How Spider-Verse Broke The Rules of 3D Animation

Summary

This video explores how 'Spider-Verse' revolutionized 3D animation by breaking traditional rules. First, it introduced varied frame rates for characters, such as Spider-Punk animated on threes to reflect his non-conformist nature. Second, it avoided in-between frames, using smear frames for impact, a technique borrowed from 2D animation. Finally, the movie embraced imperfection by deliberately creating 'mistakes,' like mismatched character details, to mimic comic book art. This intentional stylization pushes the boundaries of 3D animation, steering it away from photorealism toward artistic expression.

Takeaways

• 🎨 **Breaking Animation Rules**: Spider-Verse intentionally breaks traditional 3D animation rules to achieve a unique style.
• 🚀 **2D Techniques in 3D**: The film uses 2D animation techniques like 'animating on twos' and 'animating on threes' for different characters.
• 🤘 **Character-Driven Animation**: Spider-Punk's non-conformist personality is reflected in the unconventional 'animating on threes' technique.
• 📊 **Inconsistent Frame Rates**: Spider-Verse features inconsistent frame rates between characters, which was rare in 3D animation.
• 🔄 **Eliminating In-Betweens**: The film innovates by sometimes skipping in-between frames to enhance the impact of actions.
• 🖌️ **Smear Frames**: To compensate for missing in-betweens, the animators use smear frames, a technique borrowed from 2D animation.
• 📚 **Inspiration from Comics**: Spider-Verse's visual style is heavily influenced by comic books, contrasting the trend of photorealism in 3D animation.
• 🚫 **Rejecting Perfectionism**: The film embraces imperfections to create a stylized look that mimics the feel of comic books.
• 🌐 **Future of Animation**: Spider-Verse is seen as a pioneer that could change the future of 3D animation and inspire new styles.
• 🔮 **Medium Expansion**: The principles of stylization and art commitment in Spider-Verse could influence emerging mediums like virtual reality.

Q & A

What does it mean to animate on ones, twos, and threes?

Animating on ones means a new pose is created for every single frame, resulting in smooth, photorealistic movement. Animating on twos means a pose is created every two frames, a common technique in 2D animation for a more stylized look. Animating on threes, used for the character Spider Punk in *Spider-Verse*, involves creating a pose every three frames, emphasizing his non-conformist nature.

How is Spider Punk's animation different from other characters in *Spider-Verse*?

Spider Punk's animation breaks traditional rules by being animated on threes, meaning one pose every three frames. His guitar is animated on fours, and his jacket is animated on threes but offset by one frame, further emphasizing his anarchist and rebellious personality.

What is the significance of using inconsistent frame rates for different characters?

Inconsistent frame rates are rarely used in animated films. *Spider-Verse* breaks this rule by using different frame rates for characters like Spider Punk, giving each character a distinct feel and enhancing their personalities. This technique adds depth and individuality to the animation.

What are in-betweens, and how does *Spider-Verse* break the rule related to them?

In-betweens are the frames between key poses that help smooth out character movement. Traditionally, animators pose keyframes, and computers or assistants fill in the in-betweens. *Spider-Verse* often skips these in-betweens, jumping directly from one key pose to another to create harder impacts and more dramatic action sequences.

How do smear frames help when in-betweens are skipped?

Smear frames are used to bridge the gap between key poses when in-betweens are omitted. They help guide the viewer's eye from one action to another by distorting or extending parts of the character's body, maintaining fluidity without requiring a traditional in-between frame.

Why is *Spider-Verse*’s rejection of photorealism important for 3D animation?

Photorealism had become the standard in 3D animation, focusing on making everything look as real as possible. *Spider-Verse* intentionally rejected this by drawing inspiration from comic books, emphasizing stylization over realism, which allowed for more artistic expression and flexibility in storytelling.

How does *Spider-Verse*’s stylization break the perfectionism trend in animation?

In previous 3D animations, every detail was modeled after real-world textures, movements, and physics. *Spider-Verse* deliberately added imperfections, like mismatched outlines and colorations, to mimic comic book art and fight the perfectionism trend, showing that imperfection can enhance artistic style.

What was one example of a purposeful 'mistake' in *Spider-Verse*'s animation style?

One example is the animation of Miles Morales' eyes, where the outline doesn't perfectly align with the coloration. This imperfection mimics the way comic book characters are printed, adding to the movie’s stylized, comic-inspired look.

Why is rejecting perfectionism considered harder in animation?

Rejecting perfectionism requires deliberate choices that go against the natural inclination to make everything look 'correct.' Especially in large teams, this process involves careful planning and coordination to ensure that stylistic imperfections serve the story without appearing as errors.

How is *Spider-Verse* influencing the future of animation and new mediums?

*Spider-Verse* is pushing the boundaries of stylization and rejecting the need for photorealism, which is likely to influence future animated films and new mediums like virtual reality. The focus on art style over realism opens up possibilities for more diverse storytelling methods in animation.