Undecided? Animation layers will let you organize and create unlimited variations in your work. Much like layers in Photoshop, you can control what curves are playing where and how much they influence the final result. Mix and match to your heart's content and come up with new ideas.

How Animation Layers Work

IF YOU'VE USED GRAPHICS PROGRAMS like Photoshop, then understanding Maya's Animation Layers will be a short leap from there. Layers let us stack multiple versions of spline curves on top of each other, which Maya then mixes together the way we want. This default behavior is one of two available layer modes, and is called Additive mode. A simple example would be two layers for the Translate Y attribute:

You can see how the two Y curves are mixed together for the end result. While this alone can make working with curves simpler, particularly with more complex examples, the real flexibility is in how we can adjust the weight of each layer, much like opacity in a graphics program.

Instead of editing the curve itself, simply turning the weight of Layer 2 down to 50 percent reduces its influence on the final result by half. It looks like this:

Likewise if we switched that concept, and reduced the weight of Layer 1 to 50 percent, we get this:

Since the weight is just a slider, we can instantly experiment with any ratio of weights, giving us exponentially more options with no extra spline editing.

When we use layers, any animation we've done before the first animation layer was created will be labeled as BaseAnimation in the editor. BaseAnimation is not actually an animation layer, so we can't adjust its weight or turn it off.

Creating animation layers stacks them on the base layer. As far as Additive mode layers (which is the default) go, the order doesn't really matter and the results should look the same. Override, the other mode, does take the order into account. When we set a layer to this mode, it essentially mutes any animation on layers below it that share the same controls or attributes. Animation above an Override layer will be added into the end result.

When working with layers, lock the BaseAnimation to keep it from getting accidentally keyed.

Animation Layer Basics

NOW THAT WE UNDERSTAND how animation layers work, let's see in Maya the example that was just illustrated. The Translate Y curves are exactly the same as the previous pages’ example, to keep things consistent. You'll be able to experiment for yourself and see how the weighting of a layer affects the animation. Weighting can also be animated just like anything else, so curves can have different amounts of influence throughout an animation, continuing to expand the possibilities. Finally, layers offer some nice organizational colorizing, complete with different colored ticks in the timeline, which can be a lifesaver if you're using many layers.

After this cheat, we'll use layers to make some improvements to a completed facial animation scene and create some new variations.

1 Open layerExample.ma and switch to front view. Right now only the BaseAnimation is active, which is the ball translating in X from left to right.

2 In the Layers panel, switch to Anim layers. There are the two layers above the base, with the same animation as in the example on pages 274–5 we just talked about. Currently both layers are muted.

3 Click the Mute button for Layer1 to unmute it. Our Translate Y curve from the illustration on page 274 is now active and the ball travels upward. Muting is a great feature for comparing how different curves affect the end result.

4 Re-mute Layer1 and unmute Layer2. You can see the Translate Y curve from Layer 2 in the illustration on page 274 at work.

5 Unmute both and they are added together in the final result. You can see that there are two separate Translate Y curves in the Graph Editor, separated by their layers.

layerExample.ma

If you have lots of layers and the Graph Editor is getting crowded, right click in the Graph Editor's left panel and select Animation Layers Filter > Active. Now only the active layers’ curves will appear.

6 Select Layer2 and move the weight slider down to .5, or 50%. Now the peaks of the Layer2 Translate Y curve are half of what they were. Remember that we haven't changed the actual curve at all, only the amount of it that is combined into the final result.

7 Set Layer2's weight back to 1 (100%) and slide Layer1 to .5. Now the ball only reaches half the height it used to at the end, but the bounces are back to their full sizes.

8 The K button next to the weight slider keys the weight attribute. You can set a layer's weight to different amounts throughout an animation. Once you set a key on it, a curve called “Weight” will appear under the layer's name in the Graph Editor, and you can edit it as normal.

9 Right click on Layer2 and select Layer Mode > Override. The name turns bold and the ball only moves up and down. Override causes a layer to not evaluate the layers below that have the same controllers. Since the ball's move control is animated in everything below, they are overridden.

10 MM drag to reorder layers, and the lock button protects them from being keyed or changed.

11 Right click on the colored Ghost button to set the layer's color. This will make all the key ticks for that layer in the timeline the color you choose. Clicking on the Ghost button will also enable ghosts for that layer in the color as well.

A layer in override mode mutes any layer below that has the same controller or attributes, including the BaseAnimation. You can put variations on separate override layers, and mute back and forth to compare.

Creating Variations

ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS about animation layers is they give you freedom to try new things without messing up what you've already done. This is especially useful if you're doing work for someone else, and they're undecided about which direction they want. Rather than having to save multiple versions of a scene and jump back and forth, you can keep everything in a single scene, yet separated the way you see fit. Better yet, I've been in plenty of situations where I've shown three or four versions, and they liked something from each. That can be a nightmare to put together sometimes! Animation layers eliminate all of these hassles.

We'll open a scene in which goon is now saying “I've got nothing to say”, and pretend that the director likes what we've done, but wants to see what it looks like if his body moves are a little bigger and more exaggerated. We'll use layers to augment what we already have, and switch between the versions with a click of the mouse.

1 Open variations_start.ma. Select the body control and in the Anim layers panel click the Create Layer from Selected button. This automatically puts the control into the new layer. Name it “bodyExaggerate.”

2 Click the lock button on the BaseAnimation so we don't accidentally alter our original. Then right click on the bodyExaggerate layer's Ghost button and change its color.

3 In the new bodyExaggerate layer, key the body at f01, then give Goon a bigger dip downward in Translate Y at f09 so his body arcs downward before it travels up.

4 At f22, key the body up, pushing his peak higher.

5 At f31, the new Y curve goes back to zero. Continue to tweak the curve until you're happy with his up/down motion.

6 I also pushed him screen right more in X to go along with the bigger Y movement, again zeroing out at the end of the motion.

7 He now has a bigger body movement and we can switch between it and the original simply by muting the bodyExaggerate layer. If we wanted to see something between the two, adjusting the layer's weight will work beautifully.

variations_start.ma
variations_end.ma

If you need to add or remove controls to or from a layer, select the controls, select the layer, right click and choose Add or Remove Selected Objects.

Creating Variations 2

SIMPLE VARIATIONS, like we just did, are pretty straightforward. But sometimes it's useful to start with animation we've already done and alter it in a new layer. This lets us use the original curve and change it where we need to, while still keeping the original version to compare. Maya makes this a simple process, and it can be very powerful when we want to see subtle variations in an animation.

In this exercise we'll pretend that the director wants to see Goon close his eyes when he raises his head, to make him a little more arrogant. He'll keep his eyes closed until he comes back down on the words “to say”. First we'll extract the original animation on the eyes and put it on a new layer, then copy that layer again for another version to make changes on. When you extract animation, you remove it from the original source, BaseAnimation, and place it into a new layer. Copying the extracted layer lets us keep the original, while having a duplicate to make any adjustments on. Then we'll use the Override mode so only one version is played back at a time.

1 Open variations2_start.ma. Select the Goon's right and left eye controls and in the Layer panel menu bar select Layers > Extract Non-Layered Animation for Selected Objects. This takes the eye animation and places it onto a new layer.

2 Rename the new layer (double click the name) “originalEyes” and choose a distinctive color for it. This is where we'll keep the original version of the animation. Note that extracted layers are Override mode (name in bold) by default.

3 Right click on the originalEyes layer and choose Copy Layer to make a new layer (in Override mode) with the same eye animation.

4 Name the new layer “closedEyes” and choose a new color for it. You can also lock the BaseAnimation and originalEyes layers to keep them from being accidentally changed.

5 On the closedEyes layer, adjust the eyelid curves so they stay shut until f24 or so.

6 Since the eye layers are both in Override mode, you just need to mute the closedEyes layer to see the originalEyes animation. Remember that an Override layer cancels out any of the same controllers or attributes below it.

variations2_start.ma
variations2_end.ma

Instead of extracting, you could have just copied the curves from one layer to another in the Graph Editor. This keeps the curves on the BaseAnimation. It's just personal preference to separate the variations into layers for organization.

Layers for Texture

THE ANIMATION IS LOOKING quite a bit better with our recent additions, and we can instantly go back to the original version at any time. Such is the power of layers. Yet it still needs a little something. A little shake when he raises his head and closes his eyes will add a nice bit of texture.

Creating layers to add in texture is a technique that can save you tons of work, especially if working for a picky or indecisive director. It's easy enough to add in the headshake as normal, but if you're then asked to tone it down or take it out, you have to go back in and edit the original curve quite a bit. Using a layer for the shake, you can simply turn the weight down until they're happy. And best of all, it makes your curves simpler to work with. If you were asked to start with the head rotated further in Y, you can simply adjust the original curve while the head shake stays the same in its own layer, rather than having to tweak where Rotate Y starts and all the shaking keys after it.

In short, layers have lots of uses and you'll figure out plenty more as you continue to use them and tailor them to your workflow. Happy (easier) animating!

1 Open texture_start.ma and select the head control. In the Anim layers click the Create Layer from Selected button. Name it “headShake” and give it a unique color.

2 In the headShake layer, starting at around f07, rough in a back and forth “no” movement in Rotate Y as he raises his head.

3 Work with the curves until the shake looks good to you. I added some more ease in on some of the shakes.

4 The subtle shake.

5 With the bigger movement in the body, I noticed his head needs to drag more in Rotate X. Add that in on the headShake layer, or put it on a new layer if you like.

6 Now you can really tweak things to your heart's content. Using the layers and their weights, experiment with different amounts of head shake, body exaggeration, eye versions, and anything else that you want to try!

texture_start.ma

texture_end.ma

Layers can be parented to other layers. This isn't like parenting with props or anything though, it's simply Maya's way of organizing layers, like folders in Photoshop.

Your Demo Reel:

New Guidelines for a Changing Industry

by Kenny Roy

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY demo reel guides written over the years. However, the industry is changing so fast these days that an updated guide to creating the ultimate demo reel is in order. Use this guide if you are sprucing up your current reel or if you are creating your first reel. The advice given here I've written in part as an animator who's worked at the largest studios on major films, but also in part as an employer myself. Having made the transition, I have some advice I think you'll find handy.

The first rule that is changing rapidly is the rule about how often to apply to a studio. Back when I started in this industry, it was common that a studio would keep your reel on hand for a year or longer, and that if you fit a particular project, you would be contacted by the studio. With a huge influx of students from schools entering the market, the sheer number of applicants has made it so the major studios are too inundated with reels that arrived that week to really take the time to hunt down candidates that might have shown promise a year ago. If you are one of these students, it makes sense that you will want to send your current reel as soon as it is ready. On the other hand, if you have a reel that garnered no responses the first round of sending it out, it's really time to consider how the industry has changed. This means you should spend very little time polishing old work on your reel in lieu of creating new work. A good rule of thumb is, you can send a new demo reel into a studio as long as it has been over two months since you sent the last one, and you have at least two major new pieces of work to go on it. A ten-plus-second multi-character dialog shot would be considered major, as would a character modeled, textured, rigged, and animated in a few short physical tests. A flying logo animation, a particle simulation created from default settings, or mocap editing would not qualify. Studios want to know that applicants are constantly bettering themselves. They want to know that, on the job, you are concerned at all times with creating the greatest result you can. Constantly updating your demo reel is a great way to demonstrate that you are familiar with the rigors of the job and are ready for production. So remember, wait to resubmit your reel for at least two months and until you have at least 20 seconds of new, polished animation on your reel.

The second change that is happening in the industry is again due to the large influx of students graduating from school. Playblasts will no longer suffice, unfortunately. The reason is that many animation curriculums start with a general CG education in Maya, then move on to the finer points of performance and character animation. While it is debatable how well this prepares students for the larger studios where specialization is essential to competing, this situation does change the rules for an animator's demo reel somewhat. Since only a small percentage of the available jobs in this industry are in major 1000+ employee visual effects and feature animation powerhouses, the small-to-midsized studios are enjoying the benefits of having animators who are generalists, and more well-rounded. Again, while most high-end projects need the kind of expertise that typically only an animation specialist can deliver, you need to cope with the fact that your competition may know how to model, UV, texture, rig, light, and write MEL script. If your demo reel is a series of grey-shaded playblasts, it will take a serious amount of disparity in the animation quality for a potential employer to overlook the fact that you have no generalist skills. I know from owning a boutique studio that I can relax just a little bit if I know that a generalist that I can hire based on their animation quality alone will come through in a pinch when I need help on other areas of the pipeline. So, to compete in the largest employment pool of the animation industry (small-to-midsized studios), at the very least light and render your animations for your demo reel. Spend a little time finding rigs to animate with that have nice textures and shaders, and experiment with lighting setups and render settings just a little bit. Spend the most time polishing your performances, but don't be left behind because of your boring playblasts.

Since the animation industry only gets more competitive, your reel should be even more specific. This is an old demo reel tip, but it is even more important now. Professionals used to say, “Your demo reel should match the work you are applying for. Don't send animations of gory insect robots to a company that makes fluffy animations for children's games.” This is still applicable, but you should realize that you are probably competing for a job against people that have some VERY specific animation on their reel. Case in point: one of the animators on King Kong was a lighter before that film who turned in a reel comprised of a dozen or so gorilla tests. Naturally, with so many examples of gorilla animation on his reel, he was a shoo- in for a spot on the animation team. One of the lead animators on that film who worked on the sequence of the brontosaurus stampede had just finished a film in which he worked on a stampede of elephants. Employers truly do cast their animation. So what can you do to be more specific? Follow the trade and visual effects blogs for news as to which films are ramping up their animation and create a short piece of animation tailored specifically for that project. It is not too hard to find news on major studios’ websites about what projects they have coming up. Best- case scenario, tailoring your animation tests will put you in the lead position for a job on a specific show; worst-case scenario, your reel just got updated with more fresh work!

Another guideline has to do with demo reel length. Most advice out there right now says to put all of your best animation on your reel, and to keep it under two minutes. This could be a problem if you just graduated. If you graduated from a popular school whose rigs are very well known, employers are already getting a little tired of seeing the same characters over and over. Even at the expense of demo reel length, it is a good idea to get original-looking animation on your reel. Many deformable rigs are available online, which is a good start for getting a unique look to your reel. This also means that your bouncing ball and flour sack tests should be the first thing to go. I've heard of animators being hired from a reel that is only 30 seconds long. Speaking as an employer myself, I can say that it is much better to have a very short reel of consistent quality than even a marginally longer one with different qualities on display. Why? Because I know that the animator can do at least what I've seen. If older work is on the reel, I start to think what I'm seeing might be what the artist can achieve at most. I will ask an animator whose reel is too short but has great work on it for some more material, or if they would be willing to do a test for the work. Definitely keep the reel under 2 minutes though; that rule still applies!

To DVD or not to DVD? Ten years ago, a DVD was a must for an animation applicant. Today, however, normally a digital file will suffice. You have to call or email the recruiter at the company you are applying to and ask them what they prefer. You will find that most studios prefer digital files these days; we work with digital recruiting databases, and the ability to link your demo reel file to a clickable link on your recruiting file saves everyone that is part of the hiring process valuable time. DVDs also take up space, can deteriorate or stop working, may have region or format issues, and they cost money to produce and ship. It's no wonder they are falling out of style. What this means for you, however, is that you should learn to compress your demo into a file that is high quality but small. H.264 compression is a standard that nearly 100 percent of PCs and Macs will have no trouble playing. Play with bit rate, compression quality, image size, and sound codec to keep your reel under 50MB for a “high quality” version, and under 10MB for a “low quality” version. In your email to a recruiter, give them links to a fast URL they can download either file from, and remember to specify each version's filesize.

Finally, never put anything on your reel that you don't have permission to show. This is another one of the old tips that still pertains. Ten years ago, I remember it was commonplace to sneak out a couple of shots to show recruiters. The thinking was “I'm only going to show it to the recruiter, what's the harm?” Well, now that the industry is so full, and the world is getting smaller and smaller with communication between studios, you are going to be in a lot of trouble if you sneak even your playblasts out of the studio. People will talk, and you will be avoided. In the time of DVDs it was a little different because you could be sure to take the DVD with you when you left the interview. I even had a couple interviews like that early in my career. But now that we are sending digital files, you must remember the internet is forever; sending a digital file that you do not have permission to send is inviting a world of trouble.

The old guidelines have been repeated over and over, and they are still very good. Only put your best work out there. Don't copy a well-known character. Don't use offensive imagery or themes. Don't blast heavy metal music; use music that is very low-key, if any at all. Clearly label your reel with your name, phone number, and email at the head and the tail. Don't bother recruiters every day with phone calls or emails; they WILL contact you if they are interested.

As the animation industry changes at a rapid pace, however, you must adapt and learn to work within some new guidelines in order to be competitive. Remember just one thing: no amount of demo reel magic will improve the animation quality, and the quality alone will get you the job. Focus on improving your craft of performance, polish your workflow, and then do what the rest of us do: send in your demo reel and cross your fingers!