How can I be better

[IamWeird33]

With each movie that I make I get a very mixed response. some people like it some people hate it. Some people like the style but thought the movie's plot was good. And some people absolutely love it.
And it's pretty much the same response I get to every movie I make. So I wonder If I'm making any progress. The problem is that I just don't know how to get better. One problem is that I don't get enough criticism so It's not easy knowing whether or not the general public will like it. I want to be good and successful but in a good way. With my own original stuff. But I'm so lost about what to do.

[Headshot777]

You're in the same exact situation as I am. I suggest getting an FLA by a professional animator and just looking over their work to see how they do it.

Er.. well that's what I'm going to try soon.

[hdxmike]

At 11/5/09 08:28 PM, YavonnaHugstand wrote: Shape tweens

Very funny.

First come up with a plot that isn't complex but not plotless design your characters , not just the look but the feel ,are they :
Happy - sad
Rich - poor
Healthy - sick etc

This will help you with the unique movement of each character.

Do some thumbnailing ( making little shots of whats happening and a little text description )
Story board it (like large thumbnailing) rough sketches of scenes
Create an animatic (rough camera shots with small bits of animation to show directions of movement)
Flesh out the animatics in basic and make sure everything is timed and spaced well
Chart out the movement
Inbetween it 1st time round so its around 12 fps , ( leaving i frame inbetween every 2)
In between it further
Go over and add basic details
Go over with more detail ( shading and such )
Review it constantly so you know if its heading in the wrong direction

Thats basically how id go about it, probably missed stuff sorry

[PBass]

Repost again, but here's some good animation resources:

Books you're going to want to look at:

The Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams (If anything you MUST get this one. Check Scribd.com if you can't afford it)
The Illusion of Life by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston
Acting for Animators by Ed Hooks
Pencil to Pixels by Tony White
Stop Staring by Jason Osipa

Great Websites:

http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.
php?t=128706
http://www.animationmentor.com/resources /

Remember, keep at it and keep practicing. Do motion studies and shorts. Animation is bottling lightning one volt at a time.

Here's an in progress swf from my latest animation:
http://spamtheweb.com/ul/upload/051109/7 2744_Scene01.php
Feel free to decompile it and check it out. I'd upload the .fla but I don't have it on me at the moment.
I hope it helps, I'm not a professional or anything, but it might be of use to somebody.

Keep pushing your limits! You can become a great animator if you put your mind to it, good luck!

[IamWeird33]

At 11/5/09 08:23 PM, Headshot777 wrote: You're in the same exact situation as I am. I suggest getting an FLA by a professional animator and just looking over their work to see how they do it.

Er.. well that's what I'm going to try soon.

That's what I've considered. But I really want to do something innovative. Another problem is that I just can't think up my own style that is good so I think I will have to do that at first.

[Mexifry]

At 11/5/09 10:08 PM, IamWeird33 wrote: That's what I've considered. But I really want to do something innovative. Another problem is that I just can't think up my own style that is good so I think I will have to do that at first.

Both PBass and hdxmike gave you great advice.

[hdxmike]

At 11/5/09 09:14 PM, PBass wrote: I'm not a professional or anything, but it might be of use to somebody.

Aww PBass , your so modest

[grafik2d]

Here is a link that help me start out with the basic of animation.

link

link2

Some pointer on pixel art

[Yambanshee]

to add on the other useful posts, always try to take in consideration of what everyone is saying. My main reason for ever posting to the portal (which i havent done in months) is for constructive critisism. I went up from getting almost absolute 0 on my first game, to over 3 after a couple of goes at it.