Month: October 2023

So, I’ve been brainstorming for the unit assignment where we get to create a 30 to 60 seconds video using Maya, Unreal, and Nuke. I haven’t finalized everything yet, but I’ve got an overall concept brewing. It’s all about the underwater city and a cat. The mood and color scheme are inspired by this cool image I came across.

Now, deciding on the main character was a fun puzzle. I’m a fan of both cats and dogs, but a chat with Manos sparked an idea. He mentioned it could look like a giant fish tank, but for a cat. So, naturally, I went with a cat as the star. Since the assignment’s on the shorter side, I’m planning some simple animations, like the cat’s tail swaying and those curious cat moments when they follow random moving things.

Here’s the very first sketch, but it’s definitely going to need more details.

Thinking about the process, I figure the cat’s modeling and rigging will happen in Maya and ZBrush. Then, Unreal comes into play for the entire background and landscape, thanks to Quixel Bridge and the Marketplace. There are some handy free resources for creating buildings, which should save me some serious time. Once the scene’s set in Unreal, it’s all about recording the video. Finally, I’ll give it that finishing touch by moving it to Nuke and getting the colour grading just right.

Now, keep in mind, this is all in the draft phase. I have my concerns about getting everything done, but I’m also pretty pumped about going through this whole process.