Final Outcome
Credits:
epic game launcher fab(envir), alorema.gumroad(Mego V2), Turbo Squid, Sketchfab
Special Thanks:
George, Serra, Friendred, Shihong
The Making of Video
Final Fix
Compositing & Sound
For the sound effects of this project, I have been collaborating with my friend Hattie, who is a Sound Design graduate. She produced the first draft of the sound design, which served as the foundation for our subsequent revisions.
The second draft represents a more refined version, incorporating feedback and adjustments based on the evolving needs of the animation.
Throughout this process, we have been continuously reviewing and modifying the sound elements to ensure that they align with the most updated version of the animation. This iterative approach has allowed us to enhance the synchronization between the visual and auditory components, creating a more cohesive and immersive experience.
Rendering
During the animation process, I have been rendering shots simultaneously to optimize production time and ensure that each component of the project progresses according to schedule. The images shown below were rendered using Unreal Engine, following an Alembic Cache export from Maya to facilitate animation import.
At this stage, one of the main adjustments I need to make concerns the texture of the balloon. Its current surface appearance resembles plastic or clay, rather than the realistic balloon-like material I aim to achieve. This requires a revision of the material properties and texture mapping.
Additionally, some textures and models, such as those applied to the cars, were lost or did not import correctly, which will need to be addressed in the next iteration.
Regarding lighting, the current setup conveys a cinematic atmosphere, which, while visually engaging, does not align with the desired aesthetic for this sequence. I intend to adjust the lighting scheme to achieve a daylight effect, incorporating a more natural illumination rather than relying solely on a directional light source.
Moving forward, my focus will be on refining these technical aspects, particularly the material realism and lighting consistency, to enhance both the visual coherence and overall production quality of the animation.
Lighting & Camera Change
Adjustments
Animation: Spline
I decided to reduce the size of the clown’s head to better match the style of the girl, creating a more balanced visual relationship between the two characters. Previously, they appeared as though they belonged to entirely different worlds, and this adjustment helped unify their presence within the same scene. I also made several refinements in pacing, timing, and follow-up actions. Most of my recent work has focused on character animation, while the details of the balloons and cars remain unfinished. These will be my next priorities, along with fine-tuning the characters, improving the overall flow of the animation, and refining their facial expressions.
Through this process, I have realized how essential time management is in animation production. No matter how carefully I plan, the number of revisions, errors, and unexpected issues always seems greater than anticipated. Starting early has proven to be critical, as it provides enough time for problem-solving and creative exploration. I have also learned the importance of seeking feedback regularly from my tutor. Showing my work early allows me to gain perspective on how much remains to be done and to stay grounded in the overall direction of the project.
This experience has been both challenging and rewarding. It has reminded me that animation is not only a technical process but also an evolving dialogue between planning, experimentation, and reflection. Each adjustment teaches me something new about my own working rhythm and creative decision-making.
Animation: Blocking +
At this stage of the animation process, I have come to realize the importance of accelerating my workflow. My original plan is to complete the entire animation, including the splining phase, by the end of October. Sticking to this timeline would give me some valuable buffer time to make final adjustments, collaborate with my partner on sound design, and address any rendering or lighting issues that may emerge. However, I am currently still in the blocking stage, which makes it clear that I need to improve my pace in order to stay on track. Moving forward, completing the blocking and transitioning into splining as soon as possible has become a priority.
In this updated version of the animation, I have made considerable changes to the camera angles and environment, which has led me to re-record my reference footage. This part of the process has prompted me to think more deeply about how to approach the animation of the balloon dog character. I am finding it particularly challenging to act out the movements of a dog, especially one with a cartoon-like, exaggerated personality. This has highlighted the limitations of relying solely on self-recorded reference footage. As a next step, I plan to consult with my tutors to gather ideas and expand the range of references I can draw from. Reflecting on this, I recognize that seeking feedback and drawing on external resources will be crucial in refining the animation and achieving the expressive quality I am aiming for.
Adjustments (Additional props)
I came to realise that incorporating props can play an important role in enhancing storytelling. In the opening shot of my animation, the clown character was presented without any props. A viewer commented that this absence contributed to an unsettling effect, making the clown appear somewhat frightening at first.
I then undertook some research to identify props that would be suitable for the character. This process allowed me to consider how different objects might influence the audience’s perception and contribute to the overall mood of the animation.
This represents the most recent version of my work, following adjustments made to the camera.
Adjustments (Camera)
I also made adjustments to the camera, as certain shots were not sufficiently clear or easy to follow. Through this process, I realised the importance of maintaining consistency in movement within an animation. For example, if a character is positioned at the centre of the screen in one shot, their placement in the subsequent shot should not suddenly shift to the corner or offscreen, as the audience’s attention remains anchored to the central point.
In the example below, it is preferable for the first shot (left) and the subsequent shot (right) to be positioned in the same or a similar location, for example on the right side of the screen, so that the viewer’s visual attention is guided more smoothly and their eyes remain relaxed while watching.
Adjustments (Environment)
I made some changes to my environment because the previous version was too realistic and did not match the style of the characters. I had not realized this until my lecturer pointed it out. As a result, I faced several issues when replacing the environment and trying to combine and import/export assets in Maya.
Left: before(realistic background), Right: after(cartoony background)
This experience made me realize the importance of seeking feedback from peers or teachers at each stage of the process. Without it, problems like these can significantly slow down my progress.
Animation: Blocking
I began working on the animation and quickly realized that the process required significantly more time than I had initially anticipated. Nonetheless, here is Shot 2.
Special thanks to George for his valuable feedback on this shot. One of the major revisions involved the awkward animation of the clown making the balloon in front of the audience. Initially, I had planned to cover the clown’s hands with smoke during the post-production compositing phase. However, George suggested making the clown face away from the camera, effectively concealing the issue and reducing the need for additional adjustments later on.
This revision proved to be quite effective, and I also took the opportunity to enhance the little girl’s facial expressions with additional detail. That concludes the work on this shot, there is still much to catch up on.
For the ballon dog shot, apart from recording myself for reference, I have also did some research online about how cartoon characters fall in order to make the shot entertaining and interesting.
While creating the blocking for the animation, I realized that animating the balloon character was more challenging than expected, despite its lack of complex anatomical features. This difficulty stemmed from the need to convey emotions and narrative solely through body movements, without relying on facial expressions.
To ensure the emotional intent was effectively communicated, I continuously sought feedback from peers, asking how the animation felt to them and adjusting accordingly.
Rigging
As the model I selected for the main character, Loopy the dog balloon, did not include a pre-existing rig, I was required to rig it manually. This process presented several challenges. Firstly, the initial rig was overly simplistic and lacked the necessary functionality for more nuanced movements such as head tilting. Furthermore, the rig was missing key control systems for individual body parts. For instance, there was no master control to synchronize the movement of the ears with the head, which made the animation process significantly more time-consuming, as each ear had to be animated separately.
In addition, I encountered difficulties with weight painting, particularly related to the rotational control of one of the ears. These issues underscored the importance of beginning the animation process as early as possible. Despite performing initial checks on the rig, many problems only became apparent during actual animation. This experience highlighted that certain technical limitations are difficult to identify prior to practical use.
Test Render
I conducted preliminary tests of several camera shots from my previsualization using the models and character assets. While the intended atmosphere was successfully conveyed, the lighting proved suboptimal, and certain texturing issues became apparent, particularly on the little girl’s face and in the rendering of the grass, which appeared unnaturally white. Due to current time constraints, these elements will be addressed and refined at a later stage of production.
Setting up
In order to allocate the majority of available time to the animation process, I elected to forego the modeling stage and instead utilize pre-existing rigs and environments sourced from online repositories. My initial attempt involved the use of Fab (Unreal Engine) and Truong’s resources. While I was able to locate several professional-quality rigs that met my technical and aesthetic requirements, their acquisition proved cost-prohibitive, as they were available only through subscription-based licensing models that required recurring monthly payments.
I identified a suitable asset from Fab and subsequently integrated it into a new Unreal Engine project file. To evaluate its potential within the production pipeline, I conducted a series of test renders, experimenting with multiple camera angles to determine those most consistent with the visual composition and narrative intent established in my previsualization (previs) stage.
However, several technical challenges were encountered during the process. One notable issue involved the inability to successfully import FBX rigs containing both textures and animations from Autodesk Maya into Unreal Engine (UE). To address this, I experimented with multiple troubleshooting approaches, including exporting the assets via Alembic cache, upgrading to a more recent version of UE, and separately importing an FBX file containing only the texture data into UE. Despite these attempts, the problem persisted, necessitating further investigation into compatibility and asset pipeline optimization.
Ultimately, the only viable solution was to re-rig the model entirely within Maya prior to export. It is plausible that the original rig contained underlying technical inconsistencies such as non-standard naming conventions, residual construction history, or other rigging irregularities that contributed to the incompatibility issues experienced during the import process into Unreal Engine.
I also conducted a series of tests to evaluate the textures, reflection quality, and other rendering attributes. These issues required resolution prior to commencing animation, as addressing them in post-production could result in an excessive and potentially overwhelming cleanup process at the final stage of the pipeline.
Previs
This previs was originally developed during Term 2. No subsequent modifications were made, as it effectively conveyed the key narrative elements I intended to present. Moving forward, I will refine this previs by replacing the characters with updated references and proceeding with blocking and spline stages. The updated version will be stored in the same project folder.
Storyboard
The narrative recounts an incident in which a clown, while attempting to hand a balloon to a child, inadvertently released it. The balloon drifted into a hazardous location, namely, a busy street filled with moving vehicles. Remarkably, it neither burst beneath the weight of the cars nor succumbed to the sharp spines of a nearby cactus. Instead, it was eventually retrieved and “adopted” by an individual.
The underlying moral emphasizes that even under adverse or perilous circumstances, outcomes can take an unexpectedly positive turn. This lesson also serves as a broader metaphor for the importance of animal adoption. Many animals face challenging and distressing conditions beyond their control, and adopting them offers a chance for safety, care, and a renewed quality of life.
Ideation
This narrative originated from an experience I had one evening while returning home. As I walked, I observed a solitary balloon adrift in the night air, carried intermittently by the wind. It drifted between the roadway, where vehicles passed continuously, and the pedestrian pathway, moving back and forth in an almost rhythmic motion. The account that follows is a creative interpretation of the scene I witnessed that evening.
I remained stationary for some time, observing the scene. The striking contrast in color and texture, combined with the sense of anxiety I experienced while witnessing the event, served as the primary source of inspiration for this story.
Subsequently, I began sourcing reference images to create mood boards, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of the intended color palette. In addition, I developed character biographies for the principal figures in the narrative.