Okay Samurai showcases tutorials and creative projects from me (Dave Werner). I currently live in the San Francisco Bay Area in California and work as the Senior Experience Designer Lead on Adobe Character Animator (but thoughts and opinions on this channel are my own).
Past projects include the Extraneous Lyrics music series, the indie video game Atmosphir, and the Okaydave design portfolio. Some of my work has been featured by Entertainment Weekly, TechCrunch, Laughing Squid, Mashable, College Humor, Kotaku, VH1's Best Week Ever, Slate, FWA and Sesame Street. I also enjoy speaking and teaching at events like SXSW, San Diego Comic Con, How Design Conference, NAB, IBC, and Adobe MAX.
You would need to rig each as +Left Pupil and +Right Pupil and make sure there are big enough Left Eyeball and Right Eyeball layers for them to move in. Check this out for more eye rigging tips: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5SxNChhm0jo.htmlsi=c46RFa0eAKuRWqK4
Thank you very much for your dedication. I’m new to this platform, and I'm struggling to animate a circle character (similar to Footy). Could you please provide a video link or tutorial on how to animate a character like that? Thank you, and good luck!
Check out the head + body rig in the Intro to Rigging video, I think that should help be a good guide: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hK-DjtiPzRs.htmlsi=euHH5Xt5D80tVmq1&t=5585
Hi! I'm with a doubt about adding behaviors in "shareable" layers. Can somebody help me? I'm using the "Ninja" puppet for this example: I chose a layer that is inside of the "shareable" head layer (for example, the "frontal" layer) to add the "transform" behavior. After making some animations with this behavior, such as rotation and position, I created a "replay". Since the "shareable" Head layer is applyed to 5 different bodies (frontal, Frontal, Left profile, Right profile, Left Quarter, Right Quarter), the transform behavior layer is multiplied so that it appears in the 5 body groups. But the problem is that every time I click on "edit replay", the "transform" layers are multiplied by 5, and with that, I end up with dozens of useless layers... This does not change the animation, but it makes the replay very confusing to edit. Is it possible to prevent this from happening? I posted images on the Adobe Community so you can visualize this: community.adobe.com/t5/character-animator-discussions/transform-behavior-layers-are-being-duplicated/m-p/14780723#M25223 If I was not very clear, I can try to explain better. Thanks!
HI Dave, I've been going thru all your tutorials. Great content. Easy to follow. Can you direct me to a tutorial that shows how to animate a Profile shot of someone speaking. Directly profile, 90 degrees. I'm considering layer picker or Nut cracker but haven't found something that shows that straight on side view vs a 3/4 view. Thank you
Walkbot on the homepage is a good nutcracker profile reference. I've seen some people mask or cut off part of the lip sync mouths to only show 1/2 of it.
Depends on the animal, but I talk about 4 legged characters here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hK-DjtiPzRs.htmlsi=GksJ2xkFC2BsRk95&t=5685
@@okaysamurai I've done the practice according to the tutorial, but when transferring the results from AI to CH the mouth layer doesn't work. Sorry sir. Im super beginner hier.
Hard to diagnose here - If the problem persists, please upload a video or screenshot of your issue to adobe.com/go/chfeedback and we'll try to help you out.
I also use Adobe Express to create content, and even though I'm just starting out, the results have been great! It's a fantastic platform to bring your ideas to life. I really like your content, it inspires me a lot."
Question. Hi, when creating a scene with 2 characters, should I import each character's audio as One file and then keep that all on one layer on the timeline? or should I bring in each sentence separately and create a linear back and forth scene with different audio files, cutting the 2 character conversation in Character Animator? Thanks much
Yes, typically I have each character's voice as its own layer, and I time them out in Audition. This video shows my process: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-VhCKD5vl848.htmlsi=_ied0oP8TlTRp9J5
I recorded something, and all my recorded inputs like eye gaze, lip sync, is all there. I exported as an alpha. Noticed my character didn't move while the audio played. Went back to Ch and my puppet doesn't move when I playback what I recorded. again, all the inputs are on the timeline. Its only my puppet, no background or anything else. Why/how?
Things record in the timeline only if a change is detected, so seeing things in the timeline makes me think something did record (if you saw things moving during recording) and I wonder if it's a playback issue. Behaviors could be turned off via eyeballs in the properties leading to them not showing up. Hard to diagnose here... If the problem persists, please upload a video or screenshot of your issue to adobe.com/go/chfeedback and we'll try to help you out.
@@okaysamurai I just figured it out I was pulling up a script to read in notepad so the camera was disabling!! The next thing I’m stumped on or very sad about is not being able to split recordings on the timeline. I have a character I’m performing as talking to someone on the phone and I just did my puppets speaking part and figured that I would fill in the audio for the person later in my video software (die-hard davinci guy sorry lol). but because there are pauses during my performance (to let the other character speak), the pauses are not perfect. I can’t split and move the audio/lip sync closer to create that natural dialogue if that makes sense, thank you for all the help you always provide the community!
Hi! I have this problem: I have a character made in illustrator with all the layers in right ierarchy order. But when I try to rig it in character animator panel, I can't see the legs of the puppet. When I select "modify original puppet" in the panel and I come back to my puppet in AI, I see the legs and everything is correct in the ierarchy order. But in CA legs there aren't. Actually, the legs layer doesn't show any sub-level. Can you help me please???
Something goes wrong... I've done this before in 2020 and everything works, But now NDI6 can't find CA in the source... any suggestion?😭😭😭 Why CA doesn't go tu OBS directly?
I haven't tried the latest version of NDI but if the problem persists, please upload a video or screenshot of your issue to adobe.com/go/chfeedback and we'll try to help you out.
Hi, thanks for the tutorials. I do have a question. All my Motion Library animations are making my character flow. I'm unable to keep his feet on the ground. For example Idle/Angry but he is sliding from left to right and back one inch. Can you tell me how to fix it, please?
No, it is an optional behavior creators can choose to add to their puppets or not. The examples website listed in the video description is a better place to go for motion library examples.
Hmmm not sure, hard to diagnose here - I would just check your rigging vs. the example file to find any discrepencies. If the problem persists, please upload a video or screenshot of your issue to adobe.com/go/chfeedback and we'll try to help you out.
Thanks again for your help! I'm creating a couple characters for a project at work that are supposed to interact with me via green screen for our STEM program. Kids are going to love this!
HI I am back. with a question, I almost done my character but I end Up with the hands moving apart from the body at the shoulders when I move them, and also when I try to move them in front of the belly they are going behind the body! I must have done something wrong !! Any solution ?Thanks
For the arms moving away from the body at the shoulder, usually this would mean the arms aren't connected properly to the body group - check your rigging against an example character and see if there are any differences. For the arm placement, if you want the arms to go in front of the body you would want to put those layers above your body group in the PSD or AI file. If these problems persist, please upload a video or screenshot of your issues to adobe.com/go/chfeedback and we'll try to help you out.
hi, Hello, when you first import the tiger after separating the head and body, it moves synchronously with the camera, but I did not experience such a situation, I wonder why? I did everything exactly as in the first step. I also get this warning: body tracking requires a puppet with an armed (active) and enabled body behavior
Hi, I've created an AI generated character and want to make him wave goodbye. Should I create separate layers for each of his limbs prior to bringing him into character animator, or will creating the mesh be enough?
File > Import a PSD or AI file and then select it in the project panel. If the problem persists, please upload a video or screenshot of your issue to adobe.com/go/chfeedback and we'll try to help you out.
@okaysamurai Hi, I managed to do it, I just switched to Pro version, the good thing is that now is working. I start working along your video for a project. I have a lot of fun, your video is amazing. Keep up the good work. And thank you for the reply
I haven't tried this or seen this personally, but the only way I could think of would be if the hand was independent and connected to the arm group, which would have all the rigging in it...but then I worry that you might have some weirdness with the hand moving on its own, like rotating at the wrist. It's probably worth an experiment but I wouldn't bet on it working perfectly unfortunately.
Follow-up question to my question below: Or, as an alternative, can you make arm swap sets in which one arm layer is below the torso layer, and a second arm layer is above the torso layer?
Hi Dave - If you divide an arm into bicep and forearm, can you place the bicep layer behind the torso layer, and the forearm layer in front of the torso layer, and then tag each portion as an arm, and put the elbow hinge in the same spot on each arm layer, and still have a functional arm? I’m making a relatively realistic character who’s skinny, and the torso is a narrow V; and the biceps need to be behind the torso to maintain the integrity of the shirt lines, but the forearms have to be in front of the torso to make a wide variety of gestures. Thanks - Eric
Custom characters aren’t available for Express yet. You can make your own characters in the desktop version of Character Animator: www.adobe.com/products/character-animator.html
Is there a way I can make fireflies just hovering? I tried using snow but they just fall down or to the side I can't seem to have them just either fall really slowly or just hover
Hmmm, for that I don't know that particles is the best way to go, I might use a cycle layers animation of a swarm of them that I could drag around or something instead.
I never comment on RU-vid videos but I have to say your tutorials are extremely well done. I have to go rig up a collection of characters now thanks for help!
hi i want to purchase the premium version of adobe express so i can create similar content but does any one know if we can animate custom characters now? like maybe a character created with midjourney?
Custom characters aren’t available for Express yet. You can make your own characters in the desktop version of Character Animator: www.adobe.com/products/character-animator.html
Hello. I am having issues with dynamic link. I got very far editing multiple char animator scenes in after effects. I split some of the scenes in after effects and edited extensively. My problem is some scenes freezing within after effects. I am using multiple scenes from different character animator projects could that be the issue? Should all scenes be in one project? If so can I move scenes from one character animator project to the other?
Adjusting the Preview panel can help a lot: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-VhCKD5vl848.htmlsi=JxDPwph2tu7673Ca&t=3877. Yes, I also use a lot of CH scenes being imported and basically the more you add, the slower things might get. You could instead export as PNG + WAV from CH into AE and that would move faster.
Is it possible to make Jamie Sterter Puppet full body tracking ready? I like the puppet but can't make it do anything. Is there some restrictions or it's just me?
With some rigging I think Jamie could be turned into full body tracking. If you're starting with the Starter version she is going to be limited to triggers only, but deleting those poses should give you more flexibility.
They just have several different layers with the lights in different positions and then a cycle layer behavior added to the group with the duration set to every 30+ frames or so. You can download the puppets here and see how they were made yourself: okaysamurai.com/puppets/
