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Development Work
Introduction
For my portfolio unit I decided it would be best for me to tailor my desired sector of VFX. I took advice from Samir Ansari on this matter and aimed to create a competent showreel containing a range of different styles and disciplines of animation. I decided to create two creature animations, two body mechanics biped animation and one piece of technical animation. I feel I did this successfully creating 5 animation which I am overall proud of which when tied together make an in my opinion, impressive graduate reel which showcases my skills in a range of different types and styles of animation. Please find below my processes of achieving my final pieces for my showreel in order.
Lion Overview
I decided that I would create a realistic lion animation. This was to push myself and see how much I had improved on my first years initial attempt at creature animation, as well as proving to any industry seeing my reel that I am able to convey realistic creature mechanics.
Lion Initial Blocking
As you can see the initial block out leaves a lot to be desired, feeling very poppy and overall lacking any general polish. The timing is starting to be there but I definitely needed to significantly improve this to have a good base to work from.
Lion Second Blocking
I began to sort out the timing and spacing of the feet in relation to the body and roots movement making it feel a lot better than the prior version, better matching the reference seen behind. It still requires plenty of work in general as well as adding animation to the tail however it is a much stronger base than it was prior.
Lion Third Blocking
I then started to improve on the weight of the animation, adding hip swing and slight clavicle movement. Again a great improvement on the blockings prior but still needs work.
Lion Fourth Blocking
This was the first point I started to become happy with the blocking. The animation has weight, and much better matches the movement in the reference. Not only that but the tail animation has now been added, making it look more appealing and a much better base to work from.
Lion Roar Blocking
Now that I felt I had the walking part a bit more polished I wanted to add something at the end of the animation to add that bit more appeal to it. I decided a roar would be appropriate as I thought it would allow me to show the weight and power of the animation. Although the inital block leaves a lot to be desired I am happy with the overall direction the animation is taking.
Lion Second Roar Blocking
I feel like the overall polish of the animation is there at this point. I am not the happiest with the roar, so I thought about removing it from the animation for my reel. I ultimately decided to cut it and add it in at the very end.
Lion Adding Motion Blur
For my showreel I decided to put the textures and add motion blur to the animation as Samir said to always use motion blur for your reel. I am happy overall with the final product and feel that I created as realistic of an animation as I could have at the time of making it.
Lion Industry Feedback
As the animation was cut in two from me removing the roar to the end of the reel the animation ended up ending very abruptly as pointed out at the BYOA event (see industry feedback page). To rectify this I decided to add a settle to the end of the animation making it a much less jarring transition in my reel.
Lion Sum Up
After working on this animation for roughly 30 hours I am very happy with the outcome. I feel as if I have learnt a lot creating this animation and will carry the lessons I learned into future animations may they be creature or otherwise. I am proud to have this animation in my showreel.
Drop Overview
I thought it would be a good idea to add a super hero style landing to my showreel. This was because of some of the work which is required is known as digi double work, so I thought it would be advantageous to myself and my career if I could create a realistic looking super hero drop. Please find my process below.
Drop Initial Blocking
The initial blocking I feel comes down way too quickly. The way it lands it way too quick and is just too snappy, it simply feels just wrong. I will need to to definitely amend this before I go anywhere near the polishing stage.
Drop Second Blocking
After adding camera movement to the animation and changing the rate at which the character falls as well as the snappiness of the landing itself, I feel that the blocking is a much stronger base to work on top of.
Drop Polishing
After perfecting the blocking I decided it was at a good point to start polishing. I made the animation much smoother and the landing to have a much stronger and natural feeling weight to it. The arms have no snappiness to them now as well as having nice overlap and follow through to accentuate the weight of the landing that bit more.
Drop Rendering
I decided it would again be necessary to render the animation and add motion blur it to add that bit of extra appeal and natural look to the animation.
Drop Industry Feedback
After the BYOA event I had some feedback to work on for this animation (see industry feedback page). After working on it and straightening out the leg before the impact on the ground it makes the animation again feel a bit more realistically weighted and more appealing.
Drop Sum Up
I am incredibly happy with the outcome of this animation and feel as if body mechanics wise this could be the strongest piece of work that I have produced. It took surprisingly around 6 hours to create and for that amount of time I am very pleased and proud of the animation. I had struggled a bit with realism body mechanics in the past and feel through this animation I progressed my skills in this discipline of animation significantly from what it was prior.
Tank Overview
I decided to delve into technical animation, something I admittedly really enjoyed doing! I decided that I would make a tank inspired by games such as battlefield, but with a cartoony stylized twist to it. I feel I did this successfully and believe this is one of my best animations to date. Please find my process below.
Tank Initial Blocking
For an initial blocking I was happy overall with the result, however there were still plenty of issues. From the tan feeling a bit too fast, the antenna not moving and the abrupt stop. However I do feel that this can be easily worked on and achieve a more solid base with some more work.
Tank Second Blocking
As you can see this is a vast improvement on the prior blocking. The tank comes nice and smoothly to a stop, feels like it moves at the right pace, and the camera tracks the tank a lot better too. It still needs some work but happy with the direction the animation is taking.
Tank Polish and Firing
I decided that it was time to polish the animation, adding the antenna movement in relation to the tanks movement, as well as adding the tank firing off screen. I feel like overall adding this makes the animation context based thus making more appealing.
Tank Rendering
I finally decided that it was time to render the tank animation, adding motion blur to the animation, again making it look that much better and more appealing. Again an animation which I am overall very happy with to include in my showreel.
Tank Sum Up
I believe for the 4 hours that this animation took to create (not including rendering), that this animation looks great. I love the weight and the stylized bobbing up and down in relation to the speed which the tank is travelling. This animation really tested my knowledge of physics and allowed me to twist them into a stylized appealing animation which I am very proud of.
TMNT Overview
I created this animation for the Agora Animation Challenge for October for 2022. I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try my hand at some more stylized biped body mechanics. This was a great opportunity as I thought it would allow me to completely the competition section of the unit as well as create something interest for my showreel. I decided to split the animation into two shots, something which ended up not being the smoothest of transitions but ultimately a lesson nonetheless. Please find my process below
TMNT Shot 1 Initial Blocking
The animation itself feels very rough and wonky at the moment. The movement feels off and more uncanny than stylized. The camera I feel will need a lot of work to make the shot as appealing as possible. But for an Initial block I feel it conveys the idea of the animation well.
TMNT Shot 1 Second Blocking
As you can see adding camera work did wonders for the animation, as well as plenty of tidying up poses and starting to add some polish. I feel it still needs some work but is on the cusp of being where I want it to be.
TMNT Shot 1 Polishing
I then decided to polish the animation which I had blocked out prior leaving me with this. I also added the ball bouncing in appropriately in relation to the characters movements which I feel I did this successfully.
TMNT Shot 2 Initial Blocking
I was very happy with the initial block which I created for this second shot. I feel as if it shows the intention of the animation very clearly. the animation is slightly to quick in parts however which definitely needs to be looked into as I continue my blocking.
TMNT Shot 2 Second Blocking
I added camera work to enhance the animation itself as well as starting to slow down the animations in parts which I felt were too quick such as the passing the ball under the leg.
TMNT Shot 2 Polishing
I then decided to add the finishing touches to the animation, polishing the whole sequence as well as again adding the ball in having it satisfyingly fall from the net behind him as the animation ends.
TMNT Shot Cut Together
Finally I cut the two shots together after rendering them. I feel like I am happy overall with the polish of the animation however as stated prior I do feel as if the cut leaves something to be desired being slightly jarring between shots. However that is something to take on board for future endeavours into multiple shots.
TMNT Sum Up
This animation took me roughly 10 hours to complete. For my first attempt at really trying out stylized biped animation I feel that the outcome is really quite good. However I don't feel as if it is anywhere close to being my best work to date, but none the less is quite good. Due to this I put it towards the end of my showreel.
Bird Overview
For my final animation I decided to do another creature animation. This time a bird. I thought it would be good to animate a bird as it would be the opposite to my prior creature animation. Instead of being slow and methodical it would be quick and snappy, again showing that I can perform a range of different animations. Please find below the process I went through to create this animation.
Bird Initial Blocking
The blocking this time around I feel presents a good idea of what the animation will eventually look like (even if it requires a bit of imagination). I feel however it foes convey the idea well enough to progress with the blocking stage further.
Bird Second Blocking
After adding more frames I feel the blocking conveys the whole idea of the animation a lot more strongly. It shows the intent behind it and is beginning to look like a more solid animation.
Bird Third Blocking
After the third and finals stage of blocking I feel that the animation is solid enough to start polishing the foundations. I feel it does still need quite a bit of work however it is definitely getting there.
Bird Polishing
For the polishing I decided to change the camera angle to better fit the animation as a whole. I also added a small settle at the end of the animation instead of it flying away. Overall I feel as if the animation looks great, and for a first attempt at something like this I am very happy.
Bird Rendering
Finally I then rendered the animation and added motion blur to it leaving me with the final product for my showreel. I feel with the motion blur it again like the other animations makes it just look that much better, making it the final addition to my showreel.
TMNT Sum Up
This animation took me roughly 14 hours to complete, a stark comparison to my prior creature animation which took roughly double this. I overall found this animation to be very fun and enjoyable, however if I did it again I think I would approach it slightly differently, working more on the blocking stage before rushing into the polishing. However that being said it is something I will take with me into future animations I make.
Development Work Sup Up
I feel across these five animations that I created a very competent and professional showreel, to the point my mentor Samir said he feels its ready enough for me to start applying for junior roles. During this semester I tried out a range of different styles of animation, and honestly found I enjoyed them all. I also learned plenty from each animation, which for me is very important as I am always trying to improve animation by animation. Overall I am happy with the final result, which you can find below.
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