Time and Motion Flashcards
Time and Motion
Any kind of motion takes place over time.
Conceptually, time and motion are inseparable.
Can you detect motion in still and time based media?
Yes. It doesn’t take rapid frame sequence of film or animation to suggest motion. The way that we position an object can create implied motion.
Eadweard Muybridge
Known for his pioneering work on animal locomotion in 1877 and 1878, which used multiple cameras to capture motion in stop-motion photographs and his zoopraxiscope (device for projecting motion pics that pre-dated the flexible perforated film strip used in cinematography.)
Implied Motion: Static
A centered object sitting parallel to the edges of the frame appears stable and unmoving
Implied Motion: Diagonal
An object placed on a diagonal appears dynamic
Implied Motion: Cropped
An object that is partly cut off appears to be moving into or out of the frame
Implied motion: Arrows
Arrows are moving in a certain direction
Change over Time
The most obvious way to change something is to move it. But a change in position is just one way to create change. There are a lot of other ways to make things change over time.
Modes of Change
Position
Rotation
Scale
Shape
Color
Depth
Transparency
Change in Position
Every object on a two-dimensional surface has a pair of x/y coordinates. Changing the coordinates moves the object.
Note: 3-D animation also includes the z axis
Change in Rotation
Continuously altering the angle of an object creates the appearance of spinning, shaking, and other behaviors.
Change in Scale
Making an object larger or smaller creates the impression of it moving backward or forward in space
Change in Shape
Letting a line wander can produce all types of shapes: abstract, amorphous, representational
Change in Color
Color animation creates motion by sequentially illuminating or changing the color of predefined areas or objects
Change in Depth
By layering objects you can create a sense of depth.
Change in Transparency
By layering objects you can create a sense of depth.
Multiple Modes of Change
Most animations combine several modes of change at once.
Animating with Type
Animating with type is like animating other graphic elements. But if you’re trying to preserve the message you have to pay special attention to legibility and reading order.
Timing Type
When animating with type you are challenged to get the timing right. The viewer needs enough time to read the text but not so much time it becomes dull or awkward. On the other hand, if the animation is too frenetic or repeats too many times it can get irritating.
Pacing is everything
Storyboards
Commercials, online banners, television shows, and film title sequences require storyboarding.
They may include notes describing camera angles, soundtrack, movement, special effects, timing and transitions.
Is a series of sketches that summarize the content or key moments of an animation’s events.
Determines the flow of the storyline and major moments of action.
Shows the personality, gestures, and emotions on the characters.
Style frames
Captures the aesthetic elements that set the tome for an animation. It shows typography, colors, patterns, illustrations and photographs that may be used in the project.
Storyboards & Style Frames
Tools for brainstorming and presentation. Successful storyboards and style frames are always clearly defined and easy to interpret.
Interactive Animation
Based on behavior rather than sequence. These behaviors involve change over time, just like narrative animations but they do not occur in a fixed sequence, and they are not designed using storyboards and timelines.
Respond to user behaviors and they don’t have to be complicated. Simple behaviors can delight uses and enrich the experience of the interface
