RESEARCH MODULE : PRACTICAL WORK
- Oct 16, 2025
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 21
17.10.25
INITIAL STORYBOARD & PLOT
I found these nice professional templates from : https://folio.procreate.com/showcase
Act I – Roots
The scene begins with Earth, and with us
A seed bursts from the soils of Africa and blooms - into the first people - veins of glowing roots branching outward like ancient migratory paths of our nomadic ancestors, flourishing into more flowers ( indigenous communities).
As the earth spins, space blinks and opens an eye of a child- one of the first children of our species inspired by the Khoisan tribe. in her eyes, the reflection of that same plant. she nurtures it and awakens a spirit.
The elemental spirits awaken: embodiments of rivers, forests, deserts, mountains - each tied to their indigenous people and lands. They embody humanities relationship with earth.
Visual tone: warm, luminous, ethereal, fertile.
Act II – Present
As civilizations rise, spirits adapt and thrive — Sumerian marshes, Andean highlands, Polynesian seas - the age of the Holocene
Slowly, colonization begins. Trade routes morph into scars across the earth. The spirits and communities weaken and hurt; their colors dull.
The Mesopotamian marsh spirit becomes a central motif — her waters turn black, her breath ragged, her body cracked like dried clay. she morns loss.
The Holocene is dead, and the Anthropocene is born.
Voiceover reflects on how humanity forgot its roots.
Visual tone: contrasts — beauty and sickness, harmony and violence intertwined.
Act III – Fate
The camera pulls back again — the glowing roots from earlier now dimming as red flowers wilt, replaced by networks of electric light.
The narration questions: “Are these lights our flame… or our funeral pyre?”
Moment of stillness — a single seed falls to the ground, glowing faintly.
The film ends with the fate of the earth in our hands
Tone: bittersweet, reflective, open-ended.
Thematic Spine
Interconnectedness: All life and culture share the same roots.
Stewardship vs. Domination: Indigenous cosmologies see the Earth as kin, not commodity.
Continuity: Despite erasure, indigenous knowledge endures — it may hold the key to surviving the future.
Choice: The film ends not with prophecy, but with a question — will we nurture the roots, or sever them?
ETHICAL SELF CRITIQUE
The story might risk mythologizing Indigenous cultures if not accurately informed. The aim is to continuously evolve this story through engaging with communities and differnt perspectives.
23.10.11
2ND DRAFT
Within its origins in animation studios, storyboarding involves multiple drafting stages prior to full animation. I underestimated how drafting to a professional standard served a wider purpose: the sketches determine not only plot, but also characters, designs, colour schemes, background scenery, context and performance direction.
THURSDAY'S DISCUSSIONS
Today is the fifth week, Thursday.
We began with an introduction and a presentation from Yasmin, which I found really insightful. I liked how clearly she explained her purpose, process, and how her creative tech practice developed. Seeing presentations like hers, as Laura mentioned, is genuinely helpful for shaping my own essay and project.
Earlier in the day, I’d emailed Tony for a Blender introduction, but I misunderstood where he was working. Instead, I ended up speaking with Koray, another creative arts technician. That conversation turned out to be really valuable - he studied animation and recommended software like Toon Boom and ZBrush. When I showed him my storyboard, he said it reminded him of Scavengers Reign, which meant a lot because it’s one of my biggest inspirations.
Corey also reminded me that the outcome depends on the work I put in, and I feel more confident that I can create something meaningful without falling into perfectionism. I’m leaning toward 2D animation, but I’d love to integrate 3D elements using my Nomad modelling skills to give the project more depth. While we were talking, I noticed one of the twin artists I follow on Instagram animating in Photoshop nearby. Watching him work was inspiring, and I’m considering reaching out to him for advice or potential collaboration.
Tony's recommended tutorials and videos:
MEETING WITH TONY
So I just had a meetup with Tony, and he was super helpful and encouraging. I came in thinking only about Blender, but he reminded me — as he often tells his students — that Blender isn’t the best at everything. There are so many different software options and methods to help you get to where you want to go more easily. He mentioned After Effects, and a few others.
He tested me to create a 5-second video of myself acting out my animation. It’s just one scene, and that’s all I needed for the prototype, which I ll use to motion map a 3d model. Before, creating a high standard character on nomad sculpt would take me about a few days to a week, but now I can do it in an hour or two. Right now, I’m basically just playing around with what we’ve got: the performance, the motion, the model, the concept art, and the designs.
Working with all this software is enough for me to get on with it this week. I’m experimenting with what I want my animation to look like and exploring how I can bring it to life creatively.
….
DAVID:
Ashes To Snow
Lauren:
Hieronymus Bosch Garden Of Earthly Delights
ROKOKO
After effects 2D image into 3D https://www.adobe.com/uk/products/aftereffects.html
26.10.11
ANIMATION
" to give life to"
EXTENDED PERFORMANCES
2D FRAME ANIMATION IN PROCREATE
ANIMATICS
MOTION CAPTURE
One of my greatest creative directors, Guillermo del Toro, has a lifelong love for animation. He describes stop-motion in particular as :
“a direct transmission of personality from the animator to the model”
This quote became the new objective for my practical experimentation
source - Vlessing, E. (2023) ‘Guillermo del Toro talks artificial intelligence: “I’m worried about natural stupidity”’, The Hollywood Reporter. [online] Available at: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/guillermo-del-toro-not-worriedartificial-intelligence-1235585785/ [Accessed 20 Oct. 2025].
Cascadueur is a professional software I was recommended which offers high quality motion capture results, but it turned out that exports cost.https://cascadeur.com/
DeepMotion was easier to use, and even though the quality was lower, it still showed what I wanted — the character’s movement coming from my own action.
BUILDING THE ENVIRONMENT IN TWINMOTION
BUILDING THE CHARACTER IN NOMAD SCULPT
RIGGING WITH MIXAMO
BLENDING IN BLENDER
TUTORIALS I WATCHED :
A SUCCESS I GUESS
28.10. 25
N I G H T S C H O O L
IN W O N D E R L A N D
Aside from my main project, I also collaborated briefly with my classmate Izzy on her psychedelic Alice in Wonderland tea party event, which was really exciting. I volunteered as one of the performers, playing the Cheshire Cat, which ended up being my way of celebrating Halloween and dressing up properly for the first time. I really enjoyed acting and making people feel uncomfortable for an hour, and I didn’t expect the outfit to come together as well as it did. I design a poster to support the event and potentially sell for a bit of income. Overall, it was a great experience, and working with Izzy again reminded me of what an amazing collaborator and talented mad genius she is; having worked together throughout the course and on Boomtown. I’m excited to see what she creates next for her project.
T H E S T O R Y
R E F I N E D
I developed my story into three acts, taking subtle influence from Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights, a triptych of paintings depicting the Christian theology of ' Eden, Chaos, and Hell.
Act 1: Roots begins with humanity’s origins from Africa, the development of ancestral wisdom and ancient civilisations, a time when most of humanity thrived with nature.
Act 2: Present examines the transition from the Holocene (Eden) to the Anthropocene (Chaos), highlighting Indigenous resilience in the face of ecological degradation, colonialism, and marginalisation
Act 3: Fate presents humanity’s choice between their fated futures, a path of creation or destruction.
06.11.25
MY END OF MODULE PRESENTATION
13.11.25
MY DISSERTATION
PERSONAL REFLECTION
Looking back, I've done a lot in this module. One thing I would do differently to stop pushing one task (i.e blender) and shift my focus, especially when it’s the principle and the learning, not the perfect output, that matters most. I’ve picked up just over a dozen tools and new pieces of software that I’ll continue using in my practice, and that alone feels like a huge step forward towards creation lab - where I aim to produce a short animated pilot episode showcased alongside a tryptic of illustrations and sculptural characters. Moving ahead, I want to collaborate more, build my network and keep refining my ideas, storyboards, and workflow. I'll continue building knowledge on my research topics (i.e ethnographical, technical), and develop more concept artwork as I try making my storyboard sketch into animatics on procreate. I’m also determined to keep learning Blender, this time with the professional guidance of technicians and software specialists at BOM and BCU. My finalised research proposal is 'Roots to Fate: how can animation empower indigenous cultures and worldviews? ' This research module has set the foundation for my project over the year, and I'm excited to see where it goes.
