Animating a Dragon Rider for Film & VFX

Maya Workflow for Blocking, Animating & Polishing with Gang Trinh

In this Maya animation workshop, Gang Trinh breaks down his process for blocking, animating, and polishing a hero-dragon shot for professional film and VFX work. His lessons are designed for beginner- to intermediate-level animators looking to gain valuable insight into how a professional animator approaches crafting a dynamic, cinematic action shot.

Gang begins by demonstrating how he creates a rough flight cycle that can be dropped directly into a shot as a foundation. Along the way, he discusses the importance of reference, flight mechanics, and anatomy, and explains how understanding these elements helps inform strong, believable animation choices. He then walks through how he sets up the camera to create a dynamic and realistic cinematic composition. Along the way, he explores and discusses his lens choices, framing, and movement, and explains how camera decisions can enhance both storytelling and scale.

To conclude the 2.5-hour workshop, he takes artists through the complete process of blocking and refining a shot, talking through both the aesthetic and technical decisions he makes at every stage, to explain the important whys as well as the essential hows. He also details his key workflow tips, discusses common pitfalls artists can encounter, and reveals how to elevate a shot from its solid state to a production-ready piece. 

animBot is featured as a supporting tool in this workshop.The rig used is from Truong CG Artist. While this workshop uses this specific rig, it is not required in order to follow along.