with Nigel
This week’s Theory session was dedicated to refining our thesis proposals and preparing for the final submission stage. With only a limited number of sessions remaining, the focus shifted from generating ideas to strengthening the structure, research direction, and academic presentation of our projects.
During the class, we reviewed the important thesis proposal submission guidelines, discussing the required format, assessment criteria, and expectations for academic writing. We also went through the thesis writing, referencing, and citation guidelines, reinforcing the importance of consistent referencing styles and properly integrating sources into our research.
Throughout the past few weeks, I have been exploring different research topics and reviewing relevant literature to define the direction of my thesis proposal. After this process, I have finally settled on a topic that aligns with both my academic interests and future career goals, and I have now begun writing the proposal itself. For next week, I plan to book a one-to-one tutorial session to receive feedback on my draft, allowing me to refine the structure and strengthen my arguments before finalising and submitting the proposal.
with Ting
This week’s class featured an industry talk focused on preparing us for our first job or internship experience. We discussed what to expect when entering a professional animation studio, including production pipelines, team collaboration, feedback cycles, and the transition from student projects to industry workflows. It was a valuable session that provided a clearer understanding of the expectations and responsibilities we will face in a professional environment.
Outside of the lecture, I received feedback on my advanced acting shot. The improvements I made last week, including the newly added facial animation and the feedback I had previously addressed, were well received. The discussion then shifted towards the final polishing stage, where we identified smaller details that could further enhance the performance. One of the main points was paying closer attention to facial symmetry throughout the animation. I was also encouraged to add subtle secondary motion to the hair, ears, and moustache to make the character feel more alive. Additionally, incorporating one or two natural blinks between facial expressions would help improve the overall flow of the performance. We also reviewed several moments where the overshoot and offset could be pushed further to create a stronger sense of weight and follow-through. I spent time refining these elements and integrating the suggestions into the shot.
Alongside the advanced shot, I continued polishing my locomotion animation. Up until now, I had mainly been working from the side view, but after addressing the latest round of feedback, this week I carefully refined the animation from every camera angle to ensure consistency throughout the movement. Once the final adjustments were complete, I prepared the final playblast, bringing the shot to a finished state and making it ready to be included in my showreel.
Overall, this week was dedicated to understanding professional industry expectations while focusing on the final level of polish that transforms an animation from technically complete to presentation-ready.
with Serra
This week was dedicated to bringing all of the project’s elements together and preparing for our final shoot. We organised and refined our TouchDesigner files, collected the completed visual assets that had been developed throughout the previous weeks. This process allowed us to ensure that every stage of the AI experience flowed smoothly and was technically ready for presentation.
Once the visual components were finalised, we moved into the 270 Room to film the project. The immersive space enhanced the overall experience, allowing the participant to be surrounded by the AI-generated visuals and reinforcing the concept of being continuously observed, analysed, and categorised by an intelligent system. Seeing all of the stages integrated within the installation was an important milestone and confirmed many of the creative decisions we had made during development.
With the production phase now complete, the project has entered its final stage. Over the next week, we will focus on editing the recorded footage, refining transitions and pacing, and making any final adjustments before preparing the project for its final submission.