Project info
- Developer Krisztian Kiss
- Showcase year 2022
- Programme Computer Arts
Synopsis
My project focuses on how animators can create believable and authentic animations for purely fantastical creatures that cannot directly be referenced from real life. I have conducted extensive research on understanding human and animal anatomy and motion and also current industry practices related to this subject. I also looked at understanding the applications of the main principles of animation and its relationship to the animated creature’s personality. I looked into the connection between this implied personality and the viewer’s connection to the animated performance through the use of anthropomorphism. In my animations I have experimented with the use of anthropomorphic traits to further increase entertainment value and audience involvement by invoking empathy.
Project Motivation
Fantasy creature animation is becoming more prevalent both in games and feature films (both animated features and VFX). While applying the 12 principles of animation and other foundational animation aesthetic principles to this field provides a good starting point, I wanted to research current industry practices further. In particular, I analysed the role of character and personality in creating authentic movement to creatures we cannot directly observe and reference in real life. In my opinion, the best approach in animation is to build an extensive library of references of real-life motion and exaggerate critically selected aspects of it to create an authentic and easily understandable character performance. However, as this is not directly possible with fantasy creatures, I believe the second-best approach is to examine human and animal motions that can be related to the creature we plan to animate.
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