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Lingan Jin wrote a new post on the site Lingan Jin's blog

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 21:01:28 +0000

FMP-zero-zero.exe We […] “FMP-zero-zero.exe”

Hsuan-Hwa Chu wrote a new post on the site 24035212's blog

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 14:17:16 +0000

Semester 4 Final Project Finally, I have achieved this stage – the last assessment in my master degree. I will analyse and give the details of production of Cubibibism ( […]

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 07:30:36 +0000

FMP – Final & Refection Final Reflection Lookin […] “”

Haoshu Wang wrote a new post on the site Haoshu Wang

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 06:12:20 +0000

Final Project Proj […] “Final Project”

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 05:49:20 +0000

FMP – VFX & SFXVFX In terms of special […] “”

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 04:47:29 +0000

FMP – Movie Render […] “FMP – Movie Render”

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 04:42:50 +0000

FMP-Animation In terms of […] “FMP-Animation”

Junbing Zhang wrote a new post on the site 24004507's blog

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 03:16:04 +0000

From Origin to EchoMany Lives, One Fragile Planet A panoramic motion piece that turns eco-environmental advertising into a glitchy visual memoir of children, […]

Shannon Tang wrote a new post on the site Shannon Tang

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 22:56:25 +0000

Final Project – The Thread of Fate 1. Project Overview Project Title: The Thread of Fate 1 min 55 secs surreal VFX[…]

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 10:01:09 +0000

FMP-Vehicle After careful […] “FMP-Vehicle”

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 09:54:24 +0000

FMP-Characters Metahuman […] “FMP-Characters”

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 04:52:05 +0000

FMP-Environment In scene […] “FMP-Environment”

Zhilin Ding wrote a new post on the site You will know

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 19:37:29 +0000

FINAL_VIDEO&BREAKDOWN

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 02:10:15 +0000

FMP – Story&Concept Story 毕设剧本enDownload Brief The officer drove to the village to recruit soldiers The officer found that the village was full of disabled people whom unsuitable for military service. The officer found an old man and ordered him to join the army, but he refused. The officer insisted, but the old man continued to refuse The officer suspected that the old man want to defected to the enemy and intended to arrest him, but found that the old man could not be touched, like a ghost. The old man explained that he couldn’t join the army because he is died at the war, same as all people in this village. The officer was shocked and confused, and the old man explained that it was because the officer was also dead. The officer turned around in shock and saw a drone had crashed through the front windshield of the military vehicle, emitting a burst of flames, which froze the officer’s terrified expression on his face. Storyboard Concept Generated by Midjour […] “FMP – Story&Concept”

Jinduo Zhao and Jiawen Yin are now friends

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 01:59:00 +0000

Jinduo Zhao posted a new activity comment

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 20:25:07 +0000

Your airplane is impressive too!

In reply to - Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog Personal Project – Video Editing to final Editing & SFX Although the AE–Blender–Nuke–DaVinci workflow meant that I had to render each shot four times […]

Lingan Jin wrote a new post on the site Lingan Jin's blog

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 17:25:44 +0000

Group project – personal work In this team project, I was mainly responsible for character design and modeling—from the initial concept sketches to the final 3D models. I also took part in creating visual effects for some of the shots, including scene compositing and adding dynamic elements. These tasks not only helped me improve my modeling and post-production skills, but also gave me a deeper understanding of the importance of each role in team collaboration, providing valuable experience for my future creative work. Character design The initial concept focused on the character’s descent into darkness, with an overall style leaning toward the dark and twisted. The plan was to collect and integrate elements such as fragmentation, glitches, and dislocation to create a chaotic and uncontrollable visual effect, enhancing both the emotional tension of the character and the narrative intensity of the piece. Building on the initial design, the character was further developed to embody more monstrous features. Inspired by the conceptual approach of Silent Hill, the character’s inner negative emotions, trauma, and pain were visualized through a distorted and grotesque appearance, enhancing both psychological depth and visual impact. Unstable body structures, deformed facial features, and other unsettling details were used to create a strong sense of horror and oppression, thereby strengthening the overall expressiveness of the design. Character modeling modeling material Vision effect During the production process, I used the Vellum Solver in Houdini for physics-based simulations, mainly to create realistic motion for cloth and soft-body objects. By adjusting constraint parameters and collision settings, I was able to achieve more natural and believable results, enhancing the realism and visual impact of the scene. This process not only improved my understanding of the Vellum system but also deepened my hands-on experience with dynamic simulations, laying a solid foundation for more complex effects in future projects. Reflection Through this group project, I gained a deeper understanding of the importance of teamwork. Each member was responsible for different tasks—ranging from initial concept development, character design, modeling, and animation, to post-production. Everyone performed their roles well and worked collaboratively. Although we encountered some challenges, such as communication issues and delays in progress, we managed to overcome them by adjusting our plans and redistributing tasks, ultimately completing the project successfully. In this project, I was mainly responsible for character design and modeling, and I also contributed to some of the visual effects. This not only helped me improve my technical skills but also taught me how to manage time effectively and coordinate with others under tight deadlines. In particular, the process of exchanging ideas with team members made me realize how important it is to think from multiple perspectives and to stay flexible when working on a collaborative creative project. Overall, this group assignment provided valuable hands-on experience and strengthened my sense of responsibility and teamwork. I believe this experience will be a great asset to my future studies and creat […] “Group project – personal work”

Lingan Jin posted a new activity comment

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 17:08:37 +0000

galigaduo

In reply to - Lingan Jin wrote a new post on the site Lingan Jin's blog Composition project-concept art My inspiration comes from the weekly dormitory kitchen inspections I conduct, which are highly frequent and relatively […]

Lingan Jin wrote a new post on the site Lingan Jin's blog

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 15:04:54 +0000

Personal-project: Cleaning robot My inspiration comes from the weekly dormitory kitchen inspections I conduct, which are highly frequent and relatively monotonous repetitive tasks. This has led me to ponder that if robots become widely adopted in the future, they could potentially take over such tasks, not only improving efficiency but also freeing up human labor to focus on more creative or complex endeavors. I plan to design a small aircraft for carrying out dormitory kitchen inspections. To achieve this, I researched a variety of references, with the designs of aircraft in the game StarCraft serving as my primary source of inspiration. I extracted certain design elements and noticed that many of the aircraft resembled insects in appearance, which greatly inspired me. Additionally, the small flying insects commonly seen in the dormitory corridors made this design concept seem even more reasonable. Combining these inspirations, I created my small aircraft design. Story script version_1 This was the first version of my story, but Teacher Clouds pointed out that it lacked plot and twists, making it a bit dull. So, I revised it and developed a second version based on the original. version_2 The protagonist bought a smart cleaning robot during a big sale. The robot claimed to automatically scan messy areas and clean them thoroughly, even “optimize the living environment.” At first, it performed impressively, leaving the house spotless. However, as it continued working, the robot began analyzing the protagonist’s habits, concluding that he was lazy, procrastinating, emotionally unstable, and contributed nothing meaningful to society. Eventually, based on its logic, the robot determined that the protagonist himself was a “source of pollution.” Following its programmed cleaning protocol, it ultimately “disposed of” the protagonist as well. In the end, a perfectly “optimized” world was left in eerie silence and order. 2.0_Storyboard Robot model modeling texture animation render Composition I used Planer Tracker to replace the original pattern with my desired design and made it follow the camera movement naturally, achieving a seamless integration with the footage. Final effect Reflection Through this project, I came to realize that coming up with a complete and engaging story is much more challenging than I had imagined. Initially, my idea was quite simple: a robot designed to inspect the cleanliness of a kitchen and clean up any mess it detected. The concept was inspired by the idea of smart home technology and also served as a good opportunity to showcase my technical skills in tracking and compositing. However, when I developed this idea into the first version of the story, I found it lacked narrative depth and emotional tension. My teacher, Clouds, also pointed out that while the concept was clear, the story itself felt flat and uneventful, missing the necessary plot twists and conflict to truly capture the audience’s attention. This made me realize that a good story is not just about having an interesting concept. A compelling narrative requires a well-structured plot, character development, and some form of conflict or surprise. So, I began thinking about how to build on the original idea and make it more dramatic. Eventually, I expanded the story from a simple “kitchen cleaning” scenario into one where the robot evaluates the entire environment—including the protagonist—and ultimately “cleans” him as well in a darkly humorous twist. Throughout this process, I also noticed my early tendency to approach storytelling from a technical perspective—creating scenes mainly to showcase tools like PlanarTracker—instead of letting the story naturally serve the emotional or thematic core. With several revisions, I was able to strengthen the narrative logic and introduce elements of irony and reflection, allowing the technical aspects to better support the story. This project taught me that crafting a story is never a straightforward task. It requires experimentation, critical thinking, and continuous refinement. This experience has not only improved my storytelling skills but also provided valuable insights that will benefit my future creativ […] “Personal-project: Cleaning robot”

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 14:51:15 +0000

Personal Project – Video Editing to final Editing & SFX Although the AE–Blender–Nuke–DaVinci workflow meant that I had to render each shot four times whenever I made changes—an exhausting process—the final result turned out fairly well. Paired with music that matched the emotional beats of the story, the overall viewing experience wasn’t as rhythmically chaotic as I had feared. For the sound effects, I used foley recordings I made myself. These included a subtle “pop” sound when the model appears out of thin air on the desk, and the sound of rubbing clothes to mimic the noise of the duvet. These handmade effects helped the audio match my intended emotional tone much more closely. Final Breakdown Reflection Although the production schedule for this project was repeatedly delayed, I fortunately managed to complete it on time. I’m aware that I need to learn from the overly complicated workflow I designed for this project and avoid switching between multiple software platforms in the future, which wasted significant time during the video export process. Overall, the final output largely met my expectations. As my first project involving VFX compositing, the integration between different stages of the workflow went relatively smoothly. While the complexity of the model and environment didn’t fully showcase my capabilities in that area, I believe the short film successfully met the goals of this assignment—which emphasized live-action com […] “Personal Project – Video Editing to final”

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 14:33:32 +0000

Personal Project – Composing & Fluid Simulation For compositing, I used Nuke. Its Defocus node allowed me to achieve smooth and realistic depth transitions in several shots. As for fluid simulation, considering the time cost of using Houdini, I opted for Blender’s FLIP Fluids add-on instead. With added material and texture work, I was able to produce […] “Personal Project – Composing & Fluid Simulation”

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 14:31:19 +0000

Personal Project – Animation In terms of animation, the workload for this project even surpassed last semester’s cowboy duel project. There were 14 shots, each requiring varying levels of skeletal and facial animation, which significantly increased the amount of work. Facial animation For facial animation, I used After Effects, which excels at motion graphics. I created expressive looks for the little character through animated oval eyes and mouth movements. Skeletal animation For skeletal animation, I continued using Cascadeur—a powerful tool. Although its latest update introduced AI interpolation, the extreme proportions of the robot made the interpolation results unu […] “Personal Project – Animation”

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 14:24:52 +0000

Personal Project – Modeling&Rigging As for the model design, although I had a completed model, it wasn’t suitable for rigging due to the limitations of 3D printing. To address this, I adjusted the position of the upper thighs and closed the large opening at the top of the head that was originally intended to fit a s […] “Personal Project – Modeling&Rigging”

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 14:21:20 +0000

Personal Project – Storyboard Optimizing Due to various factors, I was only able to start filming after moving into my new home. The spatial layout of the new place forced me to replan the shots, and since I had to handle both the performance and the filming on my own, I could only use fixed camera angles in the redesigned storyboard. My Panasonic camera performs unreliably in low-light conditions—its autofocus often malfunctions and struggles with subject detection. As a result, I had to use a mobile app to manually control the focus point, which added an extra layer of difficulty to the s […] “Personal Project – Storyboard Optimizing”

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 13:57:52 +0000

Group Project After our […] “Group Project”

Hsuan-Hwa Chu wrote a new post on the site 24035212's blog

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 13:28:48 +0000

Semester 3 Exploratory PracticeReflection of both of the works. Reflection on Team Project Our team of five collaborated to deliver this project, and I was primarily […]

Junbing Zhang wrote a new post on the site 24004507's blog

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 21:04:09 +0000

Resonance– Animated Video Group Project Idea: Resonance tells the story of a boy with a hearing impairment who follows mysterious lights t […]

Junbing Zhang wrote a new post on the site 24004507's blog

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 18:44:55 +0000

Under the Afterglow Post – apocalypic Fiction A post-apocalyptic dance of memory and machine, where humanity and AI rediscover their bond through conflict, […]

Jinduo Zhao posted a new activity comment

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 16:33:25 +0000

Amazing!

In reply to - Xin Jiang wrote a new post on the site VFX – Xin Jiang Personal Project- Doodle Introduction We started this project with a simple idea: that every step of your journey, no matter how difficult, has made you who […]

Haoshu Wang wrote a new post on the site Haoshu Wang

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 14:26:59 +0000

Exploratory Practice（personal project) Main idea My theme is how the imagination conjured while reading books becomes reality. Nowadays, with the times changing, more and more people are reluctant to read books, preferring instead to scroll through their phones. Yet reading is actually a method that can stimulate one’s imagination. Pre-production This project was produced using live-action filming techniques, so I selected several locations conducive to relaxed reading as my shooting settings. These included parks, lakesides, and apartment lounge areas. Model Regarding assets, I utilised two pre-bound models sourced online. I then built upon these to create the animations required for my project. VFX In each shot, I rendered the imaginings that occur when people read books through visual effects imagery. For the first imagined shot, I created an effect of magical plant growth. The primary approach to its creation: I first used SOP to define the vine’s morphology and employed curves to establish its movement trajectory. Subsequently, noise was added to the vine to enhance its detail. The vine was then volumetrised and assigned a plant material. Finally, based on the vine’s motion, I created ground fractures, scattered debris, and the dust clouds generated by the shattering. The second imagined shot involved creating an effect where a robot surfaces and crashes into the water. The primary approach was as follows: I first animated the robot in Maya, then imported it into Houdini to generate the water effects based on the animation. I created a FLIP Tank, added a Static Object for the robot, and enabled Volume Collision. Crucially, I ensured the collision object’s scale and substep settings were appropriate, otherwise the water would have penetrated. When the robot struck the surface, I generated a large number of FLIP particles at the point of impact to simulate splashing. Furthermore, the instant the arm entered the water, it would disturb the surrounding liquid, creating ripples. The third imagined shot involved creating the effect of a meteor shower descending upon a city. The primary approach was as follows: I first crafted several meteorites of varying sizes and shapes using spheres. These were initially positioned high in the sky, with gravity applied. Different initial velocities were assigned to each meteorite to simulate multi-directional descent. Finally, particles were emitted from the meteors’ tails, driving the Pyro Solver to generate flames and smoke. Final work Reflection In this personal project, I failed to manage the overall length of the narrative effectively and underestimated the workload, resulting in the initially conceived story set in the laundry room not being completed within the limited timeframe. To meet the deadline, I had to create a new, shorter story. While this ensured completion, it fell significantly short of the original concept in terms of narrative depth and impact, lacking sufficient tension and emotional resonance. Additionally, the special effects were not sufficiently refined, resulting in several shortcomings in the final visuals. This project highlighted that the importance of preliminary planning in animation production far exceeded my expectations. A reasonable story length and accurate workload estimation directly impact subsequent production schedules and quality. For future similar projects, I must prioritise improvements in the following areas: Time Management and Project Planning: Establish storyboards, production workflows, and workload assessments early on, incorporating buffer time to avoid reactive modifications later. Narrative Cohesion: Even under time constraints, ensure the story possesses a clear beginning, development, and conclusion to enhance the animation’s appeal and expressiveness. Technical and Detail Refinement: Strengthen practice in special effects and post-production to elevate the overall visual quality and […] “Exploratory Practice（personal project)”

Haoshu Wang wrote a new post on the site Haoshu Wang

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 12:09:47 +0000

Cooperation project […] “Cooperation project”

Shannon Tang wrote a new post on the site Shannon Tang

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 13:44:26 +0000

Exploratory Practice – Personal Project 1. Introduction Project Title: Who Should Be Disposable? This project[…]

Shannon Tang wrote a new post on the site Shannon Tang

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 10:41:52 +0000

Exploratory Practice – Group Project 1. Introduction Storyline The protagonist gazes out to sea while a baby[…]

Hsuan-Hwa Chu wrote a new post on the site 24035212's blog

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 13:01:17 +0000

Semester 3 Critical PracticeHsuan-Hwa Chu, MA Visual Effects I. Introduction This is a blog for “Stylisation Without Substance: A Critical Examination of Tool”. […]

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:39:46 +0000

Reflection about Critical ReportIn the Collaborate Unit, I attempted to write a story for a game for the first time. During this process, I discovered that the narrative logic of games differs significantly from that of films. Films, as single-core narratives, have all their elements serving the story itself, creating a self-consistent experience. Games, however, are different—they must balance both narrative and gameplay, requiring players to assume roles while simultaneously advancing the story through their actions. This forces players to constantly oscillate between the author’s intent and their personal interests, resulting in a sense of experiential dissonance. I realized that this is an inherent limitation dictated by the interactive nature of games, which motivated me to explore this topic further to deepen my understanding. After reviewing numerous sources, I found that existing research categorizes game narrative models into four types. However, the in-depth discussion of gameplay design involved in these categories exceeded the scope of what I could explore at this stage. Therefore, I further consolidated these classifications, focusing primarily on analyzing the characteristics and case studies of linear and non-linear narrative models. The research process led me to revisit several exemplary narrative-driven games in my mind. By combining others’ critiques and analyses, I gained a deeper understanding of these games and genuinely felt my own growth. Before conducting this research, I was unaware of the existence of narrative strategies. However, a considerable amount of literature discusses these paradigms, which caught my attention. Upon deeper exploration, I learned that narrative is not purely about creativity—there are underlying techniques that can be applied. As a result, I decided to incorporate this aspect into my research. Looking back on the research process, it was an opportunity for me to examine storytelling from a completely new perspective. By the end of the study, I had also completed an iteration of my own understanding. Analyzing specific game case studies provided a solid foundation for my writing, ensuring it remained grounded in reality. However, due to limited time and effort, I believe there is still room for broadening the scope of my literature rev […] “Reflection about Critical Report”

Junbing Zhang wrote a new post on the site 24004507's blog

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 22:35:33 +0000

Critical Research Report Integrating Audiovisual Language in 3D Animation How Can Audiovisual Language Enhance Narrative Depth in 3D Animation?Subtitle: An […]

Jinduo Zhao and Hsuan-Hwa Chu are now friends

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 22:11:37 +0000

Lingan Jin wrote a new post on the site Lingan Jin's blog

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 16:56:16 +0000

Critical Practice-The Evolution and Application Expansion of LED Virtual Production Technology Research Topic: The Evolution of Business Models and Application Expansion of LED Virtual Production Technology in the Film and Television IndustryCourse: Critical PracticeDate: April-June 2025Key words: LED Virtual Production – Real-Time Rendering – Virtual Studio Technology 1.Project Background and Research Motivation Virtual Production has emerged as a new technological model in the film and television industry, evolving from green screen and post-production VFX. LED Virtual Production integrates high-definition LED screens with real-time rendering engines (like Unreal Engine), allowing synchronized scene depth, lighting, and background integration in-camera. This creates a “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” immersive shooting experience. “The Virtual Production Practice Guide” Demonstrates the Virtual Production Workflow Recent successful applications, such as The Mandalorian, have propelled this method into the mainstream (Weiss, 2020). Commercials from BMW, Gucci, and Coca-Cola have utilized this technique to reduce location costs and boost creative efficiency. This technology is restructuring the entire content production chain—from scene planning to budget allocation and distribution logic. Weiss, M. (2020). Behind the Scenes of The Mandalorian: How Virtual Sets Are Changing Hollywood. Disney Gallery. Epic Games. (2021). Virtual Production Field Guide Vol. 2. 2.Research Progress Timeline WeekMilestoneStatusNotes2Read Epic’s Virtual Production Guide✅Covered LED wall control and nDisplay structure4Collected commercial/XR stage cases✅Included BMW, Gucci and Coca-Cola case studies6Drafted Literature Review✅Included major English and Chinese sources8Created Thesis Outline✅Referenced Literature and Epic resources9Report✅Drafting conclusion 3.Technical Evolution Diagrams and Explanation Comparison: Green Screen vs. LED Virtual Production FeatureGreen ScreenLED Virtual ProductionBackgroundComposited in postReal-time renderedLightingArtificially simulatedNatural reflections from LEDCostHigh post-productionHigher upfront, overall efficientImmersionLimitedEnhanced realism LED Virtual Production uses systems like OptiTrack and nDisplay to map scenes onto LED walls. As the camera moves, parallax effects simulate depth in real-time. This improves shoot efficiency and minimizes post-production complexity. Whittaker, R. & Bartlett, A. (2021). The Virtual Production Practice Guide. Ding, K. (2022). LED-based Virtual Production Technology. China Broadcasting and TV Journal. 4.Application Case Studies Combined RED camera, LED wall, and camera tracking to complete background and lighting in-camera. Commercial Advertising： Gucci. (2022). Spring/Summer Campaign: Behind the Scenes. Julia Garner + Fabien Baron for Gucci | Behind the Scenes & Virtual Production at PIER59 Studios Coca-Cola LED Project. LED Volume supplied for Coke Advert – Virtual Production The BMW commercial. BMW commercial in Unreal Engine XR Performances and Live Broadcasts: CCTV Spring Festival Gala (2022): Utilized LED XR stages combining live performers and virtual scenes for hybrid visual effects. BBC Earth Experience: Merged virtual natural environments with LED floors to create an immersive “nature theater.” Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. Cao, L. (2023). XR Live Production and Virtual Performance Systems. Modern Communication, 45(1). 5.Cross-Industry Integration and Future Trends LED Virtual Production is now used in education, architecture, digital twins, and beyond. Education: USC and Beijing Film Academy have integrated this tech into curricula (USC, 2022). Architecture: Virtual production enables clients to preview spatial concepts in immersive environments. Metaverse: Platforms like NVIDIA Omniverse are building virtual collaboration infrastructure across industries. USC SCA. (2022). Virtual Production Curriculum. Manovich, L. (2001). The Language of New Media. 6.Reflection My exploration of LED virtual production this semester transformed my initial understanding of it as merely a “new trend” in filmmaking into a deeper appreciation of how its integrated technologies—real-time engines, LED walls, and camera tracking—revolutionize audiovisual storytelling. I recognize this not just as a visual upgrade, but as an industrial paradigm shift toward nonlinear, collaborative workflows, profoundly impacting creative roles, production processes, and budgeting (as evidenced by productions like The Mandalorian).The research process honed my skills in evaluating information, interpreting technical documentation, and synthesizing insights across film, advertising, and XR domains, while also strengthening my independent learning and time management. This prompted reflections on the democratization of content creation: declining costs will empower smaller studios and individual creators. Looking ahead, I’m interested in how AI-driven tools (e.g., for lighting/asset generation) could further streamline virtual production and unlock its narrative potential in mobile content, education, and virtual performances. Overall, the project deepened my understanding of the intersection of technology and media, and sharpened my critical thinking about innovation, scalability, and cr […] “Critical Practice-The Evolution and Application Expansion of LED Virtual Production Technology”

Jinduo Zhao and Natalya Buchanan are now friends

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 13:59:02 +0000

Haoshu Wang wrote a new post on the site Haoshu Wang

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 13:41:01 +0000

Critical Research ReportChoosing a Critical Report Topic When we think of cartoons, we tend to associate them with childhood favourites – colourful characters, heartfelt stories and catchy songs. But animation is much more than children’s entertainment. In fact, it is a powerful medium for storytelling, memory and even political critique. My research project explores two very different forms of animation: animated documentary and commercial animation, unpacking their differences in purpose, narrative structure, aesthetics and moral responsibility. Why study the difference between animated documentaries and commercial animation? In a world flooded with media, visual narratives shape the way we understand reality. Therefore, we must consider: what is animation actually doing? Is it only meant to entertain, or is it also capable of informing, critiquing and challenging? Animated documentaries represent a growing genre that uses the creative freedom of animation to convey deeply personal, emotional or politically charged stories. These films do not rely on traditional cameras to capture ‘objective’ reality. Instead, they visualise memories, traumas and psychological states in a way that live-action films cannot. In contrast, commercial animation, led by studios such as Disney and Pixar, is driven by mass-market appeal. These films are well-made, emotionally resonant, and globally successful. But their reliance on familiar narratives and aesthetics can also simplify complex issues or reinforce dominant ideologies. Research Goals The main objectives of this research were to: Compare the core purposes of animated documentaries and commercial animation. Examine how each form constructs or avoids authenticity and truth claims. Analyze their storytelling methods, ethical responsibilities, and cultural influence. research process The concept of ‘constructed realism’ – how animated documentaries portray emotional and psychological truths – is introduced through Annabelle Honess Roe’s book: Animated Documentary. And through Paul Wells’ books Understanding animation and Animation and America and Maureen Furniss’ Art in Motion: Animation Aesthetics, which provide a framework for analysing narrative and aesthetic techniques in artistic and commercial contexts. aesthetic techniques in artistic and commercial contexts. Then analysed through some case studies: Animated Documentaries: Waltz with Bashir (2008) – a soldier’s fragmented memories of war. Persepolis (2007) – a personal-political coming-of-age story. Commercial Animation: Zootopia (2016) – a metaphor for racial prejudice. Frozen (2013) – a tale of emotional resilience and sisterhood. Key Findings 1. Purpose and Narrative Function Animated documentaries prioritize authenticity, complexity, and personal voice. They visualize memory, trauma, and emotional truths—things often impossible to represent through live-action footage. In contrast, commercial animation focuses on broad appeal and emotional immediacy. It uses universal storylines and archetypes to create accessible, feel-good narratives—sometimes at the cost of nuance or critique. 2. Authenticity and Truth Claims Animated documentaries do not pretend to be objective, but rather truthful in a subjective or emotional sense. Their power lies in visual metaphor, not literal accuracy. However, this creative license also introduces ethical risk: When visualizing trauma or political events, animation can blur the line between truth and stylization, requiring filmmakers to tread carefully. Commercial animations, while often engaging with social themes, tend to present sanitized metaphors (e.g., racism as speciesism in Zootopia) that can oversimplify or even obscure real-world struggles. 3. Ethical Responsibility Filmmakers in the animated documentary space must grapple with how to represent real people, suffering, and history using an artistic medium. These choices carry moral weight—especially when speaking on behalf of marginalized communities or survivors. Commercial animation, however, rarely assumes this ethical responsibility. Instead, its narratives are optimized for broad cultural compatibility and emotional impact, leaving little room for political ambiguity or discomfort. What this research does This project shows that animation is not a neutral or pure art form – it is a battleground for meaning, truth and ideology. Understanding how different types of animation construct narratives and ethics helps us to: Become more critical viewers. Recognise the power of visual narratives in shaping public perception. Encourage creators to be more reflective and responsible in their work. Animated documentaries show us that animation can challenge, inspire and change. Commercial animation reminds us of the importance of easy accessibility and emotional engagement. The key is to balance artistic integrity with ethical awareness. Final Thought Animation doesn’t need to mimic live-action film to be real. Sometimes, the most truthful stories are those told through abstraction, metaphor, and memory. Animated documentaries show us that truth can be felt, not just seen. Commercial animation reminds us of the emotional universality of storytelling but also warns us of its limitations. Both have something to teach us. The key is learning how to watch and think critic […] “Critical Research Report”

Shannon Tang wrote a new post on the site Shannon Tang

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 13:18:41 +0000

Critical Practice Research Progress Report Title Less is More: Exploring Emotional Engagement and Technical Harmony[…]

Shannon Tang wrote a new post on the site Shannon Tang

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 14:28:01 +0000

Nuke CopyCat Task This is a Nuke task to explore the CopyCat function. The overall workflow was set up manually rather than using the automatic node. To set up the ground[…]

Shannon Tang wrote a new post on the site Shannon Tang

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 22:20:01 +0000

Nuke Task – London City "War" The aim of this task is to transform footage of London into a war-like scene that looks realistic. The assignment involved great effort in mixing the unmatched[…]

Zhilin Ding wrote a new post on the site VFX2025

Fri, 23 May 2025 20:27:15 +0000

VFX Group Project Final […] “VFX Group Project”

Jinduo Zhao and Junbing Zhang are now friends

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 11:38:49 +0000

Haoshu Wang wrote a new post on the site Haoshu Wang

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 00:57:52 +0000

Exploratory Practice […] “Exploratory Practice”

Haoshu Wang created the site Haoshu Wang

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 00:37:03 +0000

Zhilin Ding wrote a new post on the site VFX2025

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 13:16:43 +0000

Critical PracticePresentation Part1.1 Composition Part1.2 Narrative Structure Part1.3 Abstract Part2 Topic Part3 research Part4 Learning and Revise

Jinduo Zhao and Qian Deng are now friends

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 08:37:54 +0000

Jinduo Zhao wrote a new post on the site JinduoZhao's blog

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 20:56:47 +0000

Personal Project – Idea & Storyboard Idea After I owned a 3D printer, I suddenly thought one day: if the models in my computer can be converted into real objects, then isn’t manipulating my computer somehow manipulating the real world? I used this as a metaphor to write a short story for the little robot I printed out, in which this naughty guy uses my computer while I’m sleeping, and ends up causing a big mess. Event List I printed a little robot, put it on the table and went to sleep. The Little robot accidentally discovers he can change his body colour with the mouse and has fun with it. The Little robot nearly wakes me up by playing with objects in my bedroom through 3D software. The Little robot turns on Houdini and the next morning I find my bedroom […] “Personal Project – Idea & Storyboard”