603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 22/02/21)

Unresolved Issues from Last Week:

At the start of the week, the monster shot was animated fully. I was going to suggest to the director that we just reuse this scene twice, as there were quite a few inconsistencies between mine and Alisha's shot, and the other. It appeared that before I had a chance, the director came to this conclusion naturally on his own however, this was just miscommunication. So, I needed to bring it up anyway. 

The Solution:

I explained that the two shots were too inconsistent, not only in design however the walk cycle itself, as my version has the monster on it's hands, whilst the other has it walking on it's knuckles. The director was conflicted, as he didn't want to remove a scene that the team had worked so hard on. It was only when more animators spoke up, including the two responsible for the other shot, that the director decided to axe it and go with mine and Alisha's.

This Week:

At the start of the week, I worked on 'The Care I Give My Hair'.

I had similar issues on this shot with that of a previous shot, as the character turn-around was only designed with her first hairstyle in mind. While I could search for reference images, or try to use the sketchy designs from the animatic, I didn't feel confident at all attempting to animate this shot.

Fortunately, my other teammate had already started on another shot where this hairstyle was featured. So, using their drawing alongside the storyboard art, I had a better idea of what the linework should look like.

Link to Shot 10 (Key Frames Only)

I wasn't originally down to key frame this shot however, due to the team all working in different software, and the capabilities of each software, I needed to rearrange a couple of the final scenes. I still had the same amount of work to do however this way, we didn't need to convert the file back and forth.

Link to Shot 10 (Character Animation Only)

So, seeing as I was down to both inbetween, and colour this shot at a later date, I decided to get this scene over and done with at once, as colouring in TVPaint doesn't take very long at all. The reason her hair is green is because the director wanted the hair to be textured, so this layer will act as a green screen and the texture will be applied in post.

I then moved onto 'The Last Riders' project.

I was down to animate a scene that was incredibly similar to one Rhys had already animated which resulted in a conflict of interest. As while I consciously make an effort to stay on model as accurately as possible, it was obvious my character reference sheet and Rhys' shot had inconsistencies. So I had to make a decision: do I stay on model and sacrifice the consistency of the final animation or, do I purposefully go off model to match Rhys' interpretation of the design.

Link to Scene 19 (Key Frames Only)

Once again, this was another scene that I was down to also inbetween and colour so, I decided to put these jobs together.

I'm slightly worried about the line thickness as while I followed the character reference sheet, I have a feeling the shots that have been animated so far have thinner linework. This is an issue that has arisen due to two factors. Firstly, I'm working on three projects simultaneously and each have very different art styles. Secondly, it's been about a month since I've animated a scene for Rhys' project as the other projects have taken precedence, meaning the line width had escaped my mind.

Link to Scene 19 (Character Animation Only)

Now the colour has been added, I feel the difference in weight of the line is obvious. However, due to time restraints, I won't make any adjustments now. If the director hasn't got any issues then I can continue as planned, and so far he hasn't said anything.

Link to Personal Gantt Chart (22/02)

At the end of the week, I was given a commission. So, I began to plan some ideas for what I could do and how I could approach it, given how busy my schedule already is. 

I also tried to catch up on some of the visiting professionals lectures I had missed, including: Bianca Ansems, Matthew Cooper and Maryam Mohajer. 

I no longer have any scenes to key frame for both the 'Kingdom of Masks', or 'The Care I Give My Hair' which means I can focus solely on 'The Last Riders' for a while. However, I do need to learn a new software in order to colour on these projects so this may slow my practice down. I will also be travelling back to Leeds at the beginning of March so, I can imagine my mental health will naturally decline, as it usually does, so this may also be an issue in regards to my workflow.

603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 15/02/21)

I was nervous about this week as I had a couple of shots to key frame for Khoa's project and I had found that these shots were usually the most difficult.

Link to Scene 9 (Key Frames Only)

At the start of the week, Khoa made an announcement that scenes no longer needed to be animated on 1s or 2s, but 3s, so rather than key framing as I usually do (often on 4s), I tried to key frame so that the inbetweener could animate with ease. He also shared a scene that he had key framed which had squash and stretch on the mask, so I felt I could also be more expressive and emotive when animating the mask.

I really struggled with this shot as I didn't know how to capture a simple action over a long time. I couldn't film any reference footage without the movements coming off as slow or awkward.

Link to Scene 8 (Key Frames Only)

I really struggled with this shot as it was the first time I animated the monster. However, once I was in the flow of things, I found I ended up liking the shot. Unfortunately, there is another shot in this animation that is incredibly similar however, due to different animators working on it, not only are the walk cycles different but the character design itself has inconsistencies. This point was raised with the director however due to time, he isn't focused on resolving this issue just yet. We have instead decided to wait until the next weekly. I believe it may be worth using this scene for both shots, by just scaling the monster down and colouring it differently, as the actions are the same.

I then moved onto Stacey's project.

Link to Shot 11 (Key Frames Only)

By this stage in the week I was completely exhausted. I feel as though shot 11 looks rushed as a result however, I need to take a proper break this weekend as my eyes are constantly sore and I'm having frequent headaches from staring at my laptop screen all day every day. I've felt really challenged recently with keeping up with the workload and also managing my mental health, as anxiety and stress are always factors I'm having to manage.

Link to Personal Gantt Chart (15/02)

Last week, it was suggested that as producer, I should also plan time for RnR. At the weekend, I hosted a quiz for my classmates, which everyone seemed to enjoy, and every Friday night a group of us have been playing video games to help wind down.

602 Update (Following on from Study Task 2)

Following on from my last post, and despite objecting to becoming a freelance animator, upon reflection of the jobs available in my area, and also attending a lecture on 'Working Animators' and seeing the figures within the industry, I thought I would consider some other options:

1) Potential Summer Project?

During a weekly, Ben, one of our lecturers, explained how he may have an upcoming project over summer that will be in need of animators. So, once I'm nearing the end of my course, I'm planning on sending him my showreel.

I'm not happy at all with my current showreel as I feel as though I have improved since first year, rendering those clips no longer an accurate portrayal of my skills, and the majority of my outcomes from second year I'm really not impressed with.

So, my next steps from here would be to update and refine my showreel, so that it only showcases the best outcomes, and then find out any more information I can on this summer project.

2) Alisha and Joseph's Studio

A few weeks ago, Alisha sent a message to the animation group chat asking if anyone was interested in creating a studio/collective. A group of us then created a Discord chatroom where we have been sharing our research on: branding, such as colour schemes, unique selling points and potential names, finances, including articles on accounting, affordable software and rates, and social media inspiration, such as analysing already existing studios that we look up to.

603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 08/02/21)

At the beginning of the week, I focused on the one colouring task I had. I noticed some problems with the character design and line art which I brought up with Rhys, and then asked him to fix at the end of the module if he has time as it's slightly off model.

The main issue I had on this task was that about halfway through, I accidentally typed the hex code into the pen size box which caused the software to crash resulting in me having to start over from scratch.

Link to Scene 9 (Colour Only)

I then moved onto the Kingdom of Masks project. This week, I had to key frame scene 22. I really struggled with the placement of his footwork as he approaches the camera over the hill, so I followed Khoa's roughs as a guide and filmed a reference of my brother to help.

Link to Scene 22 (Key Frames Only)

Over the second half of the week, I got on with Stacey's project, currently titled 'The Care I Give My Hair'. Last week I struggled with the shots I had on this project, so I was slightly apprehensive to start these shots however once I got on with it, I found I had no trouble key framing shot 6.

Link to Shot 6 (Key Frames Only)

I'm happy with the secondary action of her curl.

Link to Shot 8 (Key Frames Only)

I found this shot trickier as I only had the turn-around of her with her hair down to work from, which meant I relied on the animatic more than the reference sheet. Usually, I follow the turn-around as closely as possible to make sure the character is consistent, so the lack of this resource made me feel less confident.

During the weekly, it was suggested that as producer, I should organise some RnR sessions alongside the production timetables to make sure the team has regular downtime. My youth club have been doing monthly quizzes so, I messaged the leader asking if I could use one for my teammates. She sent me one, which I trialled on some friends from home. Hopefully, I can set something up over the next few weeks!

Link to Personal Gantt Chart (08/02)

This week, I got the colour task out of the way, then sunk my teeth into the harder tasks. In the future however, I may do the more difficult tasks first.

A few of us in class also played Among Us together, and have decided to make an effort to schedule these games sessions regularly so that we can keep in contact with one another and make sure we're taking regular breaks.

603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 01/02/21)

At the start of the week, the musician emailed back and showed a real interest in working on Khoa's project. So, I sent him an invite to join the Discord and he messaged back, saying he had spoken to the directors and a first draft should be completed in two weeks time.

Link to Scene 2 (Key Frames Only)

I began this week by key-framing scene 2 for the Kingdom of Masks project. I'm really happy with how I animated the fabric, as there is a looseness and weight to it which looks natural. If I compare the movement of this cape to a cape I animated last year, there has been an improvement.

Link to Shot 3 (Key Frames Only)

I then moved onto Stacey's project for the remainder of the week. After the lecture on Wednesday, I began key-framing shot 3. I struggled with this at first, as I felt the timing was off and the angle was a little strange. However, after starting from scratch and filming some reference footage to guide me, I felt I could get on with the task and it turned out okay.

Link to Shot 5 (Key Frames Only)

After the weekly session, I started on shot 5. I really struggle to animate objects as I feel as though I can't add any life to them. It looks really flat and boring. In the future, I might add some squash and stretch to try and bring the item to life a little however, as this is a hair tutorial, I felt that wouldn't fit the style.

On top of that, I've always animated characters with five digits so, I struggled drawing the hand with one less finger. All in all, I'm not very happy with this shot. Hopefully the inbetweens can save it, as I don't have time to start again.

Link to Personal Gantt Chart (01/02)

I found this week rather stressful, as I found it was taking roughly two days for me to key frame one shot for a project. This week I had three shots to animate and as I didn't want to work over the weekend, I had to work really hard to get the shots done by the end of Friday. Next week however, I have four scenes to animate, and the pressure doesn't ease off from pretty much now until the deadline. So the question is: can I maintain this rate alongside my other module and not break? Stay tuned!

Study Task 2 - Scan the Horizon

Where?

- Studio

I definitely don't want to freelance. I would like to find a job working for a studio or company. I don't want to move from place to place, I would much prefer to find somewhere for the long-term.

- Midlands

I would like to stay close to my family. Now that Covid and the subsequent lockdowns have changed the way in which animators are working, location may no longer be an issue, as remote working is currently the norm.

A possible route could be:

Rare Ltd

Industry: Media - Video Game Development

Most of the current jobs available are for senior and experienced staff, so I would have to look elsewhere for a route in. Such as, the annual internship they offer. To apply for this, I will need my CV, a cover letter, and a portfolio. I've missed the deadline for the 2021 scheme, so if I were to apply here, it would be for the 2022 scheme, and I would need to apply in December, assuming the timeline is the same. It would be a twelve month placement with a competitive salary.

Skills Needed:

- Competency in Maya, ZBrush, Photoshop and Illustrator

- Ability to collaborate

- Effective communication skills

- Passion for video games

Location: Twycross, Atherstone.

I could easily commute here, as it is only a twenty minute drive from my house. However, it does say on the website, that "Due to the global pandemic, the majority of our workforce is currently working from home.".

I looked through a list of animation studios in England to see where else I could apply. I would prefer to stay local, so areas such as Birmingham, Leicester, Coventry and Leamington Spa would all be within my reach. Potential other studios I could apply to include:

- Exient (Mobile Game Studio - Leamington Spa)

- Flix Interactive (Video Game Studio - Birmingham)

- Kwalee (Video Game Studio - Leamington Spa)

- Spark (Video Production - Birmingham)

- Pixel Toys (Video Game Studio - Leamington Spa)

- Ubisoft (Video Game Studio - Leamington Spa)

- Well Played Games (Video Game Studio - Leamington Spa)

I noticed however, that the majority of the studios near me specialised in video games, and required a knowledge of 3D animation, which isn't something I considered nor have experience in. If I did end up working at a gaming studio, the dream would be Rockstar Games however, there are no studios local to me, unless I continued living in Leeds.

Getting Noticed

I printed some business cards last year, with the intention of attending networking events. However, due to the circumstances, I haven't been able to use them. The icon on my card is the same for my Etsy and animation Instagram accounts. So, in order to potentially expand my follower count, I've been sending a card with my Etsy orders. When I make a website, I will stick to the same colour palette and layout so that there is a unity between my social media sites.

Focus and Goal?

- Producer

- Animator - 2D (key framing, clean-up, colour)

As I'm looking to become a 2D animator, I may need to look further afield as I'm currently struggling to find somewhere that I'm qualified for.