This week, I completed the final polish on all of my animation shots and assembled them into a single showreel. Bringing every project together allowed me to see how much my animation quality and workflow had improved over the duration of the course.
The lectures on camera work, cinematography, and storyboarding helped me understand the importance of planning and visual storytelling before starting the animation process. I became more aware of how composition and camera choices can strengthen a performance and communicate ideas more effectively.
The sessions on facial animation and lip sync introduced the importance of subtle expressions, timing, and believable dialogue performance. Through practice and feedback, I became more confident in creating facial performances that support the character’s emotions rather than simply matching the audio.
The lectures on creature animation and locomotion improved my understanding of weight, balance, and body mechanics. I learned to observe movement more carefully and apply those observations to create more natural and convincing animations.
Learning about overlapping action and offset animation helped me add fluidity and realism to my work. I now pay much closer attention to secondary motion and avoid making every body part move at the same time.
The workshops on breathing and idle animation showed me how small movements can make a character feel alive, even when standing still. This changed the way I approach subtle performance details during the polishing stage.
The parenting and constraints workshop introduced more efficient rigging and animation workflows. Understanding when and how to use these tools made it much easier to manage complex interactions and organize my scenes.
The workshops on AnimBot, Animation Layers and Studio Library significantly improved my workflow by introducing professional tools for posing, mirroring, storing, and reusing animation data. These tools allowed me to work faster while maintaining consistency throughout my shots.
Finally, the assignments and weekly feedback sessions were the most valuable part of the course. Continuously revisiting my work, addressing notes, and refining animations taught me that strong animation is achieved through iteration rather than a single pass. Overall, this module strengthened both my technical skills and my creative decision-making, leaving me with a stronger portfolio, a completed showreel, and a much deeper understanding of an industry-standard animation pipeline.
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.
This week’s theory session focused on developing a stronger research proposal by refining our research questions and understanding how to structure an academic thesis effectively. We explored the key stages of proposal development, including defining a clear research title, planning chapter structures, outlining research methods, drafting an introduction, and developing an example chapter before revising the overall bibliography and literature review.
Alongside the proposal framework, we also discussed the importance of critical thinking in academic writing. Rather than approaching research through surface learning and simply collecting information, the session encouraged a deeper engagement with sources by questioning ideas, comparing perspectives, and identifying meaningful gaps within existing research. This reinforced the importance of building an argument rather than summarising information.
Outside of class, building on the ideas identified last week, I continued researching potential dissertation directions by looking at existing theses, journal articles, and practice-based animation research. I focused on projects exploring body language, emotional performance, and the application of animation principles to storytelling, comparing different approaches and identifying common research methods.
Rather than selecting a final topic immediately, I am using this research phase to evaluate which theme offers the strongest balance between academic investigation and practical animation production. To help refine these ideas further, I have booked a tutorial session where I plan to discuss the different research directions and receive feedback before deciding on a final dissertation proposal.
with Ting
This week focused on improving both workflow efficiency and animation quality. We attended a workshop covering AnimBot, Animation Layers, and Studio Library, learning how these tools can be combined to create a faster and more organized animation pipeline. During the session, we also continued developing the AnimBot exercise from the previous week, giving us more hands-on experience with the tools and reinforcing the techniques introduced earlier.
Outside of class, I received detailed feedback on my Advanced Animation Shot. The main observation was that the performance currently reads as a fairly vanilla walk cycle, and that the poses, timing, and spacing could all be pushed further to create a more entertaining and expressive performance. We discussed increasing asymmetry, refining unrealistic motion timings, and adding stronger Tom-style anticipations and facial expressions to better capture the personality of the character. To support these improvements, I spent time studying clips from Tom and Jerry, analyzing how anticipation, exaggeration, and facial acting contribute to the appeal and comedic timing of the animation.
In addition to this shot, I received my final feedback for both the Locomotion and Lip Sync assignments.
For the Lip Sync, the overall performance was considered successful, with only minor adjustments needed. The feedback suggested making certain mouth shapes and consonants more clearly defined to improve dialogue readability while preserving the natural flow of the animation.
For the Locomotion assignment, the spine movement was praised for feeling fluid and believable. The main improvements focused on tightening the animation by allowing the feet to remain planted on the ground for slightly longer, creating stronger weight and contact. I was also advised to switch the head motion to Follow World before making further refinements and to dedicate the final polishing pass to improving the tail animation. After receiving this feedback, I worked through each of these points, refining the shot while paying closer attention to timing, body mechanics, and overlapping motion.
Overall, this week combined technical workflow improvements with performance-focused polish, helping me strengthen both my efficiency as an animator and the quality of my final animations.
with Serra
This week was primarily focused on feedback sessions, tutorials, and refining the overall direction of our project. During our discussion with Sera, we reviewed our development process and talked about ways to make the final film more engaging for the audience. We also considered the importance of defining a clear target audience and ensuring that our visual language effectively communicated the project’s concept.
One of the key suggestions from the feedback session was to use the 270 Room for the final video. We felt that the immersive environment would better support the idea of AI surrounding and analysing the participant, so we adjusted our plans and restructured each stage of the experience to fit this space.
Following the feedback, we continued developing the final stages of the project. For the data analysis sequence, we created a data art visual using the POPS plugin in TouchDesigner. This stage represents the AI processing and analysing the collected human data, making it the most visually overwhelming moment of the experience. Dense particle systems and abstract data formations were used to create a sense of information overload, reinforcing the idea of AI continuously interpreting and categorising human behaviour.
After the analysis stage, we designed a transition into a much simpler and more robotic visual language. This final sequence symbolises the completion of the AI analysis process, presenting the outcome as a clean, simplified, and machine-like interpretation of the participant.
By the end of the week, we had finalised all of the stages and established a clear visual progression from data collection to analysis and final classification. Next week, we will book the 270 Room and begin filming the final video.
This session covered Harvard referencing conventions and further discussion around proposal development.
Alongside lecture, I started thinking about possible connections between my final animation project and my thesis. Instead of approaching them as completely separate projects, I explored the idea of building both around a shared research theme that could support my practical work while providing a strong academic focus. As I am planning a character-driven piece that focuses on performance and emotion, I identified several broader research themes that could be valuable throughout both the production and thesis process.
At this stage, I am particularly interested in topics such as emotional storytelling through animation, non-verbal communication and character performance, and the application of animation principles to enhance audience engagement. Rather than committing to a single direction, I am using these themes as starting points for further investigation, as they all have the potential to directly inform the creative and technical decisions within my project.
Over the next few weeks, I plan to continue reviewing existing research and practice-based projects before refining my focus.
with Ting
This week began with an Animbot workshop, where we explored a range of tools and features designed to improve animation workflow efficiency. The session introduced practical shortcuts and techniques that can speed up common animation tasks, allowing animators to focus more on performance and less on repetitive technical processes. I found the workshop particularly useful as it demonstrated how professional tools can streamline blocking, posing, and polishing stages. Learning these workflow improvements will help me work more efficiently in future projects.
To reinforce what we learned, we completed a practical an exercise, applying these new tools in a simple animation task. Working through the exercise gave me a better understanding of how professional workflow tools can increase efficiency while maintaining animation quality, and it helped me become more comfortable integrating AnimBot into my everyday process.
Following the workshop, I continued developing my Advanced Animation Shot in the Blocking Plus stage. During this week, I received feedback on several aspects of my shot, particularly regarding posture, symmetry, camera movement and overall visual interest. It was pointed out that some of my poses felt too symmetrical, which reduced the appeal and naturalism of the performance. To address this, I adjusted the character’s posture and introduced more asymmetry throughout the poses to create a stronger and more dynamic silhouette.
Another area of discussion was the prop used in the shot. Initially, I used a ball as the main prop, but feedback suggested that replacing it with an object of greater value or significance could strengthen the narrative and make the character’s actions feel more meaningful. While I applied the majority of the feedback throughout the week, I am still exploring alternative prop ideas and have not yet settled on a replacement that fully supports the performance.
Overall, this week focused on responding to feedback and improving the quality of the shot through stronger posing, clearer acting choices, and more thoughtful storytelling decisions. The process reinforced how small changes in posture, asymmetry, and prop selection can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of an animation.
with Serra
This week we felt that adding a heatmap after the line graph would create a stronger sense of increasing data analysis and information overload. As each stage progresses, the visualisations are intended to become denser and more complex, reinforcing the idea that AI systems continuously collect, process, and categorise large amounts of human data. The heatmap therefore became an important transitional stage, expanding the visual language of the project while supporting the narrative of human behaviour being reduced to patterns and datasets.
Watching tutorials and analysing existing real-time visualisation workflows also helped us refine this decision and provided useful feedback for how the next implementation stage should be approached technically.
This week’s materials focused on progressing towards the thesis proposal, and I continued reflecting on the feedback received during the tutorial. Since I had started reconsidering my original direction, I spent more time researching possible alternative topics and comparing the availability of academic sources related to each area.
I also reviewed the uploaded guidance documents and thought about which kinds of topics would allow for deeper analysis and more flexibility in research. During this process, I continued gathering references and reading around several themes that interested me, while gradually narrowing down potential directions.
with Ting
This week I revisited my previous lip sync dialogue shot and continued refining it based on the feedback I received earlier. I refined several facial poses to improve the clarity and readability of the expressions, making the performance feel stronger and more intentional overall. After adjusting the facial performance, I also cleaned up and clarified the lip sync to create a better connection between the dialogue and the character’s acting.
During this process, I realised that my initial approach to lip sync was too literal. At first, I was keying a distinct mouth shape for almost every individual sound and letter. However, after studying my reference more carefully, I noticed that natural speech does not require every phoneme to be fully posed. Trying to animate every sound separately made the lip sync feel overly busy and visually cluttered. Instead, simplifying certain transitions and focusing only on the most important mouth shapes made the performance appear much clearer and more natural. This observation helped me better understand the importance of selectivity and readability in facial animation.
Alongside this, I officially began blocking for my advanced animation shot. Since this assignment is entirely self-directed, working on a shot that I personally planned and designed felt especially motivating and enjoyable. I started building the main poses and timing for the pantomime performance while experimenting with more exaggerated and cartoony acting choices. Additionally, this shot required the use of technical elements such as parenting and object interaction, which gave me the opportunity to further practice an area that I previously felt less confident in. It also helped me better understand how to use the camera more effectively to support the performance and staging of the shot. Applying these technical setups within an actual performance-based animation helped me better understand how they contribute to creating cleaner and more controllable workflows. Compared to previous assignments, this process felt much more creatively open, allowing me to focus more on personality, appeal, and entertainment within the animation.
with Serra
This week focused on experimenting with RealityScan and photogrammetry workflows. We explored the process of scanning real-world objects and environments and converting them into digital assets that could later be integrated into Unreal Engine. The process was more challenging than some of the previous workshops, particularly when trying to achieve accurate and clean scans, but it was still very interesting to observe how physical objects could be translated into digital environments. Seeing the results gradually improve throughout the process made the session engaging and rewarding.
Alongside the practical workshop, we shifted our focus from conceptual research to technical experimentation. Our first objective was to establish a reliable motion-tracking workflow using MediaPipe with a webcam input. We also tested connecting an iPhone camera through OBS Studio, allowing us to achieve a higher-quality live feed for tracking and providing greater flexibility for future development.
Once the tracking system was functioning successfully, we began deciding which movement parameters would best communicate our concept. We analysed the available tracking data and selected the body points that produced the most precise and noticeable motion, ensuring that the visual output would respond clearly to user interaction.
Using these selected parameters, we created our first line graph visualisations, translating body movement into real-time data. This marked an important step in the project, as we started transforming human motion into simplified numerical representations, directly supporting our concept of AI reducing complex human behaviour into measurable data. The technical tests also gave us a stronger foundation for developing the following stages of the interactive experience.
We also put together a project statement and submitted.
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, our group continued refining the creative direction of our project by focusing on visual style development. We explored a wide range of references related to AI-generated imagery, data visualisation, glitch aesthetics, and immersive digital installations, discussing which visual language would best communicate our concept. This process helped us narrow down the overall aesthetic and establish a more consistent visual identity for the project.
In addition to researching visual references, we began planning the structure of our final video. We mapped out the different stages of the experience, considering how the audience would progress through each section and how the visuals would evolve over time. We also experimented with different layout ideas and discussed how data, motion, and interaction could be presented in a way that supports the narrative of AI analysing and simplifying human behaviour.
Although this week remained largely focused on planning and visual development rather than implementation, it provided a clear roadmap for production. By the end of the week, we had established both the visual direction and the sequence of stages for the final piece. Starting next week, we will begin technical testing stage by stage, translating these concepts into interactive TouchDesigner prototypes and evaluating how each element functions in real time.
This week’s session focused on feedback for the literature review and discussing next steps for the thesis proposal. I was unable to attend the live session due to a Course Committee meeting, but I reviewed the Moodle materials afterwards and kept up with the session content independently.
I also signed up for a tutorial slot to receive feedback on my literature review for next week.
with Ting
This week each group presented their creature studies. Listening to every group’s detailed analysis of different animals was extremely interesting, but also very educational from an animation standpoint. Seeing how anatomy influences movement across different species gave me a much broader understanding of creature locomotion and performance design. Our bear presentation focused on weight, balance, plantigrade movement, and the contrast between heaviness and agility in bear locomotion.
After receiving feedback on my dialogue shot, I made a few final body animation adjustments and then moved into facial animation. Since the facial performance initially felt too subtle, I pushed the facial poses further and made the transitions snappier to create clearer emotional readability. I also added eye darts and incorporated anticipation before larger opening poses to strengthen the timing and performance. I prepared the updated version for the next feedback session, and my plan for the following week is to address the remaining feedback and finally move into the lip sync stage
At the same time, I also began the blocking phase of the creature locomotion assignment. After reviewing all the creature presentations and references, I chose lions and gathered reference footage from multiple perspectives and started analyzing their movement patterns and moved onto blocking.
with Serra
This week focused on presenting our project progress and receiving feedback on both the technical and creative direction of the project.
A large part of the feedback session focused on the technical aspects of the project and whether we would realistically have the necessary infrastructure and tools to achieve our ideas. We talked about possible tracking methods and interactive technologies that could support the project, and our tutor suggested experimenting with tools such as Kinect and Leap Motion for movement tracking and interaction. This discussion was especially useful because it helped us better understand the technical limitations and possibilities before moving further into production.
On the creative side, we received suggestions to research artists working with data visualization, glitch aesthetics, and experimental digital media. One of the references mentioned was Rosa Menkman, whose work explores digital artifacts, glitches, and the relationship between technology and visual communication. We were encouraged to look into the concepts and technical approaches used by artists working in similar areas, especially those combining real-time systems, AI, and data-driven visuals.
I found this feedback session very valuable because it showed how important research is, not only technically but also conceptually. It also gave us a clearer direction for how we can develop our own project while balancing experimentation with a stronger conceptual framework.
This week’s session focused on continuing the development of research design strategies and methods. We explored how different methodological approaches shape a project and how choosing the right method depends on the research question.
The lecture helped clarify the relationship between research design and methodology, especially how they work together to structure a study. We also looked at key reference materials that can support our understanding and guide our decisions when planning research.
with Ting
This week in class we were introduced to creature animation and started preparing for a group creature study presentation. We were divided into groups and asked to choose an animal, then prepare a presentation for the following week focusing on its anatomy, locomotion, movement patterns, and overall characteristics. My group chose bears, so we started researching references, watching documentaries and locomotion videos, and analyzing their movement frame by frame. It became one of the most interesting parts of the course for me because the deeper we looked into the anatomy, the clearer it became how directly structure affects locomotion, weight distribution, rhythm, and balance. Observing how the spine, shoulders, hips, and paws work together during movement was very useful from an animation perspective.
For the dialogue shot assignment, I decided to focus entirely on polishing the body animation before moving into facial animation and lip sync. This was also the main direction of the feedback I received. I worked on making the poses feel less floaty and more grounded and snappy. One of the biggest challenges during this process was maintaining continuity through the spine, neck, and head movement while still keeping the performance dynamic and readable. After several passes, I managed to make the movement feel more connected and natural. I also pushed the poses further by exaggerating them more and prepared the shot for the following week’s feedback session.
with Serra
This week’s session focused on learning the basics of NDisplay in Unreal Engine. After being introduced to the technical setup and seeing examples in class, we experimented with creating our own animated visuals and environments using the NDisplay system.
I especially enjoyed the hands-on aspect of the session because it allowed us to freely test different visual ideas and immediately see the results in real time. Creating my own animation setup was both fun and useful for understanding how projection, camera perspective, and screen space interact inside Unreal Engine.
Outside of the class exercises, our group continued developing ideas for the project and agreed on a more specific direction. We decided to explore the relationship between AI and human identity, focusing on how AI systems process, analyse, and simplify human behaviour into quantifiable data. We became interested in the idea that, from the perspective of an AI system, people are reduced to patterns, numbers, and datasets rather than individuals with emotions or personal experiences.
With this concept established, we shifted our attention to technical research. We started investigating how TouchDesigner could be used to visualise this process through real-time data extraction and generative visuals. We explored AI-related plugins, machine learning and training tools, motion tracking, and interactive workflows, while watching tutorials and experimenting with different techniques that could support our concept.
This week’s lecture focused on research design and methodological approaches. The session explored how to structure a research project in order to effectively answer a research question or develop a hypothesis.
A key focus was on aligning the research question with an appropriate method. The lecture emphasized that methodology should not be an afterthought, but an integral part of how the research is conceptualised from the beginning.
We also looked at different research strategies and how they influence the direction of a project. The importance of building a logical structure from question to method to outcome was highlighted throughout the session.
with Ting
This week began with a breathing idle animation workshop, which focused on creating subtle and believable breathing motion to bring characters to life, even when they are standing still. The workshop highlighted the importance of small movements in the chest, shoulders, and overall body posture, demonstrating how these details can make a character feel more natural and present. It was an engaging session that provided useful techniques for adding life and personality to otherwise static poses.
Following the workshop, I continued developing my dialogue shot assignment, building directly on the initial blocking completed in Week 11 with a focus on refinement and improving performance clarity.
Based on feedback, I recognised that my initial reference was not sufficiently strong, particularly in terms of acting clarity and camera composition. As a result, I recorded a new reference with more exaggerated acting choices and a revised camera angle. This adjustment significantly improved the readability of the performance, as clearer poses and stronger intentions became more visible.
Following this, I progressed the shot by reworking the blocking and beginning to integrate lip sync in alignment with the feedback. This stage required balancing multiple components simultaneously, including body mechanics, facial performance, and timing. Introducing lip sync at this stage added a layer of complexity, as it required precise coordination between audio and mouth shapes while maintaining the overall flow of the performance.
Although lip sync remained challenging, I found that working with a stronger reference made the process more manageable. The exaggerated acting provided clearer cues for both timing and expression, allowing for more controlled decision-making.
Overall, this week reinforced the importance of strong reference material and demonstrated how revisiting earlier stages such as acting and camera setup can significantly improve the outcome of the animation. The breathing idle workshop also emphasised how subtle secondary motion can enhance character believability, complementing the performance-focused work completed throughout the assignment.
with Serra
The second session introduced us to virtual production tools and workflows, including VCam and related plugins. We explored tools such as Live Link, Virtual Camera systems, and Unreal-based production utilities, which opened up a completely new way of thinking about real-time production and the relationship between physical and digital environments. I found this session particularly engaging because it demonstrated how technical tools can become creative mediums for experimentation.
The idea of controlling a virtual camera through a phone and seeing the results in real time was especially interesting. Compared to traditional production pipelines, it made the creative process feel much more immediate, interactive, and intuitive.
Alongside the class, the TouchDesigner workshop had a significant impact on me and my friends. We were particularly fascinated by its ability to create generative and responsive visual systems, and it quickly became a tool that we wanted to explore further. After the workshop, my friends and I decided to collaborate for the Expanded Animation brief using TouchDesigner, as we felt it offered exciting possibilities for creating immersive and interactive experiences.
Since deciding to collaborate, we already knew that we wanted to create a project related to AI and its growing influence on everyday life. With that direction in mind, we began researching possible project themes, references, and conceptual approaches that could be explored through an interactive installation. This initial research phase helped us identify topics that could be effectively communicated using generative visuals and real-time interaction, while also encouraging us to think critically about the relationship between humans and intelligent systems.
This week’s session introduced the overall structure and timeline of the thesis proposal. The lecture focused on understanding the key components required for a successful proposal, including research question, methodology, and literature engagement.
At this early stage, I began thinking more critically about potential thesis topics. One of the main points emphasized in the session was that a strong topic should not only reflect personal interest but also be feasible within the given timeframe and supported by sufficient academic resources.
This made me reconsider how I approach topic selection. Rather than choosing something purely based on interest, I started to think about:
the availability of academic sources
the clarity of a potential research question
whether the topic can lead to a structured argument
with Ting
This week marked the beginning of the new term and the introduction of dialogue-based animation.
We began with a lecture introducing the principles of dialogue animation and the workflow involved in creating a dialogue shot. The session explored the importance of performance, acting choices, and clear communication through animation, providing a foundation for the upcoming assignment.
Following the lecture, we participated in an overlap workshop during class. It was both enjoyable and highly informative, introducing practical techniques and shortcuts for creating overlap more efficiently. The workshop demonstrated how overlap contributes to more natural and believable movement while offering useful workflow tips that can speed up the animation process. This helped strengthen my understanding of secondary motion and provided techniques that I can apply in future projects.
Afterwards, we began working on a dialogue shot blocking assignment by first developing a performance through reference recording. At this stage, the focus was on establishing clear acting choices using body poses and facial poses, without yet considering detailed facial animation or lip sync. This approach allowed me to concentrate on the overall structure and intention of the performance.
I found this stage both engaging and challenging. While I felt relatively confident constructing body poses due to prior experience with body mechanics, integrating these with clear acting intentions required more deliberate decision-making. Ensuring that the performance was readable without relying on detailed facial animation highlighted the importance of strong posing.
Additionally, lip sync was introduced conceptually, and I began a self-study to understand its technical requirements. Even at this early stage, it was clear that lip sync would be a challenging aspect due to its precision and its close relationship with facial animation.
Overall, this week established the foundation for dialogue animation, focusing on structure, posing, performance clarity, and a deeper understanding of overlap techniques that can enhance both animation quality and workflow efficiency.
with Serra
The first session introduced the structure of the unit and focused on designing for the user. We were given two briefs to choose from, which made me start thinking about the direction of my project and how to align it with the course expectations. I will also keep in mind the techniques and softwares I might want to experiment with, so I can choose a brief that aligns with both my interests and potential technical exploration.
