Friday 27 May 2011

Final Animation: Pathogens and You

:)



Update 28/05/2011: This was hesitant to show now as the aspect ratio was defaulted to 4:3 by Youtube. When I correct the final animation work I will be re-uploading it at the correct aspect ratio

Update 2: Fixed Aspect Ratio

Useful Links

Art Of:
http://freeflowanimation.blogspot.com/2011/05/art-of-pathogens-and-you.html

Script:
http://freeflowanimation.blogspot.com/2011/05/final-script.html

Technical Workshops - Maya:
http://freeflowanimation.blogspot.com/2011/05/maya-tutorials-part-one.html

Technical Workshops - After Effects:
http://freeflowanimation.blogspot.com/2011/05/technical-workshops-after-effects.html

Unit 5 Maya Resub:
http://freeflowanimation.blogspot.com/2011/05/unit-5-resub-maya.html

Art Of: Pathogens and You

Pa Tho and You

Thursday 26 May 2011

Unit 5 Resub: Maya

Rigging: Legs


Rigging: Spine


Walk Cycle Mechanics


Walk Cycle Rhythm: Down Pose


Rigging 1: Leg Piston

Wednesday 25 May 2011

Monday 23 May 2011

Maya Tutorials

Blendhapes: Operation Order


Jiggle Deformer: Part 1 (Flesh)


Non-Linear Deformers: Shape Control


Render Layers: Part 1 Basic (Software Passes)
Final

Diffuse


Specular


Shadow


Beauty


Render Layers: Part 4 (Reflection Pass)





Saturday 21 May 2011

Update

Right now the animation is progressing smoothly and steadily. At the moment the majority is finished, with Act 2 as the only remaining part to be fully complete.

The art-style right now has pushed from a generic 'very stylised' into a cardboard theatre production, similar to a diorama.

Few major things that one still needs to do:-
- Find a voice actor, preferably one much like Colonel Hathi. Qualifies as urgent now.
- Post-Production in After Effects
- Create an Art-Of Publication
- Create the Presentation for Friday

Furthermore, overall there are a few things I need to do that qualify as major refinement:-
- Remodelling the General on both models to give him a more attractive figure.
- Finding out a way to make the "Walk-In" general not clip into the door when the scene shakes.
- Make the 'Blood-Vessel' Box look more cardboardy
- Finding a way to create a consistency with characters interactions. For example the Pathogens being eaten by the Phagocytes
- General polish of animation overall.
- General timing within the animation overall





Thursday 19 May 2011

Final Title Logo

Wednesday 18 May 2011

Refined batch render test



Few minor things that need to be sorted out:
-Physics on the strings
-Too strong shadows on many areas
-Lack of detail in the 'War Room'

Rendering Scenes

First Batch Render, Testing the first act scenes and the 'Blood Vessel' box drop down. Along with Lighting and Shadows. I'm not impressed with it to be fair. I'm going to further experiment later on to get maybe a more stylised approach with the lighting

Batch Render

Right now the scene is looking ridiculously dark. The not-so-subtle cut in-between is due to having to batch-render that part separately.

Previous Test Renders





Tuesday 17 May 2011

Testing Shadows

With Lambert's Shadow Attenuation


Without Lambert's Shadow Attenuation

Friday 13 May 2011

Further Experimentation - Idea One

The more I play around with this concept, the more I am in love with Idea Numero Uno:





Thursday 12 May 2011

Life Drawing - Week 26


Click on images for a larger view







Technical Workshops - After Effects


Working with Alpha Layers, Phosphorescents Test




Working with Compositions and Parenting layers
Need to upload tomorrow


Working with Layering, Manipulation with the Puppet Pin Tool, and Transparency

Background, Character,Character with Transparency , Smoke

Life Drawing - Week 27


Click on images for a larger view








Wednesday 11 May 2011

Feedback from Pitch Day

Numerous points were raised during the pitch day concerning a number of aspects with my idea to the panel. Primarily:

-Whether I will be living up to getting the Maya-Part done.
-Finding the best possible way to retain the stylisation as the idea transcends from 2d stills into 3d animation.
-Controversy surrounding the Lymphocyte's physical character traits.



As I've hit the point in which I've nailed the idea down I will be aiming to essentially spend almost every single day to make this final animation shoot for galaxies beyond moons. I'm interested in seeing this project complete considering the ambition I have towards it.


In terms of stylisation I've mentioned some possible paths I may be taking in terms of that in my last blog post. Saying that, Kay, Andriana and Paul have been helpful in regards to idea, direction and general feedback within this aspect so I'm confident in solidly nailing it soon. I'm aiming to get a specific and polished idea of what I want to achieve by the end of this week, if not earlier.


In regards to the Controversy surrounding the Lymphocytes physical character traits:
It's worth mentioning again that the demographic that this animation is directed towards is Primary School Children, From the ages of 8-12.

The controversy during the pitch was that the physical characteristics of the Lymphocyte's character design, specifically the Minigun and Cigar, has the possibility of being too offensive for this animation's key demographic.


I was given numerous alternatives:-

- Choosing an older demographic - Which I strongly dislike, it runs the risk of not being nearly as interesting from an artistic merit. As well as re-doing the script as I would possibly have to go into greater detail with the technical aspects of fighting infection within the body. Essentially I would be starting over again, if not trying to recycle and build upon what I've currently have.

- Removing the Cigar and the Minigun completely. - Which I believe will lose a great (if not all) amount of character personality. The primary focus point of the Lymphocytes within this animation is that they are the big climatic badass heroes within this animation. It's like an Arnie carrying a tree trunk over one shoulder. Removing it would make the character as dull and awkward as Michael Cera.

- Removing the cigar and turning the minigun into something else - Like a Nerf Minigun which runs the "Play it Safe" method. I dislike this as although it will lower the controversy, I can certainly predict a huge.. huge blow to the attraction within my key demographic.

- Remove the cigar and keep the Minigun. - To be fair, I'm lenient with removing the cigar, as it's a trait that seems to serve as a compliment to holding a big weapon. So I'm "on the fence" with this one

- Be stubborn and do nothing. - I like this idea. However, as well as keeping the lovely constant buzz of controversy - showing primary school children characters with Cigars and Big Weapons, there runs the risk for potential loss of client base within the demographic. Children may love it but Parents and Teachers (dependant on how lenient they are with violence and smoking) may not. This is important as I'd imagine the method used to push this animation out will be crossing upon Parents and Teachers at some point, what is more concerning is that they will also have the dominant voice in if Children be allowed to watch it or not.

Monday 9 May 2011

3D Visual Experiments

Idea Numero Uno:

Characters and Environment are Two-Dimensional Planes within a Three-Dimensional Space/Environment. Think Punch and Judy, or a familiar Borderlands Advert


Advantages of this are that it's creating a nice 3d spacing to work with whilst retaining the strengths of a 2d environment.
Disadvantages are the effort in method used to create the style approach of each individual object. i.e Blood Vessels, The Title Logo, etc.





Idea Numero Dos:

Characters remain Two-Dimensional planes. Background becomes a three-dimensional space.


Advantages are that I can work in immense three-dimensional detail within each individual aspect which composes the Mise-en-scène of my animation. I.e: Composition, Sets, Props, and Lighting
Disadvantages are that this may take more time in creation of the individual environments. Essencially it's a bigger risk for a potentially bigger reward.














Idea Numero Tres:
Characters are now Two-Dimensional Planes, Background becomes a Two-Dimensional Space




Techically, a Flat Environment. However, with an approach that gives it a sense of depth, thereby drawing focus towards the Pathogen Characters.

Advantage for this is that I may be able to create a more stylised approach.

Disadvantages for this is that I will have to produce the world within that plane, in the case of changing major or minor things, the entire texture will need to be replaced.




Sunday 8 May 2011

Final Concept Art

Act 1 - Infection (Pathogens) arrives through infected needles or sharp objects. Spreading into the Blood Vessels







Act 2 - Infection is attacked by the Phagocytes






Act 3 - Infection is attacked by the Lymphocytes




Presentable Storyboard Act 3

Warning- Large number of images.