Flash banners and animation

Copywriting And Animation: Hand in Hand?

ukflashanimator — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:33:50 +0000

The process of animation is one that may well use different parts of the brain to copywriting. Some may say that dealing with words is a more analytical process, whereas moving or creating shapes in animation is a playful, visual thing.

Though this is logical, it may also be said that the recognition of words is actually the identifying the actual shapes. As is well documented, we recognise not each individual letter – but the ‘picture’ a word makes. In this sense then, copywriting is simply the moving around of shapes to create other pleasant shapes – i.e. sentences.

In conclusion, animation and copywriting are very similar – but you don’t need expensve software to write copy.

Animation Courses in Essex

ukflashanimator — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:28:14 +0000

Essex is not know for its wide range of animation companies. It does, however sport a few little animation gems, as this article demonstrates. Colchester – famous for being the oldest recorded town in Britain, boasts the Signals Arts Centre. Here, people can learn the basics of animation, learning relevant software (such as Adobe Flash) – and find out how one might get into this competitive industry.

The problem with Arts Centres up and down the UK offering animation courses such as this (along with many other art related or creative courses), is that it gives many young people the impression that there are a world of job opportunities out there. The truth is, however, that there are a lot of very talented people who are currently employed in London and across the UK – and they aren’t going to die any time soon!

Arts Centres do of course generated enthusiasm for the art of animation – and the many things this medium can achieve. It can educate, inform and entertain. But getting it to pay the mortgage is somewhat more problematic.

Those seeking a career in animation, either in Essex or elsewhere, shouldn’t lose heart. Animation is a business that requires its participants to love the art form – not the bank balance that can result from it. And a bank balance is of course by no means guaranteed.

Animation can be a life long love affair, and creating animation in one’s spare time can be a very rewarding activity. Animation – either in Flash or other programs such as Maya or 3DS Max – requires a stubborn determination. And the first pay-off you’re likely to get from animation is probably seeing your first animated character walk, or your first bouncing ball bounce.

Whatever the reasons for entering the world of animation – the primary one should be fun!

Craig Hindmarsh is a copywriter who also produces Flash animation shorts in Colchester, Essex,

Star Trek Animation and Design

ukflashanimator — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:01:49 +0000

The recent Star Trek prequel has yet again pushed the boundaries of animation – although J.J Abrams is unlikely to have used Flash in his efforts. As with so many great film spectacles, this visual treat was backed up by motion graphics from ILM (Industrial Light and Magic).

ILM are famous for using miniatures in their space craft – as seen in Star Wars and indeed the early Star Trek films. But in the new space adventure, ILM got rid of the models and generated all the effects with computers. Star Trek has an hour’s worth of computer generated animation and graphics – a lot even for a special effects bonanza such as this.

The animation is undeniably fantastic in J.J. Abram’s latest effort – but, sticking to his guiding principles, he has treated audiences around the world with a plot driven Star Trek. The animation garnishing is great, but it would be a dull affair without the top quality script penned by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman.

Tracing both Kirk’s and Spock’s troubled beginnings, we see how the pair wrestle with each other (both verbally and physically) as a mammoth Romulan rogue ship threatens to destroy the Federation – along with a few planets.

Animation software can create a mean explosion, but it can’t generate slick, believable – and above all entertaining dialogue. Messers Orci and Kurtzman, however, can. Star Trek thankfully demonstrates that movie producers can ensure people are entertained with a good story as well as astonished by animation and motion graphics. Many of us will be hoping that blockbuster producers of the future will rely a little more on their script writers – while continuing to lean on their busy little animators.

June 2009 Craig Hindmarsh

Flash – the poor man’s animation software

ukflashanimator — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:17:09 +0000

A colleague of mine, who knows little of animation, recently said he was put off the idea of using animation – as he is a budding script developer. He thought just a few seconds of animation cost the earth and took a great deal of time. I said, in response, that Flash did not necessarily require this kind of time or money – and would produce more than satisfactory results. He was talking about that expensive monster, 3D. Personally, I think the only way to produce animation in the UK of other western countries is cheaply, using software such as Flash, ToonBoom or Cell Action. Unless of course you have a feature film budget – something that seems to occur only in the USA and occasionally in those notorious national protectionist nations – Canada or France.

In the UK, Modern Toss (Ch4) provides a good example of modestly budgeted animation (with some live action) – which relies on the script for its popularity. Its animation might look crude to the casual viewer, and certainly the character designs have been modelled after the Friday afternoon doodle. But personally I believe Modern Toss is carefully designed and written – even f the characters are anything but careful in their actions. The beauty of Modern Toss is that it’s wholly unconcerned with gloss – concentrating only on substance – the proposition that modern life has no substance at all!

Flash animation hints and tips

ukflashanimator — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:15:53 +0000

Using Adobe Flash for the first time can see a little daunting, but getting some top quality animation effects and graphics may not be as difficult as you think. Over the next few entries I will go over some basic animation techniques and indeed some simple techniques for producing graphics.

Flash is a very versatile program in that you can create moving graphics, websites and even full films with sound. The following link directs you to some cartoon animation I have created over the last 2 years. They were made using Flash, Photoshop and Premiere – but some simgle-shot cartoons were made using Flash alone.

http://www.youtube.com/animaxy

You will also find a few other animations and idents I have had the pleasure to work on. But the main focus of that video account is to showcase my Sheep Worrier shorts. I have had some interest from one or two TV producers, and it has been featured on the BBC Comedy Shuffle website, which is currently no longer updated but can be seen here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedyshuffle/creators/craig_hindmarsh.shtml

Hello world!

ukflashanimator — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:03:05 +0000

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!