Advanced and Experimental 3D Computer Animation Techniques

Project 2

Final Work

Research Focus

This project originated from my interest in emotional transformation in animation, which is also closely connected to my dissertation research on how character animation communicates emotional change in narrative storytelling.

Traditionally, emotional transformation is often expressed through character performance, including facial expressions, body language, and dialogue. While these methods remain effective, I became interested in exploring whether emotional states could be communicated through alternative visual systems.

This led me to investigate the following question:

How can emotional transformation be perceived through changes in space, light, composition, and movement when character acting is deliberately reduced?

Experimentation

Throughout the project, I intentionally minimised character performance and shifted the expressive responsibility towards environmental and cinematic elements.

Rather than relying on dialogue or complex acting, I experimented with:

Spatial composition
Lighting behaviour
Camera framing
Symbolic imagery
Environmental transformation

The project explored whether these visual systems could function as emotional carriers and communicate psychological states to an audience.

For example, in The Cage sequence, confinement was represented through composition and spatial organisation. The repeated window shadows created a cage-like structure around the character, transforming the environment into a visual metaphor for emotional restriction.

As the project progressed, the environment gradually became more active through changing light, expanding space, and directional movement. This allowed emotional transformation to be experienced as a change in the world itself rather than solely through character performance.

Key Findings

One of the most significant discoveries was that emotional meaning can emerge from the relationship between a character and their environment.

I found that composition, lighting, and spatial design were often capable of communicating emotional information before the audience had fully interpreted the character’s facial expression.

The overhead cage composition, for example, immediately established a sense of restriction without requiring explicit narrative explanation.

Similarly, the introduction of moving light and expanding space created a feeling of possibility and change even when the character remained largely still.

This process helped me understand that emotion in animation can be communicated not only through acting, but also through the behaviour of visual systems.

Relation to Practice

The project also allowed me to explore a form of storytelling that is closer to cinematic opening sequences, game trailers, and symbolic visual narratives.

Instead of focusing on plot progression, I became interested in constructing emotional experiences through atmosphere, rhythm, and visual metaphor.

This approach aligns closely with my long-term interest in game cinematics and character-focused visual storytelling, while also expanding my understanding of animation as a medium for expressing abstract psychological ideas.

Future Development

This project functions as an experimental foundation for my larger narrative project On the Dragon’s Back.

The work explores the protagonist’s emotional awakening before the beginning of her journey and establishes a visual language that could be further developed in future narrative contexts.

If the project were expanded further, I would like to investigate how environmental storytelling and character acting can work together, rather than treating them as separate expressive systems.

This would allow me to explore more complex forms of emotional communication while maintaining the symbolic and atmospheric qualities developed during this project.

Week9

Environment & Lighting Development

Environment Construction

Built:

Window structures
Symbolic cage composition
Minimalist environment

Lighting Exploration

Tested:

High contrast lighting
Volumetric lighting
Shadow projection
Emotional colour progression

Look Development

Explored:

Cold desaturated palette
Gold-white awakening palette

Deliverables

Lighting lookdev renders

Animated:

Light movement
Shadow movement
Atmospheric effects

Camera Animation

Camera transitions
Push-ins
Pull-backs

Week8

Pose Development & Layout

Blender:

Created key emotional poses:

Isolation
Fear
Curiosity
Determination

Cinematic Layout

Built layout scenes:

Cage scene
Awakening scene

Camera Blocking

Camera angles
Lens testing
Composition refinement

Week7

Texturing, Groom & Rigging

Character Texturing——Mock Sculpture

Substance Painter:

Skin material
Clothing material

Hair Development

Hair cards
Stylised hair workflow

Rigging

Maya:

Skeleton setup
Skinning
Weight painting

Facial Setup

Blendshape preparation
Expression testing

Deliverables

Production-ready character rig

Week6

Character Modelling

Zbrush:

Head modelling
Body modelling
Clothing modelling

Optimisation

Edge flow refinement
Animation-friendly topology

UV Preparation

UV layout
Texture planning

Week5

Story Development

Narrative Design

Developed emotional progression of protagonist.
Refined visual metaphors:
- Window
- Cage
- Light
- Journey

Storyboarding

Produced rough storyboard sketches.
Explored symbolic compositions.
Tested camera framing.

Animatic Planning

Planned approximate timing.
Mapped emotional rhythm to music.

Week4

Character Design & Asset Planning

Character Development

Adapted protagonist from On The Dragon’s Back.
Simplified design for production efficiency.

Design Tasks

Costume refinement
Silhouette adjustments
Hair design
Expression exploration

Asset Planning

Created asset list:

Character:

Body
Hair
Clothing

Environment:

Door
Window
Floor platform

Props:

Minimal symbolic objects

Week1 & Week2 & Week3

Research & Concept Development

Research

Investigated emotional transformation as the core theme of the project.
Collected references from animated opening sequences, cinematic trailers, and experimental animation.
Analysed symbolic visual storytelling in works such as:
- Arcane Opening Sequence
- Daredevil Opening Sequence
- Black Sails Opening Sequence

Concept Development

Defined the project question: How can emotional transformation be communicated through space, light and visual symbolism rather than relying solely on character acting?
Developed initial narrative structure:
- The Cage
- The Call
- Awakening
- Departure

Visual Research

Moodboards:
- Lighting
- Composition
- Symbolic imagery
- Character references
- Environmental atmosphere

Deliverables

Concept statement
Research document
Moodboards

Statement

Project2 Proposal Download

Generated AI Layout

Generated AI-assisted visual studies exploring symbolic representations of emotional states. Tested alternative approaches to:

confinement
isolation
awakening
transformation

Evaluated which visual motifs could be translated into animation language. Selected suitable imagery for storyboard development.

AI image generation was used as a rapid visual ideation tool during the pre-production stage. Rather than generating final artwork, it was used to explore composition, lighting, symbolic imagery and atmospheric possibilities. The generated images functioned as visual references that informed later storyboard development and artistic decisions.

Course Record

VCAM (Virtual Camera Setup)

Objective: Using a smartphone camera as a virtual camera rig/track within the Unreal Engine (UE) environment.

Step 1: Plugin Configuration
- Enable the following plugins in UE: Livelink, Remote Sessions, Take Recorder, Virtual Camera, Virtual Production Utilities, AppleAR Kit, and AppleAR facekit.
Step 2: App Installation
- Download the Unreal VCam app on your mobile device.
Step 3: Network Connection
- Open the Command Prompt (cmd) on your PC, type ipconfig, and find your IPv4 Address (Wi-Fi).
- Enter this IP address into the mobile app to establish a connection.
Step 4: Actor Creation
- Create a VCam Actor in Unreal Engine and click “Skip” if prompted.
Step 5: Project Settings Adjustment
- Go to Project Settings $\rightarrow$ UDP Message Messaging.
- In the Unicast Endpoint field, delete :0 from the IP address.

NDisplay (Naked-Eye 3D Effect)

Objective: Configuring NDisplay to create glasses-free (naked-eye) 3D projection effects across angled screens.

Step 1: Configuration File
- Search for “Naked-Eye 3D effect” in the marketplace.
- Press Ctrl + Space in UE to open the Content Browser, right-click, and create an NDisplay Config.
Step 2: Screen Setup
- Double-click to enter the config. Duplicate the default plane to create two screens: name them left and right.
Step 3: Cluster and Projection Mapping
- Select a plane, go to the left window, and create a new Cluster Node.
- Click the newly created plane window at the bottom.
- In the right window, go to Projection Policy and change the type to mesh. Assign the corresponding mesh (r or l) to each screen.
- Note: The eye icon controls the perspective projection point.
Step 4: Scene Assembly
- Create a new Level/Scene. Drag and drop the newly created NDisplay configuration directly into the scene.
- Your animation will play out in the corner space between the two screens. Because this acts as a projection plane, it generates the naked-eye 3D effect.
Step 5: Visual Adjustments & Rendering
- Pull the plane forward slightly to create a physical gap from the back space; this creates a border/frame illusion.
- Objects can be dragged directly into this gap, creating a 3D effect where the object appears to pop out of the frame.
- Rendering Tip: In the Render Settings, ensure NDisplay is checked/selected. Turn off the regular image output so that it exclusively outputs the content within NDisplay.

OWL360Camera (Off World Live)

Objective: Setting up a 360-degree camera render pipeline using the Off World Live plugin.

Step 1: Plugin Setup
- Download the plugin from Off World Live. Open the plugin and navigate to Off World / Movie Render.
Step 2: Camera & Canvas Creation
- Go to the “Add Object” menu and add an owl360cam. Click it, and on the right-hand details panel, create a canvas under Render Target.
Step 3: Material Configuration
- Create a new Material. Drag the canvas texture into the material graph.
- Change the material’s Material Domain / Output Node to User Interface. Connect the texture to the Final Color pin.
Step 4: UI Widget Setup
- Create an Editor Utility Widget (named 360hud). Open it, drag an Image component into the canvas, and assign the material you just created to the right-hand Image slot.
Step 5: Blueprint Logic
- Open the Level Blueprint (located next to the object creation icon).
- Add a Create Widget node and a Add to Viewport node (you can ignore/close the context window next to it).
- Connect them in sequence starting from the BeginPlay event node.
- Set the Class in the Create Widget node to 360hud, and connect the Return Value to the Target pin of the Add to Viewport node.
Step 6: Final Sequence & Rendering
- Place the 360cam actor into the Level Sequence.
- In Movie Render Queue settings, add Render Settings + UI Render. Ensure the selected level is correct (specifically, check that the Level Blueprint corresponds to the current level).
- For final image rendering, check/enable VR and VBR2.

Reality Scan

Objective: Importing 3D scanned models and managing assets using photogrammetry/LiDAR workflows.

Step 1: Asset Capture & Import
- Download Reality Scan from the Epic Games Marketplace.
- Capture a continuous video of the target object (orbiting/scanning around it).
- Import the video data. (Adjusting the video length changes the image interval—lower intervals yield cleaner, higher-clarity results).
Step 2: Previewing the Mesh
- In the final preview viewport, you can adjust the camera photo viewing size.
- Click Align Image to check the analytical tracking results.
- Click the Mesh point and select Preview to browse the generated 3D mesh network.
Step 3: Detail Editing & Cleanup
- Click Normal Detail, then go to the tool menu and select Lasso.
- Select unwanted/stray geometry sections, then use Filter Selection to cut and delete them.
- Return to the Mesh section to inspect the material results under Color and Texture.
Step 4: Ground Alignment & Export
- Finally, under the tool options, use Set Ground Plane to rotate and adjust the model alignment.
- The completed model and point cloud can be exported (in .xyz format).
- Tip: Download the LiDAR plugin in UE for further processing if needed.

Advanced and Experimental 3D Computer Animation Techniques

Advanced Anime

Week1

Storyboard Practice_ The Incredibles

5 shots practice

“Where do you put the camera?” –> What is this scene about? –> What do you want to say?

1.Focus 2.Focal Length 3.Geometry in Frame 4.Camera Movement

Week2

THE “SWBST”
Somebody: The Protagonist (Who is driving the story?)
Wanted: The Motivation (What is the internal/external goal?)
But: The Conflict (What is the “Antagonistic Force”? )
So: The Action (What choice does the character make to solve the “But”?)
Then: The Resolution (What is the new “Stasis”? How has the world changed?

STORY STRUCTUR

Three-act Structure

Hero’s Journey

Dan Harmon’s Story Circle

Five-act Structure

Kishotenketsu

Hunter to Prey Practice

storyboard

Cinematic Analysis

Week3

Story structure

Hunter to Prey Practice V2

Heavy Object & Change of Mind Previs

Week4

Facial Animation

① ASYMMETRY

② SHAPE

③ CONNECTIVITY

Volume & Line of Action & Lids Shape

Facial Pose Workflow

Reference–Blocking Pose–Volume & Shape Polish–Camera Check

Facial Pose Practice

Feedback

Heavy Object & Change of Mind Blocking

TeaCup_Practice

Week5

Facial Pose Practice

feedback

Heavy Object & Change of Mind Spline

Week6

Facial Pose (Connecting Poses)

Heavy Object & Change of Mind Polish

Week7

Facial Pose (Connecting Poses) V2

Heavy Object & Change of Mind Polish V2

Week8

Project1

Project1_Weize Hong_3DCA Download

Week10

Dialogue Shot – Reference & Rough Blocking

Week11

Overlap

Week12

Breathing Animation

Dialogue Shot – Blocking

Week13

Creature Study

Dialogue Shot Polish_v1

Week14

Dialogue Shot Polish_v2

Creature Study Blocking

Week15

Dialogue Shot Polish_v3

Creature Study Locomotion (Polish)

Week16

Advanced Animation Shot (Parkour) Blocking

Week17

Advanced Animation Shot (Parkour) Blocking Plus (Spline)

Week18

Advanced Animation Shot (Parkour) Polish_v1

Workshop: Studio Library, Anim Layer, AnimBot

Week19

Advanced Animation Shot (Parkour) Polish_v2

Showreel

Maya

Maya_Animation Fundamental

Post author By Weize Hong
Post date 11th February 2026
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Week2

Overlapping Action & Follow Through

The Animator’s Survival Kit pp. 231–244.

Pendulum

Ultimate Version

Juice Box

Initial Version —— showcase

Golden Pose

Week3

Course Record

Quick way to create overlap by shifting keys in Graph Editor
The build-up of force before an action. All movement comes from forces. Famous quote: “Any animation consists of anticipation, action, and reaction.”
Acting in Animation: Objective (goal), be specific (why the character moves), personality, thought process (let it breathe). “Acting is reacting.”

Squirrel reference

Tailed_Anime

Ultimate Version

Acting_JuiceBox

Golden Pose

Week4

Basic Polish in Animation

Adujust Tail animation.

Juice Box_Acting_Polishing

Golden Pose_Franky

Week5

Walk Cycles & Weight Distribution

Course Record

Everyone’s walk is unique (influenced by character, age, gender, health, etc.).
Walking = “a process of falling over and catching yourself just in time” (The Animator’s Survival Kit pp. 102–163).
Center of Gravity (COG): Check balance by drawing a vertical line through the middle of the pose — equal positive space on both sides = balanced.
Strong silhouette and line of action in poses.
Pose-to-Pose Animation basics: Blocking key poses first, then connecting them.

Tools: Animation pickers (Studio Library, AnimSchool Picker, MG-Picker) to speed up posing.

Walker

Ultimate Version

Pose to Pose

Week6

Critique previous weight shift assignments + introduction to Basic/generic Walk Cycle

Core walk structure: Key Poses (Contact poses), Breakdowns (Passing position), Extremes (highest/lowest points of the arc).

Walk Cycle

Pose to Pose Polish

Reference

Hand Pose

Week7

Week8

Body Mechanics Planning + Final Walk Critique

Key Points

Body Mechanics = the mechanical foundation of any shot (weight shifts, foot placement, posture, balance). This is the first layer; acting comes second.
Strong emphasis on Reference! — Analyze hips, weight center, arcs, timing, etc.
Planning tools: Paper sketches / 2D animation tests for poses and timing + video reference.
Everything is a ball — use proxy methods (basic shapes) to test timing and movement.

Animatic

Blocking

Week9

Week10

Week11

Collaborative Unit

LCC x ETC Audi’s Ring

This project was developed as part of the LCC × ETC Audi Ring brief, which asked students to respond to Audi’s brand identity through the reinterpretation of the iconic four rings.

Rather than treating the Audi rings as a static logo or a purely graphic element, I approached the brief as an opportunity to explore how Audi’s core values—control, precision, and engineered performance—can be communicated through motion, environment, and narrative.

My background is primarily in CG, game-style trailers, and cinematic previs, so instead of following a conventional branding template, I chose to lean into what I am most familiar with: dynamic storytelling, physical systems, and camera-driven experience. This project therefore takes the form of a short cinematic concept, closer to a game or CG trailer than a traditional brand animation.

Example of ETC‘s work：https://electrictheatre.tv/work/audi-rings

Former Week：Concept Stage

PlanA- Mechanical Assembly & System Control

The initial concept for this project focused on Audi’s engineering identity, treating the Audi Ring as a result of precise mechanical coordination rather than a purely graphic symbol.

Visually, this approach was grounded in industrial and mechanical imagery—rotating components, circular assemblies, and internal systems working in synchronisation. The narrative structure moved from micro to macro: close-up views of individual parts gradually assembling into a coherent system, eventually resolving into the four rings.

This version aimed to communicate:

Precision engineering
System-level coordination
Audi Ring as an engineered outcome

While this approach aligned well with Audi’s technical reputation, I began to recognise that it sat very close to existing brand CGI references, particularly those already used in official Audi F1-related content. As a result, the concept risked feeling familiar rather than exploratory.

PlanB- Snow, Skiing, and Control Under Extreme Conditions

This prompted a shift away from mechanical interiors toward the environment in which control is tested.To make it as an animation rather than an advertisement-like video.

Snow became a key conceptual pivot.

Snowy terrain represents an extreme condition with low friction, reduced visibility, and constant instability—precisely the type of environment where Audi’s engineering philosophy, particularly around control and traction, becomes most meaningful. In parallel, skiing operates on the same physical principles: balance, momentum, surface interaction, and continuous micro-adjustments to maintain control.

In this iteration:

The Audi vehicle demonstrates engineered control within an unstable environment
The skier, moving in coordination with the vehicle, represents human-scale control
Control is framed as a shared system rather than a single object

Rather than constructing the Audi Ring mechanically, the rings emerge through movement, trajectories, and circular paths formed by motion in the snow. The logo is revealed as a natural consequence of the system in action, not as a predefined visual starting point.

Plan Decision

At an early stage of development, we explored two different directions for the Audi Ring brief. The first concept focused on internal automotive systems — energy generation, torque distribution, suspension response — gradually revealing the Audi Rings through mechanical synchronisation. The second concept moved toward a more cinematic and environmental narrative, combining snow terrain, motion, and human–machine interaction to express control under extreme conditions. Personally, I was more drawn to the second direction. It aligned more closely with my interests in cinematic CG and game-style storytelling. The idea of building tension through environment, movement, and atmosphere felt more natural to my way of working. I was particularly interested in exploring how control could be expressed through unstable conditions rather than contained mechanical space. However, after discussion as a group, we decided to move forward with the first concept. The skiing direction would have required complex character animation, environmental simulation, and a larger production scope. Given our timeframe and current resources, we realised that attempting this might reduce the overall finish and clarity of the project. Choosing the mechanical system approach was therefore a practical decision. While it was not initially my preferred direction, it offered an opportunity to focus more deeply on rhythm, structure, and controlled motion. Instead of relying on narrative and character performance, the challenge became how to communicate engineering precision through minimal, deliberate movement.

Automotive Interior Structure Study

link：https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1tbtMePEeh/

Storyboard

At this stage, I began translating the mechanical system concept into a structured visual sequence. The storyboard focuses on the transition from isolated mechanical components to coordinated system movement, eventually resolving into the Audi Rings.

The sequence opens with a gear assembly, presented in partial motion. Rather than immediately revealing a complete system, the camera isolates fragments — bolts, plates, circular components — to establish a sense of construction and mechanical precision. The motion is subtle at first, allowing the viewer to register the materiality and weight of the parts.
The second stage shifts attention to a larger circular housing structure. The camera begins to move more deliberately, emphasising alignment and connection. This introduces the idea that individual elements are not random, but structurally interdependent.
The third and fourth scenes focus on the piston and crankshaft system. I intentionally slowed the camera movement here. The vertical piston motion contrasts with the rotational movement of the crankshaft, visually demonstrating how linear force is converted into rotational energy. This mechanical translation becomes an important thematic bridge in the sequence. In the middle section, the motion becomes more rhythmic. The pistons operate in synchronisation, and the camera gradually pulls back. This shift from macro detail to wider framing allows the viewer to perceive the system as a whole rather than as isolated parts.
The final transition moves outward from the internal assembly to the wheel structure. The wheel hub becomes a central circular form, and through controlled camera dolly-out movement, the circular geometry becomes more pronounced. By this stage, the visual language has already established repetition, symmetry, and rotational balance.

The Audi Rings then emerge not as an imposed graphic, but as a natural continuation of the circular logic developed throughout the sequence. The fade-out and fade-in transition reinforces this transformation from mechanical reality to brand identity.

While the concept itself is mechanically driven, the storyboard process made me more aware of rhythm and pacing. The challenge was not in showing complexity, but in deciding what to omit. Each frame had to communicate motion direction, camera intention, and structural clarity without overloading detail.

Through drawing the storyboard, I realised that the strength of this direction lies in restraint. The circular forms are introduced gradually, so that by the time the Audi Rings appear, they feel structurally inevitable rather than decorative.

Previs

After finalising the storyboard, I began building the previs for Scene 1 and Scene 2. This was the first moment the project shifted from drawing and planning into actual spatial and temporal construction.

Unlike the storyboard, which exists as static frames, the previs immediately exposed problems of pacing, scale, and camera logic.

In Blender, I began blocking out the motion by animating the outer components moving inward along the X-axis. The movement is restrained and slightly eased in the graph editor to avoid abrupt mechanical snapping. I wanted the motion to feel engineered rather than dramatic.

I continued blocking out the animatic for Scene 1 through Scene 5. At this stage, the focus shifted from simple assembly motion to more complex mechanical behaviour, particularly in the piston and crankshaft system.

The main challenge during this stage was constructing the constrained motion of the piston. Unlike the earlier shots, where components mainly moved along simple translation paths, the piston system required a hierarchical relationship between several moving parts. The piston itself moves vertically, while the connecting rod follows a rotational motion driven by the crankshaft. This meant that the motion of one component was dependent on the transformation of another. Understanding and organising these dependencies quickly became cognitively demanding. At first, I struggled to manage the hierarchy of objects while keeping the motion mechanically believable. Small mistakes in the parent relationships or pivot points would immediately break the motion, making the system behave in unexpected ways. To resolve this, I simplified the structure by introducing empty objects as control points. These empties acted as intermediary references that allowed me to separate rotation control from positional constraints. Using Blender’s tracking and constraint tools, I was able to link the piston movement to the rotation of the crankshaft while maintaining the vertical sliding motion inside the cylinder.

By the end of this stage, the animatic for S1–S5 was functioning as intended, allowing me to review the overall pacing and transitions before moving further into refinement and visual development.

Lighting and Rendering Development

After completing the animatic, I moved on to the lighting and rendering stage. At this point, I began to notice that the earlier scenes (S1–S2) felt visually too simple and lacked depth.

To address this, I introduced additional gear motion into the scene. This not only enriched the visual complexity but also helped reinforce the mechanical rhythm of the sequence. At the same time, I adjusted the metal material properties, increasing the reflectivity to give the surfaces a more polished and expressive look. These changes made the scene feel less static and more visually engaging.

Dealing with Black Background and Visual Separation

As I continued working on the later scenes, I encountered a recurring issue: the use of a predominantly black background often caused the subject to visually blend into the environment.

This lack of separation made it difficult to clearly read the form of the objects, especially in areas where the model itself contained darker materials.

To solve this, I introduced volumetric fog into the scene. The fog helped create depth by subtly separating foreground and background layers. In addition, I applied rim lighting to the main subject. This edge light enhanced the silhouette of the object, making its form more readable against the dark background.

This combination significantly improved the clarity and atmosphere of the scene, while maintaining the intended dark visual tone.

Camera Movement and Cinematic Control

For the camera movement, I aimed to achieve a smooth and controlled motion that complements the mechanical aesthetic.

To do this, I used a circular rig (ring structure) to constrain the camera’s path. This allowed me to generate a consistent and fluid orbiting motion around the subject without introducing unwanted jitter or irregular movement.

After establishing the basic motion, I further refined the shot by adjusting the depth of field and focal length. These changes helped guide the viewer’s attention and added a stronger sense of cinematic depth to the render.

As a result, the final shots feel more dynamic and visually layered, rather than purely functional.

During the development of Scene 6, I attempted to incorporate a dolly zoom (Hitchcock zoom) effect to enhance the visual transition toward the final reveal.

Initially, I tried to achieve this effect manually by keyframing both the camera movement and focal length. However, no matter how I adjusted the values, the result felt visually inconsistent. The relationship between camera distance and focal length did not align correctly, causing the perspective to feel unnatural and slightly disorienting.

At this point, I realised that the dolly zoom is not simply a stylistic camera move, but a precise mathematical relationship between distance and field of view.

To solve this, I began exploring Blender’s driver system. Instead of manually keyframing both parameters, I used a driver to link the camera’s focal length directly to its position. By introducing a simple expression, I was able to maintain a consistent framing of the subject while the camera physically moved through space.

This approach allowed the dolly zoom effect to behave correctly and automatically, producing a much more stable and convincing result.

Rendering S1-S5

Final Edit

Design for Animation, Narrative Structures & Film Language

Visual presentation

3DCA_Weize Hong_Report Download

Design for Animation, Narrative Structures & Film Language

Semester Record

Week7-8：tutorial

Research Objective and Question

A title’s primary function is to define precisely and concisely the topic. A legitimate secondary function is to stimulate the reader’s interest. Two-part titles are common: a main title to stimulate interest and somehow imaginatively ‘encapsulate’ the topic, and a subsidiary title to specify or focus the topic.

The Emotional Power of Cinematic CG Trailers in Game Promotion Sub: How Visual Storytelling Shapes Player Anticipation and Engagement Question How do game CG trailers employ cinematic visual language and narrative techniques to convey emotion? How do these visual and emotional strategies influence players’ interest and anticipation towards characters or game content? What role does emotion-driven visual design(CG/PV) play in player psychology and consumption behaviour?

Project Rationale

Consider and explain why you wish to research the subject? A short introduction to the topic, why it is of interest, and why the research is worthwhile. Clarify the central question you are addressing, what will your argument, (your hypothesis) be? (Max 200 words)

In the contemporary game industry, CG promotional videos have evolved from simple marketing tools into emotionally engaging visual art forms. Through cinematic language, narrative rhythm, and atmospheric lighting, these trailers allow players to emotionally connect with characters and story worlds within seconds. This research aims to investigate how these emotional mechanisms operate, revealing the balance between artistic storytelling and commercial intent in CG promotion, and offering insights for future visual design and marketing strategies in the game industry. Editing

Keywords and keyword phrases used for research

Experiment with connecting key words and phrases relevant to your topic and research objectives on academic sites. You can optimise key words/phrase searching by reading around your topic.

Cinematic CG trailers; Visual storytelling; Emotion design; Player engagement; Game marketing; Lighting; Composition; Anticipation; Consumer behavior

Situate your proposal in relation to key texts, issues and debates.

Produce a draft review establishing and explaining the views of relevant authors and how they can support the presentation of your argument to answer the research question. Use Harvard referencing (Max 300 words)

The “cinematization” of CG imagery has become a central topic in visual culture studies. Bordwell and Thompson (2010) emphasize that film narrative depends on the organization of visual information and shot design, while Jenkins (2004) highlights how contemporary games adopt cinematic structures and pacing.In addition, Calleja (2011) argues that emotional immersion lies at the heart of gameplay, often shaped by audiovisual cues.

Identify any materials or data that will be examined

Include names of material examples to be examined such as films, artworks, games, events, directors and artists, or any other relevant media. sources that might provide pertinent data or statistics to support research objectives. All material should be referenced using the Harvard Style

League of Legends – “Awaken” (Riot Games, 2019) Genshin Impact – “Teyvat Chapter Storyline Preview” (miHoYo, 2020) Final Fantasy XIV – “Endwalker Trailer” (Square Enix, 2021) … Overwatch Cinematic Trailers (Blizzard Entertainment, 2016–2023)

Bibliography

List recognised academic books, journals and articles, that you may use to support the research you wish to undertake. This list should be referenced. Harvard Style – For guidance on how to reference correctly (using your UAL login) See appropriate examples on https://www.citethemrightonline.com/

Bordwell, D. and Thompson, K. (2010). Film Art: An Introduction. Jenkins, H. (2004). Game Design as Narrative Architecture. Calleja, G. (2011). In-Game: From Immersion to Incorporation. ‌ ‌

feedback

Had a tutorial today, and honestly, it was a total wake-up call. I thought I was on the right track, but my supervisor really pushed me to dig deeper. I’m feeling a mix of “information overload” and “total clarity.” Here’s the breakdown of what I need to fix:

My supervisor told me my thesis is still too descriptive. I’ve been spending way too much time explaining how CG trailers are made. I need a punchy Argument.

The big question was: “What does the reader gain from this?” It’s not enough to just analyze pictures. I need to show that my research changes how we understand game marketing. I’m basically arguing that these trailers use mini cinematic storytelling to manufacture hype through emotions rather than just showing gameplay mechanics.

Movies vs. Games: The Rivalry. I need to stop looking at game PVs (promotional videos) in a vacuum. I should compare them to film trailers and animated shorts.

The key difference: Film trailers usually build narrative suspense (what happens next?), but game PVs are all about emotional immersion. I need to dive into this comparison in its own chapter.

Loving the “Micro-narrative” concept! This term is a lifesaver. It perfectly fits my theme. It’s all about how these short, condensed videos manage to deliver a full emotional arc in just a couple of minutes. This is going to be the backbone of my analysis.

The “Editing” Blind Spot. I realized I’ve been obsessed with the visuals (lighting, composition, etc.) but totally ignored the rhythm. My supervisor was right—the “feel” of a trailer comes from the cut. I need to incorporate editing rhythm into my framework. It’s about the heartbeat of the video, not just the pretty frames.

Fixing that “vague” title. My old title about “shaping anticipation” was way too “flowery” and hard to prove. How do you even measure anticipation, anyway?

The pivot: I’m changing it to something more concrete, focusing on how cinematic editing and micro-narrative structure create emotional immersion. It’s much more “academic” and, more importantly, actually provable.

Week6:Mise-en-Scène

Analysis_Snow White (1937)

Scene: The the old witch gives Snow White the poisoned apple.

Settings & Props

The scene takes place at the doorway of a dark, shadowy cottage.

Props like the basket, apple, and window frame symbolize temptation and entrapment.

Costume, Hair & Make Up

The witch’s dark cloak and grotesque face contrast sharply with Snow White’s bright, innocent appearance, visually symbolizing the conflict between good and evil.

Facial Expressions & Body Language

The witch’s hunched posture and sneaky gestures oppose Snow White’s open, trusting movements.

This contrast exposes the tension between innocence and malice.

Lighting and Colour

The witch stands in bright light while Snow White remains in shadow.

The red apple glows between them, symbolizing seductive danger.

The color contrast enhances the tension of the scene.

Positioning of characters/objects within the frame

The witch stands on the left foreground, while Snow White is positioned deeper in the frame on the right.

The medium shot emphasizes their physical and emotional distance.

The window acts as a natural frame, directing focus to the apple between them.

What role does the shot choice (Cinematography) play in the scene?

In this scene, the shot choice enhances tension and psychological symbolism.

The use of medium shots and a slightly low angle makes the witch appear dominant while Snow White seems smaller and more vulnerable.

Analysis_Anomalisa(2015)

The scene uses an overhead (high-angle) shot, positioning the viewer as an observer looking down on the characters. Their bodies are symmetrically arranged on the bed, creating stillness and emotional distance.The two characters lie side by side but maintain a small physical gap, symbolizing emotional separation despite physical proximity.And about the color,it use the warm, dim lighting creates a soft yet claustrophobic atmosphere. The muted color palette reflects monotony and emotional emptiness in the characters’ lives.

36mins Screen scene from Rebecca

Can you describe the relationship between the characters?

It seems the relationship between the two characters is tense and unequal.Their interaction( such as character’s position and eye contawct…) reflects a power imbalance and emotional intimidation.

How do we know what the relationship is?

We can tell from their body language and eye contact. The RightLady sits and looks up, while the LeftLady stands, looking down at her—creating a clear hierarchy. Their contrasting expressions—nervous versus calm—immediately signal dominance and submission.

Can you describe how the mise-en-scene works together to tell us what the relationship is?

The mise-en-scène emphasizes their power dynamic through composition, lighting, and spatial arrangement. BlackCloth woman stands on the right, slightly elevated and brightly lit, while the LightCloth woman sits lower and in shadow. The lamp and flowers in the foreground act as visual barriers, suggesting her confinement and unease. The vertical composition and lighting contrast visually communicate dominance and fear.

Week5:Social and Political comment in animation.

I finally got my head around the Auteur Theory. Basically, it means the director isn’t just a manager; they are the “soul” of the film. Think of Hayao Miyazaki—you can tell it’s his work just by looking at one frame. That’s what we call a signature style. It’s cool because it shows that animation is a serious form of art, not just a product made by a factory.

We talked about Abstraction, and it’s way more than just weird shapes.

Formative Abstraction is like “visual music”—using colors and rhythms to make you feel something directly.
Conceptual Abstraction is like a riddle. It uses symbols to talk about big, complicated stuff (like memory or social issues). It’s not about what you see, but what it means.

This was the most “mind-blowing” part of the day. Who knew animation could be used for Documentaries?

It’s actually perfect for telling stories where there’s no footage—like someone’s internal dreams or traumatic memories (like in Waltz with Bashir).
Also, animation is a “powerful tool” for Politics. Because it looks “cute” or “innocent,” it can hide subversive messages or criticize the government without being too obvious. It’s like a “sugar-coated” way of talking about serious social problems.

Animation is a “distinctive vocabulary.” It’s not just for kids; it’s a way to “make the absurd plausible.” Whether it’s a political protest or a deep abstract feeling, animation lets us see things that a normal camera just can’t catch.

Week4：The Avant Garde. Experimental, abstract constructs and analysis

Today I explored the concept of the “Auteur” in animation. An auteur is more than just a director; they are the “primary creative force” whose personal style and thematic preoccupations are evident across their body of work. I learned that:

Creative Control: An auteur often maintains significant control over the script, visual style, and even technical innovation.
Signature Style: Just like authors have a unique voice, animation auteurs use “distinctive visual languages” to tell stories that reflect their personal worldview.

Moving beyond traditional character-based narrative, we looked at how “Formative Abstraction” uses the basic elements of art to create meaning.

Non-Objective Elements: Instead of recognizable characters, this approach focuses on line, shape, color, and texture.
Visual Music: I found the idea of “visual music” fascinating—where the timing and rhythm of abstract movements evoke emotions just like a musical composition. It challenges the 5-Act structure by prioritizing “sensory experience” over a linear plot.

The most important takeaway today is the synergy between these concepts. An Auteur might use Formative Abstraction (unique shapes and colors) to express a Conceptual Abstraction (a deep philosophical idea).

Week3:The Language of film; Editing

I learned that a successful narrative isn’t just a random series of moments; it must handle its medium competently to present a “chain of events” that engages the audience and reaches a satisfactory conclusion. For character-based stories, the actors must perform “convincingly,” and it is the director’s job to extract that potential to communicate the story effectively.

The Five-Act Structure: This is widely used in novels and films.

Act 1 (Exposition): Setting the time and place while introducing characters and conflict.
Act 2 (Rising Action): The protagonist encounters obstacles and complications.
Act 3 (The Climax): The turning point with the highest suspense.
Act 4 (Falling Action): Wrapping up plot twists and unknown details.
Act 5 (Resolution): The final outcome where the plot is revealed and lessons are learned.

Week2: Visual culture and Language

•Animation was starting to catch the eye of the modernist movements who stated ;

•Cartoons—which rebuff so ferociously painterly realism and filmic naturalism—are set-in a universe of transformation, overturning and provisionally.

Unreal Engine

UE5 project_On the Dragon’s Back

Post author By Weize Hong
Post date 16th October 2025
No Comments on UE5 project_On the Dragon’s Back

Pre-Production

Keywords

Style：Stylized Cinematic

A blend of medieval fantasy and realistic lighting, emphasizing emotional atmosphere and natural illumination.

Time：Late Afternoon

Region：Interior + landscape

tower room perched on a cliff, where the girl gazes out toward the vast open sky.

Weather：Soft Fog and Dust —— Good weather

Description：Camera slowly tracks in from behind the girl, revealing she before a big window. The light pours in, illuminating floating dust and the soft movement of her dress. Suddenly, a dragon’s shadow glides across the clouds — reflected faintly on the glass. She lifts her head slightly, eyes shimmering with longing. 

Reference/Mood board

2D Concept：Composition

Draft

Draft Version2

2D Concept：Storyboard

Character Design

Name: Aeralith

Race: High Elf

Meaning:

Aera -> air, sky

lith -> existence, form

Character Tone:

Reserved
Observant
Quietly Rebellious
Noble but Restless

Though calm and composed on the surface, Aeralith carries a quiet restlessness within.Her longing for the world beyond is not simple curiosity, but a subtle rebellion against a life already decided for her.As a child, she listened to stories told by her grandmother — tales of vast skies, distant lands, and dragons that once crossed the heavens freely.
Those stories became the first cracks in the walls that confined her world.

The dragon represents motion, freedom, and choice — everything her world denies.To Aeralith, it is not merely a creature of legend, but a promise of another way to exist.