Mercy was broken up into two segments. For this scene in
Mercy, I wanted to focus on developing a dramatic animated sequence that focused on the characters presence. This is a continuation of Shape World so the theme of the environment is already introduced and was not a major factor in this animation. The goal was to create a scene that felt intense while showing my ability to use transitions and scene pacing. I mainly focused on using close-ups and character movement to guide the viewer through the scene and create tension.
Mercy, I wanted to focus on developing a dramatic animated sequence that focused on the characters presence. This is a continuation of Shape World so the theme of the environment is already introduced and was not a major factor in this animation. The goal was to create a scene that felt intense while showing my ability to use transitions and scene pacing. I mainly focused on using close-ups and character movement to guide the viewer through the scene and create tension.
During the planning stage, I brainstormed ways to make the segment feel cinematic while still keeping the animation achievable within the project timeline. I considered making the scene more dialogue heavy, but I decided to focus more on visual action and atmosphere because I wanted the movement and composition to carry the emotion and the brunt of the story. My inspiration came from creating Shape World in another project, and originally this was not going to be a continuation but I felt inspiration from another character I designed for Shape World specifically. The color palette uses purples, blues, greens versus her creature/lizard using warm orange tones to create contrast between the characters, the background and effects.
Production:
Creating this segment took time because I had to balance character drawing and scene transitions. The production process included developing the character poses, creating the very limited background elements, animating the movement, and adjusting the timing so the scene flowed properly. My Gantt chart helped me organize the original production schedule, but some parts took longer than expected, especially refining the character animation and making the action understandable. One issue I ran into was making sure the movement did not feel too sudden or unclear. I solved this by adjusting the time stretch in After Effects later in the production.
Creating this segment took time because I had to balance character drawing and scene transitions. The production process included developing the character poses, creating the very limited background elements, animating the movement, and adjusting the timing so the scene flowed properly. My Gantt chart helped me organize the original production schedule, but some parts took longer than expected, especially refining the character animation and making the action understandable. One issue I ran into was making sure the movement did not feel too sudden or unclear. I solved this by adjusting the time stretch in After Effects later in the production.
Post-Production:
In post-production, I had to use the skills I had in AE to bring the final segment together. I integrated character animation with including camera movement, scene cuts, visual effects, and timing adjustments. This helped the final piece feel more polished and connected rather than just a series of separate drawings. I also used the post-production to improve the overall pacing and tried to make sure the emotional tone matched the story.
In post-production, I had to use the skills I had in AE to bring the final segment together. I integrated character animation with including camera movement, scene cuts, visual effects, and timing adjustments. This helped the final piece feel more polished and connected rather than just a series of separate drawings. I also used the post-production to improve the overall pacing and tried to make sure the emotional tone matched the story.
Challenges
One of the biggest challenges during production was balancing movement with posing. Hair motion and body orientation required multiple revisions to maintain clarity while still feeling fluid. Another challenge was creating the fire on the lizard that complemented the scene without overpowering the character. I also had a challenge in timing with introducing the lizard instead of just incorporating it into the scene. I eventually opted for a transition period of having the fire on the screen for a second before zooming out to the lizard.
Current Status
This project is currently a work in progress. Future revisions will focus on improving motion smoothness, timing, transitions, and adding an environment.
