Deluxe Making of

Operation Cell Cycle;

Eukaryotic Debrief

By Shannon Mason

Influence Maps

Art of

Colour tests like the above played a fundamental role in deciding the outcome of my cells.

For me the easiest way to start getting some ideas onto paper was with the old fashioned pen and pencil. I used pen sketches as the basis for my final outcomes for the Art of, taking them from black and white images and editing them with added textures on Photo Shop. Below quick and simple drawings really helped clarify what shape my original ideas for the Prokaryotic cell was to take on. In a few quick and easy lines you can judge what kind of character the cell is taking on.

Storyboard The storyboard was hard to create and get an accurate sense of timing. However proved useful in getting my key ideas onto paper. The idea of interfaces really started to develop at this point of the project. Later I wrote out a chronological order and broke the animation down into separate segments for each stage of the cells cycle.

Starting Point

The starting point, was to get my design down. I started by making different HUD and text box designs which helped ease me into the aesthetic of the image.

Changes after the Pitch There were several major changes I had to make after the pitch, there was a lack of coherence in the actual narrative and I had to effectively cut 50% of my work to make the structure make more sense. I decided to ditch the prokaryotic cell and focus on the more complex eukaryotic. Consequently I had to re write a storyboard and script for the final to fit securely within the 2minite time frame required by the brief.

Final Script

Encrypting- Eukaryotic File Load completed, objective identified as the eukaryotic cell The eukaryotic cell is predominately home to the plant and animal groups, as opposed to their rivals, Prokaryotes. Eukaryotic cells provided complex structures containing memory bound nuclei and organelles The main components of the cell include the Golgi body- packages proteins within the cell Ribosomes- Produce proteins Mitochondria- Produces the energy for the cell Endoplasmic reticulum- Acts as the cells transport organiser Lysosomes- contain acidic enzymes that break down unwanted materials. The nucleus/ nucleolus- The headquarters and control point of the cell. Then opens another window containing more information on the cell cycle. Each cell’s life span is divided into four segments, the G1-S-G2 and M phases, OR as we have come to know them as checkpoints, Search and destroy, reinforcement, preparation for extraction and the extraction point.

NEXT SLIDE

Checkpoint Alpha- Search and Destroy “The G1 phase, cells reinforce their strength in preparation for the replication of their DNA by copying organelles. Two centrioles move into flanking positions either side of the nucleus. The cells reach the G0 assessment control point: defected hostile cells are targeted for search and destroy operations. All friendlies proceed towards extraction Checkpoint Bravo- Reinforcement The S phase or synthesis stage; an exact replication of the cell’s DNA is produced Checkpoint Charlie- Preparation for extraction Cells which are inbound to the G2 phase undergo a process whereby mitotic spindles advance from the centriole centrosome that will later anchor the movement of the chromosomes in the process of the DNA’s division. Checkpoint Delta- Extraction Point A cell is finally divided in the physical duplication of one cell into two. This phase is commonly known as the M phase for Mitosis. This phase is broken down into four stages the prophase, anaphase, metaphase and telophase During the prophase the chromosomes start to condense. In the metaphase the chromosomes line up across the point of division in the cell known as the equatorial plate. Microtubules attach themselves from either pole of the cell. The Anaphase is where the cell begins to extract the chromatids into two individual daughter cells. Once this is done , the chromatids move to either pole of the daughter cells, where a nuclear envelope forms around each set. This last phase is known as the telophase. Mitosis accomplished .

END OF SCRPIT….

The Making of the Cell

My main drive behind the art of the cell was really exploring its surface. I wanted to make the surface more 3D and organic, so I imported a basic sphere into Mudbox to create a basic displacement map for the cell back in Maya. I then added an x-ray shader with a low glow special effect to arrive at my final outcome.

Exterior X-Ray Cell: Final Digital Render

Inner X-Ray Cell: Final Digital Render

Processes in Maya

Shaders played a major part in my animation, the aesthetic was never really going to need textures because we are never taking dramatically close to the cells. Instead we needed to see shaders which are bright and dominate the eye so the cell stands out on the HUD screens I designed. Bright colours means that the won’t become swamped.

The final image for my DNA outcome; I wanted to make a hint of green and blue colours run throughout the DNA texture. I made this texture network by plugging in gold images into the reflectivity of a mia x material as a basis for my ideas. Then exploring some more. DNA Strand: Final Digital Render

One major learning curve inside the Maya processes was learning how to use the fillet tool. I attached it to two nurbs isoprams to create a piece of geometry that aloud the cell to stick as it divided and also when it sucks the nucleus into the nuclear envelope in the final phase of Mitosis. In order to make the cells look more interesting I used displacement maps and a variety of different materials to mask each sphere and give them their own individual characteristics.

Nuclear Envelope: Final Digital Render

Difficulties in Maya Over the length of the project I ran into multiple difficulties. A major one was the fracture I wanted in the DNA (to the left) and learning how to use the dynamics menu in maya for the first time. Another challenge was to get visuals right as I found myself re-modelling parts of the animation which I felt didn’t fit.

Ambient Occlusion Pass: Towards the final of my animation I experimented with the ambient occlusion but came to the conclusion that this wasn’t some thing that would have much of an impact on my initial renders due to their x-ray quality and the effects that I knew I would later produce in after effects.

Step by step Making of the Video 2. After modelling your individual scenes in Maya I then started to apply a variety of shaders to each structure of the cell. Ranging from x-ray shader to metallic blinns to matte lamberts. I tried to give each piece a military feel and meet somewhere between the man made and the natural .

1. Modelling. I modelled each scene, set up the animation and the camera work before moving any further in my designs.

3. Whilst modelling in the 3D software of Maya I felt it was important to get some 2D animation together as well in after effects as I knew HUD, locks ons etc would play a greater role in defining the character of the animation and giving it that military feel I wanted.

4. I then made little script icons by using a series of layers and renders in after effects. I worked using solids on top of photo shop designs for HUD layouts that I made previously. Again I wanted an unnaturally bright colour to stand out and grab the viewers attention.

5. Step five was to model the more complex shapes or the shapes that would fit inside the cell. Due to the x-ray effect I was able to make separate renders and apply them on top of each other as screen layers

6. I then started to key effects in after effects. And set up two comps… one as the HUD and one as the main screen which eventually came together to produce my final result.

7. Revise portions of the animation add scenes and crop scenes. I also looked at adding extra details such as displacement maps to some of the cells to give them nice bumpy textures.

8. Add the sound track and crop/cut the voice over to the final montage of clips rendered from after effects in Premiere.

9. I added extra sound effects to the final piece by making sure each segment of music was synced in collaboration with the video (opened in the top left hand corner) by using Adobe Audition. Once I was happy with the sound I then made a final mix-down which I then imported into Premiere and merged with the footage to create my final outcome.

Mitosis: Final Digital Render

Chromosomes: Final Digital Render

Mitotic Spindles: Final Digital Render