Today, there was a workshop where I tried using Unity to create a scene for the first time. Unity is a powerful DCC software commonly used for game design. As a beginner in Unity, I was excited about creating today’s scene.

First, we learned the basic interface operations and layout. Using assets, we built a simple city street scene and added details like trash cans and utility poles. Next, we inserted an animation sequence into the scene and configured it to loop using certain settings.

Finally, and most excitingly, we used a camera to capture images as a basis, placing our created scene onto a prepared photo. First, we needed a real-world image, which we then set as the dynamic capture object in the scene. After linking the camera, we captured the real-world image. It was important to take clear shots, as being too far from the subject could make capturing the image difficult.

Dang Dang! He’s on the page！

In China, many workers are under a lot of pressure. They don’t have a two-day weekend. Even national holidays are changed into working days. The fact that they are deprived of rest makes them feel miserable. I want to use this as a starting point to create a short film that reflects the pressure of people’s lives.

I find it very interesting to play in the first person way, through which the audience can feel the inner world. At the same time, I also hope to use a one-point perspective, which is more expressive visual effect.
Man keeps moving, but when does he really stop? He explores this question, but the pressures of life force him to keep moving forward.

This is my version of the story. He keeps going. The first shot is warm, walking the dog. Then he went to school as a student and began to stress, I know this is not the case for all students, but it is really a Chinese characteristic. Worked, crowded the peak subway every day, was scolded by the boss, in debt, very poor.
He’s wandering the streets, probably homeless.
Finally, the protagonist realizes that there is no hope and that it is impossible to really stop, so he commits suicide

It’s a sad story

Today, I learned about a fascinating new software called TD. It is a node-based program with many different node panels, primarily divided into 2D and 3D sections. It can be used to create interactive dynamic works and special effects animation videos.

Since we were beginners, the teacher started with some very basic nodes, teaching us how to build the overall node structure. It’s similar to other nodes I’ve learned before. For example, achieving real-time rotation requires adding a line of code like “absTime.seconds” to the rotation parameter channel. This allows it to continuously rotate over time, which is quite fascinating.

Finally, there are some settings involved in the exporting part.

In the end, I followed the teacher’s guidance and successfully created an overlay of geometric patterns, featuring a vibrant and colorful motion animation.

Today we visited a motion capture studio, a vast workshop filled with green screens and lights, equipped with VICON systems specialized for motion capture across various industries.

This system accurately tracks the movements of characters, providing precise data efficiently for animation, film, and gaming, becoming an essential tool for animators. Users first wear a motion capture suit and attach markers to specific joints.

They then enter the green-screen environment, using a trapezoidal device to activate cameras at various angles.

Once all preparations are complete, cameras and joints are synchronized before recording can begin.

In the first class this week, the teacher reviewed our plans for the FMP project, including what we completed last semester and our future intentions. Regarding my animation storyboard, the teacher noted that the overall pacing lacks smoothness and suggested adding humorous dramatic conflicts.

For instance, suggesting at the end that the character picking up the gold might not be their accomplice, but rather a police officer, could bring a surprising twist for the audience.

I also informed the teacher that I intend to complete the animation in Maya and handle all rendering work for the project in Unreal Engine. I feel that leveraging the strengths of both software packages will allow me to achieve both smooth animation and artistic rendering effects. The teacher expressed support for my idea.