Category: Advanced 3D Animation

Concept Design:

Project Title

Pollution Carnival

Core Concept

My FMP will build on the short film about nuclear wastewater pollution that I created last term and develop it into a more complete experimental animation project.
The project aims to transform the invisible and hard-to-feel consequences of nuclear pollution into an unsettling experience that the audience can directly sense, through a surreal and distorted carnival world.

An amusement park usually represents joy, innocence, and happy memories. However, in this project, this “paradise” will gradually be invaded by pollution and turned into a space that looks attractive on the surface but is rotten inside.
I want to use this strong visual contrast to express the lasting and hidden nature of pollution, as well as the fact that humanity, while trapped in self-deception and avoidance, will still have to face the consequences of environmental damage in the end.

Theme

The core theme of this project is nuclear wastewater pollution and environmental backlash.
I am interested not only in pollution itself, but also in how pollution slowly spreads and accumulates over time, and how it eventually affects ecosystems, animals, and even returns to human life.
Instead of directly telling a real-world event, I want to use experimental visual language and symbolic spatial design to create a feeling of pressure, distortion, and imbalance, so that the audience can reflect on environmental issues through emotion and atmosphere.

Visual Direction

Visually, this project will adopt a surreal, symbolic, exaggerated, and highly contrasting style.
The whole world will be built around the idea of a “polluted carnival”:
on the surface, it still keeps the colours, lights, and attraction of an amusement park;
but as the film develops, the space gradually reveals its decay, distortion, and hidden danger.

I want the visuals to feel dreamlike and attractive, while also carrying a lasting sense of unease.
This state of “surface joy but inner decay” will become the most important visual feature of the whole project.

Symbolic Elements

To make the theme clearer, I will use several core symbolic elements in the film:

• Carousel: represents a cycle of cause and effect, suggesting that the pollution created by humans will finally return to humanity itself.
• Clown: represents the happiness on the surface of the carnival, while also symbolising human escape, self-deception, and numbness.
• Amusement Park: represents an idealised space of civilisation, but also the hidden crisis beneath surface prosperity.
• Mutated Animals: represent the ecological damage caused by pollution, and the pain of natural life after being forced into distortion.
• Dark Sea: represents nuclear pollution itself; calm on the surface, but constantly spreading and invading underneath.

These elements will not appear separately only as visual motifs, but will work together to build a world that is slowly losing balance and falling into decay.

Experimental Approach

This FMP will not follow a complete traditional narrative structure, but will lean more toward an experimental animation approach.
I want to use scene design, space, rhythm, repetition, distortion, and visual symbolism to drive the film, rather than depending on dialogue or a clear linear story.

In terms of experimental expression, I want to focus on:

• Repetition: using repeated actions or scenes to show the ongoing nature of pollution and its consequences.
• Distortion: allowing familiar carnival elements to slowly deform and decay, creating discomfort and unease.
• Contrast: keeping the bright and attractive surface of the carnival while gradually exposing the danger inside it.
• Spatial pressure: using environment design and camera movement to make the audience feel surrounded, swallowed, and trapped.

Technical Workflow

In terms of production, I plan to mainly use Maya for animation, including characters, objects, and symbolic movement design.
At the same time, I will use Unreal Engine for environment building, lighting, atmosphere, and final rendering.

In addition, I will also use:

• Rizom UV for UV work
• Substance 3D Painter for texturing
• After Effects for editing and post-production

This workflow will allow me to combine expressive animation with strong environmental atmosphere, which is important for an experimental project like this.

Project Aim

The aim of this FMP is not only to create an animation about nuclear pollution, but also to explore whether experimental animation can transform a real environmental issue into a more emotional and reflective viewing experience.

I want the audience not only to understand the theme of pollution, but also to truly feel its pressure, unease, and consequences through the visuals, the space, and the symbolic elements.

Expected Outcome

In the end, I hope to create a more complete experimental animated short film with a clearer concept and a more mature visual language.
It will continue the nuclear wastewater pollution theme from my earlier project, but develop it further through richer content, stronger atmosphere, and more layered visual expression.
Through this project, I also want to further develop my ability in experimental 3D animation, environmental storytelling, and symbolic visual design.

Moodboard:

Storyboard:

Previs:

Progress:

Timeline:

Assignment: Previs v01

Assignment: Advanced Animation Shot (Polish)

Fix 3.0

Assignment: Advanced Animation Shot (Blocking Plus)

Workshop: Animbot

Assignment: Advanced Animation Shot (Blocking)

Assignment: Advanced Animation Shot (Idea)

Through a simple and playful situation, I want to show a clear emotional progression from relaxation and confusion to fear, curiosity and relief. At the beginning, the dinosaur stands with its back to a wind-up mouse and casually moves its tail. It accidentally touches the toy, causing it to move. The dinosaur freezes, slowly turns its head and then jumps in surprise before quickly turning around. After realising that there is no immediate danger, it carefully approaches the object and tests it with its claw. At the end, the camera focuses on the winding key on the back of the toy mouse, revealing that it is only a harmless mechanical toy. The dinosaur lets out a long breath of relief. This small reveal creates a light and humorous ending, while allowing the dinosaur’s personality and emotions to be communicated through its tail, head movement, body weight and changes in timing.

Assignment: Creature Locomotion (polish)

Assignment: Creature Locomotion (blocking)

Lion Walk Cycle – Key Points

1. Flexible but Powerful Spine

• Lions have a flexible spine that creates a smooth wave through the body.
• The chest and hips move with a natural offset rather than as a rigid block.
• The movement feels powerful and controlled.

2. Clear Weight Transfer

• Lions are heavy animals, so each step carries noticeable weight.
• The body lowers slightly when weight is transferred onto a supporting leg.
• Avoid making the walk too light or bouncy.

3. Digitigrade Movement

• Lions are digitigrade animals and walk on their toes.
• Their feet land softly and quietly, reflecting their role as predators.

4. Shoulder Blade Movement

• The scapula (shoulder blade) is highly visible during locomotion.
• Shoulder movement contributes significantly to the overall motion.

5. Tail Follow-Through

• The tail acts as a counterbalance and follows the body’s movement.
• It should show drag, overlap, and follow-through rather than moving rigidly.

Assignment: Dialogue Shot – Polish

Creature Animation – Key Animation Principles

• Research before animating – Study real animals through videos and references before starting animation.
• Understand anatomy – Learn the basic body structure, joints, and spine movement that drive locomotion.
• Analyze locomotion – Focus on gait patterns, foot placement, weight shifts, and timing.
• Pay attention to the spine – The spine connects the movement of the chest, hips, head, and tail, making the animation feel natural.
• Observe differences between species – Different animals move differently depending on their anatomy, body weight, and lifestyle.
• Build a strong reference library – Use front, side, and back views, and collect examples of walking, running, and other actions.
• Follow a clear workflow – Research → Reference Collection → Blocking → Blocking Plus → Polish.

Group Assignment: Creature Study :

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1K-Ej0uwBXwgmt-VKh8ZKpBdAchxkTxnbGwFEFzlWaOc/mobilepresent?slide=id.p

Assignment: Dialogue Shot – Blocking Plus

Workshop: Breathing Animation

Assignment: Dialogue Shot – Blocking

Feedback : https://syncsketch.com/sketch/BhOC2LZDM0cF/

1. Dialogue Shot Workflow

• Dialogue animation follows three stages:
  • Blocking – key poses and main facial expressions.
  • Blocking Plus – breakdown poses, facial transitions, and major mouth shapes.
  • Polishing – in-betweens, lip sync refinement, and performance details.
• Build the performance gradually instead of focusing on details too early.

2. Lip Sync Workflow

• Lip sync is created in three steps:
  1. Jaw Opening – establish speech rhythm.
  2. Phonemes – add mouth shapes for different sounds.
  3. Polish – refine transitions and facial details.
• Focus on accents and key syllables in the dialogue.

3. Animate the Sounds, Not the Words

• Create mouth shapes based on sounds (phonemes) rather than spelling.
• Lip sync should reflect how words are pronounced, not how they are written.
• Mouth shapes should work together with the existing facial expression.

4. Common Phoneme Shapes

• M / B / P → lips fully closed.
• F / V → lower lip touches upper teeth.
• Oo / U → mouth corners move inward.
• Ee / Eh → mouth corners move outward.
• Hold important mouth shapes long enough to be readable.

5. Polish & Performance Details

• Add subtle details to improve realism:
  • Breathing
  • Tongue movement
  • Squash and stretch in the lower face
  • Frame-by-frame lip sync checks
• Facial performance should support the character’s emotions and acting choices.

Workshop: Overlap