My methodology for development
Below is an example of an award-winning student project. The animations and images below depict the steps in development that are assessed. Each stage corresponds to content that would be reviewed by a client in a professional environment.
These are in reverse chronological order. Please scroll down and see each stage in the process and how the project progressed.
Final Animation
The final animation. Some selected changes and instructor’s contributions are noted below.
The color palette has been significantly revised. The beginning and end have been altered to better tell that story.
In this step:
Motion has been refined and there is less intersecting geometry - Class exercises on animation techniques for varying the rate of motion.
Some cells are transparent to show internal structure - Class exercises on render passes, renderers, and materials.
Events are synchronized with the audio - Lecture on Mayer’s Theory of Multimedia Learning and render passes.
Background and effects added to create an ‘underwater’ environment - In-class exercises and assignments on compositing, render passes, and developing environments in After Effects.
Step 4: Animation Rough Draft
The Rough Animation is the step when:
More finalized models are introduced
Rough colors and materials are tested
Lighting schemes are investigated
Motion of objects is cleaner and more finalized
Some visual effects (glows, blurs, etc.) are incorporated
Timing is fine tuned
Some comments and recommendations from one-on-one critique from the instructor include:
1. Revisit the color pallet.
2. Try more After Effects solutions for the ‘washing’ and detergent effect.
3. Refine the characters, perhaps making them more generalized to be more inclusive and race-neutral.
4. The subsequent cellular scene needed much more dimension.
Step 3: Animatic: The 3D planning blueprint
The Animatic is the 3d blueprint for planning the animation. This step forces the student to plan out their final visualization in a 3 dimensional space using basic shapes.
At this stage the student must:
Decide on camera positions
Determine how objects/characters will interact in 3d space
Incorporate rough voice-over and sound effects
Solve potential problems with timing
Identify challenges with story flow and continuity
Step 2: Animated Storyboard: The 2D planning in motion
The animated storyboard is a step in my process not always used in professional production. I choose to incorporate animated storyboards because they force the student to plan their animation in a more efficient way prior to working in 3d software which is more time consuming than working in 2d software.
This step affords the students the opportunity to work on their timing, camera placement and motion, as well as finalize synchronizing their audio to the story. At this point in production, many issues with story flow and timing can be identified and addressed.
Step 1: Storyboard: The Planning Document
The storyboard is the two dimensional planning document for the entire animation. At left is a sample page. This step is assessed with critique in both small groups and one-on-one resulted in multiple suggestions for further development.
The main critiques addressed clarification of animation directions, better synchronization with the script, clarifying transitions between scenes, and referencing the primary literature more heavily to ensure accuracy. New visuals were recommended for the introduction as the current visual metaphors used were unclear.
Additional notes on rendering style and quality were provided.