This week I focused on creating the first pass of my advanced animation shot based on the hospital scene from The Walking Dead. Having spent the previous week planning and gathering references, I finally started blocking out the performance. I concentrated on getting the main poses and timing down rather than worrying about details. Since the scene relies heavily on acting and body mechanics, I wanted to establish a solid foundation before moving into polish.
After presenting the first pass, Ting thought it was a good start but had several notes for improvement. She suggested switching the character’s hand from FK to IK because the arm was swinging too much and distracting from the performance. She also felt that the centre of gravity could be more dynamic, encouraging me to make it “bouncier” so the character would feel more alive and connected to the ground. Another point she raised was that the chest animation felt too stiff. Although I had focused on the hips and limbs, I had neglected the upper body, causing the performance to feel rigid. These notes made me realize that believable motion comes from the entire body working together rather than individual parts moving independently.
Looking back, I noticed that I am becoming much more comfortable receiving feedback. Earlier in the year, I would often feel overwhelmed by notes because I interpreted them as evidence that the shot was not working. Now, I see feedback more as a roadmap for the next pass. I was happy that Ting considered the shot a strong starting point, and her comments gave me a clear direction for improvement. More than anything, this week reminded me that the first pass is not about perfection but about creating something solid enough to build upon.