Test Animation

Here's a test animation for the pilot I mentioned previously. Still in the experimental stage, but I think it's close to being a finished product. 

UPDATE: So, I decided to upload a video showing the multiple stages of production this scene went through for those who are interested. After all, this is a "process" blog, is it not? Below is a breakdown video with text to accompany each iteration. Enjoy!

ANIMATIC:  Pretty self-explanatory. This is from a rough animatic I made. Keep in mind that I've been working on this project off and on for about a year now, so Binky's model has evolved somewhat.

PENCIL TEST:  Usually, I'll draw the basic keyframes on paper or in Sketchbook Pro before importing them into Flash. When working on my own projects, I like to keep the animation as basic as possible upfront and do most of the animation in Flash reusing shapes and drawings. There are several reasons for this. 

1. It saves time and effort. 

2. As long as the aesthetic of the project has been clearly established beforehand, it's easier to hand off to another animator and keep the style intact. 

3. It keeps the movement and character looking consistent, at least throughout that particular scene.

4. It allows the maximum amount of alteration during each stage of production. As you can see in the video, part of my method was deciding what's working and what's not and adjusting it as I went.

DRAFT 1:  This was the basic layout with the finished Flash animation and .psd background. I thought it would be cool to experiment with using multiple layers on a seemingly stationary painting. The intent was to  add some subtle depth. I like it, but I'll let the audience decide if it works or not.

DRAFT 2:  I added the dust clouds and altered the timing on Binky. I'm still not satisfied at this point. Binky should be looking down at us from on high, but instead he's looking straight at the camera. Very boring. Next time I will use the finished background design to help guide my animation. I was working from the animatic at that point. It was also rendered at 24 fps for some reason. The majority of my work is 29.97.

DRAFT 3:  Binky has been altered to put him in better perspective in relation to the background and the gag. Added more dust, and a smoke effect layer to thicken it. Added burn marks around the opening since it did just explode after all.

DRAFT 4:  Added the flickering fluorescent light and a sprinkler going off to emphasize the amount of damage done. Also, fixed the perspective on the wall.

DRAFT 5:  And finally, the video seemed a little too static to me, so I added the little plaster chunks falling off. I plan to add a sound effect in the finished piece.