Behind the Scenes: Earlier than I Vanish

INTRODUCTION

Hello everybody! I’m Veronika Varol, a self-taught 3D artist and artwork director dwelling in Antalya, Turkey. I shot my first quick movie after I was 18, throughout my freshman 12 months, and I spotted how a lot I like cinematography, lighting, and mise-en-scène.

Whereas majoring in movie at college, I used to be additionally making an attempt to discover my different talents, so I experimented with varied types of artwork comparable to digital artwork and music manufacturing. Lastly, I made a decision to pursue my desires in 3D artwork because it permits me to regulate each facet of the scene with versatile digicam angles, enabling infinite creativity.

INSPIRATION

I began making this quick movie as my commencement challenge. After a number of conversations with my professor, I initially deliberate the steps within the manufacturing course of. I at all times take heed to music after I have to provide you with new concepts, so whereas listening to my favourite composer, Judah Earl (who would later work on the movie’s music), I had the concept of exploring the theme of ‘being forgotten,’ which is one in every of my fears. This piece of music by Judah Earl resonated with me essentially the most and deeply linked with my worry of “being forgotten,” which in the end sparked the concept:

Being ‘forgotten’ is certainly scary, however the extra I replicate on it, I’ve come to the conclusion that life is about having fun with easy issues, and ‘present’ is already sufficient for me. Similar to my character within the quick movie, who seeks to depart a mark by means of the music from her piano, I additionally needed to make an affect and contact somebody’s coronary heart with this movie. With that message in thoughts, I did my greatest to create a dreamy setting to supply viewers a soothing expertise.

PROCESS

Every part was created in Blender, apart from the enhancing, which was completed utilizing DaVinci Resolve. I additionally used Cubase for the music. Because it was going to be my first time doing 3D modeling and rigging, I spent a complete month studying Blender earlier than I began to create what I had in thoughts.

Modeling and Texturing

First, I modeled a pair of fingers for the primary character. Because it was simple to reference, I used my very own hand as a information. I didn’t need to determine on the scenes earlier than creating the primary components of the movie, so I targeted on modeling a gorgeous hand. I had loads of enjoyable sculpting, and dealing in a digital setting with my mouse felt surprisingly life like, virtually like chiseling with my very own hand. I additionally created an decoration formed like a ‘V,’ the preliminary of my identify, which serves as my hidden signature within the movie and aligns with its title.

Once I was doing the feel portray of the fingers, I did not understand that I wanted to avoid wasting the PNG information individually. In consequence, having to begin from scratch virtually made me need to quit on the very starting of the challenge. The second principal component was the piano, which was simpler as a result of I didn’t must sculpt something for it. 

However I couldn’t have imagined that the actually tough half would come after that.

Rigging

To rig the piano keys, utilizing Python scripting was very useful and labored easily.

For the fingers, I rigged every finger manually by deciding on edge loops and saved adjusting till I achieved the correct motions. “Beeo” was additionally a sponsor for this challenge, offering their hand cream, so a shout out to them!

Posing the Keys and Palms

I needed to pose the keys and fingers after rigging each the fingers and the piano. First, I wanted music for the piano-playing scenes. I believed, why not attain out to the supply of my inspiration, the famend composer Judah Earl? He allowed me to make use of and produce one in every of his items written with Eric Lopes! I copied the hand and key actions from a video of him enjoying the track and did my greatest to synchronize the timing precisely.

Lighting

I used a sky texture and volumetrics within the room scene, with a totally closed dice. The one gentle supply got here from a window to create a sundown impact.

Within the magical forest scene, I initially used volumetrics as nicely, nevertheless it washed out all the colour within the scene and ruined the dreamy look I needed. These are the renders I didn’t use within the movie, and the ultimate temper is captured within the final image:

And under is the movie poster and the ultimate animation.

RENDER: Earlier than I Vanish

Poster of the movie.

Earlier than I Vanish has gained important recognition on the pageant circuit, being formally chosen by a number of prestigious festivals, together with the Raise-Off World Community Classes, Power24 Worldwide Movie Competition, 36 Girona Movie Competition, and Youality Worldwide Quick Movie Competition in 2024. I’m nonetheless awaiting responses from different festivals, so the variety of alternatives is predicted to develop. This success highlights the movie’s affect and resonance throughout the animation neighborhood.

Earlier than I Vanish chosen for a number of festivals

Thanks for studying! Be at liberty to take a look at and join with me on my social media.

In regards to the Artist                       

Veronika Varol is a filmmaker from Antalya, Turkey, who has been honing her craft for the reason that age of 8. She studied Radio, Tv, and Cinema at Akdeniz College and has labored as an artwork director on commercials and quick movies.