Thread by @JpVassallo

Finally had a chance to do a thread about one of the more challenging shots I've ever animated for #vivomovie, but not for the reasons you'd expect. #animation #animtip

The shot is in the 'Own Drum' Sequence of Vivo. The conversation from the beginning - how do we make the dead pets look 2D? Different render and shader solutions were thrown out, but I raised my hand and asked - what if I just animate them in 2D?

#Sony sups decided to give it a go. We had to borrow some equipment and a #TVpaint license from SPA since my setup was only for 3D anim. My job- tackle the 2D characters as well as Gabi and the camera move. Dead pets pop up from their graves and follow Gabi as she plays the flute

The #characterdesign for the dead pets was simple enough so I decided to rotate them on the spot in 2D and then animate their positions in #Maya on a poly plane. That way we could use the 3D camera and change it as needed. Rough anim looked like this:

Just as I got the three characters and Gabi's march roughed in, COVID hit. I had to move my whole setup home and try to get everything to work in the cramped laundry room of my Vancouver condo. I ended up animating the rest of the shot on a baker's rack I converted into a desk.

Once the 2D characters where approved and animated in the 3D scene I finalized the anim for Gabi and handed all the assets off to downstream departments. 2D FX were done by another artist. I loved the song for the sequence, glad I got a chance to animate this one. The final shot: