Stop Motion Clay Animation for Logo & Character Design | Fiverr Project for Vliering Studio
Hello, friends. I recently completed a clay animation project for Vliering Studio, which I took on via Fiverr. At first glance, it seemed like a straightforward task, but things quickly went off track. During pre-production, misunderstandings arose with the client as I was provided with a very rough storyboard and character design. Without clear instructions or recommendations, I had to improvise to ensure the final product looked polished and professional.
The first major challenge was animating white objects on a white background, which required extensive post-production work. While the text logo issue was resolved using a technique involving shooting on transparent glass over a green background, the character had to be filmed directly against a white background. This required meticulous lighting adjustments to cast deliberate shadows, separating the character from the white background, while preserving its natural shadow details.
I ended up redesigning the character multiple times. The client unexpectedly requested that the plasticine character retain an outline similar to that in the vector storyboard. This redesign process consumed nearly half the allotted project time, which was quite stressful. Communication with the client further complicated matters, as responses, approvals, and revisions took up a significant portion of the work schedule.
To make matters worse, halfway through the project, my city and country experienced massive power grid attacks by the Russian Federation, leading to prolonged power outages. This created additional delays, compounding an already challenging situation.
To overcome these obstacles, I switched to a nocturnal work schedule, allowing the client ample time during the day to review and approve progress. Additionally, I requested and was granted a 4-day extension, which enabled me to deliver the project without significant delays.
Despite all the challenges, the project was completed and delivered. The stress likely affected the client as well, as I received a four-star review for my work on Fiverr. I consider this fair, though I had hoped for five stars since this was only my second order.
Moving forward, I plan to treat all pre-production tasks as a separate and essential part of the job. These tasks will be outlined as additional work distinct from animation itself. I will also request clear instructions, animatics, and detailed storyboards from clients to avoid misunderstandings and save time.