For the final stage of my project, I reviewed all of my Maya projects and revised them by carefully applying the feedback I received throughout the term, making appropriate adjustments across each project. I then focused on polishing the scenes that were nearly complete, paying special attention to details such as motion arcs and overall animation clarity.
Since my Unreal project was designed from a first-person POV, I adjusted the scenes that were already mostly finished to work properly with the camera. I then rigged a character I found on Fab using a Control Rig. Because I mainly needed to animate the arms, legs, and head, I focused the rig on those parts and set it up with IK so I could control the hands and feet more intuitively. After completing the rig, I created animation sequences based on the camera’s position.
Once the animations were done, I built a Blueprint camera to achieve a first-person walking effect, including bob and tilt. I also created Blueprint camera sequences for both scenes. To connect the two scenes, I added a short transition sequence using the asset’s landing animation.
To draw attention to the walking targets in both scenes, I placed light sources and used a Post Process Volume with bloom to create a blinding effect as the character approached. Finally, I added ambient bird and water sounds to both scenes, rendered everything, and edited the final result in Premiere Pro.
This term was extremely productive for me. I learned many new techniques in Maya, a software I was already familiar with, and reaching a point where I could complete a project in a completely new engine like Unreal was very rewarding. Using the techniques discussed in the workshops helped me reinforce my skills and become more comfortable with the interface. This process completely changed my perspective on animation and showed me how deep and present it is in everyday life. I would like to thank my tutors, George, Ting and Serra, for all these valuable gains.