Lesson 6: Speed Alterations, Exaggerations of Motions and Camera Animations
The motions in CrazyTalk Animator are linear by default,
which means the animations follow a steady progression from one point to the next. By changing the speed with time warping
method and free form deformations (FFD), you can make the animations more cartoon-like and dynamic. By adding unique camera animations, you can get a much more visually interesting final product.
Goal:
To change the speed of the motions of characters or animations
of props. To exaggerate the motion via transformation or free
form deformation. To create interesting camera animations
Used Features:
Template-application (via Content Manager).
3D Motion Editor.
2D Motion Editor (Transformation and Free Form
Deformation - FFD).
Timeline Usage - (Transition Curve).
Camera Animation.
Step 1: Prepare the Scene
Apply a background from the Scene >> General Background
library.
Apply a background from the Props >> Street
library.
Drag and drop a prepared file (images or .swf) to the working area.
Click on the Prop button when you encounter the Create Media panel to turn the
loaded file into a prop.
Transform the prop.
Repeat the same steps to build a custom scene.
Make sure you have switched the Content Manager to Scene >> Prop Library.
Select one of the props and click the Add button at the bottom of the Content Manager
to add the prop into the custom prop library.
Note:
Add a head band to the prop library in the same manner.
Step 2: Preparing Characters
Previously, you learned the method to
create a full-angle character.
In this section, you'll learn how to attach accessories to characters and set layer relations between body parts and accessories.
Apply two full-angle characters to the scene.
Select one of the character and enter the Composer Mode.
Drag and drop the head band to the head in order to attach it to the
character's head.
Drag and drop the stone to the right hand. Notice that the stone layer is above the hand.
Select the stone and click the Send to Back button to move the hand layer in front of the stone layer.
Return to the Stage Mode.
Select the stone and click the Visible/Invisible button to hide it.
Note:
This stone will only be shown when the character picks it up later on.
Step 3: Creating Motions for Characters
In this step, we'll apply some custom motions via the 3D Motion Editor.
Characters' Motions
Use the hotkeys [
and ] to turn the characters' directions
so they face each other.
Select one of the characters (in this case, the boy). Open the 3D Motion Editor.
At the first frame of the project, set a pose for the character.
Note:
Please refer to lesson 4 for more information about
using the
3D Motion Editor for creating character's motions.
This step adds a new key in the 3D Motion Layer track.
Go to another frame and create another pose to generate a breathing
motion for the character.
Note:
This step adds a new key in the 3D Motion Layer track
and a new 3D motion will be automatically generated
in the 3D Motion track as well.
Make sure the Edit >> Motion Clip >>
Clip Auto Extend is activated before this step.
In order to make the motion loop-able, move the last key ahead to the middle of
the clip and copy the first key to the end of this clip.
Move the final key of the clip ahead
Copy and paste the first key to the final frame of the clip
Make sure the Loop button is pressed down, drag the right edge of the
clip to the right to loop it.
Play back to view the result.
Repeat the same steps for the other character.
If you are satisfied with the result, then right click on the motions
and choose the Flatten Motion Clip command.
The looped motion and its layer keys will be merged and converted into a new clip.
Use the 3D Motion Editor repeatedly to set poses at different
times so that the giant attacks with a
right-hook at certain time, the boy dodges and picks up a stone to threaten the giant. The giant
laughs while the boy throws a stone at it. Finally, the giant falls after being hit by the stone.
Prop Animations
When the boy is picking up the stone, select the stone on the ground and click the
Visible/Invisible button to hide it.
Select the stone in the boy's hand and click the Visible/Invisible button to show
it.
When the boy performs the throwing motion, hide the stone in his hand once
again.
Show the stone on the ground again and create a path for the stone to hit the giant.
Step 4: Altering the Speed for Motions and Animations
The motions of the characters and the animations of the stone prop are
currently moving at a constant speed (linear mode). In this section, we'll use the Transition Curve feature to alter the speed of the
motions and animations.
Transition Curve for Characters
At the end of the previous step, the giant slowly raised his hand from the first frame.
Select the giant and open its 3D Motion track. Notice that there are several layer keys in the 3D Motion Layer track
that influence the entire motion.
The character gradually raises his hand because of the auto-interpolation between the first and the second keys.
Drag the first key closer to the second one so that the interpolation duration
is shortened and the hand raises much later.
Right click on the key at the end of the giant's right-hook attack to
show the right-click menu.
Choose the Transition Curve >> Ease In command in the pop-up menu so the speed
gradually accelerates.
Note:
You may also choose the Custom command in the pop-up menu to
display the Transition Curve panel and drag the Less/More
slider to determine the pattern of the curve.
Repeat the same steps for the boy's 3D Motion Layer keys so that
his dodging and throwing motions become more dynamic.
Transition Curve for Prop
The timing of the stone movement will no longer be correct after you adjust the boy's motion, so you'll need to adjust that as well.
Select the stone on the ground and show its Transform and
Visible tracks.
With your Ctrl key pressed, select the transform key and the visible key
when the stone is about to be thrown out by the boy.
Move the keys to the exact time frame when the boy throws the stone.
The stone is now thrown at the correct time, however it still begins to move as soon as the project plays.
Right click on the transform key when the boy is about to throw it to show the right-click menu
again.
Choose the Transition Curve >> Step to keep it on the ground until the boy throws it.
Note:
You may optionally use the same skill to determine the flying speed of the stone before and after it
hits the giant.
Please note that from this step, the former animation is temporarily cut off because it will be used for the camera animation
in the final step.
Fine-tune the Visible/Invisible timing for the stone that is attached to the boy's hand.
Note:
Playback and observe the overall effect of the project. Modify the 3D motions if
you are not satisfied with any details because after the next step, you are not
supposed to go back to use the 3D Motion Editor to do any adjustment.
Step 5: Exaggerate Motions and Animations
After 3D motions are applied and modified, you are able to
exaggerate the motions to the character by using the 2D Motion Key Editor.
The Bone settings and the FFD (free form deformation) features are able
to exaggerate body movement.
Character's Bone Adjustments
Select the giant. Open his 2D Motion >> Body Transform track.
Copy the first key in the track.
Paste the key to the start, end and mid (the exaggeration point) time
frames for the giant's attacking duration.
Optionally, you can move to these time frames and click the Add Key button in the tool
bar of the Timeline to achieve the same result.
Note:
These two steps add a neutral key at the begin and the end of the attack to
ensure the transformations only happen within this duration.
Select one of the mid keys where you want to exaggerate the body parts.
Note:
You can open the 3D Motion Layer and Body Transform tracks
at the same time for better reference and alignments for the keys
in these tracks.
Open the 2D Motion Editor and switch to the Body tab, then
select the target body part for transformation.
Adjust the size of it (in this case, the right
forearm and the hand).
Repeat the same steps for the boy throwing the stone.
Deforming Body Parts
After the previous step, the joints of the body parts may be separated as shown in the illustration below.
You'll need to use the Deform feature to fix this.
In addition, the Deform feature can also increase the appearance of exaggeration of the body parts.
The body offset and distortions for the giant
The strange joint connections for the boy
Select the giant and display the Timeline (F3), open the 2D Motion >>
Body Transform and Body Deform tracks.
Move to the start, mid and end time frames of attack duration,
and click the Add Key button to add neutral deform keys into the cells.
Select one of the mid keys where you want to exaggerate the body parts.
Open the 2D Motion Editor and switch to the Deform tab, then select the target body part for deformation.
Drag the four control points to fix the offset and distortion of the body parts.
The hand and the forearm are offset and distorted
Use the Deform feature to rectify the appearances of these
two body parts
Repeat the same steps for the boy.
Note:
Please remember to use the Transition Curve panel to change the
transition speed for the Body Transform and Body Deform
keys to match the motion.
Matching Prop Size
In the previous section, the stone on the hand does not match the hand after the hand is
distorted because the size inherits the transformation data only from the
Body Transform. You may need to transform it at a certain time frame to fit the size of the hand.
Select the stone in the hand and open its Transform track.
Press the Add Key button to add neutral keys at the start and end frames for the
boy to throw the stone.
When the hand reaches back overhead, enlarge the stone to adequate size.
Step 6: Camera Animations
It is mentioned in the previous steps that the breathing motions before the
main attack starts are kept for camera animations. In this step, we'll make the animation more appealing with camera movement.
The area without keys is left for the use of the camera animations
Go back to the start frame of the project and click the Camera Record Mode button to switch to the recording camera mode.
The upper right corner of the working area will show a recording sign.
Pan and zoom the camera to a certain view of the project. It will
automatically add a camera transform key.
Go to another time frame then pan and zoom the camera again to add another
key.
Repeat the same steps to generate different camera keys. The transition
effects will be auto-generated.
Open the timeline and the Project >> Camera track to
observe all the keys.
Right click on the keys that you do not want to have transition effects for
and choose Transition Curve >> Step. This step will keep the camera
still until the next key is encountered.
Click the Create Sound button to add background music
and sound effects at different time frames.
Visible/Invisible button to hide it.
Loop button is pressed down, drag the right edge of the
clip to the right to loop it.
Camera Record Mode button to switch to the recording camera mode.
The upper right corner of the working area will show a recording sign.
Create Sound button to add background music
and sound effects at different time frames.