Float House is my last project of the Winter 2018 semester (post-winter show project), hence the calmness! I started this project roughly 2 weeks ago when we were introduced to Unreal engine. It has been challenging navigating in Unreal! Even though I have experience with Cinema4D, Unreal has its own rules and logic (elaborated below).

Work process

• Fuse – we created the character appearance on Fuse
• Mixamo – we then uploaded the charater to Mixamo in order to rig (put in joints and bones), as well as to explore various animations
• Unreal Engine
  • ENVIRONMENT – create the environment / world for our animation
  • T-POSE – import character from mixamo in t-pose format (this is only available as an option of some animations – it prompts you to select the option on mixamo)
  • SCENE (SEQUENCE) – once the t-pose character is imported, we must create a ‘sequence’ in order to begin the animation – this works like a timeline where keyframes can be added on various components
  • ANIMATE – import animations from mixamo and add them on top of the t-pose in order to move the characters
  • CAMERA+EXPORT – once the keyframes are done, add a camera and see the video play from camera view – notice the lighting and focus. Once the camera is adjusted, export the sequence in a video format. Remark: adjust the resolution!

    

    

    

    

  • for future reference: unreal tutorial
    https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoJ1QVW2Xa7QYlCR5xO9EvFOCRrCPMEko
  • class screen caps
    https://drive.google.com/drive/u/3/folders/1bGVkkfzctGXauHC6-WQQchvHh2zd6T8p
• Premiere Pro
  • import all the sequences from Unreal engine and fine tune / edit on premiere, add sounds, title etc.

Takeouts:

• I very much enjoy creating a world on Unreal engine. The amount of detail on texture, shapes, animation, lighting etc. allows another dimension of storytelling e.g. feels calming, modern, cold, high-tech, rough
• The characters and animations are limited to the presets unless we build our own models and rig our own characters (apparently a very long and complicated process)
• Overall this process made me appreciate 3D animations more!

I worked with Yves on the Wanderer project. We wanted to create something abstract and visually transformative. My edit is the second half of the video (0:48 onwards).

 

3D after affect notes:

• tick 3D boxes
• import assets
• add bones!
• do it little by little, then edit on premier!

Preparation for AE

Halloween theme stop motion animation with Maya Pruitt.

Story: Maya wanted to work on something related to Halloween and suggested we experiment with these chocolate eyeballs. We developed the stories together, thinking about their motivations, tensions and climax points.

Working process: story writing, storyboarding, stop motion photo taking (using Dragonframe), After Affects and Premiere Pro

Learning: I have some experience working with Photoshop timeline but this is my first time using Dragonframe and After Effects. Everything was new to me including the concept of keyframes.

• dragonframe is very efficient! always take more photos because it is difficult to set up
• walking cycles are more difficult than it looks (to make anything look natural actually)
• the editing is much easier done on premiere