3D Character Animation Projects

In the realm of animation, meticulous planning, extensive testing, and embracing mistakes are crucial steps towards achieving a satisfying final result. Throughout my projects, I have acquired valuable skills that I constantly strive to enhance. Now, I proudly present my demoreel, showcasing several works from the past year. For a more detailed insight, you will find breakdowns of selected projects below.

3D Character Animation Demoreel - Lucas RETIF

"HARD TO MOVE BOXES" - Animation shot

In this cartoon body mechanics shot, I aimed to draw inspiration from a scene in Buster Keaton's film "One Week" and animate it by incorporating various cartoon animation techniques, such as exaggerated deformations, highly contrasting timing, effective holds, and more.

I have different approaches depending on the specific shot I'm animating, but often I begin with a quick 2D animation sketch to maintain the flow of a drawing in my animation. After, I strive to stay true to the 2D style when transitioning into 3D.

This shot was my first attempt at very cartoonish animation, and I learned a lot while working on it.

"NOTHING TO SPARE" - Short movie

"A cyborg bowling player, equipped with a robotic gauntlet, will give his all in one final shot, hoping to achieve a strike."

"Nothing to spare" is my graduation short movie that I've made this year. Working on all aspects of the pipeline has greatly helped me find a balance between creativity and technicality, while enhancing my overall animation skills. The primary constraints were to keep it within a maximum duration of 15 seconds, and due to my simultaneous involvement in a group short film, time was limited.

My aim was to create a clear and dynamic experience. That's why I chose bowling as the central activity, which is familiar to everyone. However, I wanted to surpass the boundaries of traditional bowling. To enhance clarity, I maintained a simple composition with diagonal elements and arrows that helps understanding as the camera moves.

"WAKE UP" - Animation shot

In this body acting cartoon shot, I wanted to experiment and push my cartoon skills to new limits. When the character realizes that he's late, I played with the contrast between the slow beginning and the snappy transition once he realizes his lateness. The timing becomes more lively, with pronounced spacing and effective poses to ensure clear understanding for the viewer. I also wanted to exaggerate the use of smears, unhesitant in distorting different body parts or duplicating limbs to enhance readability. That's a principle that I really want to explore in my upcomings shots.

"WAIT A MINUTE" - Lipsync animation shot

Here's a lipsync animation shot based on an audio clip from the movie "Back To The Future." My objective was to portray my character as feeling lost and bewildered due to the events that unfolded. The most intriguing aspect was determining where the intonation was most pronounced and where the exaggerated poses were required. I learned a lot working on it and now, I'm eagerly looking forward to creating more elaborate acting shots.

Thank you for your attention !