Flip Book

Background

A flip book is a simple form of animation consisting of a series of drawings, or photographs, that when "flipped" through by the viewer appear to create the illusion of motion. A flip book is sometimes called a "flick" book or "flicker" book. When each page is viewed seperately, the characters or designs stand still. But when the viewer flips through the pages with their thumb, the characters and designs seem to come to life before their very eyes. As you have probably figured out already, the principle behind this magic is the "persistence of vision."

Each picture has a subtle difference from the previous. As the user flips through the book at a fast rate, the users eye catches the change and the brain interprets it as motion. If you go through the flip book slowly, the subtle changes in the image may be nearly unperceivable. The trick is to get the right frame rate.

Flipbooks were popularized in the early 1900's by the Crackerjack company that gave them away as in-box prizes. In the 1920's they were used to teach dance steps - an early form of the "educational movie".

Flipbooks have been an important tool for the teaching of animation and remain so today. The flip book is a simple way for you to learn to create the illusion of animation. It is the foundation of animation in motion pictures, computer generated gif animations, and flash animations. An idea for animation can be quickly tested using the flipbook technique. Flipbooks stories are never very long and usually have a single objective that can best be put across short animated movies. Flipbooks are a true form of micro-cinema.

Examples

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HClNcAvD1AY

T-Shirt Flipbook

The making of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AulVwjcnJhI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0eW4i7ghKM (Ma Valentine)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yruOlWp6neE&feature=related (teenage boys)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UocF4ycBnYE&feature=related (Matrix Style Gun)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSrDnIVgVv0&feature=fvwrel (Wheel Cutout)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyfFviZxhvQ&feature=related (break dancers)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuZadShulbI&feature=related (Simpsons)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwUX4lsb8GY&feature=related (Duel)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=9TMuemytXV0 (Benetton)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBGfNqeCVW8&feature=related (Winking Girl)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhHw_v2l56w

Directed by Andrei T. Bakhurin, this fun collaborative animation jam (Multfilm) from Russia (whose full title translates as St. Petersburg is More Than Twice as Little as Moscow) was entirely animated on or with Post-It notes.

Click here to check out some more examples I have gathered.

Resources: Example of Animatics - An animated storyboard that is often created before a film goes into full production.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUpMYPyzVq8&feature=related (Beauty and the Beast)

A tutorial on a flipbook

https://www.amazing-kids.org/old/flipbook.htm#top

Exploration

Before starting your own flip book projects, you have a task to do some on-line research in an effort to find several videos that appeal to you. 

After doing about 30 minutes of exploration, you are to post a new webnode page for your flip book assignments. (Put this tab under your assignments link)

In part 1, you are to do each of the following for at least 2 or 3 of the videos you discovered:

• Post or embed the link to the video (Be sure to state the address)
• In point form or short sentences write a detailed summary outlining the plot of the video and what you liked about the video in terms of content and technique(s).

(Remember, you can't use any of the ones shown to you in class)

Creating your own flipbooks

• Think of an object or action you would like to animate.

Plan It Out (Exerted from: https://www.shmonster.com/creative_corner/Site/Flip_Book.html)

• For example, you can start with a simple stick figure walking across the page. Plan what each still picture will look like. Each such picture is called a "frame".
• Maybe you want the figure to stand on one side of the page in the first frame, then have one leg up and lean forward in the next frame, then stand again in a slightly different spot in the third frame. These three frames will look like the figure is taking one step. Perhaps when the figure reaches the other side, you can show it standing in one spot with an arm up in one frame, then holding the arm over to one side in the next frame, and then holding the arm over to the other side in the frame after that. This will look like the figure is waving.
• Other ideas could be birds, bats, butterflies, planes, frogs.
• Whatever you choose to do... you need to take time to plan it out.
• Think about how the motion will start, and how it will end.
• Keep in mind:
  • Faster motion needs fewer drawings
  • Slower motion requires more drawings
     

Method 1: (Excerpts from Truscio Tutorial)

All you need is a small notebook or note pad with pages you can easily flip. (Post-it note books work well)

• Once you have a plan, get a small pad of paper or a post-it note pad and start sketching. Draw it in pencil, lightly, so you can still erase and make changes.
• Think of each page as a frame of film.
• One way to plan is to draw the first and last pictures before you start. Each additional drawing will move the action from the bottom drawing to the top. A hint is to draw your work centered towards the bottom of the page (This makes flipping easier)

First Pic	Last Pic

• On the next page(s), trace over the drawing, changing it slightly each time until you have completed the animation sequence (For your assignment, at least 24 frames).
• If your paper is thin enough, or you have a light source on which to draw, you can trace over each frame underneath. In otherwords, the previous drawing acts as a guide for the current drawing.
• If your paper isn't thin enough to see through, periodically flip back and forth between the frames to make sure that the drawings are matching and moving the way you intended.
• Flip through the book once in awhile to see how it looks.
• When you have completed the drawings, you can darken the outlines with black ink, and even color or shade the figures.
• Hold the book together at the top with one hand, and use your other hand to flip the pages from back to front to see your image move.

Method 2: (Use Flip Boom Software)

• Now that you understand the concept of creating a flip book on paper, it is time to use some simple computer animation software to create a digital flip book.
• Plan it Out, Save Often, Have Fun and Be Creative.
• Remember the following tips:
  • Plan out your animation before you even get started.
  • It might be easier to start by creating the common elements such as the background and props that will be used over multiple pages / frames.
  • Sometimes it is easier to color objects before placing them on top of other objects (i.e. character over background). This can avoid the nightmare of objects accidentally merging and becoming one. This might result in ugly blank spots being left behind or cut out when the top object is moved or transformed.
  • Consider adding props and repeated elements into the library so they can be reused or restored if you mess up.
  • If creating a character that will move or walk, consider building the characters in parts that you store in the library. The parts could then me assembled to create the character in different poses or positions. For example a character of a baseball player that is going to pitch the ball might include:
    • several faces: front profile, side profile
    • arm in several positions: behind body, bent, straight, finger rubbing brim of hat
    • legs in several positions: planted, raised or bent at knee
    • torso / body
  • Next, add the component(s) that will move or change over the course of the animation
  • Save Often.
     
• Once you have completed your animation, export it from Flip Boom as a quicktime movie.
   
• Open Garageband, and create a movie track that includes your exported flipbook.
• Create a sound track to go with your movie. Be sure to include different levels of sound we discussed in class:
  • Background sound or music track
  • Ambient sounds that make the scene more believable (ex. horns honking, people talking quietly, voice on loud speaker, car zooming by, dishes rattling)
  • Special effect sounds that are directly linked to the action (ex. waiter drops dishes and we hear glass breaking, ambulance races to the scene and we hear a siren)
  • Dialogue or voice tracks
• From Garageband, export the final movie with sound.
   
• For top marks, create two different versions of your movie that have different sound tracks applied to them.
   
• Post your video(s) at YouTube (make an account if nescessary)
   
• In a webnode page, include the following:
  • Summary of the plot
  • Video without sound
  • Video with sound
  • Discussion of what mark you would give yourself and why? Analyze the quality of your work, the depth of your plot development, your level of creativity and effort, and your use of class time. Be sure to focus on both your strengths and weaknesses. Offer some suggestions as to what you would do differently if given the opportunity to redo the assignment or modify it at a later date. Discuss the impact that your sound track hand on the effectiveness and appeal of your flip book project. If you created two versions of your movie with different sound tracks, discuss which version you liked better and why.
  • Include a forum discussion area where the teacher and / or your peers can respond to your work.