#50 - Animation - Scene 3 Motion

Before beginning setting up the camera path and model positions for the third scene, where the EMP blast is seen travelling across the screen, I fixed the timing problems which were present and doubling the length of time my animation should have been. I believe this problem was originally caused by not paying much attention to which key-frame new positions were being added to, or not acknowledging the time difference between then, and there were a few seconds where not a lot was happening. To cut this extra time out I simply copied the later key frames for each model into an earlier frame, and in doing so shaved about 5 seconds off the run time, from about 14 seconds down to 9. This is how long it should have been according to the storyboard. I also removed some unnecessary key frames all together, if they were simply delaying the movement time of an object or pushing them off the desired path. Unfortunately, removing some key frames did also make the scene appear rushed, and it was very noticeable that the Venator was jumping to the left. To fix this, I made the Venator jump earlier, before it could be in the camera's view. I also moved it a bit closer to the middle from the start, but I still need there to be some distance between the two ships for the seconds scene. This proves that, as I stated before, this was not the best way of doing this, and perhaps I should add a motion path just to be safe.

Only three key frames compared to the seven that were there before
Once everything had been fixed before scene 3, I set the new key frames for the Venator and the Invisible Hand. These consisted of only small movements forward, but the Venator passed the Invisible Hand's hangar parallel and therefore is in the ideal position to fire the EMP across the ship, ending at the hangar which will lose its shield. This positioning is important, because this third scene contains a lot of the effects which will make the animation good. I think at the moment the positioning is fine, but any improvements will be easy to make should they be required.


Now that the motion has been set for scene three, I feel that the first half (roughly) of the animation looks how I visualised it (in terms of movement). There are of course some changes that can be made to make it better but these will be saved until then end when it is easier to see how everything comes together from start to finish. For example, I think the Venator comes into view slightly to quickly for the Invisible Hand to finish its first scene, but I will fix this when I have the whole 30 seconds to adjust, rather than changing it now and changing it again then. Otherwise, the animation seems to coming on well.

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