ADVANCED ANIMATION ✿ FINAL PROJECT ✿

ADVANCED ANIMATION ✿ FINAL PROJECT ✿

24.09.24 - .0.24

week 1 - week 4

✿ TAN JIA JIA 0350577 ✿

Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media

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✿ LECTURE ✿

Please refer to Exercises.

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✿ INSTRUCTION ✿

Figure 1.1 MIB of Advanced Animation

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✿ FINAL PROJECT: ACTION ANIMATION ✿

For Project 3, I will need to create a 5 to 10-second physical action sequence animation using Blender. First, I will need to download and explore one of the provided character rigs, either Snow or Rain, to understand its controls and capabilities. After selecting an action sequence, such as a fight, chase, or sports activity, I will find a video reference to analyze the motion and emotions involved. To plan the animation, I will need to create a storyboard that visualizes the key moments, actions, and emotions, using different camera angles and shots to enhance the storytelling.  

Next, I will need to sketch thumbnails of the extreme and breakdown poses based on the reference video to better understand the flow and timing of the action. In Blender, I will set up the project with a 24fps frame rate, a 16:9 aspect ratio, and a resolution of 1280 x 720 (HD720p). I will then position the camera and stage the scene to capture the action with proper perspective.  

Finally, I will need to animate by creating a blocking pass using "Constant key" interpolation to establish the extreme and breakdown poses. This version will serve as the foundation for the animation, and I will save it as "Progression 1" to show the full shot of the action sequence.

1.0 RESEARCH

Before starting the animation, I take time to search for examples online to gather inspiration and gain a better understanding of how to approach the action sequence. This step helps me analyze how professionals handle similar movements, including their use of timing, poses, and transitions. By studying these examples, I can identify key elements to incorporate into my work, such as exaggeration, fluidity, and emotional expression, which are crucial for creating a dynamic and engaging animation. This research also gives me a clearer idea of the visual style and quality I aim to achieve in my project.

Figure 2.1 Reference

After deciding to use this reference for my action animation, I recorded the video and took screenshots of the keyframes. This step ensures I have a clear visual guide for the animation, helping me understand the motion sequence and accurately replicate the extreme poses and transitions in my work.

Link to Google Drive

2.0 DIGITALIZATION

After completing my research, I began using Blender to animate the character provided by Mr. Kamal. It was a challenging process, as I needed to ensure that all the keyframes were accurately timed to create a smooth and natural motion. Balancing the poses and maintaining consistency required careful attention to detail and patience throughout the animation process.

First of all, I set up all the keyframes to establish the basic structure of the animation. This approach allows me to focus on adjusting the timeline later to refine the motion and ensure smooth transitions between poses.

Figure 2.2 First Version

After setting up all the keyframes, I began adjusting the timeline to refine the timing and ensure the animation flowed smoothly. This step was crucial for achieving natural and dynamic motion.

Figure 2.3 Second Version

It wasn’t smooth enough, so I decided to add more keyframes to refine the motion. By adding additional keyframes, I was able to create smoother transitions and ensure the animation had better fluidity and natural movement.

Figure 2.4 Screenshot process

Figure 2.5 Third Version

After completing the animation, I moved on to staging the camera. I searched through many tutorials to guide me, but it was challenging since I wasn't very familiar with using Blender. I spent a lot of time experimenting with the camera settings and positioning, trying to get it right. Despite my efforts, the final outcome wasn’t as smooth as I hoped, but I gave my best and learned a lot during the process.

FINAL OUTCOME

Figure 2.6 Final Outcome

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✿ REFLECTION ✿

The final project was both a rewarding and challenging experience that allowed me to apply everything I’ve learned throughout the course. While animating the action sequence, I encountered several difficulties, particularly with timing, keyframes, and camera staging. It was challenging to make the animation smooth and fluid, and I spent a considerable amount of time adjusting the keyframes and experimenting with the camera setup in Blender. Despite not achieving the perfect result, I pushed myself to work through the obstacles, and I’m proud of the progress I made. The project taught me valuable lessons about persistence, the importance of research, and refining my animation skills. Overall, it was a great opportunity to develop my technical abilities and creative expression, and I look forward to improving in future projects.