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John Stone: My First 3D Animated Short

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Timeline

2014 – Liège, Belgium

Role

Creator, Animator, Technical Problem-Solver

Project Overview

The Challenge

As part of my Travail de Fin d’Études (TFE) in Liège, Belgium, I had six months to produce a complete 3D animation project from scratch. With no prior experience in 3D software, I needed to learn industry-standard tools like 3D Studio Max and Maya while simultaneously building a fully realized character and environment.

The Solution

I immersed myself in online courses and classroom training, quickly gaining proficiency in 3D Studio Max (my primary tool) and Maya (used for prototypes). Starting from a written script, I developed sketches, character concepts, a storyboard, and an animatic before moving into the full production pipeline: modeling, texturing, lighting, rigging, animation, and post-production.

I experimented with Nuke for compositing but ultimately assembled the final scene in After Effects, ensuring a polished result.

Key Achievements

  • Complete Production Pipeline: Learned and executed every stage of 3D animation, from concept to final render.
  • Custom Character Creation: Designed and animated an original character within a large-scale environment.
  • Technical Innovation: Developed a mathematical function to achieve a slow-motion effect by spacing frames while maintaining a constant fps.
  • Resilience Under Pressure: Overcame hardware failure when my laptop was damaged, purchasing a replacement on a tight student budget and continuing rendering locally.
  • Recognition: Selected as the best work in my class for 2014, surpassing peers in scope and technical execution.

The Design Journey

Learning Curve

With no prior knowledge of 3D animation, I had to master complex tools in record time. Online courses and hands-on practice allowed me to progress from basic modeling to advanced rigging and animation.

Creative Development

John Stone – Character Concepts
Storyboard
Animatic

The project began with traditional storytelling techniques—scriptwriting, sketching, and storyboarding—before evolving into digital production. This ensured a strong narrative foundation for the animation.

3D model of the environment, made in 3D Studio Max

Technical Challenges

  • Hardware Failure: Losing a week of work due to water damage forced me to adapt quickly and optimize my workflow on a new laptop.
  • Environment Optimization: The large-scale scene required careful management of textures and meshes to maintain performance.
  • Slow-Motion Effect: By calculating a custom function in a spreadsheet, I achieved a smooth slow-motion sequence without compromising frame rate consistency.

Post-Production

While Nuke provided valuable experimentation, After Effects became the final compositing tool, allowing me to integrate all elements into a cohesive 40-second animation.

Results & Impact

  • Delivered a complete 40-second 3D animation with an original character and environment.
  • Recognized as the top project of the year in my class.
  • Established a foundation in 3D animation that later informed my creative and technical projects.
  • Demonstrated the ability to combine storytelling, technical innovation, and resilience under real-world constraints.

Lessons Learned

  • Mastering new tools under pressure is possible with structured learning and persistence.
  • Technical setbacks can become opportunities to innovate and optimize workflows.
  • Storytelling remains the backbone of animation, even when working with complex software.
  • A strong narrative combined with technical execution can elevate a student project into professional-level work.