What is a good vid ref ?

Last night, My mentor talked about "What is good vid ref ?"

We tend to think it has dynamics motion, such as Jim Carrey. Yes, It is true( Of course, Jim is a best actor) but most important things is a "texture".
Even though body motion is statics, If you could  make or catch a "texture", that is definitely the good vid ref.

So what is the "texture"?

look at around 0:03.
He grab a rock, then he search a good point to get a grip. and at  the same time he find out good foot position. In other word he find a balanced position.
 Around 0:10  again he try to find a next good position.
These are very detail, indeed but it makes 'believable' feeling in your animation if you put these in.
So if you want to make a "believable" animation, pick a "texture" and put it in yours.

some little note

When I start I animate, I've got some good notes from mentor.

Lots of them are kinda very detail things, but these are put in a right place and right time, then boom! our animation makes "reality".

• Think about what leads what. And drag  follows.
• Do not forget over shoot.
• Do not make just A to B action.  Make a break down. 
• Do not move things just same time. It makes your animation "Robotic"
• Think about characters motivation.
• Think about character's physicality, Is he fat or not, Is he muscularity or not....etc.
• 8 frame is a 4 beats

I know these are very basics and every boos talk this. But  the point is you should put these note at "Right time and Right place". And I also know, It is not easy...

bouncing ball

Bouncing ball is a basics for animation. Every one may be do this animation. Then get some important things "Timing and Spacings". I know this is a very basics but in here, I'd like to think a impact with bouncing ball.

Do you catch difference between left and right ball? 

The left ball has strong impact for jumping, but right one has strong impact for landing.

What makes this difference?  see the below.

left ball is landing and squashing is done on the same frame, but in the other, squashing and landing is done individually.  Which means we can see squash and landing not same time.
I don't want to say which one is wrong and which one is collect. Because answer is up to a shot.
In some shot we need landing impact but others we need jumping impact.
Just little differ makes lots impact for audience.

Things to check for in Final Animation

Clean arcs. Follow limbs and body parts’ trajectories (head, hands, pelvis, knees, shoulders, elbows, etc). Across the shot and make sure their paths are curved and not angular
Weight Transfers. Have the body move from planted foot . Your cannot move both feet at the same time.
Balance. Take care to check that your character is on balance (to camera)
Multiple Views check. Playblast your shot from different viwepoints. You’ll be surprised with what you see. Cheat less if you can.
Breathing. Make sure to have your character breathing if your shot is at all a closeup, or non-action shot.
No locked feet. Try to never lock your IK feet off. The foot rolls and squishes into each step and pushes and rotate out of each steps.
No Locked off anything. Keep it organic. Check render for “dead pixels.” Often hells, clavicles, brows, eyelids, hands, cheeks, and torso.
Animate toes. Always animate toes through footsteps, weight shifts, pivots and more.
Animate fingers. Offset your fingers so they don’t all move at the same time. Don’t do too much.
Facial animation offset. Offset the Left and Right face animation and the upper to lower face as well. Don’t move everything together.
Eyes. Eyeline is important. Eyedarts  keep characters alive. Animate the lids whenever the eye move. Dilate pupils in Close-ups.

These are basics but some time we forget these things.