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What are Fulcrums

Fulcrum Points in Cascadeur are those parts of the character's body that touch the ground.

The fulcrum area is represented with a green line. This area can change during animation. Walking animation in particular makes a good example:



On intervals where both legs touch the ground the fulcrum area would be big. Then it shrinks and now only encases one foot.
 

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Exercise #1: Animation with constant fulcrum points

To get a better understanding of how intervals with and without fulcrum points work, we can make a simple animation:


  • Take the SImple Model from the sample scenes.
  • Set keys on frames 10, 20 and 30.
  • Set interpolation to Bezier clamped.
  • Enable the AutoPhysics assistant.

In all frames, both feet are fulcrums. The bar above the timeline is colored green. 


 

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Exercise #2: One fulcrum point

Next, we can make a bit of adjustment to the animation from the previous exercise.


 
  • Go to frame 10.
  • Move the character’s left leg up.
  • Play the animation and see how the physical assistant reacts.


Now in frame 10, there is support on only one leg. Intervals from frame 0 to frame 10 and from frame 10 to frame 20 are also with support on one leg only. 



Thus, the whole interval from frame 0 to 20 contains only one fulcrum. The bar above the timeline is colored yellow!
 

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Exercise #3: Interval with no fulcrums

Take the animation we made in the previous exercise.


  • Go to frame 20 and raise the character’s right leg.
  • Play the animation to see the changes made by the physical assistant. 

Between frames 10 and 20, both feet are in the air. I.e. there are no support points at all in this interval. The bar above the timeline is colored orange. 



At such intervals the physics corrector creates ballistic trajectories!

 

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