Category: Advanced and Experimental 3D computer Animation Techniques

This week, I need to adjust the narrative sequence of my shots to make each shot feel more connected rather than isolated.

I need to remove the close-up shot of the eyes and make the following adjustments to the sequence of shots 1-5：

The original sequence had some inconsistencies in continuity, particularly in how the protagonist reacts, the cut to the police car approaching, and then the close-up of the eyes. The transitions between these shots felt somewhat disjointed. Additionally, the sequence from a full-body shot to a long shot in the opposite direction, followed by a close-up, created a sense of visual confusion.

George suggested that I could show the reflection of the approaching police car in her eyes instead. I think this could be a great effect to add later in post-production, but for now, I will remove the close-up of the eyes in the previs。

Here are some shots I edited the order:

After adding the shot of placing the ball into the robot, it feels much more coherent. It also shows their reaction to the approaching police car, and then the camera moves down, giving the audience an expectation that they are preparing to escape.

In this shot, last week I tried having the character do a spin in place while avoiding the police car. She would stretch her arms to maintain balance, but I later realized this might feel a bit odd, as someone fleeing wouldn’t perform such flashy movements. It also felt unclear what she was doing.

So, I’ve decided to simplify this shot of her flying out：

In the past few weeks, I have already translated the storyboard into previs shots. So in the coming weeks, my work will focus on adjusting the pacing of certain shots, refining the transitions between them, and fine-tuning the camera shakes.

In this week’s feedback, my shots mainly have the following issues:

1.The original close-up shot lacks dynamism

So I need to add more movement. George suggested that I could have the character jump down from the ventilation duct and make the small machine’s actions more lively. I think I need to consider the interactivity of each character more carefully

2. The issue of flying speed

In Shot 6, the character notices the police car chasing her and quickly jumps onto the flying robot to escape. While reviewing the animation, I realized that the pacing of her flight needs some adjustments. Currently, her movement is too uniform, but to make the animation feel more natural and dynamic, I should adjust it like fast-slow-fast.

The action shouldn’t follow a fixed linear speed. She should jump quickly, then experience a brief slowdown, allowing the audience to see her adjusting on the flying vehicle before accelerating into a high-speed escape. In Shot 6, the middle flight segment feels too fast, so I need to slow it down slightly to enhance the pacing.

While researching animation references, I found that when accelerating, the character’s upper body may lean back slightly, while during deceleration, they tend to lean forward. This principle will help refine my character’s animation, making her movements more physically believable.

3. Distance from the Camera

In this shot, George suggested that I try bringing the character closer to the camera to create a sense of urgency and immersion while also establishing a visual contrast between the character in the foreground and the police car in the background.

After the character escapes, the movement should follow a golden spiral trajectory. However, I encountered some challenges here because both the camera and the character are moving, making it difficult to maintain this trajectory. On the other hand, if the camera remains stationary, the character would appear too small on the screen due to the large scale of the scene and the fast movement of all elements.

So I added a shot where the character moves closer to the camera：

4. Refining the character’s pose on the flying robot

In some shots where the pacing has been finalized, I need to refine the character’s poses, such as adjusting her center of gravity. When she turns, her entire body might rotate accordingly—her feet and the flying vehicle would apply force in the direction of the turn, while her body would lean into it.

5. I need to add an ending.

In the final shot, she escapes the city and look back. However, this feels end suddenly. George suggested adding a shot where she sees the distant landscape ahead and then flies toward the sun. I think this is a great idea because the natural scenery creates a strong contrast with the enclosed cyberpunk city, making the ending feel more complete and less abrupt.

After discussing with my teacher, I realized that my stories mainly suffer from incompleteness. For example, the cyberpunk story and the magic hat story lack a clear beginning and ending. So this week, I will refine my storyboards and start using Maya to build 3D scenes and create a previs video.

Starting with the cyberpunk city story, my teacher suggested adding a news report about the theft at the beginning to provide context for the audience. Additionally, during the chase sequence, I can enhance the tension by including police cars and shooting scenes.

Notes:

After adjustment:

Notes:

In the second scene, my teacher suggested adding a shot of the puppeteer reluctantly shedding tears over his puppets, as well as a shot showing how he eventually puts them down. This will help improve the coherence between the shots.

After adjustment:

In the third story, my teacher suggested adding a scene showing the protagonist’s loneliness, indicating her deep desire for a friend. In the end, although she doesn’t get the unicorn she wishes for, she gains many other friends instead. So, I drew the beginning and ending scenes. In the final scene, the girl happily runs outside with her animal friends.

Previs video for cyberpunk story：

https://syncsketch.com/sketch/vml7cUTU1YOg/?offlineMode=1#/31953396/33248148/f_0

Moodboard:

References:

This week, I developed three different storyboards, each exploring a unique theme and narrative style. Throughout this process, I conducted extensive research to deepen my understanding of the subjects and refine my storytelling approach. Here, I’ll share my thought process behind each concept and reflect on the challenges and insights I gained.

The Cyberpunk Escape： A High-Speed Chase

The first story takes place in a futuristic cyberpunk city. A mercenary steals a powerful gene orb, triggering a citywide lockdown. With the gates closing, she must escape before it’s too late. The entire animation revolves around a thrilling chase sequence.

Initially, I was drawn to the fast-paced, visually dynamic nature of chase scenes, inspired by action-heavy sci-fi films and games. However, while developing this idea, I realized that a good chase isn’t just about speed—it needs tension, stakes, and emotional weight. Why is the gene orb so important? What personal struggles does the protagonist face? These questions pushed me to think deeper about world-building and character motivation rather than relying solely on visual spectacle.

The Puppeteer’s Dilemma – A Story of Tradition or dream and Survival

The second story is about an elderly puppeteer, a profession that is now considered an intangible cultural heritage in China. I discovered that few young people learn this craft today because it doesn’t provide financial stability. Even in ancient times, puppeteers struggled to make a living.

This story takes place in a ruined temple during a harsh snowstorm. The puppeteer, cold and impoverished, realizes he is running out of firewood. He faces a difficult choice: should he burn his puppets to survive, or preserve his dream at the cost of his life?

Through research, I became deeply fascinated by the struggles of traditional artisans. This story resonated with me because it highlights the sacrifices artists make for their passion. It also made me reflect on the fragility of cultural heritage and how many traditional arts are at risk of fading away.

The Magic Hat – A Reflection on Gacha Games

The third story initially started as a critique of the gacha mechanics in pay-to-win games. However, after discussing it with my teacher, I realized that it could be reimagined as a more warm story with happy ending.

The story follows a young girl who receives a mysterious package containing a magic hat. She discovers that by pulling objects from the hat, she can get animals—even rare creatures like unicorns. Excited, she continues drawing, spending all the coins in her piggy bank. But no matter how many times she tries, she never gets the unicorn she wants.

This concept was inspired by the addictive nature of gacha games, where players keep spending in hopes of obtaining rare items. I initially approached the story from a critical angle, but I realized that framing it as a whimsical, childlike experience could make the message more relatable. Instead of outright condemning gacha mechanics, the story now highlights the emotions behind it—the thrill, the disappointment, and the cycle of hope and frustration.