In serra’s 3D animation course, I learned many valuable skills and knowledge, which laid a solid foundation for my future animation creation. Here are the key things I learned in the course and the results of my self-exploration:

1. Use TouchDesigner to transform videos

By learning TouchDesigner, I have mastered how to transform and process videos in a real-time environment. This powerful tool allows me to create complex visuals and apply them in live performances and interactive installations. This has not only improved my technical abilities, but also expanded my creative horizons, allowing me to express my creativity more freely.

2. Use VJ software Resolume Arena

During the course, we learned how to use the Resolume Arena in depth. This VJ software allows me to control video and audio content during live performances for real-time mixing and effects processing. I learned how to set up layers, apply effects, and work with MIDI controllers to make my performances more dynamic and visually impactful.

3. Import to UE using motion capture technology

In terms of motion capture technology, I learned how to capture character movements using the Vicon system and import that data into the Unreal Engine. This process involves cleaning and optimizing the data to make the captured actions appear more natural and fluid in the virtual environment. This skill has greatly improved my efficiency and effectiveness in character animation.

4. Sync iphone with UE by livelink

By learning how to sync my phone with Unreal Engine, I was able to use the phone’s sensors and camera for real-time control and monitoring. This allows me to achieve more immersive and interactive experiences in virtual reality and augmented reality projects, and also opens up more possibilities for my future creations.

5. Self-learning: New feature for animation in UE5.4

Outside of the course, I took the initiative to learn new features of the animation section in Unreal Engine 5.4. This includes advanced features such as the use of animation blueprints and character binding. These new features not only make my character animations more flexible and delicate, but also give me a deeper understanding of the control of the virtual character.

Summary in the end:
In general, this 3D animation course enables me to master a variety of cutting-edge animation techniques, and makes me comprehensively improve in real-time video processing, live performance, motion capture and virtual engine application. Through courses and self-learning, I not only improved my technical ability, but also broadened my creative ideas, and accumulated rich experience and inspiration for future animation creation. Thanks to the support and help of teachers and students, this learning experience will become a valuable asset in my career.

This artifact’s process in this week:

Mixamo to UE5 by mixamo_converter

By communicating with serra, you can increase the animations you look around

Add eyebrows’ bone to the girl and do the girl’s ik config:

Add animation sequence to the girl and the prince:

use animation blueprint to mix two animation sequences together in one person:

Modify the animation sequence because the existing animation sequence does not match the scene, and also add the eyebrows’ animation: [Below are some screenshots of the changes made to almost every animated sequence to fit the scene]

set camera and put the character inside the level sequence:

make the texture to the phone on the table:

Use the same principle to change the texture of the girl’s painting on the wall of the original castle. And after the prince travels back, the phone map is changed to the castle.

Rendering: [setting and export]

Compositing and Cutting video:

Introduction:

In last conversation with serra, erra suggested adding emoticons to the characters. Since the character has eyebrows, serra suggested animating them.
To achieve the expression animation, I am going to make bones for the eyebrows of the model for better control, as well as animation.
I studied a lot of tutorials and found that UE5.4, as the latest version, opens an editing plugin and you can create bones and skins in UE. Therefore, I updated to the latest version and went through the steps to achieve the animation of the character’s face (eyebrows).

Add eyebrows bone for prince in order to do some face animation with eyebrows:

edit weight for eyebrows:

key the animation for eyebrows:

I combed through the content of each shot and the required animation, and the following is my manuscript

I need the prince to make a turn when he walks, so I learned to create a new path in the blueprint through learning, and modify the path to make the prince walking animation conform to the scene I envisioned. Here is part of my process:

Add blueprint–‘spline’, use it to do the walk follow the way I want

Inside the prince’s room, I need three different shots. The first shot, you need to follow the hero from the balcony to the room, follow the upper body, but at this time try not to appear on the wall of the painting, leaving the audience a certain suspense. In the second shot, I want to focus on the animation of his facial expressions, so I will give a close-up of the prince’s face to show his movements and expressions when he looks at the painting. The third is a close-up of the photo, from the prince’s back, the camera moves up, the image appears in the frame, and zooms in quickly. So you can achieve the prince through the effect.、

set cameras:

choose a woman character‘s picture and change the texture for the frame

For the modern scene, I have added the PostProcessVolume box here, because from the Prince’s perspective, the girl’s world is linear, not three-dimensional like his own world. And the fact is, the world Prince is in is the game world, which will give the audience a surprising sense of reversal at the end.

PostProcessVolume Edit [In this use of two existing materials, after the numerical modification, a superposition is used]

set camera and edit animation sequence for the coffee scene:

key two cars animations:

make girl’s setting animation and put it in scene:

this week’s outcome:

Course Introduction:
This course is designed to teach students how to perform visually using Resolume Arena 6. Resolume Arena 6 is a powerful real-time video mixing software, widely used in live shows, stage shows, VJ (video jockey) shows and other fields. Through this course, students will learn how to create, edit, and manipulate visual content and master the skills to synchronize this content with music and other performance elements.

Course objectives:

• Master the basic functions and interface operation of Resolume Arena 6.
• Learn to create and manage video clips and layers.
• Explore the application of video effects and transformations.
• Understand how to synchronize visual effects with music and other live performance elements.

Here are the steps in the course

Download the VJ app:

https://www.resolume.com/download/files?file=Resolume_Arena_6_1_3_rev_63441_No_Footage_Installer.exe

Import the files to the VJ app:

Add sources in this app:

shortcuts–edit keyboard:

piano key:

Effects — strobe — Edit keyboard — space — piano&Invert

Edit MIDI