Category: Advanced and Experimental 3D Computer Animation

In this week’s workshop, we explored how camera angles can convey a story but show the same thing from multiple perspectives. For example, In the two videos shown below, the same action is occurring, however, their point of view indicate different stories.

The first shows a man desperately running away from a pursuer, and in his panic falls and trips, perhaps inciting a feeling of tension similar to that of horror movies.

This second camera angle is a POV over-the-shoulder shot of a police officer who is seemingly chasing a criminal, and when they fall to the ground it has a more comedic effect overall, indicating the ‘criminal’ is clumsy and not widely threatening. With the application of further may tools such as the camera sequencer which we have looked at previous, a sequence could be compiled together to create a two-dimensional dynamic narrative between the two characters that contrasts and conflicts perspectives.

I think considering camera angles will be vital to any future piece of work I will consider, just as cinematography is important for film conveyance of mood, setting and overall narrative enhancement. Below I have listed some readings that I could consider to hone in on my understanding of this aspect and apply it to my own pieces of work.

Reading List

. Keating, P. (ed) (2014) Cinematography. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press.

.Brown, B. (2011). Cinematography: Theory and Practise: Imagemaking for Cinematographers and Directors. Oxford: Focal Press.

.Mascelli, J. (1998). The Five C’s of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques. Los Angeles, California: Silman-James Press.

Looking at mechanical animation, which focuses on four key elements rotation, positing, framing and timing. Due to its mechanical nature, the modelling will also be very smooth and man-made in presentation. The youtube link below highlights the main functions of the useless machine box which I used as a ground basis to develop this model and animated sequence.

(29) Useless Box Kit from ThinkGeek – YouTube

imitating a finger and a switch, the primary idea of the useless machine is to turn the switch back off after it has been pressed. In the first version, I created a mechanical arm that rises from the box in time with the switch. Being mechanically orientated in motion, the timing has to have a very perfect and controlled feel to it that lacks the unpredictableness of natural motion.

Taking this idea a step further, and using a rig to add a more enticing and performed character animation to the shot concept. For this, I tried to use an unconventional rig, a fish, and try to create its motion in a certain way to create a comedic effect in both timing and restricted movement. In this sense, I ‘broke’ the rig by overstretching the arm in a way that exemplifies the ridiculousness of the fish, an organic creature, appearing out of a box to cause mayhem. This was difficult in the sense of trying to make the fish appear and move ‘mechanically’ which contrasts with its biological nature. In order to improve this going forward, I think that the animation is stripped back far too much, it does not truly give life to the fish, or display much of his character and emotional state other than the brief smile presented before pressing the switch. To push myself further with this exercise in future, I intend to use new techniques much like those displayed in the class workshop, where I could potentially use animation paths to create polygons that form as the box opens and closes to add the comedic effect of something larger being inside the box that it appears to be able to psychically contain.

In order to gain a better understanding of more abstract and less structured conceptual creation in 3D space, I Intend to explore visuals inspired by the geometric stylisation of cubist movements such as artists Jean Metzinger and Sonia Delaunay to see how they would move in relation to sound. The 70s and 80s inspired experimental synth-pop bands such as ’Cluster’, ’Brian Eno’ and ’Tangerine Dream’ Use music that evokes the epitome of electronics, which in my own mind seems to perfectly fit aesthetically with abstractly formed computer-generated imagery.

Cubist inspiration and Reference

When reflecting on Cubism as an artistic movement it makes statements about the modernism movement that help speculate on how arts perception is progressing.

Music Inspiration and Development

An interesting quotation to consider looking into the Functions of experimental and electronic music that stimulates visual ideas of movement is from Pauline Oliveros stating:

“I think of the delay system as a time machine, because first, you have to be present to make a sound and play it. Then it’s recorded and played back in the future so what the future is essentially dealing with is really the past. So it sort of expands your sense of time” (Pauline in Holmes, 2016, p.169)

Going forward with experimentation in this aspect, I think audio delay systems present in the late 60s and 70s synth-pop provide interesting associations with the sci-fi and the extraterrestrial, and I could play on these widely accepted associations to create ‘alien’ or ‘otherwordly’ insinuations that evoke a sense of mystery without the need of extensively defined visuals. In reference to Holmes Seven fundamental traits of electronic music, one of the points he discusses is electronic music as the ability to expand the perception of tonality (2016). Highlighting the fact that electronic music can ”stretch the concept of the pitch into the opposite direction, toward a less defined tonality into the realm of noise” (Holmes, 2016, Pp.171). Taking this concept in a literal visual sense, I could adapt a 3D perception using influences from aspects such as sound waves to perceive music.

Here is an example of electronic music by Cluster, which I will use as inspiration when writing different music pieces that could compliment my visuals.

Something that experimental provides aesthetically visuals for in terms of creating aesthetic computerised animation is a variation in the shapes of soundwaves

Experimental Music Test 1

Taking this into garage band, and using instruments reminiscent to that of those typically used in an experimental synth-pop formation, I tried to replicate interesting sounds and patterns which will be a basis for further experimentation later on.

Experimental Song 2

Bibliography

. Holmes, Thom, 2016. Electronic and Experimental Music. Fifth Edition. New York: Routledge

This term involvement requires two 30- 120 second stories to be created, and the most vital starting point to this is idea conception and storyboarding. This provides a means for you to plan and assess how you wish the film to look shot-wise as well as plan initial staging and on-screen concepts. During this initial workshop, we were tasked to draw a quick storyboard to begin potentially progressing an idea to being conceptualised around.

First Storyboard Concept

The General Concept of the story is two cowboys are about to duel with guns over the last can of beer. They dramatically set up to walk 10 steps to turn and shoot, however just as they turn around, an eagle swoops down and steals the can, leaving the two cowboys to stare up in confusion. I think as a concept this works well timing-wise however, In order to create two relatively detailed cowboy models and rigs I would have to have a lot of time, and due to the limitations of time I have to complete the project, I have many challenges to tackle producing this into 3D content.

Storyboard 2

My secondary idea very quickly summarises an idea of several characters who compete in a ‘dance contest’ but when a contest makes an error, a trap door opens beneath them and they are out of the contest. Taking this into consideration for production, I could create the same rig dancing against each other to save modelling and rigging time and also use a more limited and stylized method of character animation that doesn’t replicate the imitative and smooth nature of Disney and Pixar character animations.