Casting

This was the very first animation exercise I completed during the second year of the 3D animation course at Mohole school in Milan, between the end of 2023 and January 2024.

The assignment was simple on paper: create a short film of about one minute with a lamp as the protagonist. I decided to imagine what a Pixar-style casting session might look like, auditioning lamps for the iconic Pixar intro.

I handled everything from scratch: modeling, rigging, animation, texturing, rendering, and post-production.
I had been learning animation in Maya for a year, and this was the first time I approached full character interaction. What made it especially challenging was designing and building the main rig myself.
Creating a believable mechanical deformation — especially for the springs and joints of a desk lamp — pushed me into unfamiliar territory. But I learned a lot.
This project also marked a shift from procedural materials to textured assets, allowing me to explore visual detail in a more artistic way.

Looking back now, I can clearly see its limitations, but it remains a turning point — the project where I truly realized how passionate I am about animation.

🔗