Animating a Dragon Rider for Film & VFX
Maya Workflow for Blocking, Animating & Polishing with Gang Trinh
Description
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.
Duration: 2h 17m
Format: HD 1920x1080
Gang Trinh
Animator/Lead/Supervisor at Double Negative
Gang Trinh is a highly accomplished animation professional with over 20 years of experience in the film industry. Throughout his career, he has worked as an animator, lead animator, and animation supervisor at some of the world’s most renowned visual effects studios, including The Moving Picture Company, Double Negative, Industrial Light & Magic, and Ghost VFX. Gang has contributed to major blockbuster franchises such as Harry Potter, Transformers, Star Wars, Avengers, and Jurassic World, bringing dynamic character performances and high-level technical expertise to large-scale productions.
He served as Animation Supervisor on Avengers: Infinity War, playing a key leadership role in one of the highest-grossing and most technically ambitious films of its time. He also worked as Animation Supervisor on Good Luck, Have Fun, and Don't Die.
