Final 2d Animation

I used the green colours at the beginning of the animation while the young carer was talking about the difficult times when being a carer because its not a friendly colour or one that envokes the thought of happiness. I also added the mist to show it was unclear subject with many different opinions and feelings. I thinks that I have really thought about what I water the audience to feel.

The tree on its own is meant to show how isolated and alone a young carer can feel when they have no support and noone to help.
I didn't want to detract from the story that the young carer was talking about so I decided not to overbear the animation and chose to animate subtlety. I wanted to enhance the story not detract from it. I think that I have managed to accomplish this well.

I used the falling leaves and the grass blowing in the wind as subtle movements to show that everything isn't always harsh and hard things can be pushed through. I also wanted to create an obvious contrast between the dialogue talking about being a carer and the help that he gets. I think that I have created a different feeling. The blue colours are to create mystery but I think that blue doesn't necessary create the warm feeling that I was trying to portray and if I dis it again I would probably create a more warm colour like orange or pinks and reds.

The end of the animation show that young carers aren't alone and they do have was of getting support. I think that this message is very clear and I overall accomplished the message I wanted people to see.

Messy Files

I have learnt a lot of things about how to manage my files in Maya. I have tried to keep them clear and tidy but because I wanted to update and backup my work the files started to build up. I wanted to reduce the files and start tto clean them up when I changed a file name and it became unreadable. So I in the future I will name the files and make them tidy as I go. out

3D Water Simulation

After completing my character and the modelling texturing and animation of the street scene I wanted to look at more animation movement. I decided to create a basic water animation to show animation flow and other aspects that I have learnt.

I think that this animation shows the movement of water well but perhaps not the way that gravity acts on it very well. The water seems to be quite floaty and it does bounce out of the basin too far. The direction of flow though I think I have accomplished. To improve this I could add some colouring and texturing. Also the lighting would add to the overall asthetics of the animation.

I think I have expanded my knowlege of the program and show that in this example. There is a lot too learn and

Modeling a Lamp

The lamp has showed my how to model and texture well and has given me the skills to go on and experiment with the program. The house that I have created has also expanded what I know. I think that I have done well with the model and the texturing although there have been a couple of things that of gone wrong such as. I had trouble with the model and some of the extruding but I fixed it and was able to troubleshoot well. Because it was a tutorial to show the software it's difficult to comment on it in a reflective way. I found it neither easy or hard to follow and believe that I did well with following the instructions. To create something that I can look back at and use for reference in the future.

Lip Sync

This is the Lipsync that i created from a short clip from young carer interview. I first used the sound file to determine where to place the mouth movements. I think that the range of movements that I have used cover the shapes of the mouth through speech to a detailed standard. I used several different pieces of reference material to create a set of mouth positions that would compliment my character and the style of speech.

I think that the movement that has been made inbetween the main keyframes could be smoother so to improve it I would add in halfway frames to show the transition through speech more smoothly. I think that I have draw mouth shapes that match the speech action very well and they show the tounge and teeth realistically.

I created the faces attached to the mouth shapes in Photoshop and have used this method so I could have something that looked like it should be there and that the mouth matched the face. 

Final animation colour concepts

These are the color pallettes I have decided to use for the final carers animation. The green dark colours are to show the difficulty and loneliness of being a young carer. The colours are quite monchrome and i have done this so you don't lose the raw emotion from the young carers dialog and the mood that I am trying to create. The vibes that people get from the colours I have chosen are unhappy.

Location Concepts

Rotoscoping Exercises

Walk Cycle

I have looked at basic walk cycles to create one of my own for my angel character. Although I have also create a wing cycle I know the character is not always going to fly. The first walk cycle I made was not what I wanted and did not represent my character. I believe that I got the movement keyframes right but I tried to add too much detail and lost out on the belivablity of the movement. It's also too rushed. 

I then had a look at experimenting with different angles and shapes to create a more basic form that shows the movement to it's best advantage so it looks natural. I have experimented with walking straight on to the camera below. I think that it shows good movement and is a vast improvement on the walk cycle above even though its a different angle. It show the side to side movement that occurs due to the change in height of he hips as each foot is placed. 

Final Animation Storyboard

The storyboard I have made I think shows the preliminary animation well with movement and detailed explinations of what I planned to do. I was hoping to create the animation exactly as I showed in the storyboard but it doesn't always work that way. I think that I could improve my work if I could have created another storyboard throughout the process I would have been able to create something more true to the original. I think that I have learnt from my animating process that I need to be more realistic with the goals I set myself because of time and my abilities foe detailed Photoshop work.

Syncing image to music

Syncing image to music is quite difficult and this was my first attemp at such an exercise. I think I have done quite well in expressing the music through movement and shapes. Although I went through the presise times and made a note of them i found it difficult to presisly match the sound to the different instruments in the music.

I have used different colours and different shapes to represent the different instruments and the pitch that they make. I think that this was an important part of the animation to give variation to the instruments needed.

Final Walk Cycle

I have looked at many different ways of walking and tried to create something that reflects the personality of my character. I have struggled greatly with drawing a profile of my character that shows the walk cycle and movement.

I have used basic shapes so it doen't detract from the movement and the viewer can see the personality of the character. I have made sure that the feet bend to show the arc in the foot so the walk doesn't look ridged and make it look stiff.

I think that I have created a walk that looks natural but I think i could of again added more frames to smooth out the movement. I could have also added some more bounce to show the extention of the legs and give a more believeable weight and force to the character.

Wing Cycle

This is the wing cycle that I did for my character I wanted to do something different that linked directly with my characters persona. I created this using sketches, then i scanned them into the computer and used Premier Pro to create the video.

I have had a lot of trouble with knowing and identifying what keyframes I would need. It took me a long time to figure it out because i wanted a smooth movement that showed the graceful nature of angels. I looked at different bird winged motion and found out what keyframes I would need.

I think that I have done a good job at creating a considered animation with detail in the timing and movement. I could improve this by adding more frames in between each of the keyframes and using colours to give a more pleasing feeling.

Rotoscoping experimentation

These are the rotoscoping experimentation i have done. The top photo is created in Illustrator using the pen tool to create block black lines. I then fill them in with color, and use the smooth tool to create the curved edge, if this is not done then it creates a jagged line. Although this is an interesting effect it's not what I wanted to create as water is smooth and i wanted to keep that element.


I like the way that the water look ascetically in the top photograph it's different and has it's own character. I do like the way in which the model has been drawn in the top photograph but i think color would improve it as the white block doesn't look right against the background.


The bottom picture is create by using the paintbrush tool in Photoshop i also like this way of drawing a rotoscoped picture, however i don't think it looks as 'clean' or professional. The extra color detail makes it look more realistic in that aspect though. I also used a different rotoscoping technique on the sea turtle. I used a blending brush to create block colors from a source photograph I had taken on a trip to the aquarium. I then used the smudge tool to blend the colors together to create a smooth finish and soft lighting just like under water.  

Water droplets

I have researched into a couple of different ways to create photographs of water droplets and have found the following sites...


http://www.liquidsculpture.com/the_process.htm


http://digital-photography-school.com/forum/how-i-took/10164-patterned-water-drop-shots.html

I am going to experiment with this and see what happens.

Martin Waugh

Martin Waugh

Martin Waugh


I really like this photograph and how simple it is to create. The image is unique and just shows what water can do. I like the harsh ripples and the point where the drops have touched the water. The dark background also highlights the water in the foreground.


I like the way that the light hits the water, and that every picture is going to be different. I am going to experiment with this to see what effects I can create, I think this would be an interesting concept.

Clark Little

Clark Little

I really like this picture because of the movement and the texture of the water. It creates a fantastic subject matter and makes a simple wave interesting and dynamic. The movement in this picture makes the viewer look from right to left, from the beginning of the wave just starting to break.


I like the way that you can see through the wave and there are different stages of colour from the deep 'unknown' water to very transparent water at the top. The wave looks like glass and is almost like an illusion.


I like the individual droplets at the top of the wave that create something completely unique. I think that it would be interesting to get a photograph like this to add illustrations and possibly rotoscope it to create a completely new effect.


I like the composition because the wave is the main subject starting from the right, i think that having the land on the left adds some colour and doesn't make the photograph wash out as just blue, because of the sky and the sea.

Michel Rajkovic

Michel Rajkovic


This is a photograph that is completely different from anything that I have looked at before. I really like the simplicity of it and that the water doesn't look like water and there is a calmness and a serenity about it. 


I really like that it is black and white, because the tones are very important. I like the almost foam like water and the different tones showing the movement of the water even though it's a still shot. There are different points of interest in this photograph the rock in the foreground is very interesting and creates different shapes and tones of water.


The photograph has a lot of depth even though there isn't much colour. The foreground element then goes back to a large mid element on the right to a distant one on the left. This makes the eye follow back and stops the picture from being flat. 


From this photograph I am going to experiment with black and white to create a different look to a picture and bring more focus to it.  

Stephen Frink

Stephen Frink


I have looked at more photographers for half in half out concepts. The pictures above shows the same concept but slightly different than the others I have looked at.


On the top picture the subject matter is more open, and I like that there are lots of things to look at in the picture, the main focal point is the small island in the distance as it's the only thing above the water line. 


The reason why I like the half in half out concept is because of the mystery and the difference under the water in comparison to above it. I like the contrast in the top photograph because only one small island above and a completely different populated world below. The sea line almost looks like a film of glass laid on top of the water.


The second photograph is a little different and is more about the shape of the sea line, is an interesting flow and the eye follows it along. The model goes against the sea line which create some interesting shapes and it distorts the angles.


Another interesting part of this is the shadows on the models body, it creates and interesting pattern because of the water above. I'm going to see if I can create something like this in my own work. 


The composition of both photographs are interesting and there are multiple things to look at that create an interest point.

Nigel Barker

Nigel Barker


This image was shot using the half in half out method. I really like the concept that something is hidden under the water, it creates mystery and is individually able to be interpreted. I also like the strong reflection in the water and I do want to create something like this in the photographs I take.


I like the use of a dark background because your eye goes straight to the subject matter in the picture. The reflection is one of the main aspects in the photograph is doubled because of the water, this creates a point of interest.

I am going to experiment with this concept and try to create my own spin on it without using a model. I like this lighting in the photograph and it overall adds to the mystery effect, the water is very still so it looks very glass like. The smoke behind the model creates an infinite background .


I composition is set out very well the focal point is in the centre of the screen but there is interesting subject matter in the background and the reflection, so the picture isn't flat and a depth has been create for the viewers eye to be drawn through.


This picture will be a main focus in my beach and pool sessions as i want to experiment with half in half out.

Evaluation

In this module I have learnt a lot of things when working with water and catching images that create something different. The beach and the pool sessions were very different from themselves and both had their own elements that would be good in different aspects of animation (my subject practice).

The cameras that I used were relatively easy to use, however to create more successful shots I think I could have used the macro feature a lot more to its full potential.

I did try to integrate my animation subject practice into this module, by using rotoscoping and taking some short clips. Due to the short time we have had the course I was unable to fully combine the two as animation is very time consuming and I wouldn't have time to create a rotoscoped film.

From what I have learnt I believe, that to create some emotions and moods in animation, I would in the future use underwater and water based imagery as a strong point of call. I think that this module has shown me what is possible, in something I would never have considered before.

I can integrate what I have learnt here to better my animation and through experimentation with film and animation. The photography side of this module is very interesting but I don’t think it would link with my animation practice as much as the film element.

Overall I have taken new ideas about creating moods and feelings using underwater and water based imagery, and will defiantly use this in the future.  

Rotoscoping Final

This photograph has changed dramatically. I have decided to play with the half in half out concept. This I believe is the only photograph that has used the concept to it's full potential. 


I blocked in the colours and the blacks and whites in Illustrator to create a 'new' world under the water, to create the illusion that it's hidden and mysterious. Also that it's different.


I developed this photograph from the first rotoscoping that I did and I changed it by adding colour on the body. 

Reflection

This is another of my final edits, this was playing with the concept of half in half out, but because of the clarity of the water and the problems with my camera focusing I wasn't able to create the photo I wanted to.


To modify this photo I firstly used smart sharpen to get rid of some of the blur in the foreground of the photograph. I then cropped the photograph to minimise the blur again.


I did look at changing the levels of the blue sky but thought it took away from the overall finish and decided not to.

Dream

I quite like this photograph again because it's a bit different, but I slightly lucked into this one. As you can see I haven't really changed the photograph that much I have just enhanced the elements that make this photograph different.


I used smart sharpen with 150% and I used the feather tool of the foreground to blur it more into the background.


As you can see the grains in the water are sharper, I think this adds to the photograph and it going out of focus.

Rocks

I really like this photo because of how sharp the rocks are and you can see every detail. I also like the contrast in the water one side it is clear and the other there are dark clouds.


I didn't do much to this photo as I though it was very good. I just sharpened the foreground with smart sharpen so it fitted in the with rest of the photo.


I also used the lasso tool to select the foreground and I 'tweaked' the levels to match the colour of the water in the background because I think it looked a bit disjointed.

Underwater Photography Development Droplets

When taking photographs at the beach I used the macro feature and ended up focusing of the droplets on the lens, than the water below. 


I decided to use this photo because it is unusual and different and it is similar to the droplets that I was looking at before.


I modified the photo by using smart sharpen to bring out the dark edges of the droplets and made the photo black and white to create a good contrast between the elements in the photo.


I also used a vignette to focus the viewers eye to the centre of the picture where the subject matter is most interesting. 

Rotoscoping

These are some of the experimentations I have done before with rotoscoping a picture. I have mainly experimented with two types of rotoscoping, the drawn effect that you can see below, which can add emotion and a raw edge to photographs. It also allows you to create things that aren't actually there so this is a great way of mixing animation with photography.


The photograph beside is more finished than the other one in my opinion. An has a crisper more realistic look to it. However this does take a lot of time to create. 


I am going to look at both techniques with a few others that have not been illustrated and see what they look like. I am going to develop the best rotoscoping technique for the underwater photography as not to lose any of the main aspects of being underwater.

Film Camera

After looking at the water droplet photograph I decided to experiment with a film camera and water droplets, because of the simplicity of the camera I knew that the shots wouldn't be fantastic, but I wanted to see what effects I would get. Although the majority of the shot are completely unusable there are a couple of interesting shots, although blurred, of the water creating multiple reflections of an object.


If I was to do this again I would use the right equipment and set up the correct shutter speed in order to create a non-blurred photograph with a clear water droplet and reaction when it hits the object.

Beach Session

 The beach session we went to was great fun and again I learnt more and more things about water based imagery.


From the photographs to the left you can see that I managed to get a large range of photographs. I however was slightly unsuccessful with getting half in half out photographs as my underwater camera wasn't focusing half way in the water, so the line of water didn't come out crisp.


I also had trouble with droplets on the 

 lens of the camera which ruined quite a few potentially good photographs. So in the future I will dip my camera in the water then take the photo so the droplets fall off.


Because of the weather also I wasn't able to clearly look at the photos on the digital screen this caused a problem.


Overall I think I got some good shots at the beach but again I learnt a lot of things that will help me in the future when taking water based imagery.

Swimming pool session

 Here are some of the photographs taken by me at the pool session. As you can see from the photograph I was unable to get low enough down to have a photograph without a the bottom of the pool which I think makes the photograph look a bit 'normal'. The photograph at the bottom in blurred because of this.


I enjoyed the experience but to get a really good photograph I have decided to follow the half in half out concept from the photographs I have looked at. 

 I think the lighting in the middle photograph is the best because it's very clear. I like the movement in the third photograph photograph but I think it would have been better if it was more in focus.


Overall I think that as a first underwater photography session was a good lesson in how to get a good shot and what things need to be taken into account.

Coletivo TMP

I like this work because it’s different again from other graffiti I like that only three colours have been used and I believe this creates a bolder picture. I like the style because it is like aboriginal art and that is something that I have been interested in since I was a child. I like the use of the black lines for the features, they create contours but they don’t show everything so there is some mystery in the emotion being portrayed and it can be interpreted by the viewer. The techniques that have been used are bold strokes again mixed with bold colours and the contrast of the white against the red and black. The works have been made using spray paints. The artist was looking at nature and women, I believe that the message being portrayed is the importance of nature and beauty.  

Bitches in Control

I really like the style of graffiti as it’s something different and doesn’t follow the usual graffiti and it’s also very feminine. I like the style of the characters and the vibrant block colours used. I also like it because it is something completely different to my personal style. I like the use of simple shapes to create something that looks very detailed because I always try to create detailed drawing that sometimes look complicated, and then you can appreciate the beauty of that single line.  The techniques that have been used to create these pieces of work are spray paint and other painting methods. The work is very feminine and bold, the strokes that have been used are almost not thought about but they look very good.  The artists were observing urban art, and the female form again but in a different perspective, I believe that they were trying to show the strength of women with a different edge than men.

1st Draft of A2 Character Composition

This is the first draft of my A2 composition its very detached at the moment and al lot of aspects are missing. In relation to this being A2 i think that the layout needs a lot of work with how big the different items are. the importance of items also needs to be looked at.


I think that the use of colour is important and needs to be even placed around the page. I have scanned all of this work in apart from the storyboard and coloured mark making so there needs to be more digital work to show I can use both and marry both of the techniques onto a page successfully.


I like the way I have used the mark making as inspiration and will use this in future work to create aesthetic looks for my future pieces. I have used different mediums to create these such as digital, oils, water colours and  pens. I like the way I have used a large range of mediums but I think I could of gone even further with it but going more natural, and linking it with the character. I could have used dirt, leaves or other natural materials. 

Character Costume and Culture

For my character i decided to try and create a history with the way he is clothed and the extras that tells the viewer who he is. I think that my work does show a good range of expressions and detail. The way that I have drawn him is taken from some black line graffiti work that I have been researching. I like the bold black lines and think it gives a direct view of the character. 


The anime style of the character was used to transfer the previous mark of my character into someone that could portray more fluid emotions. This, I think is very important especially with a carer as the main focus. As from interviews I have found it is a very emotional place to be.


I have tried to create, what I think is a detailed cartoon character, this is because my intentions are for this character to appeal to adults and children. I created the angel because young carers are already in a very adult world and I believe the fantasy and imagination in the design of the character will help any young carer to relax and lose themselves in a different world. 


With the adults I believe that they will relate to the character and understand the adult aspects that I am trying to portray, such as bravery and power, not in strength but emotional power and caring.

Character development sheet

This is the final character development sheet I have produced. I have tried to create a professional piece of work displaying the journey through the beginning research, development and the final outcome.


I have used a combination if traditional and computer based work, which I think works really well to show a wide variety of technique and attitude in the work.
I usually struggle with figure drawing, but I think that the soft lines I have used has a calm and caring feel. The use of soft delicate lines was taken from research that I carried out of on Gustav Klimt. I really liked his early work and decided that it would be a great way to portray the 'delicate' side of a young carer.


I think the way I have presented the sheet shows an apparent divided between the sections and to improve this I could make the sheet look more organic by dividing the different sections and arranging them more freely throught the page.


I am very happy with how my character development sheet has turned out and believe I have learnt a lot from completing it.

Gustav Klimt Nuda veritas

I really like this picture all though it is slightly haunting. I like this era of Gustav Klimt’s work because of the use of striking shapes and feminine curves, to compliment the subject matter again like ‘Fable’ the artist has concentrated on the woman by contrasting the colours of white with the dark backgrounds. The artist has used a lot of texture and different colours to create depth and deter from a static picture. I like this because it creates a style that the artist has developed from ‘Fable’ I also like the bright colours and how they have been blended because it creates an interesting painting. The techniques that have been used are again oils on canvas and as I stated before the strokes are very choppy and create something mesmerising. The artist has again been observing the human form of the female. This time I believe the message is still the same of a women’s beauty however it is shown in a different way, with the disturbed expression on the models face and saturated colours. This painting also includes text in the composition with I think is really interesting.

Gustav Klimt Fable

I chose this painting because it’s one of the early works from Gustav Klimt and it is very traditional and reminds me of works like ‘The Birth of Venus’ and ‘Venus and Mars’ I really like the composition of the oil painting with the background being very dark to draw attention to the woman in the centre.  I like that there is other subject matter to look at also. I really like the use and contrast of the colours and the small amounts of colour that picks out details like the fox and the blossoms.

I like the way the woman is very ethereal and the way that the fabric is draped over her. The artist has used oil paints and canvas to create this painting and has used smooth blended colour for the woman in the centre of the painting, and more textured strokes for feathers and fur. The painting is very detailed. The artist was observing the human form and I believe he was trying to communicate the innocence and beauty of women.

The Principles of Animation

I found this video to demonstrate the 12 principles of animation.

Short Film Production Analysis

Credit list:


Directed by Colin Levy
Produced by Ton Roosendaal
Screenplay by Esther Wouda
Inspired by an original concept by Martin Lodewijk
Art Director David Revoy
Music and Sound by Jan Morgenstern
Sintel Jalina Reijn
Shaman Thom Hoofman
Character Modeling by Angela Guenette
Character Rigging by Nathan Vegdahl
Character Animation by Lee Salvemini, Beorn Leonard, William Reynish, Jeremy Davidson
Enviroment design, lighting, compositing by Soenke maeter, Ben Danssie, Pablo Vazquez, Dolf Veenvliet
Software development, scripting, studio pipeline by Brecht Van Lommel, Campbell Barton


Why i chose this animation?


I chose this animation because I was like the realistic environment and the very realistic style character. I have always like the smooth finish of animation although I am broadening my exploration into more experimental techniques. I also really like the mythical story and the originality of it. I also really like the use of little details that you might not notice, but would notice if there were absent from the scene. The concept and the story is breathtaking and I love the score also. The textures used are also what caught my eye, and I endeavour in my own works to create something so realistic.

What role I would like in the film and why?


The role that I would like in this short film would be Modelling or the Story/Art and Design aspects because that is what I am most interested in. I like being able to explore ideas and be creative and I believe that I would be able to do this to a greater quality in those job roles. 


What skills would I need to acquire this role?


I would need to explore more with creative thinking and would need to learn hard technical skills to be able to produce something of that standard. Here is some research into the top of the market job specification and what skills I would need to get there: 

Modellers

Weta Digital is currently looking for experienced modellers, please note - you must have at least 3 years feature film experience.
The Model department is responsible for the creation of the digital assets across all shows. These tasks include organic models, hard surface models, environments, hi-res models for displacement map extraction, low resolution models for previs or crowd simulation, facial blendshapes, fur and hair.

Qualified candidates must have proven experience in production environments, demonstrating ability with high-end 3D modelling tools to create complex models, and the ability to create accurate models from 2d reference, previs or scan data.

Additional Requirements:
• An impressive reel showing a wide range of organic and hard surface models with clean and efficient topology
• Demonstrate knowledge and experience using Maya in a production environment (please note that due to our pipeline Maya knowledge is considered a must). Additionally, an ability to script in MEL and/or Python is an asset
• Experience with Mudbox for detailing is preferred
• Experience with Cyslice and UVlayout is a plus
• Ability to take direction and work independently while being an effective team player
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Knowledge of Linux desktop and system commands to perform daily tasks comfortably
• Excellent organizational and communication skills

Character Animator:

You'll be working on a few shots of a human character talking to camera, typing, and moving between sitting poses. 

Ability to animate facial movement is a must. 

The 3D model we are working from may need some adjustment. 

Maya expertise required

Must be comfortable with rigging and modeling.

Must provide examples of past work demonstrating a strong understanding of shape, perspective, texture, color, and lighting.

Must be self-motivated and able to excel with minimum supervision

Must have experience with mouth morph target.

What influences were there?

I'm not completely sure on the influences for this animation, but am looking through all of the blogs to see if I can find direct influences I would say that the smoothness is influence from the anime style animations and the main character is similar to the Final Fantasy Characters. This film also reminds me of How to Train a Dragon due to the content, and also DragonHeart because of the story.



Email


Dear Sir, 


I am a student from the UK studying Animation Arts at Plymouth College of Art.  I was given a task to find a short animation, Sintel immediately caught my eye. I think it is an amazing animation with fantastic intricate use of textures and concept. I would be really appreciative to know what the influences were for Sintel. 


I aspire to create such works in the future and the work in Sintel is a great inspiration and I would be grateful if you could send a DVD of the short film for my colleges film archive.    



Yours faithfully,






Kerry Whitehead
(Animation Student)




The making on Sintel
http://www.3dworldmag.com/2011/02/09/the-making-of-sintel/1/


Blog
http://www.sintel.org
  

Questions

Film Critical Analysis

Mesai Animation: Alarm

Credit list:


Moohyun Jang: Director, Modelling, Set/Rigging, Animation, Surface/Lighting, Edit/Composite, Story/Art/Design.


Jungwoo Choo: Modelling, Animation, Cloth Dynamic, Story/Art/Design


Youngsuk Choi: Synopsis


Donghee Wee: Foley Design/Record


Jungwon Yang: Sound Producer


Sukmin Hong: Sound Engineer


Why i chose this animation?


I chose this animation because I was blown away by the realistic environment mixed with the quite cartoon style character. I have always like the smooth finish of animation. I also really like the use of colours; for example the sofa is bright red drawing you to the character and keeping your attention on a story that may not be thought of as interesting. I also really like the use of little details that you might not notice, but would notice if there were absent from the scene. I also really like the concept and the story because of it's comedic value. The textures used are also what caught my eye, and I endeavour in my own works to create something so realistic. 


What role I would like in the film and why?


The role that I would like in this short film would be Modelling or the Story/Art and Design aspects because that is what I am most interested in. I like being able to explore ideas and be creative and I believe that I would be able to do this to a greater quality in those job roles. 

What skills would I need to acquire this role?


I would need to explore more with creative thinking and would need to learn hard technical skills to be able to produce something of that standard. Here is some research into the top of the market job specification and what skills I would need to get there: 

Modellers

Weta Digital is currently looking for experienced modellers, please note - you must have at least 3 years feature film experience.
The Model department is responsible for the creation of the digital assets across all shows. These tasks include organic models, hard surface models, environments, hi-res models for displacement map extraction, low resolution models for previs or crowd simulation, facial blendshapes, fur and hair.

Qualified candidates must have proven experience in production environments, demonstrating ability with high-end 3D modelling tools to create complex models, and the ability to create accurate models from 2d reference, previs or scan data.

Additional Requirements:
• An impressive reel showing a wide range of organic and hard surface models with clean and efficient topology
• Demonstrate knowledge and experience using Maya in a production environment (please note that due to our pipeline Maya knowledge is considered a must). Additionally, an ability to script in MEL and/or Python is an asset
• Experience with Mudbox for detailing is preferred
• Experience with Cyslice and UVlayout is a plus
• Ability to take direction and work independently while being an effective team player
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Knowledge of Linux desktop and system commands to perform daily tasks comfortably
• Excellent organizational and communication skills

What influences were there?


I'm not completely sure on the influences for this animation, it slightly reminds me of Pixar shorts but a lot smoother and more detailed, I would say that the smoothness is influence from the anime style animations, which is expected from the Asian regions. I have had some problems with translating the Animators website so I have not been able to see direct influences. I will endeavour to do this as soon as possible.