Maya: Reverse Poses

Minor Project: Previz - WIP

Finally the first half of my previz has uploaded! Second part coming upon completion. I'm happy with the general flow of my animation so far and feel that it mirrors the storyboards well. The sound direction is also being speculated over, though I feel that my direction has implied sounds throughout, I'm imagining a bed of music which changes depending on the atmosphere.

Minor Project: Storyboard/Previz Comparison

Unfortunately, it would seem that the first half of my previz will not be available until later today due to its size and upload time. However, I have put together a comparison of my original storyboard and previz to establish a clearer visual of the animation I intend to make. This storyboard only shows the first two minutes of the piece, as the rest of the previz is still in production.

Stay tuned for the video playblast!
 

Minor Project: Complete Storyboard

This storyboard outlines the entirety of my animation, beginning with the introduction of each character as they establish their surroundings. When the cucumber falls ill, the broccoli understands that their only hope is to make a break for the fridge. The arrival of the dog kicks off journey, when the potato is startled and falls backwards into the microwave. The broccoli begins frantically mashing at the interface trying to save him, but he eventually explodes. The remaining veg then jump through a hob fire started by the dog, navigating past the sink and to the final ledge. Here, the broccoli rounds up the veg to jump onto the dishwasher door and run along the top before fully opening. After successfully diving onto the counter, the sweetcorn are then squashed by an unwitting slice of toast. As the broccoli pries open the fridge door, the onion distracts the dog and it eventually opens. The broccoli attempts to carry the onion up the fridge, but loses his arm due to the 'time-lapsed spoiling' of the outside world. With the broccoli finally at rest, cut to myself removing a real broccoli from my fridge and dumping it in boiling water. End.

Maya: Character Poses

Here are some pratice poses based on reference photos of models, showing Spiderman punching, jumping and crouching.

Source download: http://www.creativecrash.com/maya/downloads/character-rigs/c/free-spiderman-rig

Minor Project: Thumbnails & Storyboarding

 

Since my last tutorial I have been restructuring the story of my animation using thumbnails based on the layout of my own kitchen. This version begins with a bag of vegetables left on the counter, who quickly find themselves destined to return to the fridge in a fight for survival. The veg find themselves encountering their demise one by one as they maneuver through a barrage of appliances, leaving only the broccoli and onion to reach the fridge.The broccoli however slips and drops the onion to the fate of the dog circling the kitchen. With the broccoli finally at ease, we cut to an internal shot of the fridge in which I take a real broccoli and throw it in boiling water. End.

 

Here are some reference photos I used for the pre-vis model of the kitchen set. The layout seems to create a perfect route to the fridge and has a naturally 'busy' look to it.

Below is a low-res model of the kitchen I'll be using for the pre-vis. This will serve as a basis for the final model and allow me to reference the 3D space whilst creating a storyboard.

 

 

  

Minor Project: Character Walk Cycle Tests

I have decided to create walk cycles for my existing characters to establish their personalities. This will make storyboarding and general narrative choices more clear based on their personal decisions.

The character of Brock classifies as the leader of the team, thus giving him a confident stride to his walk. His soft features leave room to experiment with any anatomical or physical barriers during any given situation.

Red has an energetic bounce to his walk which accompanies expressions of determination, while his moustache and 'missing slice' give him an edge of experience and aging.

Potato was designed as an impenetrable boulder of a character, with less intelligence and rationale than the rest. His walk cycle is based on that of a dog or gorilla, using his needle-arms to thrust forward the supporting back needle. This cycle may be changed to a simple rolling animation if the design is restructured to fit the project.

The sweetcorn maintain a bouncy energy to their walk, travelling primarily within their own cluster. Their size and agility will allow them to complete tasks others cannot reach.

Cucumber travels with a level of smoothness and flexibility, not usually attributed to his stiff anatomy. The unrealistic nature of his walk cycle reflects the simplicity with which such an object could physically move.

Minor Project: Development Thumbnails

Here I began by deconstructing my Character Project and mind-mapping potential narratives and themes for an animation.

Following my tutorials on the project, I started creating thumbnails which transition from the initial setting to a fast food outlet. I feel that the juxtaposition between healthy and unhealthy foods would establish a world that is alien to the characters I have created.

Under the running title 'The Leftovers', the team are thrown away at a fancy restaurant and believe that they are the 'chosen ones' for leaving the fridge uneaten.

When the kitchen of a bustling fast food restaurant shows them the reality of their fate (burgers cooked alive, potatoes cut into chips, etc.), they decide to go back to a fridge.

The team are exiled from the fridge by 'rougher' foods and feel that they do not belong. They are thrown into a 'Happy Meal' box and mistaken for collectible toys when discovered by a child.

Fridge (Internal) & Fast Food Outlet Design

I am still interested in keeping the characters two-dimensional over 3D environments to avoid the 'food world' blending too much into the 'real world'.

Maya Tutorials: Active & Passive Rigid Bodies