Category: Advanced and Experimental 3D computer Animation Techniques 1

Building on idea two

The image and video above are from Love Death and Robot season 3 episode 4, the episode was produced by Buck a multi national VFX and animation company. Buck used a combination of live action photography and 3D models and the tilt shift effect to create the miniature look of the episode. For the comprehensive artefact project I have chosen idea two from project 1. It will be set in a miniature New York with the tilt shift effect applied using digital methods, I will research how to produce this effect digitally.

Week 3 was spent refining the fingers, correcting the position of the thumb and doing a test animation and further polishing the some parts of the finger.

There was no class in Week 1 due to Nick being unable to attend. Week 2 was spent modelling the fingers.

Using basic modelling tools finger tip and all individual finger joints are modelled, and shaped together into an index finger.

The index finger is duplicated and the mesh is adjusted accordingly to form the other fingers.

No further feedback was given, the previs uploaded in the previous post was accepted as the final version, it was suggested to add in effects such as dust, water splash as well as other particle effects.

Previs 3 from previous week was further improved on, most adjustments were timing related, the transition between the last two shots has been changed.

Building on the storyboard I made three previs for storyboard idea 1. Timing of shot is improved with each previs, some things are further polished to make it look better. In previs 1 camera panned down too quickly in the opening shot, the first person pov shot of the animal chasing the main character bounces too extremely, position of the characters change inconsistently for example towards the end main character is on the left in the shot and in the following shot he is too the right.

Speed of camera pan in shot 2 is slightly slower but still too fast, pov shot bounce is still too extreme, the character jumping from the tree shot is too quick.

In previs 3 opening shot is slower, running shot is different angle too make it more dramatic, pov shot is less extreme and camera bounce looks more natural. Character position is more consistent. When the animal carries the character on his back the camera is on the other side clearly showing the action. Previs 3 is better but needs to be further adjusted.

This is an alternative storyboard that I tried for the first half of the story, the idea here is to strictly focus on the character. To make it more suspenseful and dramatic the very first shot cuts right to the action and we follow the character from then. However I abandoned this idea in favor of the previous storyboard uploaded because the camera work here is reminiscent of video game camera. The angles of the previous story board camera shows the body movement and action more clearly, it’s more readable and cinematic.Some of the shots in this version of the storyboard lacks continuity, in shot 2 he is running from left to right, in following shot he is running from bottom of the screen to the top and in shot 6 and 7 he is running from right to left. This can be confusing and lacks continuity.

Modeled basic props and the first shot of the storyboard, set up the camera identical to the frame in the storyboard. George’s feedback was to try a panning shot and end the shot with the puddle visible, use rule of thirds and bring the horizon line down a little bit.

Experimenting with reflective surfaces in Maya replicating transparent water effect as well as figuring out the camera angle for the second shot of the storyboard where the character is running past the camera. In this first attempt the camera is static, after analyzing it I concluded adding a tracking shot after the character runs past adds drama to the scene. This will be added in the following week as I develop this further.

The second variation of the storyboard made in 3D format. It’s more developed than the initial sketchbook version, the scene inside the log was extended to build up tension and emphasize character acting. The first shot is now of the sky camera will slowly pan down and reveal the main scene. I will further develop this and for next week develop previs version of this.

The setting will be a a forest, with minimal human presence. These are some images from various games that are visually similar to the world of this project. Ruins and broken structures that are part of the scenery showing that the area has been uninhabited for a long time.

The main character will be a young boy, surviving on his own in a forest. His clothes will be simple and handmade, tribal design, made of animal hide, and natural fabric.

Instead of a humanoid monster as was displayed in the storyboard last week the second character will be a pet animal, a large pet either a cat or a dog. I really want to emphasize the bond between these two, they have survived on their own for a long period of time and as far as the viewer is concerned these two are the only two living beings in the world. The bond between them is very strong.