I've finally finished my DP3 Animation, making it the longest piece I have ever worked on in my chosen field. After much deliberation and lack of work following my original idea (Iron Man 2), I decided to change my plan last minute, about 4 weeks ago, and create something based on Frankenstein!
As you can imagine, this was not an easy decision, however I no longer had any enthusiasm or promise for my teddy bear heroes and wanted to start from scratch.
I immediately began research from the brief and the book...brainstorming characters, plots, scenes and environments. The main inspiration for the style and approach to my animation came from a short called PIVOT, as I liked the 'blocky' effect, and so decided not to smooth my own characters.
Originally, the plan was to texture for realism, but this new method required something different. Films such as 300 and Sin City best reflect the option I chose; selective colour and strong imagery.
Comparing this piece to my 'Bots and Bananas' animation, there is most certainly improvement. I tried to focus on being able to connect with the main character, share his emotions and perfect his movements. This is what let me down in DP2, so I wanted to make a more honorable effort in DP3.
Overall, I am reasonably happy with the final animation. Obviously my own imposed time restraints of changing my idea hindered my final outcome, however It's something I can learn from and act upon in Year 3.
If I was to undertake this project again I would focus on creating stronger storyboards, and incorporate more scenes where I could include post render effects. I liked using After Effects, but would definitely attempt something harder next time.
Good luck to everyone else, and Roll on Summer! =)
