Libera Me

Lux Aeterna

Sanctus

Agnus Dei

Offertorop

Dies Irae

Requiem Response - 02

My second reaction to p.1 of the Requiem

Requiem Response - 01

My first reaction to p.1 of the Requiem

Major Project Submission

The Art of Little Things by msmall123

Pre_Viz - Building The Animation

Looking towards the animation, I have done a pre_viz before I fully commit to the final outcome. This is mainly to test timing and to see if I have missed placed or need to edit objects position.

From this I have learnt that I need to have a look at the frame size between maya, after effect and premiere pro as I seemed to have gotten this slightly wrong this time around. I also feel that the text needs editing to a different font as I feel that it is hard to read and does not fit the animation.

Editing Into - 2

I have tweaked the intro in order to try and work out what works best. I have moved a few things around and place the handle under the screw to try and imply the connection rather than having it to the side. I think this works better although I am unsure on the base of the screw and handle. However, keeping in mind this is more of a cheat and meant to be more suggestive than real, I think it works well.

Editing Intro - 1

So the last piece to the puzzle is the intro of the animation where the lone screw begins its chain reaction to bring the machine to life. 

I tried to bring in a handle to which would start to move after the screw screwed in place. I think in this edit it maybe a little to busy and Im not sure on the handle placement. I think it may need to be more connected to the screw by maybe having it underneath rather than to the side. However, I do like the delay before the cog begins to turn ( the one behind the screw) rather than the instant turn with the handle.

After Effects Test

It has been a while since I used After Effects and as I need to use it for some small editing I thought I would do a little test to work out where things are or what to look out for to fix before being imported.

This has a few problems with frame size, odd borders and jumps. This is down to the using Premiere Pro before hand and a few odd settings. This was good to get to grips with setting and learning where everything was to make everything flow more smoothly.

Here I tried correcting the mistakes to which has made it flow more smoothly and got rid of the issues around size.  The intro of the screw is a little doggy due to its dirty shadows which is a result of it being a pre_viz and thus should not be a problem.

Sheep & Cow Movement Tests

Exploring the secondary animation, the sheep and cow rings are slightly more technical than the others. I have attempted to give the sheep and jumping motion and the cow a bobbing head (possibly a tail when I remodel her) as well as turning the objects behind.

Sheep Test 1

With the first test I explored having the sheep jumping over the fence by having the fence stand static on the ring and having the sheep's follow the motion of the ring. When played however, the static fence stand out and looks rather odd and alien to the rest of the moving contraption.

Sheep Test 2

To change the static feel that the fence gives off I reversed it so the fence moves and the sheep stays in place. This is was due to that, even though the sheep win the in place it will not be static due to its jumping animation. I think this works well and stops the feel of the random static object in this moving world.

Sheep Test 2.5 Camera

Cow Test

With the cow, all I had wanted was something rather small to brake up the solid body of the cow. Under the cow I have placed a mostly hidden mechanism that in turn moves the head up and down. I may add a tail as well when I re make the model as I think this small movement, plus the movement of the objects behind works well.

Cow Test Camera

Camera Rise Tests

Here I have been looking into the camera rise to the above view. I have done a few iterations with minor tweaking in each trying to find the smoothest way to do so.

I started off trying to attach the camera onto the last layer and make it follow the planet as the camera rises. There was a problem with this and its rotation due to the rotations of the other rings. When the camera attached to the planet, it made the other rings slow down and speed up depending on the direction of the ring. It also made the planet look like it was not moving.

I then tried having the camera rotate around the center point. This stopped the problem with the planet and dulled down the problem with the other rings, but the speed difference is still visible. 

To get rid of the ring rotation speed problem I decided to get rid of the camera rotation but keep the sweep up to the top view. This worked okay and got rid of the rotation problem but seems rather distant as it rises.

Finaly I edited the camera movement again slightly which would allow the camera begin to zoom out slightly later rather than at the beginning of the movement to the top view.

Tweaking 2 _ Pre_Viz

Note;- The gears at the beginning are simply a place holder.

Here I have done some minor tweaks to the timing between each object and rise of the tower. I have also edited the height of the tower slightly to become taller.

Tweaking & Testing - Pre_Viz

Working on the pre_viz I have been tweaking the camera, how the objects come into shot and the rising tower. I am still working on timing but I think the rise works well and is timed nicely with the new objects coming into shot. I also think the pop in of the objects into shot works well with it taking up the hole screen (rather than being under the cam like the old Pre_Viz).

However, I think after watching it player out that the rings are spinning a little to fast and need slowing down.

Rise & Fall - Cake Tower Idea

Here I have tried something out that I think has worked rather well. I have had this visual problems with everything being on one level, as it looks rather flat and leaves a lot of negative space. So here I put each section on its own level and as the camera moves out, they begin to rise (Like a cake tower). I still have to play around with the timing but I think it is both effective with getting rid of the negative space and also adds some visual interest. 

Rise & Falls Test : All Rings

Im quite liking this but I feel it is still leaving a lot of negative space at the top. A way to combat this could be a slight rise of the rings as the camera moves out (like a cake tower). There are still a few tests to go but I think it is slowly coming together.

Crops & Apple Ring added

I have added the apple and crop rings. I have tried to bounce the apple with (what will be) little pegs holding the apples up. I was unsure if the pegs would clot up the view but I think it turned out better than I thought. I can imagine them being some sort of thin metal.
I was a little stuck on the crops but liked it as a simple layer. On hind sight, I could have had something like a hay stack or two that would raise it level. On a hole I think its looking more successful and interesting.