might be best to use a different technique for you animation.
Click HERE to download free classical 2D animation software!
3D CGI (computer-generated image): create geometry and lighting within a simulated 3D environment and program transformations along a timeline to export a sequence of frames for animation. That’s a pretty complicated definition, but this type of animation is highly technical. That's not to say it can’t be a fun way to express yourself, but there is a lot to learn before you will be able to work effectively with this technique. There’s far too much to even scratch the surface in a short essay like this, but if you are interested in learning there are many excellent tools and tutorials available online. WARNING: this technique places a high demand on your technology so make sure you have a reliable computer and verify that it has the technical specifications to run the different software you need to make computer generated animation.
Click HERE to download free 3D animation software!
The Heart of Animation
Here’s a few principles to think about.
Frame-Rate: the number of frames per second (FPS) determines the smoothness of the final animation. The standard is 24 FPS, but for most purposes it’s far more practical to work at 12 FPS. That means each second of your animation will have 12 different frames. Bear that in mind as you work. Plan how long you want each motion to take, and create enough frames to fill the desired amount of time.
Timing: the distance an object travels (or the amount of difference between individual frames) will determine the speed of motion. To show a slower motion, move the object a smaller amount between frames. To show fast movement, increase the distance the object moves between frames. Give this some thought for fun!
For more advice - email: animationhalifax@gmail.com