Lip-sync tests

I tested heads, including my one. This was just as a warm up. I worked using a dope-sheet, were you can break down the sound frame by frame. When I animate I have a chart I can follow which makes it a lot easier. Didn't have the sound with me this time, which meant I could not play it back as I went. I didn't realise this was a possibility in Stop Motion Pro, next time I will have the sound to check as well!
The problem with the silicon head was that the whole head stretched when I moved it. This makes the eye sockets barely secure enough to hold the eye. A bigger issue is the mouth shapes. The wire yaw makes it easy to manipulate an open and close movement in a duck like fashion. But it is very hard to make "o" shapes and "m" shapes with this technique. Nothing sticks to silicon either, hens he has no eye lids.
Plasticine has other issues. I prefer how the lip-sync turned out in this material. However, I am concerned with the boil effect where I touch him, especially as the plasticine softens under the lights. I do apologise if the lack of eyes freaks anyone out!

One solution might be to use polymorph plasticine combination. Must try that.
(click on the pictures to see the tests)

I am not even sure if I want lip-sync in my film, but it is always a good skill to have. One thing that was successfully in these test was the 16:9 ratio and the focus experiment. I prefer the 16:9 format to the 4:3. It makes it easier to navigate the viewers eyes!