Bouncing ball example

Importance of different parameters to the quality of motion:

• Original motion minus squash & stretch still looks realistic because of different amount of spacing (vertical gaps between frames)
• That minus inbetween frames still retains natural feeling because of contrast in timing (more time at the top)
• Equal timing & spacing makes it look extremely machine-like

Spacing: more spacing near the ground than top; frames at lower height are "put on 2's" (2 copies of each frame); 2 frames at the bottom.

Squash & stretch: amount of squash & stretch depends on the character -- too much squash & stretch makes it look silly; for heavier (or lighter) look, don't increase squash & stretch -- adjust height of jump and scale of object instead.

Animating more complicated characters based on bouncing ball

Break down the character into each body part in a hierarchy based on anatomy ("excessive breaking of joints"), put balls and apply bouncing ball movement at each control (e.g. a dog: bouncing balls at pelvis and shoulder)

Follow-through: a way to add more character without too much motion (e.g. excessive squash & stretch); make the movement of body parts lower in hierarchy follow that of its parent with a little time gap; can be applied backwards through hierarchy, e.g. dialog while walking: head moves in anticipation of jaw, pelvis in anticipation of head, etc.