Friendship in a CanAnimation - 3D Modeling
Team
Alyssa Lalani
Rowina Chan
Andrea Ang
Pitch
For the class 343: Animation, in the Interactive Art and Technology program at Simon Fraser University. We were tasked with creating our own animated short film. Our guidelines were it had to be under two minutes we were required to make it in Autodesk’s Maya.
Process Analysis:
Concept & Storyboard
We started by creating the story concept by bringing a set of story ideas to our first meeting. We ended up going with my story pitch and then fleshed out the rest of the story together. Rowina and Andrea began to draw the storyboard, and I created the character profiles.
Next, I created concept art to help define how we wanted the environment and characters to look. And we all found precedents to take inspiration from. I chose the game Subnautica and the film Finding Dory because our environment is underwater.
Figure 1. Initial character designs (2021)
Figure 2. Initial environment concept (2021)
Process Analysis:
Modelling & Texturing
After the storyboard was completed, we moved on to modelling our characters and environment. I was in charge of modelling and texturing the main character, Todd the Turtle. I modelled him with proper topology for animating and used a simplistic design that matched our environment.
After the model, I created the texture. Using Adobe Photoshop, I designed and coloured the texture using Todd’s UV map as the base, and then created and applied the material in Maya. After that, I created Todd’s facial expressions using Blendshapes.
Figure 3. Todd the turtle with texture (2021)
Figure 4. Example smile facial expression (2021)
Process Analysis:
Animating & Sound
The secondary characters and the rigging were completed by my team members. Then we started animating. I was in charge of the animation of seven scenes in the middle of the final animation, and the rest were divided up among my teammates.
After everything was animated and rendered, my team compiled it into a video and did some post-editing. Then it was given to me for the last step, which was to complete the sound design. I used Reaper software to compose the soundtrack and sound effects.
Final Animation
Logline: When an abandoned art project floats along the ocean, a lonely turtle attempts to make a surprising friend.
Process Analysis:
Reflection
My team and I managed to create a beautiful animated short. For the most part I believe our project was very successful, considering our limited experience and the time constraints we had to manage.
I learned a lot from this project, and it has re-ignited my passion for three-dimensional art.
Figure 5-10 [Gallery]. Screenshots of the final rendered film. (2021)