For this Assignment I have be asked to create 3 action sequences roughly 10 seconds each, rendered in a minimum of 1080p with 4k being recommended . These sequences should be appropriate to the character design I have designed in the 3D character design module. I should also consider lighting and camera usage when creating my videos of the animated character. (Different perspectives). The action sequences can be:-
- Walk Cycle
- Run Cycle
- Idle Cycle
- Action eg. Throwing an object
- Basic fight sequence
- Jump Cycle
- Swim Cycle
- Other
The above is not an exhaustive list. And I can develop other action animation sequences that are acceptable and can be completed within the time frame. For all of the 3 Sequences I create I will need to take into account and show my understanding of the 12 principles of animation and where they are used within each sequence.
The movements I animate will need to reflect the design and characteristics of my created character. I will have to make use of shapes to create emotion and reaction within the face when the character moves. I can also use additional animation components to accentuate the characters feelings and emotion.
I began by looking over my characters design and description, from there I will be able top come up with a few ideas that I think will be useful and show a range of emotion that portray my characters style and traits.
Character Description:
Name: Katherine ‘Kat’ Ammadi
Age: 24
Gender: Female (Human)
Personality Traits: Energetic, Determined, Feisty, Intelligent
Lore: Seen at a young age with abilities to use arcane magic Katherine ‘Kat’ Ammadi has been training with a ancient order of high magicians to harness and control her abilities. She however has not always seen eye to eye with her teachers and prefers to go out and explore the world around her.
Kat’s energetic nature and eagerness to explore have caused her teachers to label her as reckless and not ambitious enough to train and harness her unique magic. She is still eager to learn and wants to prove themselves but would rather be out finding adventure than sitting in a classroom trying to uphold the high standards that are expected of her.
Now at the age of 24 she is able to intern and learn from a professional wizard, She jumped at this opportunity to learn and more importantly finally have a chance to explore the wide world.
Animation Ideas:
I want to tie in my characters mannerisms and characteristics into the animations I create and rig. With that in mind I wanted to make use of some of the props I created for my character and the vfx and postproduction module. So I started to look at Magic and different animation movements I could combine into my own work.
I started looking at hand movements that I could use to possibly have my character cast a spell as an attack, from there I could work a few hand gestures into a small sequence of magic attacks. So I had a look at the choreography in Doctor Strange, Wandavision and other Marvel projects to use as a reference when creating my movements.
I then looked into using my props. I have a book, wand and Staff that I created for Character and VFX, I could add these to my character to have a idle or movement based sequence.
One of the inspirations for my Character was Lux from League of Legends, It seamed like a natural starting point to have a look at some of her movement and idle animations that Riot Games have created for her in both game and cinematic trailers. From there I can take some inspiration to develop my own movements that reflect my characters traits.
With the Ideas I come up with I need to remember and take into account the 12 main principles of animation. These will help when creating my 3D animations and make what I create more impactful and realistic depending on the style I want.
With Magic being a possible Main part of my animations and my character being stylised. I may be able to make some stylistic choices and liberties when creating my animations. I will create some recording as tests to see how the body moves and what I need to apply to my character to create the some movements before coming up with some concrete ideas.
References:
League of Legends Wild Rift, Riot Games (2020) League of Legends Wild Rift – Cinematic Trailer [Video] Available Online: You Really Got Me | Cinematic Trailer – League of Legends: Wild Rift (ft. 2WEI) (youtube.com) [Accessed 30/01/2024]
League Of Legends, Riot Games (2022) Arcane Animation Test [Video]Available Online: Arcane: Animation Test (youtube.com) [Accessed 30/01/2024]
Krats, Riot Games (2023) Lux – All 3D Animations [Video] Available Online: Lux Preview | All 3d Animations | Intros, Idles etc 🎧🎶 (youtube.com) [Accessed 30/01/2024]
Krats, Riot Games (2023) Ahri – All 3D Animations [Video] Available Online: Ahri Preview | All 3d Animations | Intros, Idles etc 🎧🎶 (youtube.com) [Accessed 30/01/2024]
Marvel (2017) Doctor Strange Bonus Feature – Magic Choreography [Video] Available Online: Doctor Strange Bonus Feature – Magic Choreography – OFFICIAL Marvel | HD (youtube.com) [Accessed 30/01/2024]
John Nemesis, Marvel (2016) Scarlet Witch Fight Moves and Powers Compilation [Video] Available Online: Scarlet Witch – Fight Moves & Power Display Compilation HD (youtube.com) [Accessed 30/01/2024]
Felipe Carcamo Garrido (2017) 3D Character Animation Shot Reel [Video] Available Online: 3D Character Animation – Progressions Shot Reel (youtube.com) [Accessed 30/01/2024]
Becker, A. (2017) 12 principles of animation [Video] Available Online 12 Principles of Animation (Official Full Series) – YouTube [Accessed 10/12/2022]