This project was created for an Exquisite Corpse, part of the curriculum at my university. The requirements for the clip were as follows: The clip could be no longer than 15 seconds, the scene's focal point was to be a spherical object, unique from the other participants, and the scene must begin and end on said object. Lastly, there were to be no jump cuts, to keep the flow of the Exquisite Corpse.
The idea for my scene stemmed from characters designed by Jesse Bohorquez, based on Andrew Loomis' mannequins. I wanted to keep this piece as abstract as the inspiration, so as I was sculpting, I began to think of the short narrative, adapting both as I brought this idea to life. In the nights anticipating the assignment, each time while trying to sleep, my brain would race with ideas around the character. With these ideas stored in my mind, we arrived at our result.
The grander narrative, not depicted in the animation, is through the eyes of a "being" as they navigate through various liminal spaces. Through each scene, you take note of the subtle glow in the shadows, alluding to some other "being" stalking our protagonist. Eventually, they are brought to light as the further environments progress, the more intense their presence becomes. This imminent, suffocating feeling climaxes in the animation. Our main character, which to this point would not have been revealed to the viewer, is brought into a dark void, surrounded by a shallow body of water, and these dark figures in all their forms.
What you and the character will begin to notice is that these figures are variants of yourself, which have been taken over by darkness and corruption in place of their heart. Their heart, which is your heart. The heart that is being held by the darkness and is missing from your chest. This whole journey has taken place in the subconscious of our protagonist. Unknown to them and you, the dark beings personify the depravity brooding inside of you, in one final sliver of light, one being kneels against the rest and offers you the chance to regain control. To restore your heart and rid yourself of impurity.
This is the scene showcased in my short clip. It was challenging to fit all that storytelling within the assignment's parameters. I learned a lot during my time researching techniques and creating each asset by hand. Baking high to low, Bifrost Ocean Simulation, Maya nParticles, weight-painting inside of Maya, utilizing the light and relationship editor to affect the influence lights had on each member of the environment, allowing me to make the dark visible. As this was the first time creating something like this, I still have a lot to improve upon, and I am excited for the future of my learning and work.