In-Progress Critique

One of the strengths of this animation is the nighttime setting. This is a less frequently seen time of day for an animation to take place. I wanted the nighttime setting because it would allow me more create freedom with lighting. Another strength mentioned by my peers is the depth of the composition. This is created by the layers upon layers of buildings that can be seen decreasing in size as they get further from the camera. The lighting in the animation allows for emphasis to be created as well as interest through gradients of light.

For this current project I need to improve on creating a more dynamic set design. By this I mean a set design that seems to have a life of it's own. A set that isn't linear or repetitive, something that has contrast, emphasis, unity, rhythm, and narrative context. Also, I need to focus on fleshing out the connections between actions to help the flow of the animation stay consistent. The most important thing that I need to change for future projects is to remember that the narrative of the film/animation is meant to be the priority of every project.

How could you use light to bring emphasis to objects and to contrast with the dark city landscape? I could use hard backlighting to create a rim outlining the focus of the animation. For a moving subject I can either set up multiple lights along the path or have a light move with the character. How could you add more compositional elements to the scene? I could add more detail into each building. This would allow for leading lines, vertical lines, and horizontal lines which would all add more interest. I could also add other objects like heating and cooling units on the roofs or water storage.