This week’s assignment:
- Continue developing previs based on feedback
Week 3 Assignment Work: Character Sheets + Continued Shot Blocking
This week we were supposed to have all of our shots roughly blocked out and combined into a previs draft video, but I unfortunately fell behind schedule due to other projects so I only managed to update 3 of the shot blocks from last weeks feedback in that regard. I did manage to write up character sheets for my main character and the wolf character, as well as do some visual inspiration research for each.
Additionally, as I mentioned last week I didn’t think to include the updated storyboards for Idea 1 and Idea 3 for last week’s review, so I also showed those to George this week to show I applied his feedback.
Idea 1 Storyboard Updated:
While I found applying George’s feedback for this idea did improve the idea a lot, I still struggled to refine the storyboard to a point where I felt satisfied with it. The idea still feels weak to me, probably due to a lack of clear, strong, emotional beats. I do think that if I had chosen/in the future chose this idea to develop that those emotional beats could be added and refined to strengthen this idea further.
Idea 3 Storyboard Update:
I didn’t end up updating this storyboard since George said it was already solid, while quite short with not much depth, so there wasn’t a lot to comment on. Thinking more about this feedback though, I thought that rather than focus on multiple children witnessing these animals, it could be one child we follow through the advert to allow for more personal connection to the child character and the experience they are having.
Character Sheets:
I enjoyed making these character sheets, and reflecting on last weeks lessons helped me realise how useful these sheets will be when planning and animating these characters. I would like to also make similar character sheets for the secondary/background characters for this reason. While making them, I was also considering more how the fictional world of this fake show works, and what it is like for these characters to live in this world. I would also like to put more time into the world building and set design to build upon these initial ideas, so that the opening achieves what show openings should and fully sets the tone of the world, characters, and story.
Continued Shot Blocking:
before / after
Shot 0090
Shot 0100
Shot 0180
I would have liked to have done more shot blocking, but I am happy with the improvements I made to these shots. I do think the wolf in Shot 0180 could be even bigger, but the current increase in size already helps a lot. I have also realised now that when capturing the newer version of Shot 0090 I used the wrong keyframed poses (which are from Shot 0100) so I need to change that as I liked the ones in the older version.
Continued Shot Blocking Feedback
Shot 0090
- Much better, try to have less of the previous empty space in other shots
Shot 0100
- George liked the difference in how everyone is posed, as it gives each character different personalities
- Some of the silhouettes could be clearer
Shot 0180
- Make wolf even bigger
- Maybe also shrink dumpster more to make wolf feel bigger
- George recommended I look at the wolf animation in Thor: Ragnarok, as this wolf is huge and the animation + camera angles really sell that even in shots without immediately clear size references
As well as making the dumpster smaller, I think it would help if when I am modeling/building the environment for this shot, I add in lots more items for scale reference (such as cardboard boxes, litter, bottles, etc)