Initial Research; Facial Rigging Processes

La Maison en Petits Cubes ( The House of Small Cubes ) Kunio Kato

I really like this animation. The style is interesting, I like the fact it is driven by narrative.. it keeps you guessing what is going on with the main character.. anyway here it is... enjoy :)

Acting in Animation: 3D Discussion forums

I've now joined up with a 3D modeling, and animation discussion forum, and posted up a reply to an acting in animation forum, I'm hoping to get some feedback from this to use within my research.

http://www.3dmd.net/forum/3d-discussion-6879.html

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78363&highlight=character+emotion

I'm very happy that I now have a copy of the facial modeling and animation book, Stop Staring, this will be a very useful resource for my project. Im also looking at traditional 2D methods for portraying emotion, and various expression poses.

I feel like by the end of the week, I will be well on my way to starting my character development. But at the moment, I'm still experimenting with mixed media, and inspiration research. I'm also looking at various research areas relevent to my new research question. :)

Research Question (Refined)

From the feedback received from Jim in todays class, I have thought of a new research question. It relates more on the procceses of portraying character emotion.

While investigating virtual reality technology, animation, games, and narrative;

'What are the effective translation processes that portray character emotion within narrative for advertisement messages?'

I feel that this question will allow me to look at a broad range of research, which also allows me to talk about the bigger vision of my idea within my dissertation, and produce a suitable end output that relates well to my animation idea.

Updated Aims, Objectives & Activities/Final Project Aim

From the list I made earlier, I have produced an aim, objective, and will eventualy have an activity explaining how I will achieve each aim and objective.

1. Aim: To research all appropriate formats for my project;

objective: Investigate existing and future technologies that would enhance the emotional response.

Activity:

2. Aim: To determine what facial and body rigs to use for my characters;

Objective: Investigate all resources available to me.

Activity:

3. Aim: Investigate various Styles that would be suitable for my characters appropriate to my chosen genre/theme;

Objective: Explore historical and contemporary influences which will help form ideas.

Activity:

4. Aim: Produce a script that will help to communicate the characters emotions;

Objective: Investigate Narration and Narrative within existing animation and advertisement messages.

Activity:

5. Aim: Investigate advertisement messages and relevent literature that support how to get the best emotional response from my characters;

Objective: Research into past and current advertisement messages along with game and animation focusing on character emotion.

Activity:

6. Aim: Produce a 3-4 min 3D animation which focuses on character emotion and narrated narrative;

Objective: Using all my inspiration, research, concept development, and animatic to produce a finished piece of animation.

Activity:

My main Project aim:

To produce a 3D animation which will focus on character emotion within an advertisement message... Are YOU a BULLY?

Purpose: to explore character emotions within an anti-bullying campaign.

Research Question/ Aims & Objectives (Refined)

Thought of another research question which is slightly different to what I had, but still connected to the same project.


While investigating virtual reality technology, animation, and narrative;

'Can 3D character emotion techniques make an impact within advertisement messages?'

I felt this question is more relevent to my project, and what I want to achieve from it with the time I have.

Aims & Objectives:

Refined:

Concept Development:

-Rough Concept Ideas from research
-characterisation
-Record Narration
-Working in Series
-Model Sheets
-3D models
-Rigs(pre sourced)
-Storyboards
Rough Animatic(this will explain in some visual form of how I think my animation could also be used within the format of project Natal technology)

3-4 min Animation: (The Victim)
-Animatic(rough animation shots/key poses/narration/sound)
-Animate
-Render(maya software)
-Place the images into editing software (Final Cut Pro or Premire Pro)
-Export to a movie File (avi or mov)

Present Final Project:
-make CD Cover
-mount up key concept development work
-Mount up 3D models

Dissertation
-Structure
-Project Introduction
-Compare opinions
-Evaluation of project

Now that I have a list of aims and objectives, I will now work on producing the activities to go along with these in more detail.

Update (log)

Research Topics:

Facial Animation/modeling/rigging/facial structures

Cognative Processes/ understanding human emotion

Plan for today:

Continue with inspiration sketchbook/start concept development sketchbook

3/11/10:
Continue experimenting with ideas/gather more visual research

4/11/10:
Start drafting up my learning contract/talk to Colin about my research question.

5/11/10:
Continue drafting up my learning contract/more concept development

6/11/10:
Gather further research for proposal document/Gather more visual research

7/11/10:
Start powerpoint for crit week

8/11/10:
Continue with Concept development

9/11/10:
crit group/ futher concept development