⤷ Animation Skillz ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ

WEEK 7 -

objectives:

- research into Walt Disney (early to do with sound)

- do research into the animation principle Arc

EARLY SOUND WORK THAT WALT DISNEY

PRODUCED ( ◡‿◡ *)

Now Walt Disney is a animator that pretty much everyone in the world knows. I mean is Disney, iit'sliterally the biggest animation company out there, with people trrying to copy it all the time. But Disney in the early 1920's may not of been the first guys to create an animation with sound, but they created an animation that was huge and largely widespread across the whole world also giving birth to the guy Mickey Mouse. This animation was Steamboat Willie. It is still a respected cartoon as it is literally the beginning pretty much of Walt Disneys career (I mean it isn't his first start but it is the thing that many people in the world refer to as the beginning).

Before Steamboat Willie there was other animation created but this was the one that gained incredible widespread recognition and started to create this influx in using perfectly synchronised sound to animation. As you could have some form of music in an animation but that isn't synchronised sound - for example the sounds of a steam boat making a horn noise if we keep it on brand to Steamboat Willie would be the Synchronised sound not the music, that just sort of background noise.

This usage of Synchronised sound made it so storytellers visually could create a more realistic scene with things like cars and atmospheric sounds just things that as a human viewer you would be used to that it wouldn't sound odd and be normal to have that realistic feel to it. Even if there is magic in a show or something that isn't realistic like Lightsabers from Starwars, 1978 (the whole franchise not a single movie or series). They still make a noise even though they are unrealistic but with the sound it makes it feel like it could be a real object that someone in our world could use.

Walt disney actually had 2 cartoons before Steamboat willie but it just didn't hit off, Steambaot Willie hit off because well it was the first ot do what it did, mulitple sounds all together showing how many sounds you can put into one animation. The first sound animation was done by the guys I researched alst week Max and Dav Fleisher but it just wan't as impressive as Steamboat Willie in the eye of the world. There was a mashup of so many different sounds in Steamboat Willie that people were giggling and laughing watching it. Sounds makes all the different in animation it really does. It is literally one of the most important things I believe because even before sound in animation they would have i films card with dialogue or sound noises like 'thump'.

Without sound the world is silent and thats not how people hear it eve na deaf person uses sign langue to imitate sound. Sound is important to everyone to understand what is happening and Walt Disney spending 5000 dollars on the first Steamboat Willie animation was just the right thing to do to usher in everyone else in the animation industry realising the impact sound creates and using it for everything creating new masterpieces and now it ia just normal to have sound. Without the sound in an animation now a days is weird and just isn't right.

Even in my animations I made or work that have no sound, sure they were practicing animation principles but with sound they would be improved.

video I watched to aid in my research - credits to the YouTuber "One Hundred Years on Cinema"

Now to understand a bit about the kinds of instruments and tools that where used in the beginning of the creation of Synchronised sound. I watched a very quick video of where there was recording of the people creating the sounds. Watching this vdieo even though that it is a shorr video yes, you can really see the concentration of th people doing the foley, I mean ifthey werent concentrated thet couldn't get it perfect on time. I love the wa foley is produced it isn't just by srubbing through frames and making the noise no its by watching a silent animation and adding the sound yourself. When I first learnt of foley in college I didn;t really get thepoint of it just og recordthe actuall machine or thing you are making the sound of. But actually doing it myself and seeing otehrs do it, sometiems the reallife object doesn't givre that cartoon like effect you want. Sounds produced in real time by different objects can be altered and done many different times until the right sound is produced but if you ust filmed the real life thing then it might no be the exact way you as an animator or foley artist want it.

Something about the video that I liked alot was when it showed how they made the noise ofr the cows and the horn bit on the top of the train. I would of never thought of using just instruments to make foley but it makes a lot of sense, musical intruments you can play multiple chords together and it might be able to create the right sound. The way they used a persons voice with a mcrophone really close is also such a cool idea. I really like seeing how foley is created because once ive scene it, it crazy, I would ever of thought that that sound possibly created by a tin can being hit with something could be used to create a train noise. usually I just view it as a super annoying noise but for foley instead of being annoying it seems like a fun task :D!!

the short video I watched

After watching that video I decided to watch just the cartoon that started the whole synchronised sound phenomenon. It was honestly really good. I mean for being made quite a while ago it was really good. It may not of been perfect - there where many sounds missing from places that I feel like there should of been sound:

Its hard to see here as the movement is super fast but a door supposedly slams, I know from the action that is happening but there is literally no sound at all it is completely silent here. All of these criticism I am giving is just me nit picking because this was made ages ago, so it is perfectly okay that there isn't specific sounds in certain areas, its just there SHOULD be a sound here to make more sense.

Here Pete is tapping his foot and techically I wouldn't of cared for this sound to me it doesn't make that big of a difference but in the context it is in its ment of distract Mickey and stop him from playing the Cows teeth as an instrument so a sound I feel SHOULD of been here to give the viewer a bit of indication on whats going on. Even though I say this I think it is still okay that it isn't there because there is music playing then it suddenly stops for the camera to turn to Pete so you could say the music was too loud to here the tapping.

I feel like a sound lifting the washing rack out of the bucket should of been used as later on it has sound so it would only make sense if when Mickey runs his hands along it, it makes sound as well as being pulled out of a bucket as it would of hit the sides.

Here there is no walking sound at all even though before had when Minnie walked she had this sort of high pitched walking footstep noise, to be completely honest I am not really sure why it wasn't added here considering they did it for the rest of the frames Minnie was in. Of course this isn't the only scene that doesn't have sound when walking its just this scene in particular confused me.

For these 2 scenes there is No water sloshing or splashing noise at all I mean there isn't many of these kind of noises even though they are on a boat but here I feel like there should be some because the focus is on the bucket. (there is like tin noises though of the bucket being fell into and thrown at the parrot)

Again this is all to do with the water they are on a boat sure there is an engine but even when you are on. boat you can still hear water splashing or at least moving.

Here is where I think there really should of been a noise because there is chewing noises in a different scene but here where the main focus is the goat eating things there is nothing it is silent it is kind of odd there is no sound, it kind of pulls me out of the moment of watching the cartoon and reminds me that its all fake.

Even though I say that this scene did redeem itself because even though there are scenes that probably should have had sound, I shouldn't really be that picky I mean this was the first synchronised sound animation. Limited supplied and equipment so here are scenes that worked really well for the time it was made in:

I did say this scene redeemed its self the goat produced music when it eats the sheet music music notes drop out of its mouth and make this really harmonic twinkling sound, when the goat gets played as an instrument it sounds like a windup machine then like a stereo player. Finally It makes music when Minnie and Mickey try to take out the musical parts. I really like this scene in particular not just because all of the sounds ued are really ahrmoci and tiwnkling but they start the whole scene off where mickey is playing instruments on the boat and I feel lsike it starts of the perfect aniticipation to show the amazing sound work theey hwere able tp produce for the playing instruments parts.

These are all of the screenshots that I took from Mickey playing instruments. These sounds are so cool, I mean they are using normal instruments for some of the sounds you can clearly here things like a xylophone but some of them they ar using a quaking noise or tins being hit together but its musica; because it matches music the goat produces. Honestly this is the most impressive scene its so cool how everything works together perfectly even when Mickey plays the pigs they make high pitched oink noises but it just all fits. I liked when Mickey played the animals as instruments but my favourite part was the beginning just playing pots and pans. the animation was smooth and realy nice to look at and it just made me feel like yeah this mouse can do that the sounds and everything to do with the scene was perfect.

This isn't musical sounds its just sounds of animals. I included it because there isn't any sounds in the background just the animals making the noises but I think that this scene didn't need anymore it was a really good way to show the live stock and make it well feel alive and that these animals are real.

I really liked when this sound was used. When Mickey would do exagerated movements like the breathing or Pete pulling him it sounded really cool, the breathing sounded like a whisle and the streching was a really cool pulling noise (I am not sure how to explain it) I just really liked it because not only did it make Mickey feel alive but it just had that cartoon feel as well.

This sound was pretty muhc the sameas the sound as I saw in other video. It was a bell being rung and eve nthouh it is a relly simple sound it must be like super hard to get it perfectly right when ringing an actual real life bell to let it sync up with the animation.

This is the chewing scene I was talking about when complaining about the goat not having any noises. The chewing on tabbaco scene is literally one of my favourites I love it when characters comically chew things I just find it really cool not for the animation but the sounds how do you create something so perfect that gives the vibe of chewing a block of tabbaco?? its just really cool foley wise.

the video I watched - credits to the YouTuber for uploading it !1

ARCS ヾ( ￣O￣)ツ

Just like everything else that I have been researching into for the principles this principle helps create the character or actually anything its not specific for example dragging was specific to things that need the drag but this principle is actually needed for pretty much everything unless you want something to have this linear and mechanical feeling.

Arcs is the natural curving motion that everything has. So when something moves in motion it usally moves in a circle or cicular motion at least and it creates that sort of alive feeling to an animation. For Arcs sometimes you would draw a pathway just like I did for the head turn and the bouncing ball to follow a specific arc.

An Arc can be used for noral motions too if someone is punching in the air theri body might arc to follow their movment upwards or if someone is breathing heavily their back will arc forward and backward. Now in animation Arcs can be simple and not look too dramatic, a small arc is enough to ust mak the character or maybe the object that is moving feel like it is in a 3d space and is real. But you could exaggerate and arc and when someone does a heavy breath like a sigh you could make the person really arc their chest and whole body forward which is not only using arc but anticipation of an action. All of the aniamations principels link, most of the time in animation you use the principle's without even thinking about it because when you watch something through to perfect it, you know what things loook like in real life. Things that I have to make sure I allways remember is the dragging and definetly arcs. Even though I feel like Arcing should come naturally it just doesn't for me and I always wonder why my own work might feel a bit stiff or not realistic. I managed to really show an arcing movement in last 2 weeks of doing a head turn animation.

Arcing as a principle was explain pretty well in this animated video we as a class watched it was just simple and quick to understand.

video we watched as a class

Though as a recommendation by my lecturer, I watched this other video all about arcing and heres what I learnt from it:

• arcs add dynamic movement and fluidity

• more of a natural feeling

• everything is done in arcs from turning your head to punching striaght or moving straight there is still a slight arc in everything where it be big or small

• Arcs are just the 2 dimensional circular motion when things move towards you or away they also have an arc

• using onion skinning is super important as you can see the arcing motion wihtout a long line of a pathway and possilby creating the movmeent ot be all 2d like when following a perfect line

• He said it might seem simple but so many people forget about in when irst starting out in the animation industry

• Can show expression changing

  
  

This video was generally really helpful and even though the video we watched in class was helpful this video really broke it down seeing the process on how it worked going slowly through things and knowing that I am not the only one who struggles with remembering that it is important is pretty cool. Honestly I knew the animation principles but just watching video and revisiting it all in uni has really helped I think arcs is something I REALLY need to focus on because I am always struggling with the stiff feeling that my own animations create.

recommend video to look at

WORK THIS WEEK !!!!!

But regardless of the Arcs (even though it's super important) I mentioned last week I did a good animation that show cased Arcs and even though usually I woud try and show it through the animation I started this week . But week.. I didn't even create an animation I can show D: . This week, well it was all about learning a new project that I am going to work on!!!!. It is an audio project it's gotta be, all sounds that I record myself then I gotta put them together as a sound track and finally put images to the sound - its gotta be a 40-50 second animation/sound track with a chosen location we had to choose from a little box.

There is going ot be so much more to do with the work its just this week was all about learning the technology that I need to use for recording sound. Next week I will have the sounds for my chosen location I have to work on and hopefully a plan maybe of what I want to do.

The location that I picked was Cafe. I am super excited to do this as an audio project because well I LOVE cafes and I allways go to them!!! I have got a few ideas at the moment for what I could do for the Cafe brief I have:

• How I view cafes (usually I find things like social areas really overwhelming and it will be a good thing to use for sound cause I could do close up of sounds that stress me out)

• Someone having to make their way across a really long area to get to this cafe date they are late for

• taking the perspective of someone who is nervous to order at a Cafe

• taking the perspective of someone making a coffee or something for someone

• taking the perspective of someone arguing in a cafe/maybe dropping something and feeling embarrassed but like none actually cares to be honest

• Being a little mouse running around in a cafe or a mouse cafe :D or maybe a secret mouse mission to get some food from a cafe

Currently at the moment the ideas I am liking is how I personally view cafes, someone being late or a mouse having to do a secret mission to grab something from a cafe. I like these ideas because well I mean I think I could get the most sound out of them??. I mean this is an audio project and frim my persepctive I will be abl to show strong noises soreally focus on the noise, the late idea I could do more than just ideas of the cafe I can do outside noises as well and make it all dramatic with lots of obstcals in the way. For the little mouse one. Well usually talking is a big part of cafes and I don't want to focus on that at all and if I did a little mouse I could get creative with the sounds that I use and really make it all imaginative and really push myself on learning things for the audio.

Even though I said that I might not do these ones I REALLY REALLY REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF A MOUSE DOING A LITTLE SECRET MISSION BECAUSE IT GIVES ME 'ARRIETTY, 2011' VIBES WHICH IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE FILMS EVER!!

Arrietty (2011), [film], Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Walt Disney, Toho Co., Studio Ghibli

As even though I don't have animation, I did get to play around with the technology and was set a task to practice recording some random sounds. I found it super duper fun, like really fun. Recording sounds is just something I always enjoy and I like to imagine what I could make out of different sounds, I mean just now when I type all of this I am thinking that the little tippy taps my fingers are making against the keyboard could be insect legs walking across something. Foley is just something thats pretty fun :D and I think is actually super cool on how different sounds when put together with other moving images can be perceived differently (like if you got a long vegetable and snapped it or like a paper and twisted it, it could create the illusion of a broken bone - foley is used in everything the is media related but in animation it is used so much more and foley artists have more creative freedom)

Now I actually recorded 93 different audio files to practice doing the foley sounds beforeI actually do the proper foley that I want for my idea, Which I think I have settled on the mouse Idea as even though I knew I had all of these different ideas writting them all out helped me see them all clearly and chose. I did this practice with a friend and it was mainly to understand the technology that I have gotta use to record my own foley. I would upload it here but I cant upload a WAV file type and I tried converting it to different file types but it still wont upload D: .

So upsettingly you are just going to have to take my word for it.

But we went around for about an hour all around uni looking for different things to make different sounds, like leaves, different flooring, picking up an object we saw and hitting it against other things. splashing in puddles (that was me and I got covered in water), tapping on loads of different things, recording atmosphere sounds walking around the uni to capture everyone just doing their daily things. It was all really fun to use the new technology and just practicing it helped me really understand how I have got to do this work with SILENCE in the background (if I don't want any ambience) because the microphone picks up EVERYTHING.

For next week I think I will be able to create some sort of track that I can upload as the sounds I made this week was to just get used to the new equipment so next week you will definitely be able to hear my sounds.