Arpit's 3D Computer Animation Blog

This week, I got the final round of feedback on my previs shot from George. He pointed out some important changes that would improve the overall flow and clarity of the sequence. I took time to carefully review his notes and made all the necessary adjustments to the shots and timing. After completing these revisions, I gathered all the scenes and individual shots and assembled them in Premiere Pro. I worked on smoothing out the transitions and ensuring the pacing felt right. Once I was satisfied with the overall sequence and its visual flow, I rendered the final version of the previs.

Between weeks 6 and 9, my main focus was refining the previsualization based on feedback, especially concerning camera angles and improving the timing between cuts. These aspects are key to creating a clear and engaging visual flow, so I spent a lot of time testing different angles and shot compositions to find the best way to tell the story visually.

During this period, I completed all the remaining scenes in the previs, including the interaction between the two characters. I experimented with various camera placements and transitions to capture the emotion and energy I wanted, paying close attention to how the shots connect and the rhythm of the sequence.

After finalizing the individual scenes, I assembled the entire sequence in Premiere Pro. This allowed me to arrange the shots in order, adjust the timing of cuts, and see the whole project as a cohesive piece.

Overall, these weeks were dedicated to perfecting the visual structure of my project through careful camera planning and editing in the previs stage.

This week, I received feedback on my first two shots, particularly regarding the camera angles and movements. I made the necessary adjustments and continued developing my previs. I began working on the third and fourth scenes, introducing the second character. I blocked out the second character’s animation, showing him walking in with a large sword and getting into an attack stance. The blockout is basic for now, focusing on the character’s walk and positioning.

This week, I chose the final storyboard that I’ll be working with and began creating the previs animation. I used a rigged character in Maya as a reference and built a simple environment to set the scene. Although my plan involves two characters, for now I’m focusing on animating just the first one.

I also modeled a basic sword in Maya and animated two key scenes. In the first scene, the character is sitting and breathing calmly, and to add impact, I animated the camera with a low-angle shot. In the second scene, I animated the character reaching out and grabbing the sword.

This week, I focused on finalizing three different ideas and developing storyboards for each one. Each concept explored a unique approach, and creating the storyboards helped me visualize the flow and structure of each narrative.

Out of the three, I’m planning to pick one to develop into a previs animation. Right now, I’m leaning toward the storyboard I created with my Final Major Project (FMP) in mind. I think working on this previs now will give me a head start and make things easier when I begin production on my actual FMP later.

In today’s lecture, we got to learn about worldbuilding and its importance in storytelling.

Worldbuilding is all about creating a believable, imaginary world where the story takes place. It involves designing things like the world’s geography, history, culture, and even the rules that make it feel consistent and real.

We learned that worldbuilding is especially important when it comes to storyboarding. It gives the characters and plot a strong foundation to grow from. A well-built world influences how characters think, behave, and interact with their surroundings. It also helps keep the story logical and visually consistent throughout.

The visual side of worldbuilding was also emphasized. Things like the architecture, clothing styles, landscapes, and even color choices all stem from the world that’s been created. This helps give the storyboard a unified and engaging look.

Overall, I realised how important worldbuilding is—not just for making the story feel real, but also for keeping the audience invested. A strong, detailed world doesn’t just support the story, it becomes a part of it.