HappyLand tutorial files

[Mikdog]

Hi guys,

So I have 52 episodes of HappyLand Shorts I've made. They're all available to watch here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1lzFfmf ... p_play_all

I'm wondering, whether to release all the files as a learner package and / or for commercial use. See, I spent months tailoring these characters into easy-to-use puppets with pre-defined actions, like walk, run, duck, bend, jump etc... so the user need only choose the action at the appropriate time and insert into timeline.

In addition, I've made the files super-clean and logical. And they're fairly small, as everything I've made is in AS (the eyes are switch layers, mouths pre-rigged - really, everything's been made to make things fairly quick).

At the end of making this series I was putting around 2 shorts together per day, including the animatics.

I'm thinking of releasing ALL these files, 52 of them, with explanations of how they work and how I've rigged everything. Indeed, viewing the files themselves would be a clear indicator of what I mean and how I've created the process fairly clean, uncluttered and although it took me a while to find the best ways of rigging a character, fairly light and simple (but the characters are pretty deep). Each leg has its own action, its been a while since I used these files but I was like a juggernaut putting it all together.

Along with all the files I'm half-planning to release some tutorials about best-practices I've found for animating in Anime Studio Pro. As some of you may know, Smith-Micro's used a fair amount of my work, particularly my Goldfish music videos, to demonstrate some of AS' capabilities. I also, as a side, have all the AS scene files for Goldfish's previous music video 'We Come Together': http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=7-tNUur2YoU

I've also got 2 videos up on Smith-Micro's homepage:

http://anime.smithmicro.com/


Its been a fairly busy time one way or another and I haven't got round to releasing these. Question I have for you is - would you be at all interested in something like this? It'd be chance for me to make a bit of money now that I figured out how to set up an online shop. There's a wealth of information in the files - real-world examples of how the camera works, how various interpolations between keyframes work - when using smooth, when using stop keyframes, how to get ease with the jumps, how to get good arcs with jumps, how to structure the file grouping for characters to keep them versatile and easy to not get too cluttered ... I personally would have REALLY liked to have seen something like this starting out with my AS adventures. Might have helped open my eyes to a bunch of things early on for me to build on.

Please let me know - I'm keen to do this, if you could maybe let me know ballpark what you'd consider a fair deal to pay for a set of these along with the instructional guidance videos / documents.

Many thanks,

Mike
909pop.com

[jhaustin1969]

Hello Mikdog,

While I'm not sure how much I would pay for what you are planning on doing, I would certainly consider making a purchase, if it was reasonable.

In addition to that, would it be okay if I put your blog on the Anime Studio Toolbar & the Anime Studio Link Collection Website? (Links in my signature, if you are not aware of them)

You've got some GREAT stuff on there!!

Thank you,
Joe

[neeters_guy]

Fabulous idea, man!

Would the documents include a cross-reference of the concepts covered in the files? That would make it easier to pick and choose areas of interest. Also, a list like this would make it easier to assess the value of these as a learning aid.

And, yes, I would purchase these.

[InfoCentral]

Sounds like a very nice idea! I wouldn't have the slightest clue how to go about cost estimating this package.

[Dust]

Yes. I would be interested as well

[funksmaname]

Mikdog Masterclass

This could deffinately become one of the most complete AS resources available, especially since it's mostly already done. The question is how much you would want to earn with it.

Was happyland a paid project? has the work already been recompensated, or are you trying to recoup your investment by selling these tutorials? I think this makes a difference to how much you should charge.

There is one argument that this is fairly advanced knowledge and therefore shouldn't come too cheap. The work is so stylised, I don't know if you should give people the copyright to do as they will with the files/actions/chracters - and if so, I would probably package the happyland character packs as separate products to the learning materials, and compensate yourself accordingly for letting the characters go.

It would be hard to enforce as the characters would all be included in the tutorial series, but I don't think this should include a license for re-using them.

The cheaper the tutorials are (without rights) the more you're likely to sell. I'm sure you have a potential market even amongst the more experienced of us - we are all process voyeurs! It would also be an ongoing passive income for many AS versions to come as new users will want this set.

Perhaps you don't need to include ALL the files for all characters and episodes - and treat it more as a masterclass for character rigging, process, using photoshop etc and only include as much as is necessary to illustrate your point with a few examples. That way the people who have no intention of learning but just want the characters can get the character packs, and vice versa. It will keep the cost down and likely keep your sales up!

[uddhava]

Sounds like a great idea.

[Mikdog]

-edit-

long post removed. I'll trust that I'll figure something out. Thanks for the replies guys.

[chucky]

I don't think you should do it, Mike.
Those characters are yours, you should keep them.
You may be proud of the elegance of the files, no need to go handing them out to irresponsible thousands to do as they wish with them.
I think you are under valuing what you have done by doing that for chump change and a few thanks.
The IP is more valuable for you and you have a ready made production line, don't do it, hold out and expand on it, write a series and hire people to animate it.

They were really great by the way, well complimented by the 8bit sound to.

[Mikdog]

our thoughts converged, chucky. last night i also figured i probably shouldn't. and if so to sell something, to maybe do it with a brand new character, or to do it with a scene from a project I'm currently busy with. I think the user would probably be more interested in seeing the process and best practices when setting up, than in the characters themselves. that said, viewing the working files for these shorts would make a lot of abstract theory practices clear about how they could be applied to a real world animation and how to string them all together, but, i really did pore over those things, so, might wait for a better opportunity to use them.

anyways, thanks for the thoughts guys, not sure if i'll ever get round to making a tutorial, but, if a project comes along that lends itself to it, may do that.

have a good weekend,

m

typed on a phone clickedly click

[pikamoo]

I just picked up the trial and today bought the ASP on Amazon for 69.99. I've been looking for a good eBook that would walk me through examples to complete a full story. Each example building on previous knowledge learned. Then after finishing a simple story the book would teach me to create another animated story but with more complex examples. The book might consist of about 4 or more stories.

I have seen this in game creation books that teach by example but I havent seen anything for ASP. The one I see is outdated. Game Maker Apprentice is an example of what I am looking for in an ASP book. GMA takes the reader through about 5 or 6 games with each game being more advanced.

I just thought I would share this since there is no book out there for ASP 8. Also it looks pretty easy to sell eBooks through amazon.

[InfoCentral]

Nope, none of that available here. Smith Micro does have, what I consider way overpriced, tutorial book that is based on an earlier version. It is available on Content Paradise.

[AmigaMan]

The tutorials that are provided with the software are excellent. A 'story' you should be able to come up with yourself. It's a little different with games as, presumably, each game example in a tutorial book will teach you progressively more complex games. If you work through the provided Anime Studio tutorials you will be able to create ANY story you can think of.

[jhaustin1969]

You may want to check out Animationfun101's Youtube video series, that starts at version 01.01 and goes to 12.01 for Anime Studio.

http://www.youtube.com/user/animationfun101

It is based on an older version, but I have learned a TON from him!!!

Very professionally done and Highly Recommended!!

Thank you,
Joe

[AmigaMan]

Very professionally done because they are the VTC Tutorials that this guy probably has no right uploading to YouTube!