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.

Detail Refinement

At this point, most of the exterior design has been completed. However, with only the current components, the robot’s interior — especially the torso area — still lacks sufficient internal detail.

The next step will be to focus on filling out this section to enhance the overall structural complexity and visual richness.

I started by adding a spine structure, which will serve as a key visual anchor within the torso. This element not only reinforces the mechanical logic of the design but also adds a strong sense of complexity and depth to the interior.

I then added joints and some piping in key areas to further enhance the industrial feel of the overall design. These additions not only contribute to the visual detail but also help reinforce a sense of mechanical functionality throughout the model.

By now, the robot design is now largely complete. The next stage will focus on building and designing the environment in which the character will be placed.

Outer Shell Design and Refinement

This week, I moved on to designing and refining the robot’s outer shell. In the early stages, I used simple planes to block out the shell as a rough sketch — this approach made it easier to adjust and already conveyed around 60% of the final design, providing a helpful preview.

I carried out most of this workflow in Blender, as mesh-based modeling is more flexible for this phase compared to a CAD-style approach.

The outer shell design was primarily based on my earlier sketches, aiming to align closely with the internal skeleton. This helped avoid issues with proportions later on, such as parts appearing overly bulky or disconnected from the internal structure.

The next step was to add thickness and detailed elements to the outer shell. This process helped further enrich the design and give it a more mechanical, grounded feel. I referred to a variety of industrial components and incorporated some of those design elements into my own model.

With this, the outer shell design was mostly finalized.

This week’s focus was on worldbuilding. When creating a fictional world, it’s important to use key visual and narrative elements that quickly communicate the setting to the audience.

First idea

My first story has a feeling similar to Top Gun. I imagined a world where people race with fighter jets, like F1 racing but in the sky.

The main character loses his best friend in an accident during a race. After that, he feels very sad and stops flying. He goes back to a normal life, but one day he remembers the last words his friend said before the crash. After thinking deeply, he decides to return to flying and join the race again.

Second idea

My second story is more focused on action. It’s about a robot that breaks into a lab to get its memories back. On the way, it fights many robot guards and finally reaches the memory storage.

At first, this story didn’t have much meaning, so I added a small twist. When the robot finds its memory card, it is already broken. In the end, the robot decides not to hold on to the past. Instead, it takes a blank memory card nearby and chooses to create new memories for the future.

Third idea

The third story is a continuation of a project I made last term. In that work, I used the human body as a metaphor — like a huge factory — and designed a mechanical heart inside it. The idea was told in a fable-like way to remind people to take proper rest and care of themselves.

In this new story, I continue with the same theme and explore it further.