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3.1 Week 7 Advanced & Experimental

Week 7: Finishing the Arm

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3.1 Week 7 Advanced & Experimental

Week 7: Pre-vis Shots

This week I have implemented some feedback I received last week. I have also completed the missing shots I have skipped last week.

Feedback

  • The first feedback point was around the camera panning shot. We need to zoom in the camera enough so that it only focus on the last benchers
  • Cut the camera shift and zoom from panning to focusing on the character. Make it seamless.
  • When the character falls in the dream, keep the falling position of the character upside down so that it shows the continuation from going inside the paper to coming out of portal.
  • When the character lifts his head we should add a closeup shot.
  • Make the camera panning smooth and it should appear smoothly. Add ease in and ease out.
  • When the character is jumping over the platforms, cut that shot to a simpler one. Just show character jumping on first three platforms and last three platforms.
  • The jumping shots should be zoomed in.
  • Add a camera shake when character falls on the plane.
  • Show the character shifting his body on the plane.
  • Extend the scene where the character is falling off the plane.
  • In the last classroom shot, make the camera angle same as the begining.
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3.1 Week 6 Advanced & Experimental

Week 6: Pre-vis Shots

This week I completed the second half of the pre-vis and got feedback and improvement points on it.

First Variation-Second Half

Feedback and Improvements

  • In the first shot, I got the feedback to zoom in the shot where the character realized he is about to fall.
  • We also need to add a camera shake when the character falls on the paper plane.
  • In the paper plane sequence, we need to abstain from extra shots and cuts.
  • There is a missing shot when the character jumps on the platform.
  • I receive another important feedback around running and jumping to grab the star. We need to zoom onto the feet to show the run and jump and then show the hands going to grab the star.
  • In the end, we need to show the character in the same camera angle he was before falling asleep.
  • I have also received the feedback around keeping the frame rate consistent in every shot.

Apart from the feedback, I have been told to complete the missing sequences.

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3.1 Week 6 Advanced & Experimental

Week 6: Finishing our Rigs

This week we learned how to make hydraulics, adding controls and do rigging of the arm.

Finishing the Modeling of the Arm

As we are moving towards the rigging, this week I finished the modelling of the upper arm. Firstly, I made the inner structure of the upper arm and made connectors to attach the whole together. Later, I made covers to wrap up the model.

Image showing the finished model

Adding Controllers

After completing the modelling, I made NURB controllers for the shoulder, elbow and hand. I have attached the controllers with the geometry by using the parent constraints.

I have also made sure to name everything properly, freeze the transformations and organize everything in a hierarchy for smooth rigging process.

Image showing the controllers and hierarchy
Video showing the controllers attached to the geometry

Work in Progress Renders

Here are some work in progress renders. I will enhance the textures next week and will work on the final renders.

Image showing the renders
Image showing the render of the arm
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3.1 Week 5 Advanced & Experimental

Week 5: Pre-vis Shots

This week we started on making the pre-vis of the selected idea. We shared the pre-vis progress with our mentor and received the feedback.

First Variation

Here is the first variation of the first half of the pre-vis

Feedback and Improvements.

  • In the establishing shot, make all the windows in the school’s building symmetrical.
  • Add delays in the noticeboard sequence to make some space for narration.
  • Change the angle of camera panning shot where we are showing children filling the sheets
  • Add some sort of particles that shows the star portal or the character going in the star portal.
  • Add some breathing space in all the animation sequences.
  • Make sure all the camera transitions are smooth.
  • Don’t make abrupt camera movement.
  • Change the establishing shot of the star. Instead of zooming out of the star to show the platforms. Show the star from over the character’s shoulder.
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3.1 Week 5 Advanced & Experimental

Week 5: Preparation for rigging

This week we focused on adding more details to the arm and do the rigging of the fingers. We used the method of driven keys and drivers to do the rotation of fingers.

Adding Attributes

We have now moved towards rigging the fingers. We first made a NURB controller and then added finger curls attributes in the channel box. We made the attributes for all the fingers with maximum curling value 10 and minimum 0.

Drivers and Driven Keys

Once we made the attributes now it is the time to attach the finger curl with the attributes in the channel box. For that, I used set driven keys.

  • First we will loaded the driver which is the NURB Control.
  • After that we loaded the driven, in this case the fingers which needs to be rotated will be the driven.
  • Then we selected the transformations we needed and keyed it
  • We first keyed on 0 and then curled the fingers on 10 and keyed them
Image showing the driven keys and rotation of fingers

In the end, I attached all the finger curls with the NURB Controller so that if we rotate the controller the fingers automatically curled up.

Video Showing the finger curling with NURB controller

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3.1 Week 4 Advanced & Experimental

Week 4: Arm Finishing

Introduction

This week we continued working on the arm. The main focus of this week was on adding details and functionality to the arm.

3D Modelling

Wrist

As we have made the hand last week. This week we started with the wrist. Our main agenda was to design a a wrist that is functional and serve the purpose of rotation. During the process of making the wrist, I learned how to use sub divisions to smoothen the mesh and achieve different shapes.

We also made sure to use extrusions and bevelling to add details in the model.

Image showing the model of the wrist

After making the wrist, we moved on to make the connector component which attaches the wrist to the lower arm. For that we needed to make bolts.

Image showing the model of the bolt

For that connector component, I designed a circular model and modelled small holes inside it for the bolts and nuts. I have added the holes by circularizing the faces. After the mesh is circularized I deleted the mesh to make the holes.

Then, I added some details and combined all the models together to make this component.

Image showing the wrist component

Lower Arm

Now that I have modelled the wrist, I will start building up the lower arm.

Image showing the hand attached with wrist

Later on, I modelled the covers for the lower arms. I repeated the same process of adding extrusions and bevelling to add details in it.

Image showing the elbow covers

Render of the Lower Arm

After combining all the components together, this is how the arm looks. I have done the basic texturing and shading on it. Right now I have kept the lighting simple but I am planning to change the textures on the later stage.

Image showing the rendered arm

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3.1 Week 4 Advanced & Experimental Uncategorised

Week 4: 3D Storyboards

Introduction

This week we started making the 3d storyboards of the idea we chose last week. I picked the Idea 3 which was about the star of the school.

3D Storyboards

I made the 3d storyboards this week and later on I got the feedback on how to improve it. My mentor gave me some ideas to change my shots and we also deleted some shots. The main feedback on these frames were that I should not show the entire class view and show all the students filling sheets, rather I should just focus on the last benches and pan the camera. I got the idea on how to save animation efforts in some scenes and make them more straight forward.

In these shots, I was told to show a star portal opening from where the character falls down. We also removed the whole camera rotation which leads to the establishing shot of the star. I have also been told about the posing and directions and camera transitions.

These are the shots in which a lot of action and camera movement is happening. My mentor helped me simplify the camera movements and placement of shots.

In these shots, we discussed about the placements of the characters and camera zooming.

Critical Reflection

This exercise of making 3d storyboards was extremely helpful. It taught me about different camera angles and transitions. I have also learnt about making the scenes simple yet engaging.

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FMP & Thesis T Week 5 Theory with Nigel

Week 5: Developing an investigation

This week we studied how to develop an investigation for the thesis topic.

Personal Research on the Research Topic

For the research, apart from reading articles and books I have to watch all the films of Pixar in past ten years and derive a personal analysis. I have watched all the films shown below.

Main Points

The films helped me to analyse the new themes Pixar is including in its new films. The inclusion of diverse themes and topics are becoming more and more common in the new films. Some of the important things that Pixar has promoted over the period of time are:

  • Sexual Inclusivity
  • Gender Inclusivity
  • Racial Inclusivity
  • Cultural Inclusivity
  • Diversity
  • Themes of Belonging and Individualism
  • Intergenerational Trauma

Bibliography

Turning Red (2022) Domee Shi [DVD]. United States: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Soul (2020) Pete Docter [DVD]. United States: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and Disney Plus.

Luca (2021) Enrico Casarosa [DVD]. United States: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Inside Out (2015) Pete Docter  [DVD]. United States: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

The Incredibles 2 (2018) Brad Bird [DVD]. United States: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Finding Dory (2016) Andrew Stanton [DVD]. United States: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Categories
FMP & Thesis T Week 4 Theory with Nigel

Week 4: Defining and Testing a Research Topic

This week we studied how to define and test a research topic. In addition to that we also discussed the structure of Literature Review, research methodologies and how to conduct researches.

Evaluating Information

This is a really important part of the thesis process and will take place at various stages of it:

  • when selecting appropriate resources
  • when using/reading those resources
  • when making your own case.

The first thing to remember is that a thesis is a piece of formal academic writing. In his excellent book, The Good Study Guide, Andrew Northedge gives a helpful explanation of what is meant by‘ Academic writing.

Academic writers use cautious considered language in an effort to be as exact as they can in their analysis. They try to say only what they mean and think can be justified. In daily life we cheerfully use language as a blunt instrument, to cudgel our way through the discussions that spring up around us. By contrast, academic writing uses language as a scalpel, to cut precisely between closely related arguments so they can be prised apart and analysed in detail. Learning how to read, think and write in this way is a central part of learning at degree level. (Northedge, 2005, p109) Academic research then, requires sources that are credible, unbiased, current and relevant to your needs.

Planning your thesis

Once you have a significant collection of notes you can begin to devise a plan. Some of the important points are

•          Formulate a structure that develops an argument.

•          Avoid relying on chronology to structure the thesis for you.

•          Take charge of your notes; do not rely on them to tell you a plan.

•          Edit out irrelevant material. This means you need a clear focus on objective.

•          Identify the main sections/chapters and group the appropriate notes together.

•          Consider visual illustrations to support your discussion/argument.

Thesis Writing

Once you have a working thesis, write it down. By writing down the thesis you will be forced to think of it clearly, logically, and concisely.

Keep your thesis prominent in your introduction. 

A good, standard place for your thesis statement is at the end of an introductory paragraph. Readers are used to finding theses there, so they automatically pay more attention when they read the last sentence of your introduction. Although this is not required in all academic essays, it is a good rule of thumb.

Anticipate the counterarguments. 

Once we have started working on the thesis, we should think about what might be said against it. This will help to refine our thesis, and it will also make us think of the arguments that we will need to refute later on in your essay. (Every argument has a counterargument. If yours doesn’t, then it’s not an argument—it may be a fact, or an opinion, but it is not an argument.)

Tentative Title of Thesis Proposal

Exploring Belonging, Inclusivity, and Diversity in Pixar Films: A Review of the Last Decade

Bibliography

Haidt, J., & Rose-Stockwell, T. (2019). The Power of Pixar: Exposure to Animated Diversity Influences Children’s Attitudes Toward Outgroups. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 19(1), 53-75. 

Babbitt, L., & Johnson, J. (2018). Inside Out and the socialization of emotions: Animating children’s understanding of mental states. Developmental Psychology, 54(9), 1685-1698. 

Carter-Sowell, A. R., & Tien, L. T. (2019). Gender representation in animated films: A content analysis of children’s movies from 1937 to 2018. Sex Roles, 81(9-10), 581-597. 

Cheng, H. W., & Tong, S. T. (2020). Portrayals of female leadership and decision-making in Disney and Pixar animated feature films. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 64(4), 579-598. 

Gray, K. L., & Thompson, C. P. (2019). Empathy and diversity in Pixar’s Inside Out. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 8(4), 438-450. 

Hsu, J. L., & Oh, S. (2020). Inequality in 1,200 popular films: Examining portrayals of race/ethnicity, LGBTQ, and disability from 2007 to 2018. Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, University of Southern California. 

Purnell, S. (2018). Cultural diversity in Pixar films: An analysis of Coco and Inside Out. Animation Studies, 13, 46-60. 

Vazquez, K. C. (2020). What we talk about when we talk about Pixar. Popular Communication, 18(4), 348-361.