I was wondering what kind of inspiration or thought process people had this past season while creating an animation for the Autodesk Award. It would be awesome if you’d share maybe the funny experience that influenced the animation, the situation where maybe the main idea just hit you, or elaborate about how ideas evolved and developed over the course of brainstorming. It would also be great if you posted “deleted scenes” or something of the sort that never made it into the final cut. 
For my team (2-person team, of which I was the Lead…haha) my partner and I had two different visions of what the final animation would look like. We also had different strengths and weaknesses. He had a background in CAD and a soft spot for modeling and making cities. I, on the other hand, loved to animate and did not care much for the process of modeling. He was convicted that we should make some sort of iiko city with modern technology like flying cars and show the audience how this was a result of the iiko’s advanced education system. I didn’t particularly like the idea, but with no better idea, we immediately set off to working. I started storyboarding; he began to make fancy buildings.
One week later and I had a new idea, a better idea. So we trashed our work and didn’t look back.
The way the inspiration came to me was most random. I was sitting in my AP Biology class, daydreaming, and annoyed that with the great weather outside, in high school there wasn’t recess, so it made no difference.
And then it hit me. RECESS.
I became all excited and began visualizing a playground a school, iikos having fun and staying fit all at the same time, and everything I learned about how exercise improves cognitive functions and such.
I contacted my partner at Robotics that night and we discussed it. Recess it was. And he, being the nifty modeler, soon came up with a variety of playstructures, a school, and other props. I began working on swing cycles, jump cycles, run cycles, and all the goodies. 
So that’s my story. Tell yours!
PS: Here’s the animation, if you want to see the final product!
I think I remember seeing your animation at Championships. Autodesk brought it up and focused in on the excellent animation in it, and paid specific attention to the iiko going down the slide. Well, I at least think it was yours. =)
This year, we just decided on doing something completely different, so we experimented with music more this year. I find with our animation team, we try something new wherever we can, and the inspiration usually comes in the process, like it did for you. We didn’t ever stop with one idea, and it kept evolving for the entire time.
The two main aspects that featured in our animation were the music and live-action. Our process started with our animaion lead writing up a storyboard after we had a basic idea of what we wanted to do. Then we spent a lot of time just modelling, and the final few days doing the actual animation.
At school right now, and they block our YouTube, so I can’t give you a link, but we are Team 3132, Thunder Down Under. Just look for our YouTube channel (roboroos) and you should be able to find it, as well as some of our old animations. Feel free to ask any questions afterwards.
I hope that helps!
We did have a slide scene, so I suppose it was our animation you saw!
The nice part about that slide section in particular was that it was one of the few parts both I and my partner worked on. The majority of the animation was done by me only - but for that, he made the iiko slide down, and then I fine-tuned it. I guess that just is more proof that the more teamwork the better!
It’s really cool that your team decided to try something new this year! We did as well. In the past, our team’s animations were very verbose. The strategy back then was to explain it and then use the animation as a supplement. This year, as Lead Animator, I decided that instead, we would SHOW the audience, and then use words only when necessary. Because I believe that it is the visual experience that makes the animation what it is.
I checked out your team’s animation! It’s so unique and memorable in how it incorporates live-video so seamlessly and suitably. I still have to figure out how to do that in the software…another goal next year.
Thanks for your reply!
Thank you very much for your feedback. I worked quite a bit on the animation, in terms of the music and live-action, so it means a great deal. And I’m really excited about talking to you to find out more about your animation.
Do you want to find out more about how we integrated live-action? I’m sure the other animators would be happy to help! We’re still trying to find ways to improve ours.
You folks in animation have my greatest respect. I have seen it for ten years now and have never been able understand where all of those great ideas come from in your animations. I have seen both of your teams work. The talent and imagination involved in them is beyond me. The animation is one of the best things about First.
Sorry to bring this back from the dead, but the thing that I just love about FIRST and FRC is that anyone and everyone can jump in and have a go! Can I encourage you to have a go at animation. I had no clue how to before this season =D