Fighter Recall and Docking Animation - WIP

Thrilled to post this! This is a personal milestone, as this is my first fully original animation from the ground up. The carrier, fighter, set dressing, animation and camera movement were all from scratch, and the only exceptions are the placeholder characters (courtesy of Mixamo), just there to add a bit more life to the scene.

Obviously, there's still a lot of work to do, so this is more of a "blocking shot" with some frills. The main focuses for this part of the project were playing with different lighting areas and different angles, and starting to work with physicalizing the weight of the fighter as it touches down on the docking platform.

I'll probably post a more refined version at a later date, as a huge percentage of the set dressing is still very default and bare - I mean, there isn't a single texture in this thing, just flat colors. Anyway, thanks for checking this out, and follow for more! Very open to feedback/criticism.

More IBIS-Class: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/OoAg1w

More Carrier content: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/18AR3Z

Test animation depicting the fighter recall procedure for this carrier. The camera pans outside of the maintenance bay to the mouth of the hangar, where an IBIS-class decelerates and initiates docking protocol, retracting into the bowels of the carrier.

Here's a second angle to get a better view of the docking clamp. (1/2)

Here's a second angle to get a better view of the docking clamp. (2/2)

BONUS #1: Here's the very first test render I did of this scene! As you can see, I completely forgot to light the inner hangar... at all. Not that there was much to see at this point.

BONUS #2 - Yeah, this is not a well composed or lit shot, I agree with ya'. But, I wanted to include it in case anyone missed the two crewmen walking across the deck in the background of the animation. Thanks for sticking around to the end, also!