#animation2005

This was the first time I used the tween toolbar from the properties, rather than creating new motion tweens all the time (which makes more files in the .FLA), as well as the first time I used shape tweening. The most difficult part of the animation was getting the 3D like spin, which I tried some tutorials for that didn't help to much, then finally decided to get the 3D spinney look with the shape tweening, and some spin lines that help it look convincing enough.

I’ve had this short animation idea for a couple years, but after giving up on it the first time around, have only now gotten around to producing it in full. As you may of heard me mention here before, I started this animation not long after uploading The Labbox, and excluding about 2 days, I've been working on it since. It was originally going to be a never ending loop, like a lot of he animations up on Weebl's website, but it ended up being a 2 minute music video of sorts. And it ended up being wide screen shaped, which gave me more freedom and will be probably using more.

I'm rubbish at armatures and big 3D sets, so I decided to do mine more in the style of Rex the Runt: flat, gingerbread like characters against flat backgrounds. This makes animating with clay much simpler, as I don't have to worry about holding the characters up when they jump etc. I decided to make a film based on a group of characters I doodled a little while back, thanks to a burst of ideas I got when walking back home from Uni one day.

The film uses about 20 models (many for the same characters), cut-outs, painted backdrops and even a little bit of pixelation (where my hands have been animated), and was animated on top of a tablet board so I could slide the backgrounds under the characters without moving them. The eyes on the Fuji’s where done using a pen when its tip is inside it, and they blink simply by rubbing out the eyes and making lines with a modelling knife. The film was entirely produced on a DV camera linked up to a 'lunchbox' (expensive animation device), imported to a PC, then edited with the sound in Premiere Pro.

The main animation was produced in flash, using many layers and symbols, and the final product, including the background made up of 130 progressive photos that go on a loop from my house, was produced in Premiere Pro. I have now grown to like a that program a lot more then the un-user-friendly After Effects, even though I spent hours tonight rendering the film with the colour key not working, only to finally figure out that the settings of the colour key were wrong on the settings it converts to. I would of maybe of added more radical blurs like the end and stuff, but I couldn't be arsed after all them hours trying to get my head around the rendering.

I know the characters shapes and faces are very much like the style I did in the Fujis, but I'm just using this style as a sort of starting ground for proper animation, as I do want to move on to full human characters and the like once I have enough know-how to do so. Abstract stuff is fun to animate too, however, and I plan to do more pieces like this in the future. Enjoy~

On 'Cheese Must Go Down' (2005) "Cheese is an animated short, which could also be classed as a music video. The film features three animated characters all holding banners, as if they’re staging an anti-cheese protest. It’s a bit confusing as to what this film is trying to tell you, but I think, due to the rock soundtrack and ironic banners, it’s a plea to ban cheesy music. I get this impression because one of the banners has “Abba” written on it with a big red mark through it. Cheese is very short, and takes a long time to upload, but it’s worth it for the catchy music and well-crafted animation. I was confused by the fourth character, (a red surfing robot with his own language) who crops up intermittently, mumbling in robot speak that you can’t understand. As far as I can tell, he has no purpose, so I don’t think he adds to the story’s development. Taken as a fun, quirky rock video – Cheese will be a hit to those of you who like rock music. But, if you’re a fan of cheesy pop music – be prepared, because you might be offended!" - HollyBerry

"A promising short animation from Aaron Foster. This makes a good case against bad music, and how, with a little incentive, a surfing robot, and a killer homemade soundtrack, You too can cut Abba out of your life."

- Taranburns "Those little anti-cheese people scare me a bit, they have weird voices, i can't stop watching them! ahhh 'cheese must go down'! Cool animation." - MartinHerd

On 'Tron' for Sci-Fi Channel (2006) "You're on fire Aaron, this animation is briliant, i love the fact that you didn't just film the bits you didn't have to animate, created a very good effect. keep up the good work." - MartinHerd (again!)

On 'RabRab' (2007) "Amusing Animation. Excellent use of animation, sure made me laugh. brings back old memories, Tom and Gerry etc. look forward to seeing the next one." - Ashstyler "Pure animation gold! This reminds me of the good, light-hearted, simple cartoons such as Catch The Pigeon and Tom And Jerry. The humor is of course in the fact that Rab Rab's quest to conquer the termite or whatever it is can only end in one thing... inevitable failure or pain. The audience feeds from his demise and all for the better! The sound effects are comical and the animation itself is simplistic gold...good going." - Luke (of the Chew TV Content Crew) "Haha this video is sure to make you laugh, reminds you of the days when Tom and Jerry were around, love the hammer action ! sound effect = gr8 ! keep up the good work" - MartinHerd