Context
I was briefed to create a response to a piece of text using motion design or experimental animation. Taking a piece of text from Sylvia Plath's book the bell jar, I created an experimental outcome based around the quote. I was able to achieve this outcome by using motion capture techniques, 3d modelling, geometry nodes and Blender.
“I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and offbeat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn't quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.” ― Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
The Problem
I needed to create a full animated short film to a high standard within the short time frame given, whilst still working on various personal and professional projects.
The Solution
I made a new deadline ten days in advance of the formal deadline to make room for any errors or possible complications, making sure I had extra time to finish the work. I then worked backwards from my new deadline, setting smaller task specific deadlines to ensure the work was completed in time.
What I did
Based on my research of my chosen quote and the book, I storyboarded my ideas then filmed myself for motion capture. I created a 3D model using Daz 3D and began to edit, create, sculpt and render in Blender 3D, then finally merged all scenes in After Effects to export the final film.
What I learnt
This project taught me how crucial it is to have an impactful visual narrative if you're planning on creating a story with no written or spoken words. I also improved my ability to animate seamlessly in both 2D and 3D software.







