Author: Jieyi An

FINAL

Concept: Inspired by the global influenza, I envision creating a future world where human civilization has collapsed, giving way to the flourishing development of plants and other life forms. In the wake of the global flu, my imagination leads me to portray a world where the dominance of life is no longer held by humans but rather by the vibrant growth of various plants and other organisms. This scenario sparks profound reflections on the natural world and prompts an exploration of ecological balance and vitality.
On this future stage, nature has reclaimed its dominant position, giving rise to a new order characterized by a unique and surreal ecosystem. Through my creative work, I aim to delve into this world redefined by nature, depicting the fusion and evolution of life forms such as plants and animals, as well as the captivating interactions between them and their environment. Through this concept, I hope the audience will be prompted to contemplate the relationship between humanity and nature, fostering reflections on our future survival.

Showreel

The showreel segment aims to showcase the new knowledge and skills I acquired during the production of this animation. It encompasses the integration of animal animation, the clever application of motion paths to enhance scenes, the incorporation of diverse plant elements, meticulous terrain creation, the production of varied textures, precise editing of scene terrain, the creation of vivid character animations, and the flexible setup of skeletal slots. Additionally, I demonstrate adept use of weather blueprints, infusing the entire piece with subtle atmospheres and emotions.

Through this showreel, viewers can gain a comprehensive understanding of my versatility in animation production. It goes beyond the technical application, showcasing a deep understanding and clever integration of various elements throughout the creative process. This series of technical and creative choices collectively demonstrate my mastery of the entire animation production process, presenting a comprehensive work that is both creative and technically adept.

Conclusion

EPIFITA: A type of plant or plant-like organism that attaches itself to the surface of another plant, obtaining water and nutrients from the air, rainwater, water (in marine environments), or debris accumulated in the vicinity. The plants growing on the surface of the epiphytic plant are referred to as epiphytes.

Plant Production: The grass utilized the grass models from the Bridge, and in Unreal Engine (UE), the vegetation functionality was employed for grass rendering. In addition to this, terrain production was carried out, with a separate material applied to the terrain, allowing for the freehand drawing of two different materials.

Moss Section: Originally, moss generation plugins were planned for use. However, during experimentation, issues with the devices were encountered. Considering the subsequent production of the complete scene, including the addition of characters and animations, epiphytic plants were employed as a substitute. This serves as a demonstration of the effects, along with rendering tests for the plant section.

After completing the plant testing phase, the scene construction commenced. Initially, a small-scale scene test was conducted before proceeding to the formal build. The scene is set on a road, where buildings have suffered a certain degree of damage and are now adorned with numerous plants.

After adding the prop shotgun and backpack, adjustments were made to the slot positions for the gun and hands. Various action previews were switched to ensure that the position of holding the gun by the hands is appropriate.

After the character testing phase was completed, the prepared scenes and characters were combined, and animation production was carried out according to the storyboard. Upon completing each individual shot, the footage was edited, background music and sound effects were incorporated, resulting in the final film output. This process involved meticulous shot arrangement, adjustments for smooth animation, and the integration of audio elements, all aimed at creating a final piece that possesses both visual and auditory appeal.

Introduction:

Embarking on the animated journey, the transition from storyboards to actual animation marks a pivotal and exhilarating phase. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the process of animating within Unreal Engine (UE) using carefully crafted animation assets, translating the envisioned narrative into dynamic, visual sequences.

Storyboard as the Blueprint:

The starting point is the storyboard, a blueprint that outlines the sequence of events and actions within the animation. It serves as a guiding framework, providing a roadmap for the subsequent creation of animation assets in UE.

UE as the Canvas:

Unreal Engine emerges as the canvas for our animation endeavors. Leveraging its powerful capabilities, we embark on the intricate task of using animation assets to breathe life into characters, scenes, and the overall storyline. UE’s versatility allows for a seamless integration of various elements, fostering a dynamic and immersive animated experience.

Animating Within UE:

With animation assets in hand, the real magic unfolds within UE. The software becomes a playground where characters dance, props interact, and scenes come alive. Each animation asset is strategically place

Fine-Tuning the Details:

As the animation takes shape, the process involves a continuous cycle of observation, refinement, and adjustment. Fine-tuning details ensures that the animation aligns with the envisioned narrative, capturing the essence of the storyboard in a visually captivating manner.

The Road Ahead:

This intersection of storyboards and UE animation assets marks a significant milestone in the animation creation process. The road ahead promises further refinement, exploration, and the emergence of a cohesive and immersive animated world.

Stay tuned as we navigate the captivating realm of animation within UE, witnessing the transformation of ideas into animated masterpieces.

Completed rendering of all shots. In Unreal Engine, every scene and character was brought to life, presenting the story I envisioned.

After careful inspection and adjustment, the animation is smooth and the details are accurate. Then, import the rendered footage into Premiere Pro for editing, focusing on scene transitions and music coordination to polish the overall smoothness and emotional expression of the film.

Find metahuman’s skeleton

With the completion of the character animation assets, it’s time to take the next exciting step—introducing props into the mix. This phase promises to inject a new level of dynamism and visual interest into the animation. Join me on this journey as we explore the integration of props to enhance the narrative and bring our characters to life in unexpected ways.

The process begins with meticulous testing. How does the addition of a particular prop affect the overall flow of the animation? Does it seamlessly integrate with the characters, or does it introduce any unforeseen challenges? These questions drive the testing phase, allowing for adjustments and refinements to ensure a harmonious blend of characters and props.

Gun Interaction: Testing how characters interact with props, especially in scenarios like holstering and picking up a gun.

Need to change the center point of the object

Change pivot/axis position

alt+v+middle mouse button

Right mouse button after changing

reference

Add props to character blueprint

Switch back to the metahuman skeleton and preview the props
After adjustment, return to the blueprint

add the bag in the same way

prop animation rendering texts

Start UE, open bridge, select my metahuman, download and add.

Download plugin

Rig logic plugin

Groom

Groom importer

Live link

Live link control rig

Live link curve debug ui

Live link over display

Live link xr

Apple arkit

Apple srkit face support

In my quest to diversify character attire, my attempt at clothing swaps hit a roadblock. After delving into numerous tutorials, it became apparent that successful wardrobe changes often involve the use of software like Marvelous Designer, Blender, or UDraper.

Venturing into the realm of virtual mall clothing resources, I experimented with skeletal meshes for outfit alterations. Unfortunately, this approach proved unsuitable as it led to structural issues, mainly due to the mismatch between the body type, skeleton, and metahuman.

After careful consideration, the ultimate decision was to incorporate props onto metahuman and proceed with animation.

1. Animation Testing

2. Animation with Gun Holstered

• Crow Animation

3. Animation of Gun Pickup

• Facial Animation
• Plant-Human Animation

Animation production, scene optimization
Merge Static Meshes

This shift in strategy opens up new possibilities for seamless and visually engaging animations, providing a fresh perspective on character interaction and scene dynamics. Stay tuned for further updates on this exciting animation journey!

• Decal

This week’s task was to add level sequences and timelines to the animation. I started by incorporating characters into the sequence, selecting them, and adding them to the tracks, completing some basic setups. Simultaneously, adding each character’s actor to the Sequencer for easier management of their behaviors.

Later on, I focused on the crow’s movement path. Considering the animation’s smoothness, I carefully planned its trajectory and actions, aiming to present a natural and engaging way of movement. This is a crucial step to ensure the coordinated motion of all elements in the animation scene, laying a solid foundation for the future animation effects.

• Scene Rendering

Due to hardware constraints, the moss plugin is not suitable for rendering the entire scene and subsequent animation production. Therefore, we opted for the creation of epiphytic moss as an alternative.

Plant Sky Light Test

• Plants

Add plants to the scene.
Window——bridge——3D plants

• Moss

Moss production has many plug-ins in the epic store

Scene: Outdoor, high buildings, moss, dilapidated, broken bridge

I’ve looked through a series of images with a post-apocalyptic atmosphere. Originally, I planned to create an indoor setting—a retro European architectural mall scene where the protagonist battles with a plant-human hybrid. However, after watching several outstanding films with similar themes, I’ve decided to switch to an outdoor setting. This choice requires fewer scene resources and better showcases a variety of plant elements.

After finalizing the scene theme, I proceeded to create the storyboard.