VFX LESSON FOUR (SKELETON)

With this lesson being one of the last Phil decided to show us more complex things in after effects. He asked us to create a skeleton out of the shape layers. So rectangles and circles for the limbs and joints, very basic shapes nothing complex. Then adjust the centre point so that they were nearest the limb or joint they were going to be attached to. Then parent them to each other. For instance, the right foot was parented to the right shin, and the shin was parented to the thigh, then the thigh was parented to the pelvis etc. This was a really fun but complicated exercise to do! once that was all parented and together we used a plug in called Durik, which was an animation plug in that helped the limbs moved. It was a really cool plug in as you could select which limb was what and it would link it all for you so the limbs were then properly attached. Once this was done we could key frame the limbs so that they would move, or do a little dance. However, when I linked all my limbs up with Durik, something didn't seem to quite settle, somewhere in my parenting it had gone wrong and some of my limbs weren't properly attached. I had a look over to see if I had just missed something, but when Phil checked it he couldn't see anything either. But I didn't let this bring me down I still key framed my little skeleton and him being not properly connected just made him look more funny.

I hope you enjoy. Thank you.