This week was a big step forward for my project. I shared my storyboard with Serra, and she gave me really helpful feedback. She suggested I explore the concept of glitch feminism, which is quite well-known in creative and academic circles. Serra said that combining glitch feminism with my idea of identity would make the message of my work much clearer and easier for people to understand. Before this, I felt a little unsure about how to communicate my concept visually, but learning about glitch feminism gave me a fresh perspective.
Glitch feminism talks about how systems of power shape identity, and it uses the idea of a “glitch” — a disruption or error — as a metaphor for breaking free and rewriting who we are. This idea really resonated with me because my project is about the tension between being your true self and fitting into society’s expectations. Using glitches in my animation felt like the perfect way to show that struggle — the way identity can break, change, and transform.
After this, I started looking up words that describe the character’s personality and feelings, like rebellious, stubborn, sensitive, restless, anxious, impulsive, and outspoken. These words help me figure out how the character should move and express themselves, so the animation feels real and connected to the story.
However, I ran into a challenge finding a 3D character model that really fit my idea. I wanted something that matched the theme and the vibe of my project, but couldn’t find the right one on my own. Then, after talking with my classmate Arpit, we decided to collaborate. Arpit was working on sculpting a 3D model for this assignment and planned to rig it later. His model matched my project’s vision, so this collaboration felt like a great solution.
Now, instead of working alone, we’re combining our skills. I’m focusing on the environment and overall direction, while Arpit will work on the character sculpting, rigging, and animation.
This collaboration feels really promising. Serra’s feedback plus working with Arpit has given me a clearer direction for the project. Our next steps are to finish the environment and the character, then come together to animate and texture everything so it feels cohesive and unified. We want the look and feel to be consistent across the board so that the story flows smoothly and emotionally.
Apart from that, I was also experimenting with Booleans on my text in Maya to create a steps environment that will act as a base for the chess board.
