Power of Advertising - A student short

[RosemaryDarling]

This is the final film I recently finished for my Digital Animation degree. I'd appreciate any comments and feedback.
<object width="400" height="300"> <param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> <param name="movie" value="http://www.vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1096162&amp;server=www.vimeo.com &amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color= &amp;fullscreen=1" /> <embed src="http://www.vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1096162&amp;server=www.vimeo.com &amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color= &amp;fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.vimeo.com/1096162?pg=embed&sec=1096162">Power of Advertising </a> from <a href="http://www.vimeo.com/user512330?pg=embed&sec=1096162">Rose Gordon</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com?pg=embed&sec=1096162">Vimeo</a>.

[Black Spot]

Why did the spaceship have a shadow when leaving the earth’s atmosphere? It’s the one thing that jarred a bit.

[Goyim]

Is there anyway you can take the faster hands and have them gyro around the slower rotating one. Ofcourse remember Centergy. I guess.

[Goyim]

Think of it as you arms are moving around your torso.

[RosemaryDarling]

It's part of the stylization. Think of it like the elements as being in front of a theater backdrop. :)

[xisco cabrer]

I think it's not a bad idea to project the shadow of the spaceship, and most of the elements, the style require it. Good work, but I would made a quick fade out with the music at the end, the cut is very hard.

[Zilant]

I dig the style and the story. Very creative on both fronts.
I especially like how the story has a moral, but does it subtly enough that it doesn't end up seeming preachy.
Also, I think the song helps set the mood wonderfully.

The field of focus shift around 1:32 was very nice and really gives depth and scale to the scene.


It's a little start/stoppy at times.

I think it's primarily the camera work.
Ex: Around :30 when the camera stops as the train is cresting the hill, :59 when the circular pan of the city stops, 2:25 as movement up the hill towards the domes stops, etc.
A good rule of thumb with cameras is that a shot with a camera in motion should rarely see the camera full stop. If you have to, slowing movement down to a crawl is much better. I don't really think you need to here, except maybe in the circular pan of the city scene so we can focus on the screen.

There's something to be said for applying this to animating beyond the camera too. Your people appear most alive in the train scene, not only because most every member of that crowd is moving, but they're moving the entire time. Compare that to the scenes where there's sudden stops. The wrist especially could use some Ease Out.
ex: Wrist stopping around :48, The crowd members who put their hands near their eyes at 2:36.

These both work off the same principal; something animate is perceived as alive, something inanimate is perceived as dead/lackinglife. While it might be obvious that a living Creature has to move to seem alive, people tend to forget the camera is in a sense a person as well (the Viewer). While people aren't exactly grasping their chests in attempt to see if they're still breathing every time the camera is in a hold position - on some level we recognize it's rare in nature for a being to suddenly switch from animate to inanimate, outside the reason that's obvious and morbid.


Anywhoo, it's a great animation to graduate with.
It's a great showcase of your creativity, and that makes me want to see more from you in the future.

[egerie]

Oï! Remember when people walk, they counter leg and arms. For example, right foot forward = right wrist behind. Unless you’re a bear or a penguin.