TRAINWRECK
LOOP
Software Used:
Cinema 4D
Redshift
After Effects
Design Challenge
I created a short 5–15 second looping 3D animation for social media. It features a smooth loop with a surprising glitch in the middle, but still loops seamlessly. The goal is to make it fun and rewatchable, with audio that enhances the effect. I also took the opportunity and added a technical challenge to push the animation further.
Mere Exposure Effect
Repetitive movement and predictable patterns create a sense of safety and calm for the brain. This ties into the “mere exposure effect,” which explains why we tend to enjoy things more the more we see or hear them, making repeated sounds or visuals feel especially satisfying. The “mere exposure effect” is the idea that when a pattern or movement is familiar, it makes the viewer feel more comfortable and at ease with what they’re seeing.
Research
The Loop
These are smooth, repeating animations that look pleasing and relaxing. They use patterns and motion to create a sense of calm and are popular in digital art and social media.
The Physical Contraption
There’s something captivating about the movement of a wooden craft when it animates. The turning of gears, the shifting of parts, the smooth, deliberate motion, all driven by simple mechanics. It's precise and satisfying to watch, a clear result of thoughtful design and craftsmanship.
Credits:
Design and Animators: Hailey McMahon
Sound Design: Kelly Warner
Concept
The Music Box
The concept draws inspiration from real-life contraptions, aligning naturally with a 3D realistic rendering style.
Viewers are already familiar with the motion of a hand, the mechanics of a piano, and the way machines function through physical logic. What catches them off guard is the abrupt halt in the music box's tune before the song reaches its end.
Storyboard
Understanding Movement
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Understanding movement starts with knowing the anatomy. I researched the proper joints and scaling of the human hand before setting up my rig.
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Before starting my animation, I needed reference of a hand playing a piano. I found that using reference for a prosthetic hand was more accurate than using an organic one.
Physical Rig
Physical Rig for Reference
Juansebastian Hincapie testing out the RigAfter speaking with my art director, he guided me in the direction of building a physical model to experiment with the movement of how the rig interacts with the hand. Using multiple test subjects, I had a much better comprehension of how the fingers would play piano.
Andrew Han Experimenting with the Rig
Technical process; Hand RigFirst step of the process was learning to rig a hand by testing it on basic shapes using spheres and cylinders.
Technical process; Motion TestI tested the rig with a simple motion test to see how to make a smooth overlap and follow through motion with the fingers.
Technical Execution
Now comes the challenge of the machine rig. I used an IK Rig to connect the fingers onto a rod that will spin with the music box wheel, without having to animate the individual fingers
Technical Process; Applying Rig to ModelWhen applying to the model, the rig didn’t fit the proper movement of a hand and the finger would detach from the palm. By changing the location of the rigged nulls from the fore finger, to the knuckle joint, the finger no longer detached. After the rig was set up, all I had to do was animate the rotation of the wheel and the fingers animated with it.
Technical Process; Testing Machine Rig
Technical Process; Applying Rig with Spinning MechanismThe next step was to parent the rig to the wheel without the whole model spinning with its rotation. After several failed attempts, I learned that the rig need to be parented to the wheel and not the model itself being paired.
Technical Process; Testing Animation with KeysAbove is an example of a close-up on how the keys interact with the fingers making contact with them.
Process Breakdown of Rig and Model Rig Breakdown
Final Deliverable
Final Product Audio Execution
For the audio, I worked with sound designer, Kelly Warner, to personalize the piano notes. I used foley sounds to add extra background sound effects to create layers of realism in the final sound.
Final Mock Up