Freelancing Opportunity (Animator)

I’m looking for an animator to do some fairly ‘standard’ biped animations.

The animation armature consists of 30 bones, with 3 bones for thumb and 3 bones for fingers and a single toe. The bone hierarchy should not be altered and bones cannot be added, removed, etc. Minor tweaks can be done to the armature to facilitate work, but models are finished for the current skeletal structure.

Animations are for a real time application and are fairly standard human actions (swing, idle, run, etc). Some animations will need to be proper loops (idle, run). I envision the total run time to be around 2-4 minutes.

The final work must be delivered in version 2.56 (not 2.58!) or below. Source material will also be provided in 2.56 compatible files.

Feel free to contact me (via board PM or post in this thread) for more information, quotes, whatever you need. I haven’t really contracted animation services before so I’m sure I left out some crucial information.

post an image or the .blend of the armature (or something so we can see it)

because animators skills can sometimes be for only one type of armature, such as IK, or FK…I personally prefer FK more

And I prefer IK, so some more info maybe? I have done freelance work in the past, but there is always more info telling me what exactly I am working with. Thank You. :slight_smile:

Working on getting the .blend uploaded.

hmmm looks as if its neither IK or FK, it looks like its just a regular bone structure. Well that can complicate the job process, what are you looking at in terms of payment?

The .blend

http://www.gamefront.com/files/20528293/sample.blend

Yes, its a plain armature, though I was under the impression that a simple rig such as that could converted with IK/FK constraints without actually altering the bone hierarchy (aside from implementing additional bones in order to facilitate proper transformation).

As to what I’m looking to pay… well, for me its more important to get the work done properly. I’d have to look at someone’s past work and what sort of quality they are promising me with the constraints that I’ve mentioned. Also, with all contract work I’ve commissioned in the past, I’m much more comfortable with contractors making the proposals. “Here’s what I’ll do, and this is what I think the fair price is,” as opposed to me throwing out numbers which may not represent the complexity of the work involved.

Here is the .blend file with the armature.

http://www.gamefront.com/files/20528293/sample.blend

it would be simple to create a rig, but then your looking at the time that it takes to do that…althought there are many rig “creators” out there, most people like to use a rig that they themselves create, because they are more familiar with it. Just remember, if you hire someone, who then creates a rig themselves, and you dont like they’re work in the end, you will be getting a rig setup that only they know. Wouldnt take much to figure it out, but still then theres the time it takes to do just that.

It would be simpler if you hired someone first to do the rig, that way animators dont have a choice, they have to use your rig, so that in the end, everyone will understand and know 1 specific rig, instead of multiple types.

but without you rigging it, I would drive the price up ten dollars, just because I now have to make my own, instead of being provided with everything I need.

Its just something to look at.

EDIT: also, just looked at the rig, and am messing around with it to see how the form moves and such…

There are a lot of art assets (not just the base model provided in the sample) that are already painted onto the rig I’ve linked. Making a new rig and then re-painting the vertex weights on ~25 unique humanoid models will, I assume, be far more work (and hence, $) than simply animating the rig that is already set up. The only issue is that it is a simple rig without IK/FK constraints which complicates the animation process.

I understand that I’m placing constraints upon the animator, but I am willing to compensate adequately.

ok I see. Although it would be fairly easy to rig this, if I was given a head haha. Ill think about it and get back to you, because I have 2 jobs, and am fixing to get a third, so Im a little short on time.

because animators skills can sometimes be for only one type of armature, such as IK, or FK

ack, animators need to know both!

WRONG. Animators NEED to know both. How else would you work out complex scenes without that? Unless you spend way too much unnecessary time with it.

i love how you automatically understand what works for everyone?

Me i do like to use FK, it gives better control over the actual movement…yes it may take longer, but I PREFER it. Which obviously means I have USED both, and that I prefer to use an FK rig.

so please dont act like you know everything
(ie, what if the animator doesnt know both, are you going to get mad and throw a fit? Not everyone knows everything there is to know about animating, yet some are pretty skilled)

I myself, dont know everything, I just know what works for me, instead of trying to call people out in a JOB posting, why dont you make a bid and prove your skills?

I personally am speaking to the “prospective buyer” about my abilities, and what I (I) prefer.

Just because I know both, doesnt mean I like USING both.

now lets get this thread back on topic, and show this prospective buyer, our adult professionalism, instead of calling each other out please.

Also I am interested, and I will place a bid, after you tell me how much of this project has already been started, and what I will be working with in terms of what I have to animate (such as will it only be the one character? or will there be more stuff, like animating the things around the character as well?)

IK interpolates in a straight line, FK interpolates in arcs. IK is good for “sticking” to things, eg the ground or a countertop, FK is good for nice sweeping motions. Animators should be using both methods depending on the situation.

enough…i prefer what I prefer ok? its not the object at discussion…geez so childish

(well… professionally, if you work as an animator for a company where you have an animation supervisor inspecting your work, it’s important to use IK where IK is most appropriate and FK when FK is most appropriate. For personal work of course it doesn’t matter.)

As for the freelance opp., if you are still looking, I’m currently available. My price is generally 30$ an hour, but it’s negotiable and it depends on time frame and full extent. If you’re interested email me at [email protected] and let me know what exact animation sequences you need. I can work with whatever rig specifications you need. I’ll probably want to add some IK ability to the current structure… but if you need, i’ll even animate the bare armature.

( ahloe.com is blank. See clockedin.ahloe.com for info on my last film. http://vimeo.com/23832392 )

It´s not about preference, it´s about “showing the professionalism” like you say.
Random example, a biped rig without FK/IK switch basically is imcomplete or broken. And you got to use both and be able to use both.
Try to animate a char pull up a ledge without IK, besides it´s a PITA, I´d kick you out of the studio for wasting time trying to match the hands position to the same grasp point for every frame.

Clearly you aren’t animator. You need to know both. Really.

I do, ive been saying this the whole time I PREFER IT…not “i dont know how to use both…”

To add some levity… here.

http://www.animationsalvation.com/ams/animation_education/animation_articles/should_i_use_ik_or_fk_.html

http://splinedoctors.com/2009/01/ik-or-fk/

I mean c’om guys, the issue of using IK or FK has been around as long as there has been IK for rigs. And usually when an animator is talking about preferring FK it is about personal preference in given situations. This is one reason why IK/FK switching is so commonplace these days. And just because we have IK does not mean it is used by all animators in all of the same situations all of the time. Now a walk cycle, you’d probably be insane to insist on doing it with FK given the advantages of IK in this situation. That is probably one thing you could hang your hat on. Keeping a hand in one place would be another. But for most other situations - on parts of the rig that usually get IK - you have two basic schools of thought and practice. It has been this way for a long time and will continue.

Now further, when you consider that there is a tremendous percentage of animation posing that has no special requirement for IK or FK that leaves the field fairly wide open for preference. And an argument on this issue is just as valid as an argument on Pose to Pose VS Straight Ahead technique.