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Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends

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Hey, this is my first time posting on this board! Foster's is really, really cool. I love it a lot. And I am absolutely shocked to hear that it's in flash. I hold Foster's in the highest animation respect.

I do have a question; Where can I get the theme song? It just makes me wanna dance and spin around! If there's a link or if someone has a full copy of it and can send it to me through a file, that would be so nice. Thanks!!!

Tarek

Our show, "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends," is on this month's cover of "Animation Magazine." There is also a multi page article about our show and with the show's creator, Craig McCracken. So happy reading. :)

The Ape

I for one would like to congradulate you and the crew on that show. Most often, I feel that Flash animation looks like 2D's retarded cousin. Even some Flash shows that people find wonderfully done, the Flash elements ruin it for me.

However, with this show, alot of those problems have been neutralized somehow. I mean, it's Flash but it looks almost as good as 2D. There's no sense that these characters are Flash robots trying to look 2D, they just look 2D and wonderful.

I won't ask you how you accomplished that because that's a trade secret and I'm sure you wouldn't want any of your competition to get wind of it. I'd just like to say "Hats off to ya! Keep up the good work." :cool:

Order my book Jesus Needs Help on Amazon or download on Kindle.

You can also read the first 18 pages of my next book for free at this link: The Hap Hap Happy Happenstance of Fanny Punongtiti

Thanks Haredevil. We just tried to treat it like animation, and using all the principles of animation; arcs, anticipation, squash and stretch, weight, overlapping action... all that good stuff. Of course I'm biased , but I still think it's one of the most "animated" shows out there today.

Mahalo,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

Hi Juako. I'm not to sure I understand, but you asked about an arm moving up and then down, and what part of the arm moves first. We'll use your icon as the example. There are going to be three animation principles going on in the action. Anticipation, overlapping action, and over shoots. Though I guess technically over shoots aren't one of the 12 principles, but hey if anticipation is one, so should over shoots. Right? Huh? Huh? Anyone?

Things tend to move from the center of a body out. So with the arm being held out like you have it. First thing that's going to happen is the arm is going to relax slightly before the action. This happens because a muscle can contract more efficently from a more relaxed possition than from a contracted position. So the arm is going to drop down slightly.

Then on the way up the shoulder will rise up first, followed by the elbow and then the wrist. Each part following slightly behind the part in front. They will then stop in the same order, shoulder first, then elbow, then wrist. Nothing with multiple joints stops, and starts for that matter, all at once.

When the arm stops at the top, it will do what's called an over shoot. The arm will reach it's highest point in the movement, and then settle to a slightly lower position. Try and do the same action with your own arm and you will see what I mean. The arm will over shoot it's final ending pose and then settle back. Also for the ball, the ball will stay in the hand the whole way untill the first frame of the overshoot. In other words don't have the ball leave the hand before the arm starts coming back down. Not that you did that, but I thought I'd add it in for good measure. :D

Hope that helps you out some Juako.

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

That’s just perfect!!! You clear my doubt. I cant apply all the suggestion in my icon because the arm its just a single graphic, however, from now on I will animate with those ideas. I had doubts, but with “Things tend to move from the center of a body out” and “ Nothing with multiple joints stops, and starts for that matter, all at once” you clear them. I’m going to print the 13 principles :D and put them in my desk wall so I never forget them. My dream is to be able to animate like its animated Foster you don’t get an idea of how many times I watch every episode from foster and pass the action in slow motion I just love what you are making.

The first time I saw foster I was in the USA and I just love them but when I came back to Uruguay and saw them in Spanish I love them even more. Bloo´s voice in Spanish its more finnier than in English. Its my opinion maybe I like them more because its more familiar to my ears. I prefer to watch movies or tv program in English but I cant know why I prefer foster in Spanish.

I can’t wait to see your tutorials in your web!!!

I'm dying to see it! I didn't have cable when it came out in the US and now I'm out of the country (and still with out cable). Does anyone know if it's coming out on DVD soon?

Thanks for the animation lessons, Ape. They're very helpful.

Producing solidily ok animation since 2001.
www.galaxy12.com

Now with more doodling!
www.galaxy12.com/latenight

I'm dying to see it! I didn't have cable when it came out in the US and now I'm out of the country (and still with out cable). Does anyone know if it's coming out on DVD soon?

Thanks for the animation lessons, Ape. They're very helpful.

Check this link out.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419326/releaseinfo

That seems to be just a "planned" release date as I can't find any info elsewhere that would indicate it's actually happened. At least it seems that they are planning a release. I'm looking forward to it.

Thanks for the link.

Producing solidily ok animation since 2001.
www.galaxy12.com

Now with more doodling!
www.galaxy12.com/latenight

Hey Juako, I'm glad that helped, and that what I wrote actually made sense. Your icon animation looks better already. Alittle variation goes a long way. The ball still looks too even. Remember to ease-in to the top pose, and to ease-out on the way down. I did alittle thumbnail of what I mean in an earlier post you can check out here. http://forums.awn.com/showthread.php?t=3100&page=5&pp=10
It's about halfway down the page.

You can keep the same timing you have, just vary up the spacing of the ball on the way up and on the way down.

As for Foster's coming out on DVD, I have know idea. I checked amazon, and they had nothing, so that release date is a bit off.

With all this hype kdiddy, you're finally gonna see it and think it's nothing special. :P

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

With all this hype kdiddy, you're finally gonna see it and think it's nothing special. :P

It's funny, somehow I missed your thumbnail explanation of the ball the last time it was posted (and yet I continued to argue, I've grown some since then ;)

And I doubt I'll be unimpressed. I'm a big fan of the McCracken and Tartakovsky animation style. I love how a seemingly simple animation style can be used so cinematically.

Anyway, it's nice having you give a glimpse into the exciting world of broadcast animation. I'm sure I speak for us all when I say we really appreciate it.

Producing solidily ok animation since 2001.
www.galaxy12.com

Now with more doodling!
www.galaxy12.com/latenight

Hey Erik thanks for your help, i will correct the problem with the boll , well its really a coin but its impossible to distinguish that in so low quality.
Today I was watching foster in an episode that appear a friend that’s look like it was taken from dr. Zeus books, watching how he was animated I realize that bloo´s hands are just one graphic and that graphic is over his body graphic with that they never have the problem that the hands are below his face (his eyes and mouth) they still have the problem that some graphics have lines and other not. Erik I want to know if my hypotheses are right and one more thing if you need a new graphic for the animation you draw it in flash or you ask for this graphic to another person because not always you can adapt graphics. Thanks again. IM GOING TO WATCH THE NEW EPISODE FROM FOSTER. :D :D :D :D
bye

...watching how he was animated I realize that bloo´s hands are just one graphic and that graphic is over his body graphic with that they never have the problem that the hands are below his face (his eyes and mouth) they still have the problem that some graphics have lines and other not. Erik I want to know if my hypotheses are right...

Juako, I don't understand your question.

...if you need a new graphic for the animation you draw it in flash or you ask for this graphic to another person because not always you can adapt graphics.

It really depends. If it's something quick and easy, like an arm, the animators will usually draw it themselves. If it something more complicated like a specific hand that the director wants, or a facial expression, there is a person that will draw, and flash these out for the animators.

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

yeh that show is real nice,another one making the 2d medium look great. :D

fantasmo show!

The question is if bloos arm and hand its just one graphic
Like this:

Attachment 

I'm still not quite sure if I understand your question, but yes, Bloo's hand and arm are one symbol. Sometimes we keep it as a symbol, and other times we leave it as raw artwork and animate it out frame by frame.

Once again, I'm not sure if that answer's your question, but I hope it helps.

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

Thanks your answer its perfect .

By the way, congrats to Craig, Mike and Ed on their Emmy wins. They deserve it.

Blahdy blahdy blahdy blahdy blahady...

Just wondering, I was searching around IMDB and found the Foster's page and saw that the show is rated TV-Y7 for the EDITED version and rated TV-PG for the unedited...
Is it true that the show is edited for content Ape? If so what for? Are there any unedited versions released on Adult Swim or anything?

Here's the page I saw it at (scroll down):

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419326/maindetails

Spoooze!

The only different versions of the show I've seen is from the premiere showings on "Fridays" and the re-showings on other days. This is just a difference in the credits. The one's on "Fridays" don't have the cold tag running durring the end credits. The show is not ment to be aired on "Adult Swim."

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

Okay lol. It just suprised me what I saw on IMDB.
Spoooze!

Great Show

Hello Ape,
Its nice to meet the guy who is responsible for this great toon!!!!! Not only do I enjoy it but my son also does. Its a show we can both sit down and enjoy. Do you have any plans on bringing cheese back. My son cant stop talking about him and actually mimick's him pretty good. Do you have any sound clips of cheese that I can use as my e-mail alert?
Keep up the good work.

Saw this for the first time, believe it or not, this past weekend. Wonderful...charming..

Great Show!

Hi Ape,

I love the show! It's so hip--the animation reminds me of graphic art from the 50s. How did you manage to stay away from--you know... the perfect vector line? Some bits look like they were drawn by hand. How'd the Foster crew do that?

A'las Poor Yorik, I can't go around giving away all our secrets now can I? :D But they use several different methods to not make it as crisp and vector looking.

I'm glad you like the show Graphiteman. Thanks for the kind words, that means a lot. I think it's really funny how some find it "wonderful and charming" and others can find the same show "hip." Those usually don't describe the same show :)

I'm glad you and your son enjoy the show Jettug. I'm not the guy created "Fosters" I was only an animator on the show. As for more Cheese... I donno, like Bloo said, a little cheese goes a long way :P I don't know if they plan on bringing Cheese back, but you never know. He is after all Mac's neighbor.

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

..........I'm glad you like the show Graphiteman. Thanks for the kind words, that means a lot. I think it's really funny how some find it "wonderful and charming" and others can find the same show "hip." Those usually don't describe the same show :)

.........

It was only one; The one with Bowling Paul.*

Not being hip, I don't recognise "hip" if it bit me on the leg.
That's a good thing. Sometimes nothing sadder than a hip fortysomething.:)

*was visiting someone who subscribed to the station that has Foster's..that's why only one so far.

Hey, this is my first post here. I HAD to join knowing somebody who works on Fosters posts here. My teacher gave us the link to this site at the beginning of the quarter so i have been keeping up with the news and today it directed me here. (i attend the Art Institute of Seattle)

anyway...to get back on topic. fosters home for imaginary friends!

This show is great. it is hilarious. Bloo is an awesome character. Probably one of the best ever created. His cosntant personality really helps. I love the Skribbles episode. The show is just awesome. Nice style, and oh man the animation. The animation is amazing. It is amazing how much life bloo has yet he is just a little blue blob. Some of the movements actually look 3D, mainly the facial movements, when they go up and down. Mac's walk cycle and run are so cool. I am always analyzing the animation in this show to see how you guys do things.

What character do you like to animate the most? do you specialize in one character like you mentioned earlier?

"who wouldn't want to make stuff for me? I'm awesome." -Bloo

Hi Blinkme, and welcome to the Forums. What subject does your teacher teach and what's your major at Art Institute Seattle? Just wondering.

Yeah, I really like Bloo as well. He was one of my favorite characters two animate mainly because he is so maliable that I'd like to push his poses and shapes when he'd move from pose to pose. I also really enjoyed animating Mac and Frankie as well.

No, they don't assign specific characters to certain animators. It's more by what each animator is better at. Some are better at action, so they get the action scenes. Other's are better at subtle animation, so they get the subtle scenes. Then each animator is responsible for all the characters and animation in that shot they are assigned.

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

so u gunna be upgrading to flash8 ape?

My teacher is a 2D animator. I have had him for intro to 2d animation and storyboarding already. He also teaches Audio for animation and portfolio classes. But the class I have him now in is Advanced 2d animation. I am majoring in animation. I just switched over into the Bachelor program after attending for a year now. "Media Arts and Animation" is what they call it.

I have some more questions about the show if thats alright. Flash was like the first thing i ever animated with. Back before i even started at the art institue. so its cool to know they actually do make shows with it. I mean i can tell some other shows that really look like they are made in flash, but Fosters doesnt really show off "hey, im made in flash"

anyway. So do you guys do hand drawn animations traditional style then scan them in and color them in flash (what we learned this quarter)? or do you just start straight from flash? Is a lot of the animation tweens? or any of it? is it frame by frame? Do you use a lot of Symbols? or movie clips, for like walks and runs? Do you usually end up with a lot of layers? like Head layer, body layer, face layer...kinda thing?

alright well, thats enough questions for now. haha. I will probably have some more depending on the answers i get :D

its time to be off to school actually, last day of the quarter!

Thanks for your time ape.

"who wouldn't want to make stuff for me? I'm awesome." -Bloo

Hi Animated ape,

I stumbled on to this thread while browsing through other threads in the forum. I initially thought that this could be a thread posted by some "imaginary friends" fan and being a fan myself I decided to check the thread out. I was pleased to find the thread to be posted by someone who actually worked on the show, as it would give an oppurtunity to talk to an animator of a top notch animation show. I'd like you to know that show is gaining popularity in India too, and I am sure its unique look has got a lot to do with it.

I am eagerly looking forward for you to answer blinkmetoys' questions, as they are also the questions which went through my mind when I first saw the show.

Until next time,

HS.

"So do you guys do hand drawn animations traditional style then scan them in and color them in flash (what we learned this quarter)?"

I've never done that, and not many other animators did that either. It's been done a few times, but it's not very practical to do that very often when they have to animate an entire 22 minute episode in 4 weeks.

"Is a lot of the animation tweens? or any of it? is it frame by frame? Do you use a lot of Symbols? or movie clips, for like walks and runs?"

Yes, quite a bit of the animation is tweened. We would key frame out the inbetweens if we need things move on arcs. We only use symbols, movie clips should only used for web page animation.

"Do you usually end up with a lot of layers? like Head layer, body layer, face layer...kinda thing?"

Since we use tweens, every symbol lives on their own layer. It's not uncommon to have upwards of 50 to 100 layers for very complicated scenes. :eek:

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

Hey Ape,
Just wondering, what's the hardest or most frustrating episode or scene you've worked on in Fosters? Are there any?

Spoooze!

I can't remember the name of the episode. It was episode where Ed runs away and meets up with Terance and becomes a wrestler.

This was just a fustrating scene on so many levels. There was nothing too complicated about the animation, it was just a heavy, heavy, scene.

The scene starts off in a medium shot of one of the incidental teens talking to Ed, Edd and Eddy with the three of them in back 3/4 views. The first kid stops talking then Ed, Edd and Eddy turn to their opposite back 3/4 views and walk off. Then the camera trucks out some thing like 700% to reveal a huge wooden crate. Terrance comes walking in from screen left, pushing Wilt, Coco, Mac, and Bloo. Shoves them all in the crate. Slams the crate door shut. Then the crate jumps in the air with electric lightning effects all around it.

What made that scene so difficult is that with so many characters all animated in the scene, the file was so huge that it took forever to make changes. So what I ended up doing was animating each group in their own FLA. So I animated the first teen. Then I animated Ed, Edd and Eddy. Then I animated Terrance. Then animated the Foster's gang. Then had assemble them all together in on huge FLA, and Flash REALLLLLY didn't like doing that. It was no joking, copy, paste, go to lunch for an hour. What also made the scene complicated was that the first teen, and Ed, Edd, and Eddy were all incidentals and throw away gags, and were only in my scene. So I only had one pose for each character to work with. Not a big deal, as we do that a lot, but it didn't help matters any. I am pretty happy with how that sceen came out, even if it did take me two days longer than I budgeted for :D

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

I have some Flash related questions if thats alright. Is there any way to link a symbol on a layer to a symbol in another? so that, for example. if i move the body of a character, their arms will go with it? Oh, and i asked a flash teacher this, and they werent sure...can you set up ease in and ease out in a tween? or do you just have to set frames between the two positions?

You mentioned above about some characters were given to you in one pose. So for each character are you given like a set of basic symbols to work with? then you create any special ones specific to the scene if need be?

How many symbols is Bloo? i mean he is just a simple shape...but he is so bendy, do you work with him as just a shape(in flash terms of what a "shape" is)? those crazy and unpredictable shape tweens? frame by frame shape movement?

and just curious, what kind of computers do you guys use? PC? Mac?

"who wouldn't want to make stuff for me? I'm awesome." -Bloo

For the record, Adam, that would be Eddie Monster.

Blahdy blahdy blahdy blahdy blahady...

Blinkme, I'll answer your questions in the "Animator's Desktop" forum tomorrow. Sooo tired now..... 2 am in Germany....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. lol Check in there tomorrow and I'll post it as a new topic. Kay?

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

haha. awesome new topic ape.

but i have a couple little fostersish related questions, so ill slap em in here.

Can we be expecting a Fosters DVD anytime in the future? haha.

oh and. you know on cartoon network...well...do you actually watch cartoon network? do you ever watch your own show? but anyway.....on CN they always do these little scenes before and after commercials. They have the 2d characters in shows in a 3d rendered environment doing various obscure things. (like samurai jack buying a broom. Billy and mandy digging a hole) Do you guys do the animation for the fosters characters in those?

Do you think you could get ahold of some development things from the show and give us a peek? like maybe a few storyboard panels? character designs/model sheets? a set of symbols for a character or...i dont know...just somethin kewl to look at. would make this place more Show and Tell ;)

"who wouldn't want to make stuff for me? I'm awesome." -Bloo

^ What Blinkmetoys said!

I'm glad you like the new thread Blinkme. By all means keep posting Foster's questions and comments here. I just wanted to make a new thread that pertains more toward character animation.

Can we be expecting a Fosters DVD anytime in the future? haha.

I'm sure eventually they will put the seasons out on DVD. I don't know when though.

They have the 2d characters in shows in a 3d rendered environment doing various obscure things. (like samurai jack buying a broom. Billy and mandy digging a hole) Do you guys do the animation for the fosters characters in those?

Those 3D/2D bumpers are not animated by us. They are animated by a studio in Australia, but their name escapes me at the moment. They have posted job listing on AWN though.

Do you think you could get ahold of some development things from the show and give us a peek? like maybe a few storyboard panels? character designs/model sheets? a set of symbols for a character or...i dont know...just somethin kewl to look at. would make this place more Show and Tell ;)

No.

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

The group Erik was trying to tell you about is Animated Logic in Sydney, Australia if you know what I speak of.

Blahdy blahdy blahdy blahdy blahady...

Do you think you could get ahold of some development things from the show and give us a peek? like maybe a few storyboard panels? character designs/model sheets? a set of symbols for a character or...i dont know...just somethin kewl to look at. would make this place more Show and Tell

Isn't that illegal lol?
Spoooze!

Those are the guys Jim. Thanks. You can check out their work here: http://www.animallogic.com/home.html

I don't know about illegal Spooze, but it wouldn't be very professional of me. Besides, I think I tell you all enough don't I? :p

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

Those are the guys Jim. Thanks. You can check out their work here: http://www.animallogic.com/home.html

I don't know about illegal Spooze, but it wouldn't be very professional of me. Besides, I think I tell you all enough don't I?

Aloha,
the Ape

Those little "spots" on CN look great. I find it hard to belive those backgrounds are CG! They look like they are built by hand and shot with a camera!

lol ya illegal is not the best word now that i think of it. You probably would get in trouble with CN if you posted that stuff though. It is confidential am I right?

Spoooze!

well i didnt mean he would steal them and post away. Get aproval or whatever need be. I mean game studios post concept art and whatnot. Animation handouts ive gotten have simpsons storyboard panels and model sheets.

im just saying. i understand though. tis ok.

Do you animators get much face time with the shows creator, Craig McCracken? (sp?)

"who wouldn't want to make stuff for me? I'm awesome." -Bloo

McCracken is a very nice guy and very busy. He often busy with meetings, working on the story and script, and storyboards, and all that stuff. So he doesn't really have the time to look over every shot with every animator. But I'd see him pretty often in passing.

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

What's he like? Is he a good guy to work with (when you work with him that is)? Does he supervise any of the animation at all? Or is that another guys job and he works on the story?

Spoooze!

Do you guys actually do the audio (sfx. voices. etc.) in flash? like is the final audio from the flash file? or put in after with another program?

for you to sync up motion with sound is sound put in a flash file for you before you guys get to work on it? or do you actually slap them in and time it all out?

I guess i am also curious how timing things out works in this development. Since you have different people working on different parts is there somebody who dedicates how long this scene is and you fill it with the content?

Do you animators have meetings with the storyboard artist and or other people to review the episode and what needs to get done and how long?

"who wouldn't want to make stuff for me? I'm awesome." -Bloo

The audio is recorded in the recording studio. I'm not sure what software they use for that. Then the animatic ( storyboards timed out with the dialogue) is put together in After Effects I believe, but I'm not sure about that one. Then that gets chopped up in to scenes with the dialogue to be handed out to all the animators. The sound FX and music is added in post.

Lauren Faust is the Animation Director, and she goes over all the animation and if the animators have questions, they can ask her about it. McCracken has final say over everything though. He views the animation in batches about every week.

Aloha,
the Ape

...we must all face a choice, between what is right... and what is easy."

Lauren Faust is the Animation Director, and she goes over all the animation and if the animators have questions, they can ask her about it. McCracken has final say over everything though. He views the animation in batches about every week.

Okay thanks :D
Lauren Faust....
I've seen that name a lot on Foster's.

Speaking of which, I just saw the new one animated by Boulder Media. The one where Dutchess is adopted and Bloo and Mac try to get her back into Fosters.
LOL! FUNNY Lord of the Rings spoof :D
Madam Foster: Show no mercy, for if she get's back in, YOU SURE AS HECK WON'T GET ANY!

Wilt doing the skateboard thing was funny too.

Does Craig McCracken like Lord of the Rings? He seems to like spoofing it lol..

He's very creative.

Spoooze!

haha, yah that episode was cool. It was a nice little surprise. I totally was not expecting it then BAM. Quite dramatic. Good stuff.

attack of the killer tomatoes!

"who wouldn't want to make stuff for me? I'm awesome." -Bloo

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