Beginning the animation

I began by importing my 30 seconds of audio into a layer so that I could make sure my timings were correct when drawing up my images and making the movements. I drew my animation through my Wacom bamboo pen. I found this quite tricky but did prefer it to using a mouse. I stuck to the brush tool as I really like the uneven effect it gave to my outlines, sketchy but solid at the same time.

First few frames:

These first few frames were basically still image and shape tweens. I had not yet needed to involve anything else.

Expression experimentation - flash

I experimented with the expressions created in my development. I again layered each part of the face to create the most effective movement.

Moustache: created by a shape tween

Mouth: shape tween

eyebrowes: motion tween

eyes: classic tween

I wanted to experiment with the different tweens in order to have a good idea of which to use when in my final animation.

Flash?

I started to experiment with Flash CS4 as I knew this way I could create the outline design I had been developing and also the different movements from my narrative. I took the same motion i'd used in my stop motion experiments and played around to create the same outline outcome in flash.

Layering- As i was recreating the same motion as before only the arms would be moving, so each arm had to be put on its own layer in order to preserve its shape and location when moving. I used shape tween in this instance but hope to also experiment with motion tween, classic tween, frame by frame and the bone tool.

Experimenting with brush strokes, I chose one to recreate the uneven effect I had developed in my sketchbook

Final timeline; keyframes for each change in shape/movement.

Animated outcome:

Final Storyboard

1. The growth of the two cacti. From tiny to full sized cacti.

1a. The full sized cacti and base shapes for following scenes.

2. Cactus 2 - Introduction to facial features and expression.

3. Zoomed out to also introduce outfit. Facial expression at full distance. Cactus 1 still idle.

4. Introduction of Cactus 1 facial features and expression.

5. Zoom out to full view of both characters.

6. Change in facial expression

7. Change in facial expression again and introduction of matador stance.

8. Cactus 1 initiates competition. Drops down to bull stance.

9. Cactus 1 charges. Cactus 2 change in facial expression.

10. Cactus 2 succeeds.  Change in facial expression again.

11. Second charge of Cactus 2.

12. Cactus 1 change of emotion. 

13. Introduces problem to viewer

14. Zoom in on issue - thorn in bum cheek

15. Zoomed and highlighted.

16. Cactus 2 cowardly surrenders.

Timing Adjustments

I listened to the music and planned out the narrative in order to fit the different scenes to each corresponding section of the audio.

camera angles

Looking at the best angles to give the full effect of my narrative at various times.

colour/ no colour

BLOCK COLOUR MATERIAL?

I liked this idea as I felt it would bring a different kind of texture to the characters rather than a boring solid colour.

SKETCHY COLOUR?

I like the vibrance but as stated before I like the simplistic sketchy animation idea and this definitely deters from that  

This is my favourite, I used different thicknesses in lines and the outcome I find to be really simple but really effective!

Further narrative/character development

Further development of my narrative - I knew what I wanted my basic narrative to surround but felt I needed to piece it together more, practising the expressions and potential body movements and shapes in order to keep the animation consistent.

Character design/outline

Back to outlines!

Tape- This could be used in the form of stop motion, very fiddly but I feel could be very effective.

Pipe cleaners, wool, ribbon and ink.

I really do like the outline idea i'm just unsure about whether I feel I could express it best through stop motion or through a more digital approach.

Stop Motion idea 2

Looking at stop motion again I thought about more of a 2d form. I liked the boldness of the expressions but again was unsure about block colour and decided to go back to the drawing board.

Stop Motion idea 1

As I felt my narrative was beginning to come together I started looking at forms of expressing my animation starting with stop motion plasticine. I experimented with movement shown in the videos below. I really liked the outcome but I felt it was not what I had in mind I was more interested in a simplistic outcome and not sure about whether I wanted to involve solid colour or stick to the outlines i'd been looking at.

                                          

Change, Tension, Elegance

After I had my characters pretty much sorted I put them into place with my previous ideas. This started a development into a new narrative. I really wanted to focus on the three words I had started with.

Here's a 6 scened outline of my developing narrative.

1. CHANGE- growth of cactus

2. TENSION - difference in cacti - competition arises

3. CHANGE - change of state in cactus 1 to violent and charging

4. ELEGANCE - Cactus 2 elegantly victorious

5. TENSION - cactus 1 returns

6. CHANGE - no longer elegant surrenders in pain.

Character Development

An area which i'd left quite open was character development, I knew I wanted to create characters which supported the humorous narrative. I began by sketching the outlined shape of my characters and looking at different forms of cacti.

I like the simple top outline the most, I thought it would work well with the movement I wanted to use in my animation.

I then started to look at potential costume for my 2 characters. I liked the idea of sticking to a traditional matador outfit to keep the spanish element alive. However if my "bull" cactus is to have the violent animal personality I decided not to clothe him. Instead I wanted to find a way of portraying his anger without losing sight that he is a cactus. I looked at the growing of his thorns as a way to show this.

More simple outlines to show potential movement in my animation.

I noted the facial expressions I would most likely need considering my narrative. I began sketching these character expressions and was pleased with the outcome.

Initial Storyboard

Here is my initial storyboard idea, sketched simply as there as I still wanted to develop characters and perhaps develop the narrative further.

The narrative:

1. Deserted area

2. Growth of cacti

3. Cactus 1 - plays trumpet

4. Cactus 2 - elegant spanish clapping/dance

5. Cactus 2 - state change to matador

6. Cactus 1 - state change to angry bull

7. Cactus 1 charges

8. Matador wins

9. Cactus 2 moves position

10. Cactus 1 charges again

11. Cactus 2 finds thorn in bum

12. Cactus 2 dies.

Feedback from assessment:

I took note of the initial feedback from my assessment so that I could continue with development the main issues were:

Point to the trumpet/ clapping?- i'm going to drop this scene as I feel it deters from the humour of the narrative

Death at end? - Perhaps too harsh and again deters from the humour