QIULIHUA/0365036
Design Research Dissertation / Bachelor of Design (Honours)in Creative Media
Advanced Animation
INTRODUCTION
For this assignment, I completed my final project according to the requirements provided by the lecturer.
Based on the action reference video provided by the lecturer, I selected a fighting sequence as the reference for my animation. Using this reference, I studied the character's movements, body mechanics, and timing to create a more realistic and believable fighting performance in my final project.
First, I created a blocking pass to establish the character's overall movement and key poses. This allowed me to confirm the character's positioning, timing, and basic motion before refining the animation.
|
| Fig 1.0 Blocking |
|
| Fig 1.1 Polishing |
After confirming that the polishing part of the animation was completed, I needed to start thinking about how to make the characters more dynamic and how to present the video language I wanted to express. So I created a storyboard to further confirm the result I wanted to achieve in my final project.
STORYBOARD：
https://canva.link/kyrc27q0tc5wt6dThis final project centers on character acting, using facial expressions, body language, and rhythmic changes to portray emotional development. The story is set in a basement where a character is suddenly threatened by a stranger. Faced with this unexpected threat, the character's emotions undergo significant shifts: initially confused and bewildered, then shocked upon realizing the danger, and finally transforming fear into anger, leading to a proactive counterattack.
My goal in this animation is to showcase the character's emotional journey from calm to tension, and finally to a resolute counterattack. I aim to use facial expressions, posture, shifts in weight, and rhythmic movement to amplify these psychological changes, allowing the audience to clearly perceive the story's development and the character's inner state.
After completing my storyboard, I needed to start implementing it. First, I added facial details to the characters, giving them different expressions in each frame, making them more flexible and lifelike.
|
| Fig 1.3 Facial expressions |
|
| Fig 1.4 Facial expressions |
Next, I searched for a basement parking garage environment that matched the character and the storyline. I chose this setting because it complements the narrative, where the character is relaxing before suddenly being threatened, creating a tense atmosphere that enhances the emotional impact of the animation.
|
| Fig1.5 Characters and scenes |
|
| Fig 1.6 Camera keyframe settings |
After completing the storyboard, I set keyframes for the camera based on the storyboard content, planning the movement and composition of each shot to match the characters' emotional changes and the development of the plot. Subsequently, based on the teacher's suggestions, I adjusted the camera animation, changing the originally fixed shots to a camera movement that slowly circles from behind the character to their front. This camera movement gradually reveals the changes in the character's expression, allowing the audience to more clearly feel the character's emotional shift from confusion and shock to angry retaliation, while also enhancing the dramatic tension of the scene and the immersion in the story.
final project:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14DZRpbDIFjmC6vEayyTCA9I956cczHuK/view?usp=drive_link
FEEDBACK
WEEK 13:
General Feedback:I need to change
Specific Feedback: Based on the lecturer's feedback, I modified the camera animation so that the camera moves from behind the character and gradually circles around to the front, creating a more dynamic shot and emphasizing the character's emotional performance.
REFLECTION
Through this final project, I gained a deeper understanding of the complete character animation workflow, from planning and blocking to camera animation and final refinement. At the beginning of the project, I used the reference video provided by the lecturer to study the fighting movements, allowing me to better understand body mechanics, timing, and weight distribution. Creating the blocking pass also helped me establish the character's key poses and overall movement before adding more detailed animation.
One of the most valuable lessons I learned was the importance of camera movement in visual storytelling. Based on the lecturer's feedback, I changed the camera from a fixed angle to a shot that moves from behind the character and gradually circles to the front. This adjustment made the scene more dynamic and allowed the audience to clearly follow the character's emotional progression from confusion, to shock, and finally to anger before fighting back. I realized that camera animation is not only used to show the action but also to strengthen the narrative and enhance the audience's emotional experience.
In addition, choosing a basement parking garage as the environment helped create a tense atmosphere that matched the story. I also paid closer attention to the relationship between the character's facial expressions, body language, and the surrounding environment to make the performance more believable.
Overall, this project improved my understanding of character acting, camera composition, and animation timing. It also taught me the value of continuously refining my work based on feedback. In future projects, I hope to further improve the realism of my character performances and create more engaging animations through better storytelling, camera work, and attention to detail.
Comments
Post a Comment