Author: Charlotte Juliens

This week focused on developing our existing animation work further and beginning to think more seriously about our Project 1 / FMP direction. We continued from the previous weeks by improving the Heavy Object & Change of Mind animation, but this time the focus moved into Blocking Plus. At this stage, the poses, staging and rhythm needed to be more locked down, instead of still feeling like a rough idea.

For the Heavy Object & Change of Mind (Blocking Plus) assignment, we had to address feedback and make sure the acting choices were clear. The task also asked us to add breakdown keys and in-between keys, with keys placed approximately every four frames. I understood this as the stage where the animation starts becoming more readable and less robotic. It is not fully polished yet, but the main movement, timing and body mechanics should already make sense.

A useful reminder from this task was that offsetting body parts should be done properly using keys, rather than just dragging the whole timeline. This made me think more carefully about rhythm in the body. For example, when a character interacts with a heavy object, the whole body should not move at the exact same time. The hips, chest, arms and head need small timing differences to make the action feel more natural and believable.

During this week, I struggled a lot with the constrain part of the assignment. I kept running into problems where things did not connect or behave the way I expected, which made me feel really stuck and frustrated. Because of this, I had to spend extra time trying to understand what went wrong and how to fix it. In addition to the videos we were given, I also watched other tutorial videos to help me understand the process better. Even though I still got stuck during that week, it helped me realise that constraints are an important part of the workflow and that I need to practise them more so I can use them with more confidence in future animation tasks.

We were also introduced to Project 1, which is a formative assignment connected to our Final Major Project. The project asks us to choose one core element that we might include in the FMP, such as a visual style, character design or narrative idea. We do not need to have the full FMP planned yet, but we need to research one element, experiment with it and create at least one more polished outcome to present.

I found this helpful because it makes the FMP feel less overwhelming. Instead of trying to solve the whole project at once, Project 1 works more like a test run. It gives us space to explore one idea and see if it is achievable, interesting and useful for the bigger project. The examples shown in the brief also made it clear that the outcome can be practical and experimental, not perfect. The important part is to learn from the process and understand what direction could work for the FMP.

On Friday, we also worked on the Facial Pose Photo Reference assignment. This task asked us to start using real references and pose three facial expressions with different emotions. We could use pictures of our own face or actor references. This connected back to last week’s facial posing session, because we had to think about asymmetry, eye shapes, mouth shapes and how the whole face connects together.

Using real photo reference is useful because it stops the expression from becoming too generic. When looking at a real face, there are small details that are easy to miss if I only imagine the emotion: one eyebrow might lift more than the other, the mouth might pull to one side, or the eyes might carry most of the emotion. It also reminded me to use a mirror and observe the expression physically before trying to recreate it on the rig.

The feedback I received for my 3 facial poses was to make the facial expression clearer by adjusting smaller details in the face. I needed to pull the chin down more so the mouth shape would feel stronger and more readable. I also had to think about how the line of action was pushing through the face, and make sure the expression still stayed symmetrical.

Another point of feedback was to pull the eyebrows slightly down, because this would help the emotion feel more connected and intense. I also needed to pull the eyelid a little bit up to improve the eye shape. These small changes helped make the pose feel less flat and made the expression easier to understand.

This week focused on facial posing, blocking and continuing our work with object interaction in Maya. On Thursday, we looked at facial animation and how to create stronger, more appealing expressions. The session explained that a face should feel organic, not stiff or perfectly symmetrical. We learned that asymmetry, shape and connectivity are important because they help the expression feel more alive and less robotic.

One idea I found useful was that facial expressions should not just be made by pushing one control or sliding one attribute. For example, the lecture explained that instead of simply setting the “smile” control to 1.0, we should actually craft the smile by thinking about volume, cheeks, mouth corners, eyes and brows. This made me realise that facial posing is still a form of acting, even when it is only one pose.

For the Facial Pose Model Sheet assignment, we had to reproduce five facial poses using the provided model sheet and references. The task was to apply what we learned in class, while also remembering that camera angle matters. I focused on trying to make the expressions clear and readable, without overcomplicating them. I also tried to pay attention to the relationship between the brows, eyes and mouth, because the lecture showed that these parts should connect together instead of moving separately.

For my 5 facial poses, I received feedback that the mouth shapes needed to be clearer and stronger. I also had to pay more attention to the eye shapes, because the eyes are very important for showing the emotion of the character. The eyebrows needed to connect better with the expression, instead of feeling separate from the face.

Another point of feedback was to improve the line of action in the eyes and eyebrows. The direction of the eyebrows and eyes should support the emotion more clearly. I also had to check the symmetry of the eyes, because some shapes were not balanced enough. Overall, the feedback helped me understand that small changes in the mouth, eyes and eyebrows can make the facial poses much more readable.

On Friday, we had a self-study session with useful Maya tips. This included topics such as adjusting an object’s pivot, camera clip distance, DAG only, colourspace, and constraints/parents with objects. These technical reminders were useful because they connect directly to the animation assignments. A lot of our work now involves props and object interaction, so understanding how to set things up properly in Maya makes the animation process easier.

We also worked on the Heavy Object & Change of Mind blocking assignment. At this stage, the focus was on making sure the story and acting were clear before polishing the animation. We had to make sure every key pose was a strong “golden pose,” with enough important breakdowns between them. I understood that blocking is not just rough animation, but the stage where the main acting choices, timing and rhythm are decided.

Another activity was Stitch’s Tea Party. In this task, Stitch had to make tea by carrying a tray, placing it on the table, putting the tea bag into the pot, pouring tea into the cup, stirring it and finally drinking it. This was a useful exercise because it involved many object interactions, such as holding, placing, pouring and stirring. It also made me think about planning constraints and parenting before animating, because the props need to follow the character’s hands at the right moments.

This week focused on planning a more advanced body mechanics and acting shot. The main assignment was Heavy Object & Change of Mind, where we had to create a short animation that combines a heavy object with a clear moment where the character changes their mind. The shot length had to be around 12 seconds, and the goal was to show both the physical weight of the object and the emotional or mental shift of the character.

I found this assignment interesting because it is not only about making a character lift or push something heavy. The movement also needs to communicate the character’s thought process. For example, the character might first try to solve the problem in one way, struggle, become frustrated, and then decide to do something different. This made me think more about how acting and mechanics can work together in animation.

The guidelines also made it clear that the shot needs to show clarity. The audience should understand the weight of the object and the exact moment the character changes their mind. We were also allowed to set up cameras, but the shot still had to show the full body, because the physical movement is very important for body mechanics. I think this is useful because heavy-object animation depends a lot on posture, balance, weight shifts and timing.

We also had a self-study task about constraints, parenting and locators in Maya. The goal was to understand how objects can connect, disconnect and interact in a 3D scene without breaking the animation. This included learning the difference between parenting and constraints. Parenting is more like a permanent hierarchy in the outliner, while constraints can be turned on and off, which is more useful for animation.

The self-study also explained how locators can be used as invisible anchors. Instead of attaching a prop directly to a character’s hand, it can be connected to a locator to keep the setup cleaner. This is especially useful for actions like throwing a ball, holding a weapon, or holding a stick with both hands. I found this relevant because it showed how technical setup affects the animation workflow. If the object is not connected properly, it becomes much harder to animate naturally.

On Friday, we also continued working on the Previs – Hunter to Prey final assignment. The aim was to finalise the scene, address feedback and keep improving the previs. This connected back to the previous week, because the focus was still on story, rhythm, timing and camera language rather than polished lighting or final animation. The “Hunter to Prey” theme was about showing a power shift, so it was important to make the change clear through staging and camera choices.

This week focused more on story structure and how to develop a clear narrative before moving into previs. We started by looking at the basics of story and how a scene should not just be a list of things happening. The lecture explained the difference between a chronicle and a narrative: a chronicle is just “this happened and then this happened,” while a narrative is a sequence of events that have meaning and consequences. This helped me understand that a strong story needs cause and effect, not just random actions.

One of the main ideas from the session was the difference between “and then” and “therefore / but.” Instead of writing a story where events just follow each other, we learned that each beat should happen because of the previous one, or create a new obstacle. This made me think more about how a character’s choices should push the story forward. The session also introduced the SWBST structure: Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then. I found this useful because it gives a simple way to check if a story has a clear character, goal, conflict, action and resolution.

In class, we also did the Story Pitch activity. We had to create different story ideas using the SWBST structure, then choose the strongest one and explain it to someone else. This was helpful because pitching made me realise if the idea actually made sense. When you have to explain the story out loud, it becomes easier to see if the logic is clear or if some parts feel random.

We also had the Cinematography Analysis assignment. For this task, we had to choose a 1–2 minute clip from a film that we found visually interesting and analyse how the cinematography supports the storytelling. I chose a scene from The Hunger Games, because the visual language clearly shows power, control and vulnerability. In SyncSketch, I analysed different frames and looked at elements such as composition, camera angle, lighting, framing and how characters were placed in the scene. For example, the symmetrical and centred compositions helped show the authority of the Capitol, while close-up framing made certain moments feel more personal and emotionally intense.

https://syncsketch.com/sketch/U6TLOfSTk6k4

On Friday, we worked on the Previs – Hunter to Prey assignment in Maya. The theme was about showing a dramatic power shift between two characters or more. The focus was not on final lighting, textures or polished animation, but more on story, rhythm, timing, spacing and camera language. This connected well with the story lecture, because we had to make sure the scene was not just a random conflict, but had a clear setup, action and resolution.

We also generated storyboard images to get a more visual idea of what we wanted to create. This helped us understand the framing, camera angles and overall mood before starting the previs in Maya. By using these images as visual references, we could make clearer decisions about how to show the shift from hunter to prey and how to build tension throughout the scene.

After presenting our Hunter to Prey previs, we received feedback on both the camera work and pacing of the sequence. One of the main suggestions was to make certain shots longer in order to give the audience more time to understand the action and build suspense. Ting also recommended using smoother camera curves during the ball sequence rather than relying on very fast zooms, as some of the camera movements felt rushed.

We were advised to slow down the zoom-in and spread it across a longer duration, creating a more gradual sense of tension. Another point of feedback was to improve the relationship between camera distance and shot length, ensuring that the pacing of the camera movements matched the scale of the action on screen.

The camera should also better follow and catch up with the ball during the sequence, helping the audience focus on the key action. To strengthen the dramatic impact, we were encouraged to increase the visual contrast between calm and intense moments and to introduce a stronger camera reaction when the character falls. Finally, the ending should move closer to the character with a tighter framing, and the street should be shown again to provide a clearer sense of location and resolution.

I also found a reference video of someone throwing a ball, which helped me better understand the body movement, timing, weight shift and follow-through of the action.

These changes will help create a stronger feeling of suspense and make the hunter-to-prey transformation more visually engaging and easier to follow.

This week we started by looking at storyboarding and how scenes can be translated visually through camera choices, framing and shot composition. For the first task, we had to recreate the storyboard of a film scene during the break. I chose Incredibles 2, because I thought it would be interesting to analyse how an animated film uses clear camera angles, action poses and composition to communicate the story. Recreating the storyboard helped me understand how each shot is planned before animation, and how important it is to think about what the audience needs to see in each moment.

We also had the second part of the Cinematography session, which focused on layout, composition and camera language. The session explained that the main question is not just “where do you put the camera?”, but also “what is this scene about?” and “what do you want to say?” We looked at elements such as focus, focal length, geometry in the frame and camera movement. I found this useful because it connected directly to storyboarding: every camera choice should support the emotion or meaning of the shot, instead of just looking visually nice.

In class, we then did the Storyboard – Creative Adaptation activity/quiz. For this, we had to take part of the storyboard and adapt or rethink it creatively.

Another task was the 5 + 5 Emotions through Camera storyboard. We had to create two storyboards using exactly five shots, with each shot lasting five seconds. The challenge was to communicate a clear emotion or story without dialogue, facial acting or heavy performance, only using camera language such as framing, composition and movement. This made the task more difficult, but also more useful, because it forced me to think about how the camera itself can create emotion.

I revised my storyboards based on the feedback received during class. The main focus was improving the camera language, shot variety, and visual storytelling to make the emotions and narrative clearer.

For the loneliness sequence, I reworked the camera progression to create a stronger sense of isolation. The scene now begins with a slow zoom-out, gradually revealing how small and disconnected the character is within the environment. Following the feedback, I added a close-up and extreme close-up shot to draw attention to the character’s emotional state before transitioning back to wider compositions. I also adjusted the framing and camera angles to create a stronger contrast between the character and the surrounding space, reinforcing the feeling of loneliness.

For the suspense sequence, I refined the shot order to build tension more effectively. The sequence now starts with a slow push-in towards the character, creating anticipation and drawing the audience’s attention towards the action. I then introduced a close-up of the character reacting to a sound, followed by a close-up of the phone vibrating on the table. Based on the feedback, I explored different camera angles and framing options to make the source of the sound feel more mysterious. The final wide shot reveals the character’s reaction while maintaining the suspense built throughout the sequence.

Then we brought the storyboards to life in Maya by exchanging them with each other and animating someone else’s idea.

On Friday, we continued the 5 + 5 Emotions through Camera task in Maya. This was the practical version of the storyboard exercise, where we had to use Maya cameras to create the same kind of emotional storytelling. It helped me understand how a storyboard can move from a flat planning stage into a 3D space. I had to think more carefully about camera position, shot size and composition, because in Maya the camera actually becomes part of how the emotion is shown.

We also had to upload an animation short film and explain why we chose it. I chose “Turbo – You Can Do It, Turbo!” because it resonated with me. The scene shows how stress can make you try to act like someone else. The line “Are you a car? … Then stop driving like one!” followed by “Snail up, baby!” is funny, but it also has a real message. It reminds me that confidence comes from leaning into your own way of doing things, instead of copying someone else.