Visit the site of Tate Modern, for data capture purposes, use the mobile phone camera to record videos of object exhibited, with use of the camera on its own/ the AI-powered app Luma AI.
I’m familiar with this painting, and yes Dali is one of my favourite surrealists. I’m posting this here because it’s related to the work, I’m currently working on for the advanced unit with George, creating previs, where I’m inspired by the same mythological story of the Narcississ.
Dali about his painting: “A painting shown and explained to Dr Freud. Pedagogical presentation of the myth of narcissism, illustrated by a poem written at the same time. In this poem and this painting, there is death and fossilization of Narcissus.”
The painting, which in its earthy colours and angular structure displays an allegiance to the aesthetic of ‘paysagisme abstrait’, combines considerable formal complexity with a new degree of sharpness. The spiky shapes are reminiscent of the so-called ‘geometry of fear‘ sculptures which had represented Britain at the Venice Biennale in 1952.
Painted in Paris in 1926. ‘The Painter’s Family’ dates from de Chirico’s period of association with the Surrealists when he tended to revive the subjects of his earlier Metaphysical period – in this case the mannequin figures – but in a heavier, more antique manner. The mannequin theme is said to have been inspired by a play Les Chants de la Mi-Mort written by de Chirico’s brother Andrea (Alberto Savinio) and published in Apollinaire’s magazine Les Soirées de Paris for July-August 1914. The drama’s protagonist is a ‘man without voice, without eyes or face’.
Initial storyboards were hand-drawn, then scanned and put together in the PS as the sequence of events. This was presented for the weekly review and updated accordingly as per George’s feedback.
– George suggested that story should come to the end of the cycle, with the closing scene, of the character waking up from the dream. This is to justify all the abstractions incorporated into the scene of the animation, such as the character being chased by the swiping left finger, which is dreamlike and not real. So, the scene 12 was copied over to the end.
– Abstraction comes into play while recreating the famous painting of Narcissus. George encouraged me to enhance these aesthetics, such as the body of water surrounding the bed, while the character is looking at his own reflection (scene 13).
– Another suggestion, is to apply a transition to white, between scenes 30 and 31, as the character escapes of the
Previs feedback
Do not overuse camera movement! Each camera movement serves a purpose, this needs to be justified. It’s more than okey to use static shots.
2. Be sure to maintain symmetry when zooming in and out.
The above shot seems clunky, in the way that symmetry vanishes as the camera zooms out, check the image below.
3. POSING: Be more articulated when defining the actions of the character at the specific shots. Character at this point does not need to be animated, however, their poses must clearly articulate what they get up to in the scenes that are presented.
4. RULE OF THIRDS: be sure to use the rule of thirds to justified your composition.
5. Show off your director skills. The camera movement shall be justified. The following shots were proposed, however as suggested by George, theirs no need to cut between these shots. After the character falls through his own reflection on the mobile screen into the underground world, it makes sense to follow that and deliver a camera movement that follow the arc-like trajectory, approaching the camera from the top, and zooming into it, the flower now displayed don’t the phone, which should then be used for the dip black transition to another shot.
Georege pointed that no rotation should be used while zooming, as well as that the phone should be facing in portrait mode, not a landscape.
Maya process
In the PS, I created the transparent png with the rule of third (green) and the red guides for symmetry.
Added this transparent png as per the image plane onto the designated camera.
Adjusted the depth of the image plane, so it’s an the very front.
Use the rule_of_thirds layer as the reference, so it doe not get in the way while clicking on another object within the scene.
Establishing shot: an opening of the scene, to give an audience understanding of the world being presented. It allows the audience to understand how characters are oriented around the scene and how they are related.
Usually a bird-eye view type, extreme wide shot, with the use of the zooming in and out, or panning top to down, or right to left, there’s a variation of the techniques used, often though the effect focuses on revealing the world.
a. Start of the story b. Character changes the space c. The end of the story
180-degree rule
Analysis of establishing shots from examples of the choice.
The Dark Night Roberry
Characters, and their story, Who are the protagonists and antagonists, side characters?
The list of attributes.
Description of the character: bio. What the character does before and after of the story, to help establish what’s the middle ground, part of the story. How do the characters move, act and their mannerism.
Based on the story, the character’s actions can be justified, even if they are or morally accepted. The character has to be presented in a compelling way, within the bio describing what it takes to make them compalling.
Show not tell. Visual communication, through the character acting.
Being deliberate about the choices and going for it, to emphasize as much as possible out of it. Character introduction should be evocative enough to let the audience understand who the character is the first movement of the appearance, what’s the nature of the character.
Camera shot as well as assets and the scene/ environment matters when conveying the mood and the character.
Compellling: evoking interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way. Compassionate: feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others.
I visited the Waterstones Victoria branch, curious about what’s available to buy for people interested in minimalising their footprint in the kitchen. I was stricken by only 2 books I managed to find within the food section. There’s the implication that sustainable eating is only presented within the vegan section. There was no however book offering the recipes which would encourage minimalising foodwaste, but only the carbon footprint.
Breaking Down the World: The Role of Sets, Props, and Environment in Storytelling
“The process of constraining the world is originally an imaginary one, sometimes associated with a fictional universe.”
When creating the world of a story, every element—from the sets and props to the overall environment—plays a critical role in shaping the narrative. Understanding how these elements influence the shots and storytelling is key to building a cohesive world. Let’s break it down into the core components that will guide the world-building process:
1. History: Understanding the Time and Context of the Story
The history of the world within your story sets the stage for everything that happens. Establishing the time period and understanding what happened before and after your story provides context for the narrative.
What time is your story set in?
What major events have shaped the world?
Consider the impact of things like natural disasters, pandemics, or significant historical events.
Establishing a clear beginning and end will help you develop the middle of the story.
Understanding these elements will help ground your world in reality, even if the world itself is fictional. Contextualizing your story through history gives the narrative emotional depth and relevance.
2. Ecology: The Flora, Fauna, and Environmental Impact
Ecology is about the relationship between living organisms and their environment. In your story, the natural world influences the characters and events.
What flora and fauna exist in this world?
How does nature affect the world?
What is the condition of the environment depicted in the scene?
The key here is to communicate the ecological elements visually—without overwhelming the audience with text or exposition. Visual storytelling is the most effective way to show the impact of nature on the world.
3. Geography: Defining the Location and Culture
Geography refers to the physical location where the story takes place. The environment and location provide context for the narrative and influence everything from architecture to culture.
Where is the story set? Is it in a primitive, developing, or advanced nation?
How does geography influence the architecture, culture, and people’s way of life?
Consider the role of history, religion, and science in shaping the built environment.
How does geography affect urbanization, culture, and daily life?
What influences people’s clothing, mannerisms, and social behaviour?
These factors will affect the choices made for the sets, props, and characters. The way people dress, speak, and move is heavily influenced by the geography and culture of their environment, so understanding this is essential when planning actor choices and character designs.
4. Sets and Props: Modelling the World
The sets and props are the physical manifestation of your world. These elements help signal to the audience what kind of environment they’re in and contribute to the overall atmosphere.
What props and sets will clearly define your world for the audience?
How do they reflect the environment, culture, and time period?
In this phase, you are modelling the world—creating spaces that feel authentic to the narrative. Props should be purposeful, serving as visual cues to support the world-building.
5. Basic Composition in Maya
When creating your world in 3D software like Maya, basic composition becomes critical in translating your ideas from concept to reality. Focus on the arrangement of objects, lighting, and camera angles that help reinforce the themes and tone of your story.
6. Mood board: Visual Inspiration
A mood board serves as a visual reference for the world you’re creating. It helps capture the atmosphere, textures, colour palettes, and design elements that define the aesthetic of the world.
You can gather references from various sites, including those specifically dedicated to visual references, to guide your decisions about the sets, props, and overall design.
This module spans 2 terms, that’s total of 22 weeks and 40 credits.
There are 2 different projects, one for each term. The blog must cover all 22 weeks, including weekly exercises.
Project 1 must be submitted by the end of the first term for formative feedback, and it must be submitted by the hard deadline. Project 1 is focused on previs, and it can later evolve into the Final Major Project (FMP) or become Project 2, depending on the student’s choice.
Project 2 is an artifact or experiment (e.g., creative coding, VR, or physical computing).
A Final Major Project Proposal should outline the work to be carried over the summer.
The showreel is a collection of all the work created during the term.
There will be a Work-in-Progress Show in early February, on the 6th and 7th.
There are 4 weeks of lessons, followed by in-class work and revisions.
Previsualization (previs) is the process of visualizing complex scenes before production or filming begins. It involves rough animation or planning that outlines the full sequence of events. This technique allows animators to take on the role of a director, using key scenes or storyboards to guide the story. Previs ensures that audiences can follow the narrative by providing a clearer sense of what is happening in the scene.
Previsualization in Filmmaking: The Art of Visualizing Complex Scenes Before Production
For example, in the production of Spider-Man, previs was used to establish how much camera movement could be implemented in post-production. This was done to ensure that the final film would be engaging without overwhelming the audience. Previsualization helped determine which camera movements and effects were acceptable and wouldn’t cause distractions.
What is Previsualization?
Previsualization, or previs, is the process of visualizing a scene or idea in 3D before production begins. It’s a crucial tool for directors, allowing them to plan shots, timing, scale, and character movements. Previs can also help identify which shots are most important for storytelling and whether certain actions or movements support the overall narrative. Previs can be thought of a product design, the outline of the donut before gets baked and coated in the icing.
Mise en scène: The Importance of Scene Composition
Mise en scene refers to everything that appears in front of the camera in a scene, including setting, props, lighting, costume, and the positioning of actors. It’s the visual arrangement that helps tell the story.
Here are some key components of mise en scene:
Character Placement: The way characters are positioned in a scene and the areas of the screen they occupy.
Shot Framing: Deciding between tight or loose shots to highlight the emotional tone of the scene.
Blocking and Screen Density: How actors move within the frame and the overall density of the image.
Composition: The use of horizontal, vertical, and directional lines within the frame to direct the viewer’s attention.
Lighting and Color: Setting the mood and ambiance through the manipulation of light and color, such as high-key or low-key lighting, and using high contrast to create dramatic effect.
Breaking the Fourth Wall
In traditional cinema, the “fourth wall” refers to the invisible barrier between the actors and the audience. In some cases, characters break this wall by directly engaging with the audience, creating a more immersive experience. This can be seen in films and TV shows like The Office, where characters occasionally speak directly to the camera, making the viewer feel as though they are part of the scene.
Body Mechanics and Environment for Exploration
The exploration and testing of your idea will involve focusing on body mechanics and the environment. This will help you understand how the characters interact with their surroundings and how to represent movement authentically.
Mise en Scene and Shot Composition
Establishing the right mise en scene is crucial for storytelling. This involves planning the arrangement of elements within the scene—such as the positioning of characters, props, and the environment—to enhance the narrative.
Additionally, the camera angles play a key role in storytelling. You should carefully select camera angles that support the emotion or action in the scene. The composition of each shot is essential, and you’ll want to focus on using established guidelines like the Rule of Thirds and the Golden Ratio.
The Rule of Thirds: This compositional technique divides the frame into a 3×3 grid, creating points of interest at the intersections or along the lines. By placing key elements of the scene along these lines or intersections, you guide the viewer’s eye naturally through the shot, creating a balanced and dynamic composition.
The Golden Ratio: A more advanced compositional guide, the Golden Ratio is a spiral that can be used to create a visually harmonious layout. By positioning key elements along the spiral’s curve or at key points, you can draw attention to specific areas of the frame in a way that feels aesthetically pleasing and balanced.
Hero’s story, Dan Harmon story circle
A protagonist begins at the top must descend figuratively in the story and literally in the circle. At the bottom of the circle, they are at their literal and figurative “low point,” and their rise to success in the end is likewise represented visually on the Story Circle.
1. You A character in their zone of comfort
2. Need wants something
3. Go! so they enter an unfamiliar situation
4. Struggle to which they have to adapt
5. Find in order to get what they want
6. Suffer yet they have to make a sacrifice
7. Return before they return to their familiar situation
8. Change having changed fundamentally
Exercise: Came up with 3 ideas for the previs/story, and set it within the Dan Harmon Circle. Then create story boards with the justification to what type of shots are used, what camera angles, and the layout in the consideration pf rule of thirds and golden ratio.
First Ideas
Character Story: Exploring Mental Health and the Impact of Social Media This concept will focus on telling a sophisticated story about mental health and how social media affects it. The narrative will explore emotional experiences through ambitious transitions that are surreal or metamorphic in nature. The visuals will include thought-provoking imagery to convey emotional responses and the complexities of emotional control in the digital age.
Video Clip for a Chosen Tune: Audiovisual Storytelling This idea will combine music with visual narrative to create a unique audio-visual experience. The chosen song will serve as the audio narrative, guiding the story. The question to explore is: How does this fit within the context of credits/authorship? It could raise interesting points about the relationship between sound and visuals, and how they complement one another in storytelling.
Environmental Clip This concept will focus on exploring the environment as a key storytelling element. The environment will help convey mood, emotion, or even narrative progression, acting as more than just a backdrop.
The Story of Narcissism and Social Media Impact This story will delve into the issue of narcissism and the psychological effects of social media on mental health. It will explore the design choices of figures like Mark Zuckerberg and the comparison to gambling techniques used to drive dopamine-fueled escapism. The concept will also examine the virtual world and the idea of the virtual avatar. The narrative could depict a character growing increasingly obsessed with their own reflection, eventually falling through the screen and becoming consumed by it, symbolizing the dangers of self-obsession and digital validation.
Inspirations
Close up shot, grabbing phone action.
Character comes visit daily an elderly neighbour to take her of groceries, as she is shielding at home during covid outbreak. It’s intensify, that daily routine. So the the scene when he call but cant get trough, there an assumption something is up. When he is out shopping, there’s scene with the ambulance passing bye, which is exaugurated. So at this point audience put puzzles together and think it’s the elderly woman in emergency. So now when the main character runs for life, to go to her door, and finds no response, he is convince that the elderly woman is dead, he panics, he cries.
The way it conveys the feeling of being scared to death for the dark scenario appearing to be truth, is quite something. (2:44-3:12).
The mood changes, it’s definite path of the story, until out of sudden the elderly woman, poke his shoulder form behind, telling him she was out in the clinic for her vaccine. Very clever way of leading the story and building up the suspense.
“In my heart”. I really like the way the colours are used, desaturated reality to depict routine, the daily obstacles, the unconsidered crowds of people, that the cheerful (colourful) character passes bye.
Reflecting on the experience of working on the project in UE5
I had no prior knowledge or experience with game engines before starting this module. At first, I was extremely intimidated by the interface and the level of sophistication, so it took me a while to wrap my head around it. However, after working on this project, I’ve gained control over the navigation and the level of comfort necessary to explore further. Overall, throughout my time in this module, I’ve built a strong foundation in Unreal Engine, which I plan to put into further practice.
As a UE beginner, I initially struggled to come up with a project idea because I wasn’t fully aware of what was possible to achieve. After watching numerous YouTube videos showcasing Unreal projects, I had a vague idea of where I could take my project, but it wasn’t until I started implementing my own ideas as the project progressed that I understood the full range of possibilities—beyond the predominance of the game industry. As a result, I stumbled, and my project ended up being somewhat meandering.
My approach to this first encounter with Unreal Engine was to learn and practice a hard set of skills. As such, my work on the project was mostly exploratory, with a focus on technical implementation. Going beyond the techniques taught in class, I was particularly interested in procedural techniques for world creation, which required me to learn node-based coding within the UE5 interface. This took up most of the time spent on the project, mainly due to the range of tutorials available online being outdated and often causing confusion. Additionally, optimization issues and frequent crashes of Unreal Engine—due to the excessive computational power required for generating environment elements using multiple point clouds—added to the challenge. I worked with stochastic functions, such as random seeds or noise, and other mathematical calculations across different point clouds for purposes like intersection detection and asset subtraction to prevent overlap. During the initial attempts and learning PCG, the computer’s power often exceeded its limits, leading to crashes—one incident at the Digital Space caused the system to crash, resulting in the loss of an entire day’s work, as the PCs there are set to erase all data upon crashing. This painful lesson taught me the importance of saving regularly and backing up my work to an external drive.
Initially, I envisioned setting the aesthetics of my scene in surrealism, inspired by certain paintings. After my first consultation with Serra, I received feedback that led me to further explore this idea. I began reading The Red Book by Carl Jung and researching Salvador Dalí’s experiments with sleep and dreams. Dalí often intentionally interrupted his sleep cycles to explore the unconscious mind and capture his dreamlike visual experiences. This became a key inspiration for my project, drawing on the psychedelic, mysterious landscapes he created. From surrealist art, my inspiration expanded into film and cinematography. The examples that stuck with me were those that created suspense and mystery, often using unusual shots and perspectives, like Dutch angles, which gave an uneasy impression. This led me to explore Stanley Kubrick’s famous bird’s-eye angles and camera movements, incorporating the principles I learned in Nigel’s animation and cinematography theory classes.
Transitioning from a creative tech background into the School of Screen, I decided to approach this project from a technical perspective and learn the engine in order to become more confident and proficient in its use. I also aimed to incorporate the theoretical knowledge of cinema and visual storytelling through framing, as taught in Nigel’s class. This was a great opportunity to integrate skills and knowledge across modules from the first term. As a result, I now have a better understanding of camera animation and the shots that underpin a visual narrative.
The establishing shot is a wide-angle view showing a mountain-like landscape in the background, with the sunset over the forest. This signals to the audience that time is passing and the day is transitioning into night. The closing scene shows the car driving into the forest, coming to a stop as the road ends. The camera then zooms out to capture the full perspective of the forested area from a bird’s-eye view, revealing a question mark-shaped negative space, where the forest has been deforested due to the road cutting through it. To enhance the odd and uneasy aesthetic, I used chromatic aberration with the post-processing volume.
My final work is a short film that predominantly showcases the movement of a car through a landscape, driving into an upside-down world at dusk, when day transitions to night—the unknown, the questioned. The mise en scène is modest and can be broken down into several elements: the car with dynamic lights, the terrain with foliage and trees, the landscape, and the default sky, fog, and directional light from Unreal Engine. The directional light, combined with the post-processing volume, is used to alter the visual aesthetic and create the desired mood and ambience. Throughout the short video, changes in values for both the actors and other variables, such as saturation, contrast, exposure, and intensity, are animated to visually enhance the transition between the familiar world and the unfamiliar upside-down landscape. The dark, high-contrast red light creates the impression of the sky bleeding and breaking.
In addition to the contrasts of day and night, familiar and unfamiliar, up and down, I was also intrigued by the relationship between positive and negative space. This led me to use the spline technique to define the shape within the landscape, which serves as a closing shot. As the car moves, its destination remains unknown, but it is clearly heading somewhere—somewhere unfamiliar. This inspired the title of the project: Quo Vadis? (Where are you going?). This is the very question I asked myself at the beginning of the project: where am I going with this? And here is where I landed.
Overall, I’m pleased with what I’ve managed to deliver. With respect to the visual end result, I’d like to think of this as a prototype on its way to improving in quality, especially in the realm of animation. However, my primary focus was the experience itself, which has definitely allowed me to become more proficient in Unreal Engine and given me a better understanding of the production pipeline. I plan to make the most of this experience in future projects during Term 2
Better result but trees started resembling palm trees, changing the ambience into the beach, seadie-like drive.
Colour grading to enhance image quality and cinematic aesthetics
High-contrast lighting, paired with post-processing effects, establishes a dreamlike and otherworldly ambiance. The bleeding red sky transitions from day to night, symbolizing the journey from the familiar to the surreal. Adjustments to saturation, contrast, and exposure were carefully made to mirror the emotional and narrative beats, enhancing the unsettling and mysterious mood of the environment. These aesthetics were achieved through meticulous color grading, performed on a 4K monitor with a high sRGB color gamut, ensuring accurate and vivid color representation.
Editorial in Adobe Premiere Pro
Premiere Pro Adobe Certificate Course
Editorial—something I knew very little about, almost nothing. To move the scenes forward from the shots, I had to learn yet another software. I managed to secure a spot in the Adobe Certified Courses at the Digital Space, led by Oscar, one of the technicians working on the side. It was an intense week packed with knowledge, culminating in an exam on the final day. Unfortunately, due to a scheduling conflict, I couldn’t attend the private screening of the MA 3D Animation previous cohort’s work on the same day. Fortunately, I was able to absorb all the course material and pass the test successfully
Performing audio-visual editing within Premiere Pro, including deciding on cuts, transitions between shots, adding subtitles, as well as designing the cover page and listing the credentials for assets used in the production.
The Camera Rig Rail can be used to manually define the pathway for camera movement, offering precise control over its trajectory. Additionally, it allows for the attachment of other objects, effectively replacing the camera with anything from props to lights. I used it to define the trajectory of the car movement, that aligns with the spline trajectory, to allow for car movement through the landscape populated with trees.
I worked through numerous tutorials to fully understand these techniques. These include, but are not limited to, the following sources:
Implementing camera rig rail & animation in sequencer
The images below are screenshots of my own notes, representing the process of the camera rig rail implementation within the sequencer, and in detail cover the consecutive stages and exploratory work represented within the attached screenshots.
Reflections on Using Camera Rig Rails and Sequencers
I ran into an issue with the camera rig rail that took some time to untangle. The rail kept readjusting itself back to its initial location, refusing to align with the desired position along the spline pathway I had created on the landscape actor. It was frustrating at first, but after some troubleshooting, I realized the problem lay in the transformation keys applied to the camera rig rail within the sequencer.
Because the camera rig rail was tied to the car’s sequencer, I needed to check the settings there carefully. This taught me the importance of double-checking sequencers whenever something unexpected happens, especially when working with multiple elements linked together.
Experimenting with Viewport Playback
While testing, I also explored the two main ways to play actions in the viewport:
Playing the Main Level Action When I played the main level action, the animation logic tied to the level came to life. In my case, this was the cube moving along the spline. This method works perfectly for testing animations or behaviors tied to the overall level design.
Playing Through the Sequencer Playing through the sequencer, however, was a more focused experience. It allowed me to test specific sequences without triggering the entire level logic. This was especially helpful when I wanted to isolate the camera rail and check its behavior independently.
Creating Cinematic Camera Movements
As I continued working, I experimented with combining a cinematic camera actor and the camera rig rail. This setup felt like stepping into real-world filmmaking. By making the camera actor a child of the rail and resetting its location to match the rail’s position, I was able to simulate smooth, professional camera movements.
It’s satisfying to see how these tools can replicate real-world production techniques in a virtual environment. Each step in this process brought me closer to understanding the intricacies of cinematic effects in game development.
Putting it all together: TESTING
The following shows the testing of the car animation using the camera rail. The car is attached to the rail, moving along a manually defined trajectory that is fixed to the floor. This setup allows for animating the car’s movement, which includes changes in its position within the coordinate space, such as translation and rotation.
The car moves in an arc, so the default settings are maintained, based on the assumption that the car needs time to accelerate and decelerate smoothly, rather than coming to an abrupt stop, which would occur with linear interpolation. For finer control over the car’s movement, a control rig was implemented in the previous phase, enabling more accurate animation, such as steering and wheel rotation, as the car follows an organic, curvy path.
Since this is a test, some things are breaking, but that’s expected! Haha
