Game Animation Reel
🎥 Demo Reel: Animation Journey 🎥
Created during an AnimSchool class with the incredible Victoria Lopez, using Maya and Unreal Engine.
I had a lot of fun learning Unreal Engine and recording all the reference videos for the action moves featured in this project. My animation process is well-established: I start with thumbnailing, followed by recording reference footage, then creating key poses and breakdowns. After that, I work on ease-ins and ease-outs before transitioning to spline and applying the final polish.
This project is particularly significant as it showcases substantial improvement in mastering the 12 principles of animation, with a focus on spacing and timing, squash and stretch, anticipation, arcs, exaggeration, follow-through, and overlap. These principles are fundamental in both 2D and 3D animation, and this project has greatly enhanced my ability to apply them confidently.
🎞️ Reel Breakdown
0:00 - Player Idle (Keyframe Animation)
0:06 - Player Run Cycle (Keyframe Animation)
0:10 - Player Jump (Keyframe Animation)
0:12 - Player 3 Hit Combo (Keyframe Animation, enhanced with a custom blueprint in Unreal)
0:19 - Enemy Idle and Attack (Keyframe Animation, VFX enhanced with a custom blueprint in Unreal)
0:21 - Player Death (Keyframe Animation)
Story
🌟 Meg Vendora: A Hidden Legacy 🌟
Meg Vendora grew up on Kornelia, unaware of her extraordinary heritage. Raised by her mother, she led an ordinary life—until strange dreams and inexplicable events began to reveal a deeper truth.
On her eighteenth birthday, Meg’s mother, gravely ill, revealed a long-kept secret: Meg was the last descendant of one of the greatest Lightbearers, a master who wielded a unique lightblade. Her mother handed her a small box, inside which lay an elegant lightblade. When Meg activated it, a brilliant purple blade of light sprang to life—a symbol of her deep connection to this legendary Lightbearer.
The purple lightblade, just like the one her ancestor wielded, reflected the balance within Meg—a blend of the Shadow Path and the Way of Light. With this newfound knowledge and weapon, she set out to discover her destiny.
Meg's journey took her across the galaxy, seeking the remnants of the Lightbearers and uncovering her family’s legacy. She eventually found a hidden enclave where her ancestor had made his last stand. There, she felt his presence through the Essence, realising that she was never alone.
Meg Vendora, carrying the legacy of a great Lightbearer, embraced her role in the galaxy. With her amethyst lightblade blazing, she was ready to forge her own path.
Process & Credits
🛠️ My Process
Thumbnailing: Sketching out ideas and concepts.
Recording Reference: Capturing authentic real-life movements. For a more detailed breakdown, visit my ArtStation.
Key Poses & Breakdowns: Building the animation’s foundation.
Ease-Ins & Outs: Bringing fluidity to the movement.
Spline: Refining motion for smooth transitions.
Final Polish: Adding the finishing touches.
🔧 Additional Credits
Character Rigs: Zeal and Rock rigs courtesy of Animschool.com.
Unreal Set: Assembled using assets from Quixel Megascan and the Epic Marketplace.
Game Demo: Golden Egg game provided by Animschool.com, with Unreal Engine 4 VFX pack available on the Unreal Engine Marketplace.
Portfolio Layout Inspiration: Matt Hansen
⚠️ Disclaimer This is a piece of fan fiction inspired by the Star Wars universe. All original characters, locations, and elements are the property of Lucasfilm and Disney. This work is created solely for educational and entertainment purposes, with no intention of commercial exploitation or infringement on the rights of the original creators. This project is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or a substitute for any official Star Wars content.