MAJOR PROJECT 1 - COMPILATION

MAJOR ANIMATION

Monday,Feb. 03 .2025

Jia Wenbing /0365436/

Design principles/Bachelor of Design in Creative Media

Project 1

In the first week, we formed groups and started discussing the assignment and asking our lecturer, Mr. Kamal Bahrin Sudin, about our questions. Initially, we brainstormed for story ideas and I contributed a story about girl safety and my teammates also contributed their stories, totaling 6 stories. We presented these stories to the lecturer for feedback and he selected one from our stories.

Fig 1.1 proposal development

Fig 1.2 script

After we decided on the story, we started to build the idea of ​​the whole animation. We began to imagine the color and style of the story, and we made a slide show of our ideas for our first presentation. Here I was responsible for the layout of all the content.

Fig 1.3 presentation slides

Next, we started to conceive the characters of our own animation. But since everyone had different styles, it took a lot of time to communicate. We designed many characters, and Mr. Kamal suggested that we make a more stylish type.

Fig 1.4 sketch process

After constant revisions, we finally have the final presentation.

Fig 1.5 design proposition

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FEEDBACK

Week 2

• Think thoroughly about the main problem and moral of the story.
• The story is well-written and has a poetic quality, but it contains too much symbolism and is overly complex, which might make it difficult for viewers to understand. Simplify it.

Week 3

• Rearrange the presentation slides slightly: Bold the protagonist’s name in the slides. Incorporate both external and internal features into the character design. Move the World Explanation page before the Reference section. Place the Story Arc Summary after the Synopsis.
• Use a gray color palette, but don’t make it too dark. Silhouettes can help with contrast.
• For the script, use transitions and cut-outs instead of writing full scenes.
• List all team members' roles, including both main and supporting characters.
• In the presentation slides, explain why you chose these colors and this specific visual style.

Week 4

• You should be more concise when presenting.

Week 5

• Simplify the character art style while making it more artistic, as it would better suit your story.

• Each member should create a different concept design, then choose the best style together to ensure a unified vision.

Week 6

• The character’s body shape needs adjustments,  make the proportions and body shape less realistic as it fits the story better.
• Adding extra lines is optional—depends on what the team feels comfortable with.
• Environmental brushstrokes should follow the minimal art style.
• The environment must have depth and gradients to avoid looking too dark and background should not be overly dark, as it will reduce the visibility of layers.
• Black should be avoided for the environment and buildings—use shades of gray instead, which can be adjusted accordingly, a little black is acceptable on certain objects (e.g., streetlights, umbrellas, etc...).
• The storyboard must be completed as soon as possible for feedback to avoid slowing progress.

Week 7

• Conduct animation style tests to explore different approaches (e.g., Miyazaki, Disney, Pixar...) and determine the most suitable style for the project.
• Develop a more detailed and dynamic storyboard, considering camera angles, composition, and transitions between scenes.
• Incorporate more emotional depth and expressiveness in the character animation to connect with the audience.
• Create a visually engaging and detailed environment to bring the story to life, beyond just the character animation.
• Consider combining 2D and 3D animation for the project, deciding on a style and reference material (e.g., 2D characters with detailed 3D environments).
• Showcase artistry while ensuring the project effectively communicates the idea and defines the scope of work.
• Develop a solid storyboard and animatics to ensure a smooth transition to motion graphics.

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REFLECTION

In the process of participating in "MAJOR PROJECT 1", I deeply realized the importance of teamwork, communication and continuous improvement in animation production. ​

At the beginning of the project, our team members discussed and proposed multiple story ideas together. We determined the final story direction. ​This process made me realize that actively sharing ideas and communicating and accepting feedback in the team, ​effective communication and compromise are indispensable to ensure the smooth progress of team collaboration. ​

Throughout the task, I found that it was very important to determine a clear art direction early in the process. Mood boards, concept art, and environment design played an important role in shaping the overall visual image of our project. In addition, innovation in animation technology and creativity in animation are also important. Our exploration of 2D and 3D integration emphasized the need to strike a balance between visual appeal and practical execution.

Through this project, I learned to listen to others in a team environment, express my ideas clearly, and remain flexible and adaptable when facing challenges. ​These experiences will have a positive impact on my future studies and career.