Benjamin Menist
Lockdown Animation Project
If slideshow below doesn't load, click HERE to open in new tab
Earthrise Animation Project
If slideshow below doesn't load, click HERE to open in new tab
Personal Animations
This animation was actually a remake of a stickman fight series I started on an older iPad using the timelapse feature on a painting app rather than actual animation software, so putting the older version on here would be tricky as I can't export the timelapse directly. Still, after saving up for a new iPad, I wanted to remake the fight scenes using an animation app so that I could improve them, and this is the first part. I think it's a good example of how I've improved my animation skills over time, especially how the animation gets smoother further into the fight, though I can definitely improve some things for the second part, adding in more effects and camera angles. I especially like how a sort of story is told through only actions without words, which should become more apparent later in the series, and I think my main inspiration for this is Alan Becker. One of my friends is also currently adding some sound effects to it to enhance the movements and add further clarity to it, but currently the video is silent.
This is an animation I was effectively commissioned to do by my Dad, since it goes along to one of his tracks and was officially released with the song on YouTube. It's my longest animation yet but because of the deadline I was actually able to finish it in about a month. This was also because it's not the most complex of animations and I really enjoyed thinking of interesting shapes and motions that could loop to fit with the rhythm of the tune. I think there are some really mesmerising sections later on which I'm quite proud of, but I think my favourite bit is when the track seems to be calming down only to suddenly blurt out again in a sharp twist, which I mirrored with a sudden contrast of colours and shapes, using bright red and industrial cogs to fit the new sound. I also enjoy the cyclical nature of it, both starting and ending with an eye, an idea I was pretty proud of thinking up as it gives the meaningless variety of shapes and colours some sort of satisfying conclusion despite no real explanation, like in other music videos.
This is my most recent finished stop motion animation (I have another which is massively work-in-progress) and also the first that I animated with new effects and features on my new iPad. After constructing this fortified hobbit hole from Lego, I wanted to make a stop motion showcasing its features, similar to what I've done with some other builds of mine. This time, the animation was more professional with smoother motions, cleaner backgrounds and better sound design, which I did myself after filming, using iMovie and some extra downloaded sfx (all royalty-free). There are instances in this animation such as the floating hammer where I used blu-tac to hold it in place then removed the supports in post-production, which I found very fun and gives such a cool effect. However, there are definitely some animation and post-production techniques I could improve to add more appeal and clarity to this showcase, such as layering some animated effects over the video, which I haven't fully learned yet.
This is a much older stop motion I made, but many of the things I learned from this I still use today. I can't quite remember if I had a plan in my head when I started making this, but I soon thought up some sort of basic storyline about a boy killing monsters to save his friend. At the very start, the animation looks quite choppy with random objects in the background, but by the end the motions are smoother and cleaner, with some water effects using blu-tac more complex camera movements. I also like how the lighting improves over time until it becomes its own effect that enhances the story rather than simply making the scene visible. That being said, there are many things I would improve if I made this now, though it would take a lot longer, not just with the animating but with the story and set design as well. I honestly don't know if I could improve the audio myself (the voices are by me and my younger brother) but I could get a friend to help make the sound design more professional so it adds further depth to each action.
This may be the oldest animation on here and there are many things I could improve, but I like it as a marker of where I was and how far I've come, plus it's still a good watch. Some of the motions are a bit jerky and not too interesting or complex, but it still does a great job showcasing the features of the repairable shipwreck and its island. My favourite bit is probably how the ship comes together so neatly, but I also like the effect of the still camera with everything moving around it. Some sound effects could definitely enhance this though, like in my hobbit hole showcase, and the build could also do with a dust. Aside from that, I'm still quite proud of this as a starting point for my longer Lego animations, as most of my previous ones were even shorter than this.
Click HERE for my YouTube channel where I will upload future animations.
Work-In-Progress Animations
This is my current work-in-progress stop motion, which I've been adding to on-and-off for over a year now, including the time it took to write and edit the script. It's quite an ambitious project which I'm sure will take several years at this rate, but I'm hoping I can keep chipping away at it until I have something substantial. So far, I really like how it's coming together: the characters, the motions, the setpieces. The planning I've put into this should make it a really high quality animation, from the dialogue to the camera angles. It's by no means perfect, though, and already the automatic focus on the camera that shifts every time I move something gives everything a jittery effect, which I'm not sure I like. For future scenes, I'll try a manual focus to mitigate this effect, and also see if there are any more interesting motions I can make with the help of blu-tac of some special effects. Still, a good showcase of where I'm at so far.
It's been another year and I've realised being away from home for university will continue to prevent me from filming the stop motion I originally envisioned. So once again I have cut down the script, this time with significant alterations to the story to make it more like a short fable, and now I'm hoping to finish filming before returning to Falmouth. Then I should be able to finish up the post-production and audio over the summer and finally have a completed animation I can be proud of. Any future stop motion animations I make will have a much smaller scope, that's for sure.
This is another fairly ambitious animation that I've been working on for over a year now. I didn't plan it as much as my stop motion, but I'm trying to really refine the visuals and motions, hopefully with painted backgrounds as well. This animation was about a fight between two characters my friend and I created, called Layla and Selzarr, both inspired by the world of Hollow Knight. Once I've finished the linework, I will add colour, shading, backgrounds and some extra effects, while my friend will do the audio design, so it should turn out really polished and entertaining, eventually.
I actually completed the animation part of this project last year before leaving for university, and the only reason it isn't finished yet is because I'm waiting for my brother to finish balancing the audio, which has come with many issues along the way. It is getting close now though, so I recently made a thumbnail for the video in preparation and am super excited to see the finished result some time this summer.