Spring-Loaded
Animation, Rigging, Modeling, Texturing | Winter 2021
"Spring-Loaded" is an animated short film created as part of my Animation 2 class, where we were tasked with crafting a unique "robot theater" film. This collaborative project involved the dedicated efforts of my two partners, Michael Lauw, and Jack Yang.
The film follows Scrawny-bot, a spirited and tenacious young robot, as he gears up to face the formidable Macho-bot in an epic showdown. Armed with his wit and springy anatomy, Scrawny-bot must summon all his courage to conquer the formidable challenge.
I was responsible for:
Modeling, texturing, and rigging, Scrawny-bot.
Fully animating the first half of the film (up to 44s in).
Modeling and texturing background assets including the neon sign, lockers, mirror, and punching bags.
Scrawny-Bot
Let's take a closer look at Scrawny-bot! His design revolves around the concept of springs. I modeled, rigged, and animated him using Maya, while his textures were made in Substance Painter.
Scrawny-bot's rig boasts an array of features that enhance his character performance:
Spine with built-in squash and stretch, giving his movement lively bounce and spirit.
Bendy IK arms that allow for smooth twisting and flexible motion
Weight-painted pants made for smooth deformation with leg movement.
Two distinct hand models — one with articulated fingers and the other with gloves. This functionality was used in the opening shots of the film.
Concept Art
During the planning phase I created concept art for the entire cast of characters. Although only my design for Scrawny-bot made it into the final film, I am satisfied with the designs produced for Macho-bot and Ref-bot.
To highlight their contrasting personalities, each character was crafted with distinct shapes in mind. Scrawny-bot boasts a lanky, bottom-heavy frame with sharp triangular motifs, while Macho-bot features a buff, top-heavy build with square and heavy motifs. Ref-bot, on the other hand, exudes a pudgy and circular appearance.
These designs were inspired by an early 1900s boxing aesthetic, lending a retro yet charming touch to the characters.