Rationale
SO. At the end of my DP3 project I have found that animation can be difficult; it’s a process that can ultimately highly frustrating, time stealing and patience sapping process; but one that is extremely rewarding. Whoever said you have to suffer for your art got it bang on.
My main basis for my theme was original slapstick... but can be aimed at any audience, and I did this by keeping it simple. I believe my work has the understated and eloquent narrative that still delivers a humorous punch and light-heartedness that can be sweet and endearing.
Starting with my robot (Gavin) I decided to add personality. I took inspiration from looking with insight into the world he was created for, and from. Other animated characters such as Grounds-Keeper Willie (the Simpsons) fit the purpose as they both have become cleaning characters with comedic effect playing the fools. I added a range of emotion to my character, making him sulk, smile and gasp. –Unfortunately I had problems with the eyebrows. (I just could not get the morpher modifier to work on them for some unexplainable reason. But it does work on the smile).
With a body and head shape based on a sketch I did back in late 2008 I still added the beard on a robot just on the taking risk nobody will think anything of it and go with it. –My reasoning for it was it was a homage to Grounds-Keeper Willie and that it could be passed off as rust or anything, but is a defining characteristic of Gavin.
Overall the animation I think speaks for itself. I think it was pretty good myself for my first computer animation EVER, and that shows sometimes in the walking and it got screwed up a little in places and I fully recognise that.
These places of fault are as follows, the hands on the broom start off ok but begin to get strange to a point where it seems he doesn’t have much of a grip, and then the fall takes far too long. (Too long but my first few attempts where WAY to short...so it was a ‘compromise’ – the most hated word in my diction) And then just after my fall getting up his arm does nothing except rebel against the rest of his body un-naturally. A result of me making him scratch his head then accidently removing a few key frames in looking back over it. Mistake!
Finally my biggest shortcoming was the most crucial. I am not the best editor in the world. I find myself extremely human and hence prone to gaffs and guffaws that would make a professional cringe. During the edit of my film I have lost the ending approx 15-20 seconds worth that explains why the banana moves. These frames missing will be posted up as pictures to give an explanation and then I reedit my film better within the next few days.
Overall, despite the faults, I am hopeful that people enjoy my first animation and that they appreciate the work that people put into these things, as I genuinely believe that animators do not get enough credit sometimes. SO. At the end of term1, bots and bananas done. Slapstick nearly figured out. Loving this pathway.
