CHIAYU LU

MA Animation student at Hertfordshire University

[chiayulu]

Major Project Conclusion Post

Major Project  Files Pack:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PMYcovKFk1K_IVjBHqqj3iDKS6R-kb9j/view?usp=sharing

Promotional Video

https://youtu.be/CBJavIJ6wMc

Artefact

https://youtu.be/hKtmLioTcFg

Presentation: Video and PPT file

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T2Rm6muCNY8-8jBZ3xte62-pLSdjYsVS/view?usp=sharing

[chiayulu]

Production Progress#15: Presentation Video

A clear and stable structure of presentation delivery is the most important thing. Because there is not actually a visible example of the presentation video, I was confused about managing presentation content. Last week, I had a tutorial with tutor Alex. He gave me useful suggestions for delivery presentation. So, the basic presentation outline is simply introduction first then presenting a promotional video.  Evaluating artefact section will be the dominant part of the presentation and it will be present the last.

[chiayulu]

Forefront#10: Remake Animation to Realistic Visual Style (11/08)

Disney remaking The Lion King(2019) and The Beauty and the Beast(2017) into realistic versions. These live-action remakes present the advances in technology on CG animation. Take The Lion King as an example, it perfectly remakes the shots from the animated version. These remake animated films earn a big achievement in the market. It brings a large discussion regarding the revolutions of technology and appealing.

It deserves to consider the controversial issue the meaning of remake. Directors Wise, K and Trousdal, G (2020)  said they didn’t confident for them and feel embarrassed about the project, Beauty and the Beast, during smooth production progress. Even though both directors have rich experiences in animation production, They can't make sure the film can be widely accepted by audiences because of many unstable factors in production section. Both directors (2020) serious criticise the live-action remake is worst than every Disney animated films. Most audiences intention paid for the live-action remake is because of the strong love with old animated films. Live-action remakes might decrease the audiences' passion.

From the audience's perspective, many of Disney classics included some bad viewpoints and bias. Donahue, A (2017) states there are many painfully racist elements in Disney movies. It is harmful ideologies. Most of classics are produced decades ago. The story and content might not suit the current society. Besides, when more and more classics are remade, the new versions do not reach the expectation of the audience. Audiences feel Disney losing creativity to on new story so that Disney keeps remaking old stories. 

However, there are still successful cases in the past so that these arguments do not stop production companies the steps to remake classics. It relates to my practice. Recent years, there is much realistic film publishing. Especially, the game industry and remake animation have a large number of relevant productions. I consider it will still be the one remake animation style and keeping survive in future animation demand. I hope to entry animation industry as a character animator. it’s possibles to join a project in realistic animation style. It allows understand potential problems in advance and I can avoid them. 

[Reference]

Collider (2020). Legendary Directors Kirk Wise & Gary Trousdale on Crafting Disney Classics - Collider Connected. [Online Video] 11th August. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEJd8oZt37E&feature=youtu.be. [ Acccessed: 11th August 2020 ]

Screen Rant (2017). 10 Painfully Racist Moments In Disney Movies They Want You To Forget. [Online Video]. September 18th. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENDnqHjBalM&list=PL1dXnB-0gA86URjQ-OVtgapKPdV. [Accessed: 7th July 2020]

[chiayulu]

Production Progress#14:promotional video

Promotional video outline

This video is used to simply introduce my project to general audiences. So, I plan to use short sentences to describe the story as the opening. In terms of the visual aspect, putting on the animated and clips from artefact assist to explain and understand the narration. For the professional presentation, I would probably screenshot how I use software for this project.

[chiayulu]

Production Progress#13 (10/08)

the rough editing for the project

I totally produce 20 clips for the project. It is a little different numbering between animatic and artefact. Actually, I do not change storyboard but merge two shots together.

Then, I am planning to making script and rough outline for promotional videos in next week. I have got some examples from graduates. So, I will research how them structured that video.

[chiayulu]

Production Progress#11 (08/08)

Now I almost complete the animating section but I am still doing the VFX apart for the outer space zoom. The zoom effect spent much time than I thought and my laptop crashed several times. I hope the rendering stuff can go well and smoothly in a few days.

[chiayulu]

Reflection: Discuss and Evaluate Creative Decisions

During this project, every moment we are making decisions, and those decisions reflect on project production. I believe it is efficient to evaluate all possibilities of decision. I have ever chosen one methodology of production without thinking deeper. When I did it awhile, I found something was hard to get over. I totally waste time on this poor decision. So, I prefer to do a small test, before I have to make a decision to secure no issues with the results.

I didn't have many vital decisions on production. I literally follow the standard animation workflow and keep work and familiar with this procedure. Knowing the accurate workflow can help me complete the first step to near the animation industry. I think making good use of Reference function in MAYA is the most accurate decision in this project. Take details in Maya file management, I model and rig 3D characters and scenarios separately. When I start doing animate stuff, I create a new and empty Maya file, then using Reference function to import rigs and scenarios. In other words, I set these rigs and scenarios as reference files. Reference make original file linking within a new Maya scene file. It's an efficient way to manage files and I am able to freely animate rigs in new scene files without messing up original reference files. If I want to edit rigs or models again, I don’t need to modify them in every scene file where I put them in. I only need to modify the original reference files, then other scene files will renew the adjustment immediately. Therefore, this decision helps me saving time and well-arranging files.

In terms of the creative decision aspect, I mostly focus on Renderers and Rendering techniques. Although the lighting is not the focus on this project, it still has impacts on the way to present artefact. The reason why I take it seriously is that It's hard to calculate the exact total rendering workloads and time. It relies on the rendering environment and the number and quality of computers. Due to the expectations from the planning folder and lockdown circumstance, I have to make a detailed plan on rendering.

The Thoughts Process of Decision is label below.

V-ray Arnold Asking Renderfarm assistance (reply slowly) time restriction on rendering Playblast (without lighting)

Taking to unlockdown condition, I might say it is a nice situation for rendering and the well visual presentation of the project. So, I consider choosing an appropriate renderer. Arnold and V-ray are the most popular renderer options in the industry. When I struggled with the best option, I set a situation where render low poly as a smooth mesh model. Then, I carried out a small experiment for both renderers' ability. It's interesting that they can both achieve the result I want. That means no problems will occur on future rendering and I can free to select renderers. Finally, I think I can use Arnold due to my preference and an early lighting suggestion from Professor Neil. Next, after I ensure the renderer choice, I consider the time restriction in this project and render equipment. The consideration goes back to lockdown circumstance.

During lockdown conditions, there are no physical render computers to assist. Render is long progress. It's rarely accomplished by one render equipment. The time restriction really impacts rendering choice a lot. I have heard from Ian that Uni might reopen 1B09 for us. I was excited about that news. Unfortunately, Technical Officer Jack told us that we only could work remotely and use remote access to control the Uni computer. Because I saw a render farm discussion on Discord chat group and renderfarm is provided by University, I asked to renderfarm assistance. However, a few days passed, the reply is that university systems being updated for the upcoming academic year and it is no longer provide Arnold as a renderer. In order to complete the project on time. I quit the high-quality rendering. Thus, In this case, I need an alternative Renderer which can render quicker. Then, I got Playblast. Playblast is a preview render in MAYA. Although Playblast only provides low-quality render and can’t present lighting effects it helps to achieve results I want in the short term. After detailed consideration under several factors, I finally use Playblast to render.

During the period of creative decisions, I believe it is an appropriate approach to consider both sides, then make the best decision. I think in the thought process of decisions I seem to use the most proportion on considering the unlockdown condition rather than under lockdown. My thought order is unlocked the first, then the lockdown; However, we still stay under lockdown. It is weird that I did not put the worst on the priority. So, it is a bit reflect on my plan due to the order. I knew if choosing a good render quality, one computer cannot afford to finish all on time. I spent the time waiting for the technical team to reply to render farm assistance. When I look back at this moment, I should start using Playblast to render clips. in case, there is no assistance for rendering.

[chiayulu]

Reflection: Learning Outcomes and New Skills

Learning outcomes

One of the obvious learning outcomes is to explore me in terms of skills and thoughts. It allows me to consider as an animator what I have to do, know, and equip. That means evaluation and criteria become the essential elements to reflect and analyse. To be honest, I am for sure not good at reflection. I seldom leave self alone to come and think but it is a good practice on reflecting on my own, others’ artefacts and techniques. Also, this is the power to support improving and self-learning. I believe even the major project comes to the end, the skill can along with entire life.

Moving to Forefront writing, making posts allow us to think and connect to the newest events in the current industry. It is a method to familiar with animation industry, although we still cannot understand the industry well and I might not analyse forefront, animations, and related technology in-depth due to not including and touching the exact workplace. When I struggled to explore more forefronts, Tutor Alex and classmates were kindly sharing fantastic websites and learning methods. These resources are blogs, video platform, and podcast programmes. Cartoonbrew is one of my favourite resources. The blogs do not include comments and criticism. It's like pure animation news. I usually learn the newest and popular animations from here. Another resource, The Duncan Trussell Family Hour (DTFH), a podcast platform, is impressed me. The podcast programme invites guests who are creators and artists to interview for an hour. It's a casual interview and interviewees share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences from their artworks. The contents are pretty interesting but I have to hear and repeat serval time for my poor English listening proficiency. I prefer free to listen to it without stress, so I haven't listened to many episodes now. These resources allow us to grab related animation information directly and detailed the current controversial issues.

The uesful resources are listed here.

sketch practice resources for live-action

https://line-of-action.com/

Industry news blogs

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/

Criticism and analysis articles for animation

https://www.fantasy-animation.org/

A category on Vimeo selecting worth seeing videos, called Vimeo Staff Pick Animation

https://vimeo.com/channels/staffpicks

Industry news blogs

Animation world network https://www.awn.com/

DTFH, an hour-long podcast programme

http://www.duncantrussell.com/episodes/tag/dtfh

New Skills

Outer Space Zoom (AE layer parenting)

matte painting

Workflow for 3D character (MAYA > Zbrush > Substance Painter > MAYA)

Rendering smooth mesh with low poly in Maya Arnold and Maya V-ray

Topology skill and clean up topology method in MAYA 2020 and 2019

Model head with a 4-sides panel on topology

Rig method in MAYA 2020 (2020 update: Offset Parent Matrix)

I  have listed the most helpful new skills I learned in this project above. The outer space zoom helps me to achieve specific zooming out effect for the project. It uses After Effects basic function, layer parenting, to control and create effects. In my project, this skill has to go with matte painting. It also allows me to generate clips cheaper. That means I don't need to create massive and large 3D assets to achieve the goal. Besides, matte painting is one of the common methods to assist VFX. However, from an evaluation aspect, I didn't do it well. If check this clip from my project, it can be told the difference. I need spending more time to draw matte painting to let it looks like 3D. During the production process, although I consider it is a cheap method to produce, it still stuck my laptop for so long. I think having this experience let me understand a specific methodology on VFX and I will know how to manage the time next time. Next, the 3D character workflow is the most informative knowledge to me. It presents the way professional being an expert on making a 3D character. 3D artists usually model a basic shape on low poly in MAYA, then sculpture more details for a model in Zbrush such as cracks, skin texture, and scar. it is interesting to note that this action might not make file being massive because it can transform sculpting into depth data. while the depth data connects with the low poly model in MAYA, it presents a soft mesh and details in visual. However, it still is considered as a low poly model in MAYA. Substance Painter is an Intuitive painting and texturing tool on the 3D model but the model has to be clean up the UV mapping first, then start painting. It’s quite different from early texture method in Photoshop. It makes texture perfectly along with a model with any unnatural and obvious seam. Regarding topology, it is an essential criterion for modelling. A clean and accurate topology can prevent issues from the following rig and animate steps. However, it is hard to create a model without any topology issue. MAYA provides some tools to solve this problem. Because of Maya new updates function in 2020, the solutions are the difference between version 2020 and 2019 as long as rig methods are changed by this. This phenomenon presents that with technology advanced, procedure and work methods are also renew again. As an animator, we have to keep learning new thing to vibrant our skills and ideas, or we might get rid of the fast-changing world.

Going through this project, I find so many skills deserve to note and learning, but I cannot accomplish all of them in the short term. I have listed every interesting topic, animation industry news platform, learning sources, artists, techniques, and skills on paper. I feel I refill power, while I have a new direction to work hard and learn.

[chiayulu]

Evaluation#5 (03/08)

Management of the project

This is almost the last week before submitting artefact. Although I have tested Arnold render system in the previous weeks, it takes time to render and in current condition I cannot use several computers to render at the same time. I decide to use basic render to present my project

[chiayulu]

Production progress#12 (01/08)

This week I mainly work for animating. I didn’t follow the order of storyboard to animate. I pick similar scenarios to work the first. I completed 8 of 20 clips recently. Due to time stress, I immediately edited videos and clips after I accomplished a clip.

Also, I start to test Playblast, a renderer in MAYA, to make sure it is HD 1080 size. This is the layering render sequences test.

[chiayulu]

Production Progress#10 (26/07)

This is the all 3D assets for the project. I created 6 folders to manage my MAYA project files. I rigged the monster and insect in a couple days.

[chiayulu]

Forefront#7: Evolving 2D animation tools (26/07)

There is long-term competition between Toon Boom and Adobe. Adobe previous animation tool is Flash. However, many users transfer to use Toon Boom because of to much restrictions on animation production progress. In terms of hard-drawing styles animation, the two popular animation tools are Toon Boom Harmony and TVPaint Animation. Flash is no longer in artists' favours. Till 2015,  Adobe Kills Flash and publish a animator-friendly software Animate CC.

As the Adobe announcement,  Animate CC is friendly for Vector art brushes.

Adobe Animate: mostly, it creates vector animation and it targets a different group of clients because of this specific style. TA: web design

Toon Boom Harmony

TVPaint Animation

It relate to my practices. when these animation tool users grow rapidly, them will reflect on industry procedure.

Reference

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/flash/adobe-kills-flash-name-rebrands-animator-friendly-animate-cc-124189.html. [Accessed: 26th Junly 2020]

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/sponsored-by-adobe/case-study-innovative-comic-book-style-animation-made-with-adobe-character-animator-178723.html . [Accessed: 26th Junly 2020]

[chiayulu]

Production progress#9 (24/07)

This basically is the rig of swing. It’s a bit tricky rig because I didn't find a swing rig example. I can't guarantee it a perfect rig. There are some points that deserve to be improved further but, in this case, the rig still works for animating.

I learn swing rope rigging from the tutorial called Maya Rope Rigging Tutorial. It uses IK Spline Rigging technique to rig.

Reference

Ronald Fong (2014). Maya Rope Rigging Tutorial. [Online Video].  16th March. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgsuCQk6ito [Accessed July 17th, 2020]

[chiayulu]

Production Progress#8 (23/07)

[chiayulu]

Production Progress#7:  Creative Decision on Renderers (21/07)

Choosing Render System

A few weeks passed, I was thinking about what kind of the rendering system. There are two dominant methods, Arnold and V-ray. Owing to considering saving time and cheaper for production, I plan to use low poly but to render a smooth mesh in this project. Actually, I knew V-ray can complete with adjusting the model subdivision setting. Comparing both techniques, I prefer Arnold because I have experienced Arnold in the previous project with pleasure and it is the most popular render method in current industry; However, I am not familiar with this rendering system. I am not sure can Arnold achieve this goal.

Therefore, mainly this week, I do a render test to choose the rendering system before I actually start lighting progress.

Learning New Skills about Rendering smooth mesh 

The Arnold rendering test is based on the essential techniques being introduced in a YouTube tutorial bellow. This tutorial is made by Prabhu Creative Works.

My Render Test is Showing Here (Arnold)

The colourful grid texture, UV Checker, is drawn by EliasWick. The designer shares kindly UV Checker on Polycount. The texture allows me to check the texture distortion matter if there is a wrong UV mapping.

Render System (Renderer) Decision

According to both tests have stated above, it shows the evidence that it qualifies to manage soft mesh rendering in MAYA. As can be seen, there is no exaggerated distortion after being smooth. I can safely choose one of both techniques depending on preference. Thus, I will apply Arnold to rendering segment in my project.

Reference

Prabhu Creative Works. (2016). How To Render Smooth Mesh With Low Poly Using ARNOLD In Maya 2017. [Online Video] September 19th. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFAaVfzg_Ec&feature=share. [Accessed 21st July 2020].

EliasWick. (2017).  Free Checker Pattern Texture. [Online] April 30th. Available at: https://polycount.com/discussion/186513/free-checker-pattern-texture. [Accessed 21st July 2020].

[chiayulu]

Production Progress#6: Rig and Facial Controller (19/07)

Learning RIG + controller in Linkedin learning

[chiayulu]

Forefront#6: Developing tools for 2D animators or 3D beginners (19/07)

6. Developing tools for 2D animators or 3D beginners: there are some tricky methods to achieve 2D or 3D animation. Although those methods are out of the most popular workflow, the benefit is no modelling requirements in CGI production for 2D artists. Through these methods, they can still produce 3D animation or 2D animation which is similar to 3D.

(1) Plug-in called PSD to 3D PSD to 3D is a tool that creates 3D scenes out of Photoshop artwork. Some 2D animators would like to create and simulate a 2D animation, but it looks like 3D. That means the movements, angles and space relationships follow CGI features.

(2) Plug-ins called DuIK and Element 3D For some 2D animators, it is hard to learn 3D software. There are two famous plug-ins called DuIK and Element 3D. Both plug-ins allow creating a 3D environment and importing a 3D model into After Effects and rigging model inside.