noob to ASP: making a dance circle

[skash91]

Hi all,
I've just recently started to use Anime Studio Pro 8, and am still learning the basics. I have undertaken a project to create an animation of a group of people holding hands and dancing in a circle. There are some other animations in this project but this will be the main part of the animation. The dance will look something like seconds 0:26-0:50 of this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNIG-FNQURs

My question is other than creating the characters and layers and rigging them with bones, how can I synchronize them with the same dance and same timing as to create a dance like the above?
I know its a very broad question, but any help would be appreciated.
Thank you

[patricia3d]

Great 2.5D Video of Group Dance.

[Víctor Paredes]

It's actually a hard task. Maybe the character wizard could help. If you create a new action for the dance (for all the character views), it would be easy to create and modify different characters dancing in many angles.
Here I made a little test using the default CW character and the jump action


Anyway, it's not a good start for a beginner, in my view. It involves many tasks and working with several channels and layers.

[GCharb]

I agree with selgin here, quite a task you are asking of yourself, but as mentioned, the wizard might help you with it.

You would need to create several characters with full turn around, which usually involves 8 views and match those to the proper beat.

[3deeguy]

Synchronizing to music will require you to create a click track. You can create one in an app like "Audacity". You also might want to study some of Mikdog's music videos.

[patricia3d]

Great Selgin Great. You are above all.
No Doubt. Please disclose the trick

[Víctor Paredes]

Great Selgin Great. You are above all.
No Doubt. Please disclose the trick

Thanks, kkrawal.
Anyway, what I made was simple enough. I only ordered the characters on the circle and then move each one to its left during the premade jump. I had to animate layer order to keep the depth sensation and switched the characters view in the middle of the jump to give the sensation of turning.
You can download the anme file here:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/54411/AS8/jump%20circle.rar

[crsP]

My question is other than creating the characters and layers and rigging them with bones, how can I synchronize them with the same dance and same timing as to create a dance like the above?
I know its a very broad question, but any help would be appreciated.
Thank you

Analyse the music track, as suggested. Listen for the 'beats' in the music. Animate the characters to perform the poses on the beats. Then they will dance in synchronicity. Tada. If they look similar like in the example you provide, you can just make one and duplicate it. Use actions.

selgin, I don't get your suggestion for using the character wizard in this situation. If they have to make their own characters it wont be faster trying to mould these frankenstein monsters. And you can use actions without the need for the CW. It's like suggesting someone makes a character, puts it in the library start a new document, then grabbed the character from the library . The library is an unnecessary step. Same as the CW in this case. You're moving shady these days selgin - are you getting incentives for CW promos? I'm watching you... heh

[Víctor Paredes]

selgin, I don't get your suggestion for using the character wizard in this situation. If they have to make their own characters it wont be faster trying to mould these frankenstein monsters. And you can use actions without the need for the CW. It's like suggesting someone makes a character, puts it in the library start a new document, then grabbed the character from the library . The library is an unnecessary step. Same as the CW in this case. You're moving shady these days selgin - are you getting incentives for CW promos? I'm watching you... heh

SM micro gives me ten bananas for each post I write about the CW. It's going very well and I hope to be installing my own banana republic soon.

Ok, I recommended the CW because I like how you can edit the actions looking all at the same time and reuse them easily. For my Frankensteins example I used the premade jump and it was pretty easy to create the circle with that. I just thought it could be a good advice for a newbie trying to make a very complex task. I'm not a huge fan of Character Wizard, but I'm not in a war with it or with any other feature, I think always there are occasions where they can make things easier.
If you don't agree with my advice it's ok, of course, we are in a forum to discuss and decide what to take and what don't.

[patricia3d]

Hi Selgin?
Is there any way to convert your ASP8 file to ASP62
?

[Víctor Paredes]

Hi Selgin?
Is there any way to convert your ASP8 file to ASP62
?

I read someone created a Flash program which is able to do that. But I never have seen it.
Anyway, theorically, you can edit the anme file in notepad, but I never understood what to change.

PD: this specific file is full of patch layers for the joints, so you will have problems with that in previous versions.

[skash91]

thanks for all the replies. to be more specific, the dance will actually go something like this sequence: characters are in a circle (presumably holding hands or each other), characters take two steps forward (circle contracts), two steps back (circle expands), and they move towards the left (circle rotates), repeat. this is all that really needs to be done. another dance involves a third step. the music doesn't need synchronization with the dance, which is lucky for me lol.

so i was thinking i could combine the jump circle you gave me, except add the walk to it. is this do-able? would i have to create a transition between each sides (as a walk to the left)?

thanks again, appreciate it greatly