Atherosclerosis - Blood Vessel

Here is one of the latest things I have been working on - Atherosclerosis. This takes place in one of the coronary vessels of the heart. I would consider this a "second stage" animatic, as the first stage was something I was ashamed to post even here.

In any case, this was done in Maya. I used a basic particle system for the blood, with a rotating erythrocyte instanced onto the particles - with a uniform field, a turbulence field, and a radial field also affecting the particles. They still have some self collision issues that need to be worked out, obviously. I attempted to use the work around of having each particle generate a radial field, but while that partially works... it also causes the blood to be very jumpy in parts.

I also feel that the turbulence field may be turned up too high, and the rotation of each individual erythrocyte needs to be slowed down a bit. I had to use a trap function of the turbulence to stop the particles from intersecting with the blood vessel wall, despite the "make collide" feature being activated. The GeoConnectors may have some issues associated with them right now that require further research.

The vessel distorts with the use of a blend shape. Obviously, this is not the final texture. However, it did show me that the texture may stretch when I apply it to the vessel wall. I'm wondering if a texture morph may work better, if Maya even does that. I know 3DsMax does, but I haven't tried it in Maya yet.

The background was just a quick fill so it wasn't just floating in space. It was added in AfterEffects without a lot of tweaking, so it doesn't quite match the camera. When the final animation is finished, the actual heart will be composited into the background with the correct camera moves. White blood cells and platelets will also be added, hopefully with a 'liquidy' effect as well. I plan on doing some research to ensure the scale is correct between the vessel wall and the blood elements, as it is a coronary vessel and a bit smaller than say.. the aorta.

I would appreciate any thoughts or comments as I work this video out.

Travis Vermilye

Travis Vermilye is a talented medical illustrator with a wonderful animation ability.

Bio: He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Medical and Biological Illustration from the University of Michigan and is experienced in multiple areas ranging from 2D traditional illustration to 3D animation and graphics to physical modeling and sculpture. In addition, he has worked with Medical Modeling LLC in Golden Colorado creating company websites, illustrations and photography as well as research and development of new medical products and devices. He has been involved in the creation of anatomical models, illustrations and animations derived from medical image data for the surgical planning of more than 20 cases of conjoined twins. His work has been shown on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Dateline NBC and Discovery Health as well as international magazines, e-zines and publications. He is a Professional Member of The The Association of Medical Illustrators. He is also involved with local museums such as The Denver Museum of Nature and Science via donated work and illustration.


Demo Reel: click here for higher quality



Image Examples:


website

Inner Life of a Cell

Okay, here is a set of videos that we can all live to shoot for. Biovisions with Harvard finished this lovely rendition of the Inner Life of a Cell. I love the depth of space accomplished within this video. Also, it's interesting as to when a fade-to-black, a cross-fade, or a zoom is used during the video. Some of the choices I don't necessarily agree with, but how the shots are divided vs. what type of fade used can be intriguing. The lighting used really highlights the area that is in focus, whether by spot-lighting, back-lighting, or a combination of depth of field and a lighting technique.

The long video has a great golgi apparatus - very fluid and floaty. It also has an interesting take on the fusion of the vesicle to cell membrane. Rather than actually showing the fusion, it has a shape change that alludes to the fact that something joined. At one point, vesicles are budding off of a surface as well, but far in the background. What can be really nice, is that something new catches your eye almost every time it is viewed.

It was created in LightWave 3D and Adobe After Effects.

"The idea with this was to make something different, and there was definitely an effort to make it as cinematic as we could.

In some instances, that meant sacrificing literal accuracy for visual effect. “What we did in some cases, with the full support of the Harvard team, was subtly change the way things work,” Liebler says. “The reality is that all that stuff that’s going on in each cell is so tightly packed together that if we were to put every detail into every shot, you wouldn’t be able to see the forest for the trees or know what you were even looking at. One of the most common things we did, then, was to strip it apart and add space where there isn’t really that much space.”

And a shorter, "demo reel," version. (higher quality option)




High Res version with a good article.

Submersible Anamatic

Okay, this is the much anticipated (if anyone - other than Nia - is actually reading this) submersible anamatic. Which translates into "really rough animation." An anamatic is a way to get the basic movements of your story down. So, I knew I needed the crane to lift the sub, for it to move through the water, and then the scene on the floor of the ocean. Some of the movements aren't quite right (such as the fish, some of the crane movements, etc.), but the intent is there.

At this phase, your client can look at what you are producing and really start to cut or add scenes. Hopefully not add, really. It's better to be working from multiple shots and cutting down to what you want. A major difference between movie-making and animation is the editing process. Movies will shoot more than they need and then par it down after it is all said and done. Animation will try and nail down their scenes in the storyboard phase, if not the anamatic phase. Time is most certainly money in animations, usually by the second. So, you really only want to produce your final product.

Movements should be critiqued (i.e. those fish are stilted, try to work in more variety of motion paths; that crane shouldn't jerk like that, it needs a greater feeling of weight). At this point, something that was just in your head is now in a format that other people can give an opinion to. And opinions should be sought after. So, tell me what you think! (and let me know I'm not just talking to myself, cause I do that quite a bit)

Mousetrap

Wow, it's been a while since I thought to actually begin blogging. More than a year, really. Such big hopes...

Well, now I actually have nearly daily things that I am working on, so I should be able to post a couple of times of week. Hopefully.

To kick things off, I thought I would post the first video we did as a homework assignment in the Maya II class I'm in. As a graduate student in a undergrad class, it's has been quite interesting. Mostly, I think I feel old. Which is strange, for I really am not that much older than the students in that class - perhaps it is their expectations and whatnot. In any case, I am thoroughly enjoying the class.




This was built using the dynamics system in Maya. Utilizing constraints, gravity, active and passive rigid bodies, and so forth, this animation took shape. The task of not actually animating anything, but allowing the physics system to work it out instead was quite the chore. I ended up baking everything in at the end of the animation and editing a few keys, so the render ran more smoothly, and didn't take 15 years. The textures are just things I threw on the objects in a few seconds. Literally. Even the objects themselves are highly simplified in hopes of speeding the physics engine up as it worked in real time.

In any case, I actually am posting now. What joy.