Animation Question

[Velaes]

I was wondering if anyone knew any rules against using images in that 5 second slate prior to the animation.

I also have some previews of team 135's animation!! (attached)


*note* I am only 17 years old, have NO help of mentors and/or professional MAX users, I have never been trained in MAX, and have not been messing with MAX for very long AT ALL! So its a one man show as far as our animation, so don't put me down TOO much Also all animation was done with keyframing and VERY few paths because it is easier to make fixes to animation without the path.

Concept:
The FIRST Factory, in which we add ingredients such as Teamwork, Leadership, and Gracious Professionalism to graft our mold of FIRST. These ingredients are in liquid form in oil tankers and run through pipelines to the final mold, which is the FIRST logo.

Resources:
Max 7
One computer (Dual Processor 3.6 Ghz, 1 Gig of RAM, semi-good video card, Windows 2000, Dell)
Premier
Photoshop
Sounds Library
A nice tutorial library
And I had to make every texture myself...
No bones were used in the creation of this animation, though a Spline IK Solver would have been useful in some of my tube animation...

Just so you all know, at a Kokomo workshop we decided that ALL Indiana FIRST teams should have a hidden teapot in their animation... Well I am true to my word, ph34r my teapots!!

Please comment and give advice to anything you see, I have been working for roughly 50 hours and I know its not beautiful, but I was hoping the idea would make up for it, lol. C & C welcome!! (Comments and Critiques)

Enjoy!!

[ebmonon36]

That is looking really nice so far. Keep up the good work.

I have seen animations with a picture as the background on the slate and that is legal.
I forgot all about the hidden teapot thing....I guess I should get my guys to put one in somewhere
Eric

[Jeremiah Johnson]

We are both in the same boat. No resources. no mentors, and no teaching. As you may notice I ask a lot of questions here on CD. This is the most useful resource that I have and I am doing 95% of the animation and one partner is doing the video production and the other is doing the music. Your animation looks great, I can't wait to see it.

[Mike Ciance]

wow, really great job! i am also 17, with no training or help from mentors, but i see that you have way more talent (and free time) than i do. actually, your message is similar to the one i had in mind, though my presentation will be very different.

we are making a very simple animation, so as not to embarass ourselves. i started up the animation crew this year, so nobody has any past experience with it. i've learned most of the skills i will need to animate what i had in mind, but i have not had a chance to start it yet, so i'll be doing it over the course of three weekends the important thing, though, is that i've started up animation on my team and if we have anything submittable that will be farther than we have ever gone with animation before. i'm just glad to be opening my team to a new aspect of FIRST

[Li Jianliang]

My team has done plenty of modeling for walls and random objects, but the animation process isn't going to start until the storyboard gets finished, which is my job. ^_^;;

Does anyone else do a storyboard? If so, how does it look? Mine looks a lot like something off Disney studio walls.

[Mike Ciance]

Originally Posted by Li Jianliang

My team has done plenty of modeling for walls and random objects, but the animation process isn't going to start until the storyboard gets finished, which is my job. ^_^;;

Does anyone else do a storyboard? If so, how does it look? Mine looks a lot like something off Disney studio walls.

a storyboard is actually REQUIRED if you read all the forms...

i imagine mine will look like idea sketches off disney studio napkins

[rowe]

Originally Posted by Mike Ciance

a storyboard is actually REQUIRED if you read all the forms...

i imagine mine will look like idea sketches off disney studio napkins

I try to make at least some sort of storyboard so i have some idea of the progression of the animation while I'm working on it. However, this is not the story board I turn in, but rather just bunch of sketches in my school notes. Last year, the storyboard we turned in was made the night of.

[kcy88]

Hi everyone!
Here are some prerenders of what Team 75 has been doing for animation:
sshot01
sshot02
sshot03
sshot04

The teapots are just there for test rendering, not a "teapot factory" noted by someone on my team. LOL.

I have question: Are we allowed to use the FIRST logo in the animation? Given the fact that FIRST came out with strict guidelines on how the logo is represented and not to be edited, does those rules apply to animation?

Happy animating!

[Velaes]

Originally Posted by kcy88

Hi everyone!
Here are some prerenders of what Team 75 has been doing for animation:
sshot01
sshot02
sshot03
sshot04

The teapots are just there for test rendering, not a "teapot factory" noted by someone on my team. LOL.

I have question: Are we allowed to use the FIRST logo in the animation? Given the fact that FIRST came out with strict guidelines on how the logo is represented and not to be edited, does those rules apply to animation?

Happy animating!

*hangs head* I can't compete with that thats not fair! I'm just a kid! lol. Thats the real world for ya.

[Mike Ciance]

Originally Posted by Velaes

*hangs head* I can't compete with that thats not fair! I'm just a kid! lol. Thats the real world for ya.

neither can i! i can't even compete with your animation that cant compete with his!

it's like presents, it's the thought that counts, right?

[rowe]

Originally Posted by kcy88

Here are some prerenders of what Team 75 has been doing for animation:
sshot01
sshot02
sshot03
sshot04

What are the rendering times in on each still, and are you planning on using advanced lighting in you animation?

[Velaes]

Originally Posted by rowe

What are the rendering times in on each still, and are you planning on using advanced lighting in you animation?

Okay does anyone have ANY suggestions, and does adv lighting really make that much a difference?

[663.keith]

I was just wondering how long the storyboards people turn in usually are. My team is finally going to do an animation this year and were deciding how long to make the storyboard.

oh, and I noticed that you were using the old first logo for you "mold" is this just because you prefer the old one?

[kcy88]

Originally Posted by Velaes

Okay does anyone have ANY suggestions, and does adv lighting really make that much a difference?

Advance lighting isn't necessary. It's the message that counts and how well your team presents the message. Personally, spending hours upon hours tweaking render settings and lighting setups is just for personal satisfaction; it adds the 'wow' to the animation. Basic lighting setups will suffice.

I really don't consider my scene utilizing advance lighting features (no radiosity etc..); the way I've lit the scene is with one skylight, two "lightcards" (material-based lighting),an HDRI map, and turning on Final Gather (Mental Ray renderer).

As subteam leader, my focus is on lighting, modeling, and some texturing. I assign my teammates the task of animating and putting the animation together.

Render times are usually well below 20 minutes. It probably takes more than 20mins to rebuild the Final Gather Map (can be found under Indirect Illumination); however, I just reuse the map and render times are between 6-10 minutes.

Don't be discouraged; lighting is only a small technical part and should be emphasized only if you have the time.

Feel free to PM me, I'd be glad to help out.

Good Luck animators!

[Han Tzu]

Well I am in almost the opposite position as you. I was taught a little bit by the guy who animated last year. Not nearly enough. Now I have used MAX non-stop for this school year, and while my modeling and animation has become excellent, as well as my use of cameras, lights and forces. But, for the life of me, I cannot do materials! I cant really make things metallic or glossy or shiny. I can sort of make them see through, but I cannot make things look too realistic.
Thankfully, my friend Roger exists. He and I are the onyl ones that really know MAX, and unfortunately, none fo the teachers know it. So, I am screwed as far as it goes.