Tweaked Shots for Final Edit: Scene Musha

So it was decided that because we're not going to be rendered in time for hand in, everyone can take a bit more time on their animations to get them to a better standard and just complete shots. I was pretty much finished apart from the back and forth between creature and missile, so over the past 2 weeks I've gone through and tweaked what I can, where I can without redoing certain bits. I would like to redo some shots completely but there isn't enough time to do that so I've done what I can, ready before the final edit. First up is the mushroom scene and I'm quite happy with what's there, apart from the run. The run I had to knock out really quickly due to the time set out for us on the first scene which was two weeks after the dissertation hand-in, and I will return to it and redo a run cycle for the hunter.

I think the first few shots I did are the best and most pleased with (along with the last one) and it's purely because I spent more time on them as they're the ones that really needed to look right. I don't know if it's me being pedantic, but I think when the creature hits the first and maybe the second mushroom he needs a frame or two less contact time. I think this combined with extra finger movement would make it look near enough there.

The only annoying thing with this, was that I couldn't animate the hunter's hat falling off his head because it was under some weird hierarchy and did some funky things, like scaling and both parts moving away from each other. It was probably down to double transformations or the pivot/centre point being in completely different places. I'm not advanced enough to understand these things so I didn't want to mess with anything for the sake of messing something up aaaand the rig's broken then no playblasts. Note: After hand-in's study rigging! But yes, happy with this shot, although could forever tweak the mushroom.

The only real issue I have with shot 3 is the moving mushroom cap, I should have animated it for longer because it just stops.

Shot 4 annoyed me because as one of the tweaks I had to go back and put in a head-look-down and I just couldn't get it to look completely right. So if I were to go back to this shot, I'd exaggerate the shoulders less because they jump in one place and redo the whole head including facial animation. But relatively happy, and I do like the sly little smile and look away I put in at the end.

For shot 5 works but I can see now why it is a bit off, the tail needs to come down onto or close to his head when he lands to give a sense of weight and reaction of forces upon him. One thing that really annoys me about this rig (apart from the lack of neck) is that he has no individual finger movements like on the other characters where you can change just the tips, middle or bases of the fingers, as with most stuff though time was an issue. I think he did need more than just a fist and curl finger control as it would have made the creature look a bit more polished on this shot. Nevertheless I'm relatively happy with it.

I'm happy with the way shot 6 turned out, and like how the creature is just happily bouncing away unknowing of what's behind him, but I think some of the drops hold for a frame or two too long. Also I think I should have made the creature zig-zag a little more just to give a bit of dynamic and contrast to the hunter's run.

I'm happy with shot 8, this is probably my favourite of this scene just because of the animated bamboo's. If there was a little more time, I'd have animated all the bamboo's in my other scene (missile) too, as I do think it adds an extra bit of depth into a scene if some elements are swishing around in the gentle breeze. I'm not as sure with the way I animated the apprentice, it works, but I'd go back and make him move a little less and give him better poses.