Evaluation

The work is finished now and I really enjoyed it. My expectations for my trailer were much higher than it is in reality, but in general I found it quite complicated to make an animation. Of course, If I would have more time I could practice many different animation techniques and make my skills better and better. I was using cameras and paths for my models, but it is still something I have to learn. I really liked the brief about James Bond movie trailer however it was a challenge. Modelling for me was a little bit easier than making an animation maybe because I have spent much more time to make both cars and other models than to animate them. In my opinion, the trailer looks like an old style video games what is probably quite ok for beginners, but it means there is still a large 'field' to explore. Now after we finished this module I have a lot of time to practise 3ds max program and improve my skills.

barrel explosion

I was using this link to learn how to make an explosion, but my is without fire.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDGUaw0XrDg

I imported the barrels and then chose one which the bullet is going to reach.

I selected Partical system and clicked on PArray. Then clicking on Pick the object I selected the barrel and selected Mash. I went to particle generation and changed some parametres there (like the tutorial shows). On partycal type I selected object fragments and changed the number of chunks to 50. Later I went to Rotation and collision and changed some parametres there as well. Going to Helpers I selected Atmosphering aparatus and sphereGizmo. On Modify I added Free effect and changed some numbers on setup selecting explosion. I clicked the right click of the mouse and chose to hide the object ( the barrel), so now thw animation with exploasion was done.

Second Scene

For the second scene I made a mountain background creating a plane and using editable poly soft selection. I added a mountain pattern to it (it was taken from program files).

Then both airplanes were imported (merge). I created two paths for each airplane using Line and made animation with path constraints.

I have used a target camera for these scene.

On this scene I did not make the crash of the plane as I have changed my mind and decided to show a small episode of airplane chase.

Third scene- SHOT

For the last scene I created a plane as a background and took a brick picture from program files. It was added as a bitmap to the plane. Then I imported (merge) the pistol and the bullet. After positioning them the path for the bullet was created using the line. Clicking to animation-constraints-path constraints the path was made and clicking to the bullet then it appeared on the line. Another path was made to show the pressure. The presure stops on frame 35 and at this time the bullet starts to fly. To make moovements I clicked on autokey and where needed set keys. To render this episode I went to rendering-render setup- and saved as avi file.

I have changed my storyboard a little bit, because I found that I don't have time to do modelling and I need to spend more time to animation. That is why in the last scene instead of James Bond Shadow there is a pistol which makes a shot and the bullet flies through the scene untill it will reach the barrel.

First scene Animation

For the first scene, this environment was created.

To begin, I made a plane and converted it to the editable poly. Then using soft selection I made some mountains on the plane. Clicking on M and using bitmap I went to the program files-maps where was selected the background. The road was made from the plane as well and its background is also from program files.

I had to add both cars to this scene , so going to import-marge I had them both there. Finally, I have put a target camera which follows the path of one of the cars.

To add the sky as an environment I clicked on rendering-environment- environment map. The sky was taken from program files.

Testing

Alfa Romeo

This is Alfa Romeo which is the car of James Bond enemies. It was created with the same technique as the Aston Martin.

Barrels

I created some barrels for the last scene where the bullet has to reach them and explosion appears.

First of all I made a sphere and then using editable poly changed its shape, using extrude and bevel as well.

Bullet

Another model for the third scene is bullet. It is quite simple and easy to make.
To begin, I created a sphere which was converted to editable poly and delated half of it. On the left view I selected the edge and with selection tool lengthened the figure so it started to look like bullet. Selecting the line in the middle of the bullet I clicked on Ring and Connect so I could create 3 lines which I moved close to each other and moved to the beginning of the bullet. With right click of the mouse I selected scale and then flattened it from the top so the bullet looks more realistic.

At the end, I have selected the edge where the bullet ends with border selection ans clicking on Cap created the surface that there is not a hole anymore. Finally, on modify panel I selected Turbosmooth to make the bullet more smoothed.

Week 9 Morpher

First of all, the head was downloaded and imported to the program where it was cloned holding shift. Then, I have mooved the original head to the right to separate it from others. Then one of the heads was converted to editable poly and using polygon selection the lower part of the mouth was selected and dragged down to make the mouth open ignoring the backfacing. I also gave different names to the models like ' open mouth' , 'mooving eye'.
Later, selecting the original model i went to the modify panel and chose Morpher. Going to 'channel list' I selected empty channel and selected Pick From Scene and clicked 'open mouth' object. Now the mouth can be opened and closed toggling the value from 0 to 100.
To make an animation, the auto key was selected and putting the timeline to different numbers the mouth was opened and closed. It can be seen on the video.

To save the video, I went to Rendering-Render set up- on time output I made sure the active time segment is selected and choosing File I saved the file as Avi file.

Swot Analysis

Strengths: I am quite patient and it allows me to use the program for many hours. I don't give up if something goes wrong, instead I watch different online tutorials to learn more and get better with the program. Weaknesses: I find it quite hard to make modelling. I have learnt many different techniques, but still there is a big field to explore and the time flyes, so the process seems quite stressful for me. Opportunities: The program itself is a great opportunitie to learn how to make 3d objects and animate them. In the future I could use it for making animated commercials. 3Ds max allows to make the objects extreamly realistic and it is great, because this is the way where the object seems real on abstractive level. Threads: I think I need to make a serious plan to manage my time. It is hard to predict how much time I will need for modelling and animation to finish my trailer. I really found that modelling takes me long time, so the plan should help to finish everything on time and perfectly I should finish 1 week before submission date.

Week 8 Bones

To begin, the torso was downloaded and imported to the 3Ds max program and TurboSmooth was applyed to the object. I went to the Systems and created bones. Later I have placed the bones inside the body that they are in correct position. The body was timely in see- through position as it makes the process easier. I have named all the bones to avoid a mess later. On Modifier panel there are Side, Front and Top fins where I increased the value of them for each bone.

After hiding the torso object, I selected the bone and went to Animation-IK solvers- Ik limb solver. The cross appears between the hand and forearm bones.So, now the arm is as one whole and can be mooved to different directions.

The next step was skinning, going to modifier tab I have selected Skin. Clicking on Add on modifier panel the assets panel appears and making sure that all bones are selected I clicked Select. I also made a single bone in the middle of siluet which I named as Body. After the same process was made to add the bone to torso.

The last step was Envelopes. I mooved IK solvers so the arms looks realistic and after clicking on skin I clicked on small black cross and 'envelopes'. Now every bone can be selected and changed to make the body more and more realistic, however it takes time !

I made an object and created a 'path' around it using the line. Then, going to Animation- Constrains- Path constrains I clicked to the path and the object appeared on it. I went to the time line Frame 50- Auto key and selected Follow. I changed the number so the object go fast and then slowly.

Then, I created a box in the middle of the path and created a camera ( Create-Cameras). I went to Animation- Constrain- Path constrain and clicked on the camera so it appeared on the road. Changing the direction it started to move around the object and 'film' it.

Week 7 Animation
First of all, I have created the spheare on prospective viewport. Then, clicking on Auto Key I have made the time line red. Choosing the keyfame and holding shift I mooved it far away- it make the object mooving. choosing Graph editor and going to Track view curve the diagram of the moving object can be seen. Pressing Set tangence to fast I could select the points of the diagram and change them. I have also tryed Parametre Curve out of Range type pressing Cycle this function makes a repetition of the moovement made before. Correction of the curve is important because it makes the jumping of the ball realistic...slowly going down and fast jumping from the ground. To coppy the ball I was holding shift and drag the ball to the side. Graph Editor- Track View-Dope sheet. Choosing Edit ranges and clicking on World I could moove the stripes putting them in different position so they are random and it makes the balls mooving separately. Going to Rendering- Render set up- Range it is easy to save a video of made animation. I clicked File and saved as Avi File .

Storyboard

The airplane is finished.

















I coppied the wheel and connected them with cylinder putting it in the middle between 2 wheels. Another cylinder is a connection between the wheels and propeller. I have attached( right click-attach) all of them to be like a one figure.

The wheel for the airplane was created almost with the same technique like the wheel for Aston Martin.

Creating a cylinder and using the Inset and bevel tools the shape of the wheel was made. Choosing some polygons on the wheel I clicked extrude end then deleted them. Then the half of the wheel was deleted.
At the end, I used the symetry in modify panel, so the wheel is similar from both sides.

The propeller.














First of all, I have created a cylinder as a main body. Then converted it to editable poly and using polygon mode selected the top of cylinder. After all these, using Inset and bevel I made the shape which is shown on the picture.

Using the edge mode from editable poly I have selected the lines where the window should be and clicked create shapes from selection. Also I changed selection filter to shapes. When I had the line I have created I coppied it twice placing one in the moddle and another at the end.
I attached all three lines and going to modify panel selected cross section.
Then, selecting created cross section on modify panel I selected surface and the window appeared.
Some front windows were made from boxes it is faster and easier.

Converting the plane to editable poly and using edge mode I selected some lines and clicked connect. These helped to make more lines and later using vertex mode to have more points. Then, I mooved the points creating the shape of windows and made holes.

Another pyramid was created and added to the ending of the plane. The shape was changed by select and uniform scale but also a little bit using tools from editable poly.

The wings were created from pyramid figure converting it to editable poly and changing the shape with selection tools. There is another small pyramid on the end of the wing.











My last model is an airplane.



I made a cylinder and using bevel tool in editable poly I extruded it narrowing till the end.

Finished Aston Martin

To make the lights I used border mode selecting the edge and selecting cap I have closed the hole with material. Later I edded 2 cylinders which are the actual lights. The back lights were made with tubes.


I made car windows using edge mode from editable poly to select the lines (loop). Then clicked Create shapes from selection and in selection filter I have chosen Shapes. Later I cloned the figure and placed it in the middle of windscreen. I did the same again and placed another figure where the end of the window is. I had to attach all of them clicking right click of the mouse (attach) and going to modify panel I have chosen cross section so it appeared on the attached lines. After, in the same modify list Surface was selected and it apeared as a windscreen.

Using the symetry in modify list I finished my wheel. Later I just changed the colour of the rim and inside of the wheel.

I used bevel tool to extrude the cylinder and make the end of it narrowed.









I used insert tool and bevel tool to create these shapes. All was in editable poly.

I turned the wheel and bridged the edges as it is seen on the picture. I used vertex mode for selecting lines.








Then, I made the circle in the middle with insert tool as well and triangles holding shift. I used polygon mode for that and with selection tool extruded it down.

With polygone mode I have chosen the area and then pressing insert and changing the amount of it I made a shape of the wheel.












I created a cylinder, converted it to editable poly and using polygon mode delited hald of it.

I have made all the siluet of the car following the technique holding shift and extruding from previous polygon. To make the place for the lights I had to connect some lines ( selecting lines with edge mode and pressing connect) to have more points which later I had to moove reaching the shape. It was made using editable poly's vertex mode.

My second model is Aston Martin.


I have made 3 planes with top, side and front views of the car, but later I found that my top view is not very good so I had to create my model only with front and side views gessing the gabarits of the car. I imported the pictures through bitmap and applyed to the planes freezing them that they don't moove.
I started my model with tube creation where I deleted lower half of it. Later, choosing edge mode from editable poly and pressing shift I extrudeded every squere of the tube and looking to all the views of the car made sure I place the squeres on the correct position. Also vertex mode was usede a lot to put some points to the right place.

Later, I have clicked on the camera and going to modify panel where is the multi pass effect I have selected enable button. then clicking on preview and going to render I made sure that viewport is camera. there it is easy to see how the changes were made. I have changed the position of the camera putting it on the teapot and then the depth of field changed as well, so now it is easy to see that the teapot looks clear as a main figure, and others are more as a back view.

on week 5 we had to create a camera and try it with some figures.

First of all, three figures were created on the plane. Then, the camera was put with pressing CTR+ C and tryed in different positions.

I have made one of my models which is pistol from the last episode where James Bond as a shadow will shoot from his pistol and the bullet will fly through all the scene symbolising his revenge!

This model was created following some youtube tutorials what was quite useful.



First of all, the box was created on the viewport and the parametres of it were changed. Then I right clicked in the corner of the 3d viewport and selected Edged Faces. Converting the box to editable poly (right click-convert-editable poly) I used vertex mode while working on top, left and write views and changing the shape of the box. I selected all the boxes faces and scrolled down, then clicked clear all. (I deleted the lowest raw as I did not need it and made a bridge ). Choosing editable poly's edge I have rightclicked and selected CUT to create a rectungle on the top of the pistol (it was extruded later) to make a sight.
I made another box and also changed its parametres. It was almost the same process which I did with the first box. With polygon mode I have selected 1 peace on box 2 to extrude from it a leg of the pistol. Then holding shift and choosing the line I extruded again so my pistol leg consists from 2 parts. I matched some points and changed their direction so the leg looks realistic.

We had to create some models and make experimentation with shadows and lights.

The omni light was used to make a shadow of the objects, later following online tutorial we learnt how to make objects look glassy and to change the environment as it will look like day light around.

Putting the light over the objects I have changed the colour of it and it made pink effect shining on the objects.

On week 4 the task was to put patterns and lights to the pumpkin given to us.

So, I added pattern to the pumpking through bitmap as it was done before with the leaf. (I found a pattern of pumpkin in google).

The omni light was used to make the pumpkin shiny inside.

the shadows on also were used to make an object look realistic owning its shadow.

The spot light was used and the green colour was selected that it shines with smoky green light to the pumpkin.

Following some other tutorials had more practice on adding patterns and shadows to the objects.



I found that going to program files there are many patterns which can be added as a background and colour to the objects.

Week 3 Introduction to materials.

To make a shadow the light was selected and omni was clicked. Then going directly to the surface (plane) and using move tool it was moved away from the leaf. Going to the modify panel the shadows on was selected. At the end, the ray traced shadows was clicked. Pressing F9 it was easy to see that the leaf started to own its own shadow.

First of all, the plane was created and later was used as a background. Then, the shape of a leaf was made and the pattern which is on the left was added to it.

Later the same picture of the leaf was opened in photoshop and changed to black and white. After that was done, it was imported to 3ds max as bitmap to the same 1st default and applied to created shape. Pressing F9 it is easy to see how it looks.

These are some patterns imported to the program which I was trying as a background.

On week 3 we had to make a leaf and add it a colour (pattern).

This picture was found on internet and saved because later it was imported to 3ds max as bitmap.