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Advanced and Experimental 3D Computer Animation Techniques Serra's Class Term 3

Week 1: Adv&Exp [Serra’s Class]

Class Content

Today we were introduced to the unit work we will be doing with Serra. For her side of the unit, we will be doing experimental work where it will be important to try new things and take some risks with the techniques we experiment with. The work we do for this project can contribute in some way to our FMP if we like (such as experimenting with visual styles we might want to explore and expand upon further for our FMP).

Project Progress

Over the break between Term 2 and 3, I was looking into Marvelous Designer. While I want to focus on 3D Animation primarily for my FMP, I do want to still include my own aspects to the visuals outside of animation. My current plan is to use the M-Rigs by Ramon Arango to save time on making my own rigs, but to modify them to personalise the characters to my own designs. This could include altering the textures, the hair models, and the clothing. Hence my interest in Marvelous Designer, as I am hoping to make my own clothes for the M-Rigs using this program. From some research into the process over the break, I found that I could animate the rigs and then import the animation to Marvelous where I can simulate the clothing over the top.

Therefore, for the project I would like to learn Marvelous Designer and make some clothing for at least one of the rigs. I have never used the program before, so I am hopeful this will be a great opportunity to do so. I do also want the project to be more than me learning to program, so I had the idea to create a catwalk scene with interesting visuals to match the design of the clothing.

However I do still want to focus more on the animation side of things, and Serra mentioned that (like in Term 1) we can choose whether to spend more time on George’s project or this one, so I will most likely be spending more of my time on the animation work. I do still want to use this project to develop aspects of my FMP as much as possible though, and I am excited to explore Marvelous Designer and some cool visual techniques with this work.

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Advanced and Experimental 3D Computer Animation Techniques George's Class Term 3

Week 1: Adv&Exp [George’s Class]

Class Content

George went over the work we will be doing with him this term, including how it can be incorporated in our FMP and with Serra’s side of the Adv&Exp unit.

We will be doing two animations with George, an advanced body mechanics shot and an acting shot. For the advanced body mechanics, we will be also covering some acting on top.

What is pantomime?

  • Dramatic or dancing performances with expressive body or face movements to convey the story.

Acting with the body: Creating clear, full body expressions. To fully convey this, staging needs to be set up first for the shot which includes:

  • Elements: Characters/Props/Sets
  • Camera: Placement/Angles
  • Action: What is happening in this shot?
  • Idea: Keep it to one idea at a time to not overwhelm the viewer
  • Point of the shot: What purpose does this shot have? Why include it? Make sure that is clear

Workflow Checklists:

George showed us some workflow checklist examples, aka ways to approach working on an animated shot. Workflow checklists are especially useful when starting out, later they become second nature but shouldn’t be forgotten. These checklists should include:

  • Planning: Thumbnails/Reference/Layout/Staging/Composition
  • Blocking: Stepped keyposes/Fundamentals /Timing/Arcs/Weight
  • Splining: Inbetweens/Arcs/Timing
  • Polish: Details

Additionally, it is important to consider the order of working with different parts of the character’s body. The example given to us was: hips > spine > head > arms > fingers > legs > feet

You don’t want to do clean up work on the arms and legs only to then change the hip placement and have to go back again to adjust the arms and legs. Work on the core first, then work outwards. This will change slightly if you have a specific shot where a different part of the body is leading everything else in place of the hips, so adjust accordingly.

This week’s assignment:

  1. Rough planning drawing
  2. Reference (video/filmed reference)
  3. Shot thumbnails
  4. Maya layout would be good, but not a requirement

Keep the shot to 5-10 seconds AT MOST (aim for 5 second range though, George would rather us have a nicer, more polished shot that is shorter than an unfinished longer shot)

Try to add a bit of humour in the shot

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Advanced and Experimental 3D Computer Animation Techniques Previs Term 2

Week 1: Previs

Though I was unable to attend the class, I caught up with the class material and this week’s assignment via the class PDF and discussion with my peers.

Along with introducing us to the brief, this week covered mise-en-scene, with a focus on shot layout and different types of shots and camera angles. In the past, I have found it difficult to create dynamic shots and camera angles, so I would like to use this project as a chance to improve on these things.

For next week, we should draw out 3 different ideas for our final projects. I have two in mind so far that are fairly fleshed out, and one I’m unsure on.

Idea 1:

A wizard is being chased through a forest by a group of men with hunting dogs. The wizard reaches a clearing, and begins to cast a complex spell. An orb of light surrounds him as he works. The men and dogs reach him, but hesitate to attack, fearful of the wizard’s power. One man tries, but is thrown back the moment his weapon makes contact with the orb of light. The wizard smirks, raises his hands, and claps them together. Light explodes outwards from him, sending the men and dogs flying backwards. One of the men sits up, dazed, and looks over to where the wizard once stood. The wizard is gone, and in his place a wanted poster with the wizard’s face on it floats to the ground.

While I really like this idea, the visuals I have in mind would require either a lot of 3D or 2D FX work, and because I want to focus primarily on animation and exploring my personal visual style, I would want to collaborate with someone to do this idea who would be able to handle the FX side of things for me.

Idea 2:

A fake anime/tv show opening. 

It’s difficult to write about this one, as the idea is more a collection of random shots that I want to try piecing together, instead of a typical narrative. This idea started in my head when I was debating if I would and should make a showreel for my final film. Speaking to other 3D animators (and VFX people in general) about their time studying, many of them said they regretted trying to make a full film as they weren’t able to focus on their specialism as much as they liked, and most of them only got two or three hero shots for their showreel from almost a year’s worth of work. A couple of them mentioned that they wish they had just made a showreel instead, hence my consideration of doing the same.

However, a big part of the reason I wanted to study at UAL was to explore and develop my personal artistic style, and to reconnect with my passion for the arts. I felt that making a showreel wouldn’t satisfy these goals. I was still considering the topic, and around this time I watched the anime Frieren. The second opening features many dynamic shots of the characters that I noticed would cover a lot of the types of shots someone should have in a 3D animation showreel. I decided at this point that I would explore the idea of making a fake anime/tv show opening, so that I could include a diverse collection of shots as seen in showreels, while still being able to experiment and develop the aesthetics and style. If I develop this idea, I would like to come up with a narrative for the fake anime/tv show, as this narrative will drive many aspects of the opening, especially how characters act and move.

Idea 3:

Fake zoo advertisement

I’m still unsure of what kind of story I want to tell with this idea, but I like that this idea would allow me to work with many different creature rigs and have a diverse collection of creature animation shots for my showreel.

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3D Computer Animation Fundamentals Animation Term 1

Week 1: Animation

For this lecture, we were introduced to the brief and George demonstrated how to do a bouncing ball animation in Maya.

We were shown a good YouTube channel, 3D Animation Internships, which shows shot progressions from various big 3D Animated films.

For Maya, we were first shown how to set up a new project:

File > Set Project…

Then George showed us how to change preferences and the best preferences to use:

Windows > Settings/Preferences > Preferences

Once we had set up the new project and our preferences, we then downloaded a ball rig from Behance and referenced it into Maya. George then drew out how to time out the bouncing ball, explaining how the motion and energy of the ball drops off steadily until it comes to a stop. He also explained how the ball will be at its slowest at the top of its arc, and fastest at the bottom, and drew the timing of these frames accordingly. As a class we followed along with George as he animated the ball in Maya using the drawn out timing as reference, first blocking out the ball at its lowest and highest points, then the arc of the movement, then the speed. Finally, we added in some squash and stretch. He also explained how even realism animation has squash and stretch, just not the change of volume that stylised animation has, such as crouching before a jump and then stretching out during the jump.

George also explained that rotation order when animating is important to avoid gimble lock, which can cause animations to bug out and not work as wanted. When using the rotation tool while animating in Maya, the rotation order should be x>y>z. This can sometimes differ between different software.

Before the next session, we need to make a SyncSketch account (for feedback sessions), finish the ball shot, and upload it to Syncsketch. We should only playblast our shots for these feedback sessions instead of rendering, which we should do for the final submission.

We were also told to buy a copy of ‘The Animator’s Survival Kit’ which I already own from my previous studies.

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3D Computer Animation Fundamentals Immersion Term 1

Week 1: Immersion

We spent most of our first lecture introducing ourselves to each other, and being introduced to the unit and Unreal Engine 5. Serra showed us how to download UE5, and showed us some examples of past student work for the unit.

For the unit, we will be taking a familiar physical space of our choice and deconstruct it so we can approach the technical task with an experiential attitude. We were advised to start thinking and researching what sort of physical space we want to work with. We should pick environments that will help utilise the work we want to put into them.

The first thing that came to my mind was the London Underground trains, and how I often space out thinking about my day while on the train there while looking out the windows at the tunnel streaking past, made up of blurred lines and blocks of colours. I think I want to start my project with someone thinking about their day, and then pan over to the window were things they are thinking about are animated into the blurred shapes of the tunnel. We were shown a student example were someone used block colour shaders that I think could potentially work well for this, but I want to later do some visual experiments to find the best look to match my ideas.

I made an account with Epic Games with my UAL email, and downloaded UE5. I also browsed the store for potential assets, and found a few cool looking subway trains I could use, but Serra also mentioned UE5 will be getting an update in the next couple of weeks so the store will change up a bit, so I haven’t downloaded anything just yet to account for that.

I also asked how we can use assets from outside the Unreal store, and Serra told me we can use any music as long as it is copyright free, and other assets are fine as long as they work in the version of Unreal we will be using. She recommended TurboSquid as an example of websites to find good assets on. For music, I definitely want to find something that gives off similar vibes to the urban landscape of London. My initial thoughts are either British punk music, or hiphop music that originated from London.