My third animated short film

[Lydia]

I have just finished my third short film. I know, again it's much too long and a bit boring, but I've already shortened it and I just couldn't delete more. After all, it is only a practice film. I just wanted to try different things, create different scenes and sets and most of all practice animation. I know my modeling and texturing are still a disaster (not to mention the cut, camera, lighting ...) and if I have time, I will work on it. But animating is what I enjoy most and that's what I'd like to improve on.
(However, I did not model the furniture, they are from https://resources.blogscopia.com)

I'm also unsure if you understand the ending. My friends have seen it too often after some changes to be able to judge that. And I hope the English text is ok. My girlfriend is an English teacher and has at least released it for me.
But if there are still mistakes in it, I can live with it, because the most important thing is that i have learned a few things again and it was a lot of fun.

The characters are created in Fuse and MakeHuman. The water-, rain-, fog-, etc. effects I did in HitFilm Express and then cut and set the film to music in iMovie. It took me about eight months.
Of course that's a lot of work, but instead of just practicing something, I prefer to do a film project, then I'm more motivated and always come across many different things that I want to practice and learn additionally.

Of course I'm happy and grateful for every tip on what I can improve!

And if what I wrote here should be misleading again, now you know what's to blame :

 

[SuperES]

Your movies are the best promotion of Cheetah.

 

[Lydia]

Your movies are the best promotion of Cheetah.

Oh, thank you very much, I am pleased

 

[Swizl]

Wow, fantastic job! Thanks for sharing it with us. Nice to see full animations from users here. Most of my animations have been boring mechanical ones for work.

 

[bobziila]

Very nice! Love the ending. Was this all keyframed in Cheetah? I don't know much about Make Human and Fuse.

 

[Lydia]

Was this all keyframed in Cheetah? I don't know much about Make Human and Fuse.

Yes, everything is keyframed/animated in Cheetah. You can rig a character created in Fuse in Mixamo and there are also many animations that can be used. But I did not use them. After all, I want to practice animation and besides, there aren't all the exact moves you need.
Even something that would fit, like a walkcycle, I prefer to animate by myself, because then it's easier to change/add something later, especially if the character is animated with controllers.

 

[ZooHead]

That was fun to watch, keep up the good work.

 

[Lydia]

That was fun to watch, keep up the good work.

Thanks ZooHead.
By the way, isn't there such a "grandpa" who has been promised that he will soon be able to ride a bike and rollercoaster?
He'd love that for sure, and I'd love to see more character animations here. Especially from people from whom I learned a lot. Without your "Ultimate Human Rig" I would probably never have gotten the controllers right. Thanks again for that and for your tutorials.

 

[ZooHead]

Thanks Lydia, I'm so glad to have been helpful.

And now it seems the page has turned and you inspire me to push ahead.

So much stress right now, with the injustice, the virus and that crazy orange faced wacko in charge.
I don't like getting political but this has become about survival and I can't concentrate at the moment.

So I play my guitar and go to my happy place, and long to ride my bicycle with grandpa in the spring.

 

[Lydia]

So much stress right now, with the injustice, the virus and that crazy orange faced wacko in charge.
I don't like getting political but this has become about survival and I can't concentrate at the moment.

So I play my guitar and go to my happy place, and long to ride my bicycle with grandpa in the spring.

I understand. I'm not having a good time either and I don't know if I'll be doing a lot in Cheetah in the near future. Then let's hope that everything will be better by next spring!

 

[Hasdrubal]

@Lydia I like it, but if you're anything like me you can't get much from such a comment which is nice to hear but doesn't help you any further. So some critique, just my first thoughts to be honest. You have a good hand (or mind) for such short stories, funny and all. This one could have been a bit faster (not shortened, but fastened up). And as you probably know, the quality is a bit uneven, in parts almost photorealistic, in others not so much (you get the meaning), which creates an uneven style (always from my point of view), for example an (almost) cartoonish landscape compared to some parts of the jungle or some aerial view that have more realism in it. Another thing that comes to mind, that (again only my humble opinion) things that are shown in a close-up (the compass) should look more interesting, i. e. having a better texture in this case.

And I know how difficult it is to keep up the same style because while you're working at it, you're learning, you can do things better and fasterf and it's difficult not to give your best ... but then you'll end up with some uneveness in quality (if such a word does exist).

So keep up the good work

 

[Hasdrubal]

@ and for ZooHead:

Man, you're not alone. Millions all over the world feel and worry with you, because the United States of America is very important for the world. So, if they decide to go on with destroying the environment, not doing anything to slow down climate change, blow up the economy or (worst case) start some nuclear war, whatever, all of humankind has to pay the price. Not only that, it makes us sad when we read about the many unnecessary deaths from covid, the downfall of your democracy (which wasn't so democratic at it's best by the way), voter suppression and all, the violence that maybe will get out of hand, the pictures of fires that look like taken in hell itself ... and so on. And no, the Americans are not the laughinstock of the world, at least not for those who have any brains left, because we have the same stupid people here who would vote for Trump cheering or who fight with demonstrations for their right not to wear a mask (and maybe kill others that way without caring). We even have more than enough believers in Qanon and so on, and so on. So no, there is no reason to look down on the US or laughing about the same stupidity that we can watch here.

But ... All this voter supression, this gerrymandering, the injustice, the holes in the laws that actually could make it possible to turn a democracy into a dictatorship, the neglecting of climate change and the environment in general; all those problems do exist for many years, mostly even for decades, and now there is a possibility that they can (and partly will) be solved (which didn't exist before). Bernie's ideas for example wouldn't have made it into the mainstream of the democrat party, if it wasn't for that orange whacko. So you know, in the end a lot of good can come from this.

Up to then many millions of nerves are a bit stressed out, of course, and in our countries we have our own problems on the top (for example minorities of which some politicians are too afraid to do the right things necessary), with all the stuff going on, even more personal ones than last year (and whatever will happen, the problems will not go away next year, hopefully some but most of them would take a lot of time). So, if I read the newspaper, watch some news, talk to people I really get the feeling that a big part of the worldwide population has gone completely bonkers (even some friends of mine). Sometimes I really have that strange feeling that I don't even want to be on the same planet ...

Anyway, one of the things that help me keep my sanity is modeling, and not only words can change the world (ok, there is all the bad stuff like violence that did it even more ...), but pictures, too. Maybe even more so. So have fun with modeling and think about the fact, that the future may be much better than it looks like at this moment.

@Lydia: Sorry for kidnapping the thread

 

[Lydia]

but if you're anything like me you can't get much from such a comment which is nice to hear but doesn't help you any further. So some critique, just my first thoughts to be honest.

Thank you very much for your comment, Hasdrubal. I really appreciate your criticism and suggestions for improvement.

And as you probably know, the quality is a bit uneven, in parts almost photorealistic, in others not so much (you get the meaning), which creates an uneven style (always from my point of view), for example an (almost) cartoonish landscape compared to some parts of the jungle or some aerial view that have more realism in it.

I was aware of this problem from the beginning, but I did not manage to make it better. It is mainly due to the HDRI backgrounds, which are very photorealistic (well, they are photos). So everything should be like this, for example the biplane. But I did not manage to make it better. I know, I really need to improve my texturing and modeling. (And I have to admit that sometimes I lack the patience to do this, because I prefer to animate).
Another possibility would be to work with other backgrounds, but I can't think of a good solution for that yet.

Another thing that comes to mind, that (again only my humble opinion) things that are shown in a close-up (the compass) should look more interesting, i. e. having a better texture in this case.

Ah, you are right! I haven't even thought about it. I thought I needed a compass, so I built a compass. But even a compass can have something interesting or tell something. And if it's only a scratch or crack in the glass.
I have to pay more attention to details. Especially small, subtle things can often have a big effect.
I noticed that when I animated, too, where I kept learning things that I was not even aware of before. For example, how complicated a simple blink of the eyes can be and what it can express. That already is something you can deal with for a long time.

There is so much to learn, but it is really exciting, interesting and fun.

 

[Hasdrubal]

@Lydia

but I did not manage to make it better.

So make it worse . Don't use such backgrounds or more sparingly (where they are not seen as well). So you could create your backgrounds yourself with a more cartoonish landscape, render them out and use those as hdris.

If you had a photorealistic biplane on the other hand, the more or less cartoonish figure would have stood out - and so on (the actual plane probably could use some more detail, but it fits to the figure, which is more important than the background. It's not that important how it looks, it's more about an even style. For example this film https://www.cheetah3d.com/forum/index.php?threads/13396/ works very well with a very, very simple graphic style. The dialogue is the star there, but the very simple style works well here.

On the other hand, mixing photoreal elements like background and props with more stylized characters is of course very well done in disney & pixar movies, the gold standard for animation in the last years (in disney's case for almost a 100 years, by the way rattling Goebbels very much in the late 30ies (and early 40ies) because the Germans couldn't produce animations half as smooth as Disney). So it's possible, of course, but those people can spend a few millions in look dev alone (look development probably a theme you might want to look into (no pun intended)).

(and now, just as an aside, because my mention of joseph, my train of thought already is completely derailed into current happenings and that a zombie apocalypse or an alien invasion would be a fitting end for 2020, preferably both, with the four riders of the apocalypse galloping through an orange landscape, one of them a covid-sputtering sickness with trump's face on a children's rocking-horse, which picture with all the flying saucers, the riders, not to forget the zombies (some of 'em already having well-known faces in my imagination) is well beyond the means of my current hardware and at least partly my modeling skills. But still: Yeehoo).

I know, I really need to improve my texturing and modeling. (And I have to admit that sometimes I lack the patience to do this, because I prefer to animate).

I know, modeling and texturing, if well done, can get very complex, and it's very time consuming to learn the necessary skills for creating really good topology. For that I recommend watching a few youtube videos. Your skills are developed enough for you to watch some videos done for Maya or 3ds Max, JL Mussi or Arrus 3d coming to mind (I wouldn't recommend the blender doughnut guy, though). Or the topology book by William Vaughan who's one of my personal heroes (I already learned much from him many years ago when he called himself Proton, but his videos are for Modo with too many tools used that are not even thinkable in Cheetah).

The second thought about modeling is this: It can be tedious, hard work, but see it as problem solving (how the heck do I get rid of this problematic pole without messing up the rest of the geometry?) and try to really get into it. It's pure Zen at it's best (or, if you prefer, mind yoga).

I have to pay more attention to details. Especially small, subtle things can often have a big effect..

You know, I really do believe that this is the secret to success

 

[Lydia]

Thank you very much for the many tips, Hasdrubal. I will try to heed them all and hope that I can do a lot in Cheetah again soon. After all, there is a big mountain of things ahead of me that I want to learn and do. And often I have the impression that the more I work to make it smaller, the bigger it gets.
But I know it is not the mountain that grows, but my field of vision by constantly discovering new things. And "look development" is definitely something that is now at the top of my mountain. Thanks again for the hint!

 

[Helmut]

* Some random comments:
* You have developed great skill in manipulating facial expressions. Maybe some are a bit Erikative (referring to Dr Erika Fuchs†, the German translator for Disney comics), but there is individuality, humour and subtlety.

* My major gripe with your movie is inconsistency in style and composition. The consequence is some fragmentation of the consecutive takes. It almost seems as if you were experimenting with ideas in the progress of animation.

* The animation & rigging of the protagonist, Vic, is highly professional. I assume that is was the primary goal in your video and you have shown exceptional skill in this challenge.
* However, there are (partly boooring, time consuming and laborious 3D tasks (see Pachydermix´s [= @Hasdrubal] notes above) which - in any project - can make or break the resulting video.

* You may be surprised to discover that experimenting with such “minor trivia” is not only great and creative fun but will vastly improve the efficacy of a video. You will also learn more on the “fitting” composition of further videos. Much of 3D modelling is just raving imagination which can be conducted miles away from any Mac.

 

[Lydia]

You have developed great skill in manipulating facial expressions. Maybe some are a bit Erikative (referring to Dr Erika Fuchs†, the German translator for Disney comics), but there is individuality, humour and subtlety.

* The animation & rigging of the protagonist, Vic, is highly professional. I assume that is was the primary goal in your video and you have shown exceptional skill in this challenge.

Many thanks Helmut. Yes exactly, that was my main goal. Above all I want to practice animation and there is still a lot for me to learn.

* My major gripe with your movie is inconsistency in style and composition. The consequence is some fragmentation of the consecutive takes. It almost seems as if you were experimenting with ideas in the progress of animation.

* However, there are (partly boooring, time consuming and laborious 3D tasks (see Pachydermix´s [= @Hasdrubal] notes above) which - in any project - can make or break the resulting video.

Right. I am aware of this, including the inconsistency. But I have to prioritize. If I practice everything (modeling, texturing, compositing, also lightning, rendering, etc. + developing my own style with my own textures, backgrounds + how to make a movie, how to make sound...) until I'm really good, then I probably wouldn't be able to animate in this lifetime.
But I am very grateful for tips and advice and I will try to implement them all. Yes, sure, not only try but do, because
"Dem Ingeniör ist nichts zu schwör.“ Aber dem Grafiker leider manchmal schon.

 

[Hasdrubal]

(Erika Fuchs was only the translator. She definitely enhanced the German language (bäng, bumm) and defended Donald (the likeable not the orange) against those German idiots who had a problem with all the Ducks not wearing trousers and so on. The designer who defined all those facial expressions was of course Carl Barks while here around and today Don Rosa is more defining (but he is (or was) very much in Bark's tradition. For Germany the Italian designers where also important who produced comics like a factory (topolino). I don't know if Americans even know Romano Scarpa who was certainly the best of the bunch. And why do I write this? Helmut probably expected it and I can't let him down . And probably everyone of us is influenced very much by this kind of drawings along with Uderzo's Asterix and Morris' Lucky Luke (who both are influenced by Barks of course). My favorite comic artist, though, is and forever will be Moebius / Giraud. That aside, I learned probably very much graphically from all the comics I grew up with, the European comics, even if it is essentially an American artform, much richer and less centered on superheroes. Some of these comics I still like very much, Franquin and Segar among them (bot pure anarchy), like Hogarth and Foster, Comics so much more than Spiderman and avenging bats).

But I have to prioritize. If I practice everything (modeling, texturing, compositing, also lightning, rendering, etc. + developing my own style with my own textures, backgrounds + how to make a movie, how to make sound...) until I'm really good, then I probably wouldn't be able to animate in this lifetime.

I liked your pic as an answer very much. Very funny. But you should think about the cited statement a bit.

Only the bigger studios have pure animators, jobs which are very hard to get. In most cases the artists have double or triple roles, so you shouldn't specialize too much anyway. As long as you work alone, you simply can't. And it is (still) possible to be on all this things on a high level; you don't have to be the best modeler around, and it is ok to shorten the path with a lot of content from others, but you should have a fair understanding of modeling for animation. You should know which kind of geometry you need to being able to animate, which is just a step short of creating said geometry. You must know what's possible and what not.

With textures ... For a stylized movie you need simple materials, which are easy to create, and if you work with textures, it's more the simpler ones you should use, not necessarily the photoreal ones (as it goes with backgrounds). Again -> look dev. And without an own style you're not recognizable. As simple as that.

And movie making ... Well, if you create a movie you should know at least the basics (which you do) and build on them, which, as long as you don't go to a school, actually is part reading and part watching well and carefully created movies (see Hitchcock, Ridley Scott, Villeneuve, Sergio Leone, and so on, and so on, just a few names that popped instantly in my mind), which will help you to further develop your ability of story telling on the side.

Lighting ... That's so important to enhance the story, to convey feelings and ... Well, there actually comes a video to mind by someone who is a good animator, modeler, and a master of lighting and materials: Lighting For Storytelling.

Youtube, as much as I dislike the "data kraken" (I'm not sure if this word for Datenkraken really exists in English. Well, now it does), is your friend. Only 15 years ago it was very difficult to learn modeling and texturing without a big budget for paid tutorials. Now there are literally thousands of vids which explain so much in a short time for free. Sooner or later you'll find those content creators which help you the most (I already mentioned some of them for modeling), and you probably know enough to see who's talking bullshit and who knows his business. The good thing about it is simple that a lot of it is quite independent from the software you use. Yes, there are some tools that in Cheetah do not exist, but all in all it's the same principles. And even some people working for Pixar or other highly acclaimed studios sometimes find the time to create some free content (other resources have a pay wall, though).

And, at least for me, it's important to see some stuff I already know, because others do it another way or it's a reminder of things I knew and had forgotten along the way. On the downside there is a lot of mediocre, even bad content, but you'll find your way through this maze, no doubt. As a rule I tend not to watch Blender vids even if some of them for sure are well done (one of the reasons is the other target group, another some bloated egos).

Sorry about my rant. In short, in one sentence: In the world of 3d you can't afford to specialize too much as long as you don't have that job in a video. Up to then it's all of it with centering on some priorities (in your case animation), but not neglecting all the rest. No way around it.

 

[Lydia]

But you should think about the cited statement a bit.

That should not be a cited statement, but just an excerpt from my to do / to learn list.
Because ...

In the world of 3d you can't afford to specialize too much as long as you don't have that job in a video. Up to then it's all of it with centering on some priorities (in your case animation), but not neglecting all the rest. No way around it.

... I don't want to specialize at all, just organize myself. I have to take what I enjoy most as my starting point and gradually build on everything else - as you already say. But this takes a lot of time. Therefore, the most important thing is that I don't lose the fun and interest, so that I stay motivated. After all, I'm only doing this on the side - I don't even know exactly why I do it - and also have to do such annoying things like earning money.

watching well and carefully created movies (see Hitchcock, Ridley Scott, Villeneuve, Sergio Leone, and so on, and so on, just a few names that popped instantly in my mind), which will help you to further develop your ability of story telling on the side.

Oh yes, I have them all on my radar. Especially Quentin Tarantino lately. Maybe because you can find a lot of ingenious things collected from older films that he, ... let's say "quotes". Of course I want to learn from them all. Well, with Tarantino it is mainly the dialogues - the special humor and the enormous tension during some conversations that fascinate me (show the bomb under the table, etc). But I'm still a long way from dialogues.

 

[Hasdrubal]

Well, the statement was cited by me