The Smartie Operation

3D Animation, Video Editing

Year

May 2021 - August 2021

Role

3D Modeling

Video Editing

Sound Editing

Tools

Maya

Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Audition

Background

In an animation class, my team was tasked with creating a 3D animated short film using Maya software. Our film, The Smartie Operation, follows the story of Smartie, a robot who struggles to build a spacecraft to take him home. My task was to edit sound/video, and to model/animate a rocket ship which Smartie uses to fly back to Earth. For this portfolio I will focus on the modelling and animating.

Modeling

To model the rocket ship, I used simple poly modelling shapes such as cubes, cylinders, and cones and merged the separate pieces together to create one mesh. Using simple shapes helped the model stay consistent with the low poly style of our film and the other models created by my teammates.

untextured rocketship next to its wireframe mesh
The untextured model of the rocket ship created by merging the mesh of different shapes (left). The wireframe mesh of the rocket ship (right).

My teammates worked on the other models in the film, so when we prepared all the completed models to be animated, I realized that my rocket did not match the style of the other models. I originally went for a more realistic look using metal textures for the body of the rocket and reflective glass for the window. The other models in the film had simpler, muted textures so I changed the textures to a flat, matte colouring using Maya’s default lambert texture to keep the art style consistent through all the models.

realistic textured rocket (left) and final, simple rocket next to other models in the film (right)
The original, more detailed textured model shown with its wireframe overlay (Left). The final textured model of the ship using Maya's default lambert textures next to other models in the film, modeled by Jack Yuan (Right).

Animating

To animate the flight of the rocket, I incorporated 3 of Disney's 12 principles of animation - squash and stretch, anticipation, and follow-through . To squash the rocket, I placed a squash deformer on the object, which allows me to manipulate the scale by setting an origin point of the deformation and setting keyframes for each change. For the stretch and follow-through, I scaled the deformer along the y-axis. Using just one action, I was able to apply 3 animation principles.

While the model and textures were kept simple, the use of Disney’s animation principles helped make the rocket more visually interesting. Revisiting this project, I would like to apply these principles throughout the film as well, not just in the rocket.

squashing the rocket with the deformer
squashing the rocket (no deformer)
stretching the rocket with the deformer
stretching the rocket (no deformer)
The squash deformer squashing the rocket, as it prepares for take off (Top left) and the same position without the squash deformer (Top right). The squash deformer stretching the rocket, moments after take off (Bottom left) and the same position without the squash deformer (Bottom right).

Reflection

Aside from learning the basics of 3D modelling and animation and strengthening my video editing skills, I was also able to further develop my teamwork skills. This project was particularly difficult as we were forced to work remotely due to COVID-19. To adapt to this, our team made sure to set up deadlines, team meetings and check ins, and to assist each other in our individual tasks when needed.

The final product includes playblast preview video. As we were working remotely, we were not able to access the school computers. Computing limitations from home meant that certain scenes could not be rendered in time, which is why some scenes are in playblast preview mode. 

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