Practice Flash Studio Animation Test!

[Stephen M. Levinson]

Hello everyone! This is a challenge you should not pass up! Are you a flash animator, have been working at it for awhile, but not sure if you're at the level to apply as a flash animator at a studio yet? Or do you think you're not at the level but you're just interested in seeing what these animation test's are all about? Or are you a pro and just want to see how you do with this character? Well, if so, today is your lucky day!

The animation test in the zip folder provided has 2 parts:

Part 1: Acting Test- There is a flash file of an alien character named Jared. There is another flash file called animation. You will take the character assets from the character flash file to the animation flash file. There is a storyboard and audio to animate too. Do not adjust the timing in the storyboard, make no changes to it whatsoever, BUT you can adjust the timing when you use the character assets while you animate. Just don't touch the storyboard layer. Feel free to create as many different body parts as you'd like. It's key to not ONLY use what's given. You can use the storyboard, or you can create your own acting, but don't change the audio. Try and create realistic movements, well timed animation, and feel free to add a little acting to the storyboard while you animate. The poses are not limited to what's in the storyboard. Use AS MANY layers for animating as you want!

Part 2: Bouncing ball- There is a flash file called bouncing ball. In it there is a blue rubber ball, and a concrete hill. The ball is positioned where it should be dropped. Try and create a realistic bouncing ball on the slop.

It should take you acouple of days to get this complete. Feel free to post the swf in the comments below. My only suggestion is you put a play button so that when we open this post, I don't hear a million voices. Also, my suggestion to you is after you read this post, to NOT look back at it until you finish your animation. If you look at other peoples animation before you create yours, you're not getting the full experience of what taking an animation test is all about. They don't show you other people's tests.

This set up is identical to what an animation studio may give you for the animation test. This is a great opportunity for you! Everyone will be given notes when their tests are done. I created this character and all the assets I provided specifically for you guys, so show me what you got! ;)

Files:
FLASH 8:
www.stephenstudios.com/animation_test.zip

FLASH MX 2004: http://www.stephenstudios.com/flashmx04_animtest.zip

FLASH MX: http://www.stephenstudios.com/flashmxNOT04_animtest.zip

You guys think this is a good idea? Let me know in the comments. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! Have fun with it guys!

Best,
Steve

[George Pfromm II]

Temris I really dig your blog-folio. That demo reel is awesome!

[Stephen M. Levinson]

Very cool! It is alittle small, kinda hard to see.. Try uploading the SWF to http://www.putfile.com/ and then just reply with the link to the swf.

[Temris]

Woops, totally forgot to follow through with this new upload... Here it is! *crosses fingers*

http://media.putfile.com/Jared-Flash-Test-for-Frederator

[Stephen M. Levinson]

Hey Temris,

Thanks for taking the test! Your animation came out pretty good! Here's what I think can make it better, and what I think you should improve on:
1) On "fly" his head moves but nothing else. Seems alittle strange. Try adding some 2ndary motion to that.
2) When he bounces back on "dude" it looks alittle too much of a bounce. What I'd suggest is to make the bounce not as big, and to reduce the amount of frames it takes to get him back in place.
3) Before the "Oh Yeah" The characters motion before looks alittle strange. Try bending the head on the opposite direction of the "Oh Yeah" motion. So try bending his head up instead of down. If he's going to move his head down, to gain the momentum for it, he'd have to move his head up first, before moving it down.
4) Try adding alittle more ease to the motion when he sets in his final position after "Oh Yeah"

I hope that helps you, your test is looking pretty good!
Best,
Steve

[Temris]

Thanks Steve. Yeah, my biggest thing I think was the lack of the secondary action on the antanae that I didnt even think of until after I saw some of the other people's animations. But thanks for the critique! If you post another test like this I'd love to try it out as well.

[Italo F. Capasso B.]

Well... had tons of work to do, but now that all is over I managed to finish the Jared animation test... I can tell it must be full of mistakes... but oh well tats how you learn... and it was pretty fun to do it...

I decided to put an option so you can see my original sketch before passing it to the original animation... just because I'm an engineer really :P, so I can't help it to put some programming in there...

If I have time and manage to finish it, I will post the Bouncing ball test later..

Italo F. Capasso B.
AKA "Edwood Grant"

[Stephen M. Levinson]

Hey Edwood,

Thanks for taking the time to do this animation test! I just took a look at it. Sorry I took soo long to get back to you. Here's what I suggest you do to make it better:
1) When he moves back before "I'm just a " it looks alittle too slow. You've also added too much easing to your animation and it doesn't look very natural. The anticipation pose should be fairly quick and he should only move back alittle bit.
2) When he goes into the smooth pose, the symbols for the hands seem alittle choppy. Try drawing in new inbetween symbols to help smooth that out. Again, the easing is alittle much. I think you also are extending and distorting the character to a point where it just seems like shapes have no volume. Try keeping the rotating and skeing to a certain extent. I think your skewing is alittle much. It doesn't seem likely a character and move the body the way you have. Try just rotating pieces, drawing new ones, or skewing very subtly. This goes for the overall animation.
3) On the last pose when he says "Oh Yeah" his body bends alittle weird, but then after that his body moves strangely to get back to the original pose. I think if you didn't add that motion from the "yeah" pose to the original pose, you will have a nicer inbetween animation.
4) So overall here's my 3 suggestions. Faster motions, less easing, little to no skewing. I think you have a great start to work off of, and you can only improve!

I hope that helps ya, I appreciate you taking the time to do this! Plus it can only help you. Just keep working on it!

Best,
Steve

[Jennifer Adkins]

Wow what a cool idea this is. I'm honestly not so much of an animator as a flash web designer and illustrator but I feel that if I know flash well + have art skillz then someday I can animate. Sooo why don't I make this my first attempt? I've always wanted to be an animator and I think I will start today. :)

[Stephen M. Levinson]

Sounds good! I love your enthusiasm!