Making The Visit - Animation Test

I have added several new shots of Oksana in her room listening to her parents through the door. This is the scene where she realizes all is not well in the household. The first image below is the background painting of Oksana's room. Next is the shot as rendered out of Flash with some darkness added.

The movie has been going slowly for a while now. I simply have not been able to concentrate on it. I'll try a little harder to get through to the finish.





Click the play button below to see these shots added to animation test.

Making The Visit - Animation Test

Slow work isn't it? But here's another shot added to the pile. Oksana closeup looking into her bowl at the dinner table.



Click the play button below to see these shots added to animation test.

Making The Visit - Animation Test

The father has come home and now we fade into a shot of the family at the dinner table. This is a difficult shot because all three people are moving and must work together to convey something. It's a quick shot but it's the first time we see the family together.



Click the play button below to see these shots added to animation test.

Making The Visit - Storyboards

Here are four new shots for the storyboard. Oksana has entered the cabin and moves toward the fireplace. She opens her sack and finds the bread, cheese and matches her father packed for her. She starts a fire and boils a small pot of soup that she makes with bread and water.

I am now using YouTube to host the storyboard as a video file. This should prevent any loading problems for slower connections.






Click the play button below to see these shots added to the storyboard movie.

Making The Visit - Character Animation

Oksana's father comes home and watches her scrub the floor. I am gaining a better feel for how to animate these characters. Notice the little touches of movement I am trying to put in for the father as he takes off his hat and stands there. The body looks alive by adding subtle hand and head movements. The character must always be expressing something. My next task is to add facial expressions to the father for this shot.

Making The Visit - Character Animation

Oksana's mother watches her scrub the floor while eating candy from a bowl. Here is an image from the animation. The shot is composed of multiple layers. The main components of the shot are a background painting of the wall and cupboard, the animated character sitting in the chair, and the table in the foreground.



Here is the background painting.


Here is the initial guide sketch drawn directly in Flash to provide a basic map of the image.


Click the button below to see this shot added to the animation.

Making The Visit - Character Animation

Oksana continues to evolve. She is patterned after anime characters because I think the technique helps give her a cute but capable look. Her eyes are becoming more definite and her hair is getting a lot of scribble added into it. Watch the animation below to see her first close-up animation.



Click the play button to watch the animation.

Making The Visit - Animation Test

Here's a color test of the opening of the film. You will see how the background art for the town and Oksana's house lead the viewer into the story. I am doing this because it is essential to give myself some indication of how the background art and character animation fit together.

Click the play button to watch the animation.