Building A Scene in Maya

Outline for the Third Term Paper

Introduction

A. Visual Effects of Snow

B. Thesis: The techniques in making snow for films has significantly changed over the years with innovations of technology and shows how precise visual effects are in modern filmmaking.

Body Paragraphs

1. It’s A Wonderful Life

            -Description of film and present technique of using foamite—a material used in fire extinguishers—with sugar, water, and even soap flakes, that was sprayable version of artificial snow which could be quickly blasted over set pieces.

2. The Nightmare Before Christmas

            - Description of film and how for snowfall scenes, snowflakes were hand animated and designed and then duplicated in the computer.

3. Polar Express

            - Description of film and effect of simulated snowfall in computer animation/motion capture films. Snow can be manipulated in greater detail.

Conclusion

            Technology has pushed the limits of visual effects in films and taken stories to whole new places that audiences never thought possible. With this example of snow, it shows how film artists back in the 1940’s (It’s A Wonderful Life) were pushing the limits in creating new techniques just as much as the current artists who are a mouse click away from manipulating the tiniest snowflake in a feature film like the Polar Express.

Character Animation

I had a lot of fun doing this project! Great to collaborate with a group of my fellow animation peers and come up with a…let's say UNIQUE…story!

GROUP:

Kathy Chu: Animation, Lighting, Set Design. Camera

Geoff Nakanishi: Animation, Lighting, Set Design, Camera

Nicki Yee: Animation, Lighting, Set Design, Camera, and Editing

Myself: Animation, Lighting, Set Design, Camera, and Sound

When we first got together we took about an hour to brainstorm different story ideas and once we decided on the story, rough storyboarding then took place. After boarding, we set up the scene and everyone played an equal role in the production. Everyone animated, handled the camera, helped putting together the set, and lighting. Finally the film editing process and sound was done by Nicki and I. Hope you enjoy the film and remember…wildlife is WILD indeed…"Life of an Artist"!