Unit 6- Animation Pre-Vis

Here is the rest of the pre-viz, I used on my animation, although they are being uploaded a bit late, I used them to help me create the actually animation. While the journey inside the gills showing the basidias, was the starting point for my final animation, the Kariogamy and Meiosis pre-viz were used in After Effects, to create a glow look and composite with the final render.

Pre-Viz Basidia









Kariogamy and Meiosis

Tweet

Unit 6- Mushroom Growth For Final Animation

Today, I spoke to Alan and he helped me with my "shopping list" ( all the questions I had). He directed me to actual rig and skin a mushroom and, and create a growth out of it, despite taking more time than only using a series of blendshapes, it actually works better, as you can apply mush more variation.

Here's is the new and final version to add to my animation, I added a quite dramatic jiggle in the end so when the camera is close it will emphasize its strength on growth.

Tweet

Unit 6- Mushrrom Gills Pre-viz

It is the shot following the one where the camera will travel inside the gills, for these pre-vis is that a camera movement starts slow and then goes faster, for my actual animation the beggining part will cross dissolve with the last shot.

Tweet

Unit 6 Mushroom Growth pre-viz

Today, I spent my day polishing the 1st scene until it is almost ready for rendering ( just needs some lighting, which I will ask Alan tomorrow for some help). Also I have been battling maya to get the growth of the mushroom right, not only the pre-viz mesh but also the camera movement. although in the pre-viz the camera is still in the beginning, it wont be when i put everything together also the rest of the earthquake will be seen. the only thing i have to solve is the time between going from underground to the top, I may have to dig a hole :P

now into the last steps of the pre-viz ( the easier ones). and then just tweak things up :)

Tweet

Unit 6- Mycelium Pre-viz *4

After some shared thoughts, I tweaked this scene, so the camera doesnt immediately stop, also to mentioned is that this camera will follow the growth from here forward. this time, I added a small push to the camera to pan- in when the knot grows. Also changed a little bit the camera position so the knot looks huge in comparison to the camera imposing towards the spectator.

Tweet

Unit 6- Mycelium Pre-viz *3

After the feedback pointing out some minor changes I should do to this scene, I quickly changed it and I can say it is working much better, tilt upwards of the camera really creates the sense of greatness and vastness. Also good to mention more hyphae will connect the mycelium on the back part of the model

Tweet

Unit 6- Mycelium Pre-viz *2

After, looking my previous pre-viz, of the mycelium, I decided that the middle part of it was quite slow, so add sped it up a bit to create more dynamism. Also, I put a more controlled camera, that leaves the mycelium a bit earlier and flows.

Tweet

Unit 6- Mycelium Pre-viz

After being happy with my intro after a few tries, I decided to move on and block out the rest of my pre-viz, here is the spores germination and the mycelium growth. For this scene I want the camera to follow the bigger hyphae as it grows and later leave it and just move towards where the hyphal knot will be formed. This scene just needs a few tweaks, mainly controlling the camera and correcting some glitches that may occur.
Also I inserted more spores,but they are not shown in the intial camera otherwise it wouldnt look logical in comparison with the previous scene.

Tweet

Unit 6- Spores Arriving Pre-vis *4

After receiving some feedback on the previous pre-vis, I decided to take the advice and create something rather simpler and effective. Taking in consideration the arrival of an UFO to earth, I decided to isolate the arrival into a dark background, however on the animation it will have the moonlighting and the shadows from trees in a really dark environment.

I just hope, i'm getting closer to what I pretend.

Tweet

Unit 6- Spores Arriving Pre-vis *3

After today going to uni and have a good talk with Phil, He opened my eyes to what actually i'm trying to depict, a sci-fi Invasion film inside the life cycle of the mushroom, so all the camera work and all the actual animation should contribute for it. Once again, Phil gave me an eye opener, and I was able to see what was going wrong with my 2 previous pre-viz.
So after the talk, I rushed home and redid the pre-vis, by changing the camera movement and position, I created a more mysterious and dynamic scene therefore think i'm going the right way with it.
Also, the new episodes (Pre-viz) will be delivered later today I hope :) If Maya lets me.

Tweet

Unit 6- Spores Arriving Pre-vis

I decided to do the pre-vis in separate block, or videos, so if needs minor tweaks I don't have to open an huge file. Anyway, these part of the pre-vis, is the first scene of the actual animation where the spores are first dispersed ( without actually seeing what dispersed them), I started by establishing the environment, and then when the spores cross the camera, they are followed w/ the camera focusing on 1.
Although it is there a backdrop, it is not the final one, the final will show a dark forest where the moonlight will cast on the caps of the mushroom.

Also I'll update the blog with the videos of the previs, and then edit into the final previs video.

Tweet