Elements

2:22, 1280x720
Maya and After Effects, Spring 2009

Elements is a loose narrative involving a platypus/anteater-type creature trying to find its partner in a representationally abstracted space. This project was created in the Animation, Art and Technology course at Carnegie Mellon University. Jointly taught by both Professors Jim Duesing and Jessica Hodgins – from the School of Art and Computer Science departments, respectively – the class is an interdisciplinary course that enables Art and Computer Science majors to work together on a collaborative animation project, combining both fields to form a creative work that makes a meaningful contribution both technically and conceptually to each field.

My primary contributions to this project were the original concept & storyboard, modeling/rigging/uv mapping/texturing the character models, character animation (which we all split amongst ourselves), animating the swim cycle used by the background characters, the internal lighting/glow effects emitted by the characters, particle effects, and rendering/editing.

Credits

• Liz Liu - director, concept, character models, character light effects, particle effects, character animation, rendering, editing
• Rachel Dorrett - background environment model, environment plant models, environment plant animation, character animation, editing
• Janet Lee - environment lighting effects and animation, character animation, rendering
• Dmitry Portnoy - grouping behavior, grouping behavior scene setup
• Alyssa Reuter - background environment model, environment fluid effects, character animation, opening camera animation, editing
• Sam Chien - music composer