Attached Link: http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18519

nemirc: The custom interfaces make it a lot easier. It becomes like tweaking four sliders at once, with one handle. Fewer controls to tweak means less time spent fiddling with each frame, which adds up. We're supposed to be getting a nifty new face rig on "The Tin Woodsman of Oz", along with a squetchy skeleton. I look forward to playing around with it. It's actually going to become the new standard A:M rig. As for whether or not you really need slider driven bump maps for wrinkles on a realistic head, take a look at the films here: http://www.jasonosipa.com/Downloads/Movies/NVidia%20Demo%20Movies/ Pay close attention to 5-10. They compare animated motions with and without the wrinkles. How much more tension and emotion is there in the creased scrunch vs. the uncreased? Besides, Nemirc, you've got Maya, don't you? You can do al those nifty things! Buy the book. You won't regret it. While you're at it, Buy The Setup Machine for Maya. I've got the Animation:Master version, and it rocks. And it doesn't even do all the stuff the Maya version does. Operaguy: I stand behind what I said. She's holding too perfectly still after that first head turn for too long.There should be some subtle motion while she's looking off. A slight imperceptible nod perhaps, or maybe she could just raise her chin slightly in the pause. Even just breating, the slight rise and fall of her chest, would help make her look more alive right there. You also need to animate her eyes moving. Right now they're practicaly locked in place in her head. Her eyes should either lead her head on turns or trail behind, they really shouldn't just turn with the head, unless you throw a blink into the turn, which this one really doesn't need. I suggest having the eyes look over a frame before the head starts turning. you should only need one or two frames for the eyes to move. There should be some other eye movements in there as well. She probably shouldn't pause after she dips her head. I'd have her already shaking her head as she's dipping down, and her eyes should be closing on the way down, and closed when she's shaking it. More eyebrow animation would also help show what she's feeling. I shouldn't need the dialogue to tell what's going on in this shot. All the clues should be there on her face, most of it in her eyes and eyebrows, but right now it isn't. I'm not saying these things to attack you. I'm not getting some perverse pleasure out of poking holes in your performance. I'm going through the same thing myself. I've got an animation director and my bootcamp instructor giving me critiques. I have to redo a run animation, and I'm still not finished with redoing mrball for the third time. Here's three pages of me getting picked on: http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18519&st=0 And, I have to polish all of that off before I can get to the point where I can start animating subtle facial expression. Here's what I'm working through: http://www.hash.com/amtutes/Bootcamp/ABCultra.html I haven't even heard from the other 2?-3? animation directors on the project yet. I had a brief conversation with the director, though. We talked about "Madagascar". I'm going to have to talk to him about my animation sooner or later, and he's directed at Disney. Bob's a nice guy though, so hopefully he won't be too tough on me.