Applied Animation - Evaluation

   

The last few modules have been quite stressful for me. In the span of two months I have had to make the difficult decision to leave my course due to some unavoidable and unfortunate circumstances, ultimately contributing to my rushing the final modules (COP, Applied Animation, PPP. I can’t say I’m too proud of my work for Applied Animation as I think I could have done a lot more if had had more time and if I had managed the time I had more efficiently. On the brighter side, this module has been a great learning experience for me; I have become more comfortable with Adobe After Effects, I have had the chance to play around with Maya and I got a taste of what it would be like to work as a freelance Animator. 

Our first studio brief was an introduction to the basics of Maya; Learning any new program can be frustrating and Maya has been the most frustrating out of any program I have learned to use in the past. I think one of the biggest reasons for this is that working in a three dimensional space is something I am not used to. However, when I did get the hang of it I really enjoyed the process. The modeling exercises were particularly exciting especially the texturing. However the walk cycle was definitely more challenging, as I would often find myself stuck on one minute detail for a long period of time unable to carry on without getting through the obstacle. It certainly tested my patience, however I do now have a better understanding of animating using Maya.               

One of the best aspects of this module is its close imitation to professional freelance work within the design industry. Working on a project that has specific constraints set by a client opens up many creative possibilities. With a project like this I find myself challenged as a creative to come up with effective solutions to set problems. I also found myself working a lot more quickly in the production stages of the project than I ever have before. Of course time constraints had a role to play however it was decision making that ultimately caused error in my work as opposed to human error in terms of the practical creation of it; because I was making decisions quickly on the spot, I would realize only retrospectively that I could have done something more efficiently or differently for a more accurate result. These reflections are documented in my production diary on my blog.                  

One of my biggest regrets for this module is my lack of experimentation. I don’t feel as if I have pushed myself into unknown territories enough and the only feelings of uncomfortability I felt were that of pressing time as opposed to the uncomfortability of a creatively risky endeavor.  Although I did create my first animation using After Effects, I felt I could have done something more adventurous around the topic of National Geographic.  And I am quite pleased with my concept for the Hallmark Ident however I have grown to be too comfortable with traditional 2D animation. For future projects, I look forward to experimentation as well as strengthening my practical skills as an Animator.