The Transformative Power of Animation
-Giovanni Spezzacatena :: www.rabideye.com

Almost anyone can come up with some form of definition for “animation” that revolves around the basic idea that animation is ‘drawings that move’, or maybe ‘the technique of making inanimate objects appear to move in film, video, or on computer screens’. What is maybe less contemplated is what this means for the animator, in his or her making this illusion happen.

If you have had any experience with animation – and it’s easier now to try your hand than it has ever been, thanks to myriad computer programs that allow for animation – you know what I’m talking about. There is a certain basic sense of empowerment in being able to produce that ‘magic trick of the eye’ for yourself, and of course, for an audience. Shyness and the usual lack of confidence in drawing ability are set aside with that initial awe when, for example, the word “cat” you just typed onto your computer screen metamorphoses into a picture of your own cat -- and this after just a few simple steps!

The (Not So Horribly) Technical Aspects
Cartoon animation emerges from the projection of a sequence of still drawings that are each a little bit different, one from the other; it’s the differences between one drawing and the next that make the illusion of motion. The careful and studied control of these differences makes for quality animation.

Technically, the phenomenon of “persistence of vision” creates the illusion of motion by blending the rapid projection of one still image with the next one, in the brain. Typically, in web animation, there are about 12 ‘frames’ or still images needed in every second of motion (in film, this is 24; video requires 30 frames per second). The greater the difference between one frame’s content and the next, the faster (and more erratic) the resulting motion; the less things change from one image to the next, the smoother and slower the eventual animation will seem.

That said, the process becomes quite intuitive as you work on a computer-assisted animated piece, through trying things out and immediately seeing what the result is. Like it? Good! Don’t? Try it again, Sam (or Lisa or Jerri…). Sometimes, the animation bug bites hard and after loads of practice, time and paying attention, it can become an obsession, and may very well work itself into a career!

(above: simple sequence showing a ball bouncing with a slight “squash” and “stretch”)

Flash Web Animation and Teaching/ Tutoring
In the past 10 years or so, animation and interactive software -- and especially Abobe’s Flash-- have been transforming the world-wide web into a very animated place to be. People at every level of ability and talent are able to show the world their animations, usually for a laugh, or to tell a story, and sometimes to sell something. Most notably, feature film websites are currently very heavy interactive Flash users (eg.) A website like for example www.GoldenCompassMovie.com uses Flash to its full abilities, making it game-like, with a very high entertainment value. But Flash can also produce simple, gratifying animations with sound, in just a few minutes.

When I was asked to work with a PRACL client as a Flash animation teacher/tutor for the first time in May, the weekly two-hour sessions presented a new challenge to me as a long-time instructor at the college and university level: how to keep up with the student’s booming enthusiasm, without getting him frustrated and mired down in the many technical details? Certainly, an interest in the art form is great, but liking to watch animation almost never translates into actually making your own films.

Luckily, Flash’s visually simple two-dimensionality and automated ‘in-betweening’ process (where the program in essence fills in the incrementally different successive drawings between the two images you provide) proved useful here in surmounting that initial learning curve.

Another tutoring aid was the use of pre-made graphics that I drew before the session, or digital photos I had on hand, and could then be moved, faded in/out and maybe ‘morphed’, with little or no drawing involved. This quickly developed into the introduction of the actual drawing tools, to the use of audio and now, interactivity as well. You can see some examples of the finished exercises on my website’s tutoring page at:  www.rabideye.com/Flashtut  You can also download the new Flash version for a 30-day free trial (Mac and Windows versions) at www.flash.com (follow the links to downloads). Other animation programs are available online, and some are even shareware.

Animated movies and even film festivals like the Sprout Film Festival (www.gosprout.org) are beginning to reveal the largely hidden world of people with developmental disabilities. For the first time, enabled through the world-wide web, audiences of all ages and abilities can view and engage in movies created from the very hands, minds, and points of view of people with disabilities, themselves. With some direction and basic technology, anyone can engage in this creative process, and computer animation provides the tools and rapid feedback that can increase self-confidence and employability.

You may contact me at: Giovanni@rabideye.com for more information and tips on getting started in computer animation. Or visit my website at: www.rabideye.com