This week, I focused on the initial integration of all scenes, and continued to refine some of the action designs within each scene.

In Scene 1, I gave the character a more superhero-style landing pose to enhance the overall visual impact.

Before the first phase of the fight in Scene 3, I added more still shots to build up the tension. This also helps set the stage for the fast, continuous action that follows.

At the same time, the long take is no longer a single continuous pull-back. Instead, the camera stays locked onto the character, creating more varied and dynamic camera movement. This approach strengthens the rhythm of the fight and provides a stronger emotional impact for the audience.

In the boss fight, I reduced the number of standoff shots to avoid slowing down the pacing. At the same time, I added a few wider, more comprehensive shots to help the audience better understand the overall situation.

This week, I worked on the initial design of Scene 4 and 5, and continued to refine the boss fight sequence.

Scene 4

Scene 4 is relatively simple in terms of content, but the main challenge lies in using the camera to express the character’s emotional shift.

The visual elements within the frame are very minimal — the key action is the protagonist taking the memory card.

Scene 5

Scene 5 serves as the final conclusion of the story. The protagonist leaves the laboratory, only to find a large group of enemies waiting at the entrance.

I chose to end the story in an open-ended way — as the protagonist draws their sword, the scene cuts to black, leaving the rest to the viewer’s imagination.

Boss fight

As part of the boss fight refinement, I changed the reason for the protagonist’s backward movement. Instead of being forced back, the character now steps back after a brief standoff.

This change makes the character appear more confident and in control, and also adds more visual interest to the scene. I focused on designing the moment of tension during the standoff to make it feel more dramatic and meaningful.

This week, I focused on refining Scenes 2 and 3, and began the early design of the boss fight. The main goal was to make the action more clear and efficient.

Scene 2

In Scene 2, I further reduced the number of enemies, limiting it to two kills. This helps avoid repetition and keeps the audience more engaged. It also allows each action to feel more focused and meaningful, while better supporting the camera design.

Scene 3

In the first phase of Scene 3, I kept the long take from the earlier version, but changed the two-hit sequence to a single strike that takes down both enemies. This makes the action cleaner and more efficient.

I also removed the enemy behind the character to avoid unnecessary complexity. To guide the character’s movement, I designed a new camera shot to replace that function.

In the second phase, I changed the reason for the character’s movement — instead of moving freely, the protagonist is now pushed back by the boss during the fight. Although the protagonist tries to strike first, they are countered.

The boss is finally defeated in a second iaido. This change makes the story feel more dynamic and dramatic, rather than flat and predictable.

This week, I focused on optimizing and designing Scenes 1, 2, and 3. I refined Scenes 1 and 2, and started the early design for Scene 3.

Scene 1

In Scene 1, I made the character’s actions more exaggerated and stylized, while also making the movements clearer and easier to read.

Scene 2

In Scene 2, I added more camera changes and action variations to further increase the intensity of the conflict.

Scene3

This week, I started working on Scene 3. I designed a long take to show the first phase of the fight — a smooth and continuous sequence where the protagonist moves and defeats enemies within a short time. I also placed an enemy behind the character to guide the movement toward a specific location.

The purpose of this movement is to prepare for phase two. I designed the boss to enter the scene by elevator, which makes the moment more dramatic than simply having the boss wait in place.

Future Plan

The next part will focus on designing the boss fight, followed by Scene 4, where the protagonist finally reaches their goal.

Scene2

This week focused on designing the second scene of my previs. My idea is to tell the story through visuals and camera shots instead of using dialogue.

The main part of this scene is the conflict at the entrance of the building. I designed several action movements and used multiple camera angles to make the shots more dynamic and to increase the intensity of the fight.

Future Plan

I also started planning out the next scenes. The third scene will focus on the battle inside the first floor of the building. After that, the protagonist will take the elevator to the top floor, where a final boss fight will take place.

The focus of this week was learning how to tell stories through camera language. In many cases, camera work can be more powerful than direct dialogue — it helps the audience understand and accept the story in a more subtle and emotional way.

When creating characters, it’s important to make them feel three-dimensional. Instead of flat or basic character setups, we should try to show their unique traits and personalities through their actions and how they are presented on screen.

Previs

This week, I also started working on the actual previs. I focused mainly on camera work and action design.

The main content this week shows the protagonist arriving at the lab building. I used four short scenes to gradually build up the sequence — from the character’s first appearance, giving the audience a sense of who they are, to finally reaching the entrance.

However, in some shots, it would be helpful to increase the character’s presence within the frame.

This week focused on camera shot design. At the same time, I also started building previs scenes in Maya using simple geometry, based on one of my storyboard ideas.

Previs

I gave the main character a basic setup. I decided to let the protagonist use a melee weapon, while the lab guards use guns. This contrast can make the action scenes more exciting, and it’s also easier to animate than having both sides use melee weapons — which fits my current skill level better.

I also added more story details. The robot is not attacking the lab for no reason — it was tricked by the lab’s contract, and when the lab refuses to return its memory card, the robot decides to fight back.

At this stage, I haven’t started working on the actual action design yet. For now, I just placed the characters in the scene as a symbolic setup.

Moodboard

I also looked for more references to help build my moodboard for this project. I focused mainly on character and environment design.

For the character, I prefer a smooth and simple style, which is also easier to animate later on.

Refinement of the first story

Based on George’s feedback, I made some changes to the first story. I removed the part where the protagonist’s friend dies, and instead, the main character is a famous pilot who becomes grounded after an accident. Doctors advise him not to fly again.

However, he can’t stand living an ordinary life and still longs for the sky. In the end, even if it means burning out his life, he chooses to fly again.

Environment design

For the environment design, since the robot is heavily inspired by Evangelion, I decided to create a massive hangar space — something large enough to accommodate a robot of this scale.

After a series of adjustments and layout tests, I ended up with a scene that fits my robot design very well — a space filled with a strong industrial atmosphere. I used a vertical structural layout to emphasize a sense of depth and scale within the scene.

In preparation for the upcoming animation, I also added a vertical elevator shaft to the hangar structure, designed to transport the robot. This addition not only serves a narrative function but also adds another layer of complexity and realism to the environment.

With this, the scene design is mostly complete. The next stage will be a crucial one — developing the storyboard and animation.