with Nigel
This week I attended my tutorial session and received feedback on my literature review work. The discussion helped me reflect more critically on the direction of my research and the types of sources available for further development. Based on the feedback and my own review of the literature, I realised that I would benefit from exploring a topic area that offered broader opportunities for analysis and a wider range of existing research materials.
Following this, I started researching alternative directions and exploring themes that appeared to have more diverse academic discussions and stronger research potential. I also reviewed the thesis proposal structure document on Moodle to better understand how different ideas could eventually develop into a proposal.
with Ting
This week focused on polishing the creature animation assignment. Based on the feedback I received, I refined the lion locomotion by improving the sense of grounding, weight, and overall body connection throughout the movement. I adjusted the body positioning to make the animation feel more stable and believable, while also refining the leg timing and adding more clarity to the paw and shoulder movement. These changes helped the locomotion feel less mechanical and more naturally connected as a full-body performance. Working through this feedback made me more aware of how subtle adjustments in timing, rotation, and body positioning can greatly affect the realism and flow of creature animation.
At the same time, we were introduced to the planning stage for the advanced animation shot assignment. After considering the different options, I decided to create a pantomime acting shot because I wanted to explore a more cartoony and expressive style of animation. I began gathering references and searching for a suitable rig that would support exaggerated poses and stylised movement. Researching references was particularly enjoyable, as it allowed me to think more creatively about performance, timing, and visual appeal. Since this shot is more performance-driven, I wanted to focus on pushing expressions and body language further than I had in previous assignments.
with Serra
This week we explored creating 360 videos in Unreal Engine. During a previous collaboration unit, we had already experimented with 360 video production using a different software, so it was interesting to compare the workflows and overall production process. Using Unreal Engine felt much more efficient and accessible, especially because of the real-time workflow and the simplicity of setting up immersive environments. I found the session very enjoyable, and it showed how flexible Unreal Engine can be for creating interactive and immersive visual experiences.
Alongside the technical workshop, we also continued developing our group project ideas. Following the feedback session from the previous week, we spent more time researching interactive systems, AI-driven visuals, and experimental workflows that could support our concept. We continued watching tutorials related to TouchDesigner, AI plugins, and real-time interaction systems while discussing how these technologies could be combined within our project. At this stage, our process was still heavily research-based, but our ideas were gradually becoming more focused both technically and conceptually.