Impacts

Creating an effective impact animation requires using a combination of Animation Principles.

In this lesson we are going to review 3 crucial aspects:

Overshoots
Anticipation (This is the aspect I'd like us to focus on the most)
Moment of Impact

Overshoots

The top example is someone pointing angrily. Take note the space between frame 5 and 6.

The second example is a smoother point. Something more steady and controlled. Frame 6, rather than being an extreme, is now more of an inbetween.

Let's now build on Overshoots and go over the related topic of Anticipation

Below, look at the drawings on the left. If you inbetweened from one to the other you'd have a smooth but rather subtle animation. Perhaps if the character is mildly surprised and they're taking time to process, this could work. However for a fast animation, going straight inbetween might feel a little jarring.

Now look at the drawings to the right. If you want to create a snappier animation, it becomes helpful to build anticipation. The two red frames inbetween would go in the opposite direction, and they would happen rather quickly. Then when you snap to the landing spot, since we anticipated the movement, the audience should understand.

Below, is the same concept broken down a little futher. In this example we have anticipation and an overshoot.

Moment of Impact

Here's a tip on how to get the most out of your impact

Breaking down Anime Action scenes frame by frame, you'll often see frames of anticipation. Usually just one frame of the arm moving forward, sometimes two. And then MANY frames of the reaction to the punch.

Here is a breakdown from the film Ninja Scroll. This scene was animated entirely on twos. The first two drawings shown anticipate the punch (there are many more not included in this breakdown). The third drawing shows the punch action using Smear lines. Then by the fourth drawing the impact has already happened, and the pillar behind the character had already begun to crumble. This results in an impact that feels very powerful.

Remember, scrolling frame by frame can be an excellent way to break down and to study your favorite animations:

YouTube= "comma (,)and period(.)" move back and forth by one frame

QuickTime= " left and right arrow keys" move back and forth by one frame

Vimeo= " HOLD SHIFT + left and right arrow keys" move back and forth by one frame

By contrast, let's take a look at a Tom & Jerry style impact

This scene was animated entirely on ones.

Start at 0:37

Camera Moves can also be used to help empasize an impact. A lot of the time, the camera move can be added in After Effects after you've animated the scene. Let's take a look at this Emperor's New Groove clip where Kuzco the Llama gets hit by a frying pan. This is a Disney film, but the animation style is heavily influenced by Looney Toons.

Notice how the camera is initially at a Medium Close Up. The pan contacts the llamas' face for one frame, there's a one frame delay for comedic impact, and then the camera abruptly zooms out while the abstract "seeing stars" components form around the lamas' head. After the impact lands, it zooms back at a less abrupt pace.

Start at 2:40

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