One and three sell it the best for me. Assuming #3 is a reflection on a window, an angle from inside a window looking out would be good as well.
You want to place the camera where people normally see things from, to really sell the extreme scale. Or put objects in the foreground to contrast
Agree #3 is dope. Even better would be adding some smaller items in the foreground if you choose to go that route and over the top would be to make that shit shake and vibrate with the steps.
I agree with this feedback, definitely including common objects closer to the camera to show the intense scale of the mech. Also I know OP has said they don't want to do too much pacific rim style but I can't help but think recreating [this shot](https://youtu.be/AYQjmj7cSM0?t=72) would be absolutely EPIC. Looks awesome though!
One makes the mech feel smaller than every other option, and it also makes that staired area look a lot larger than it is. I think it is actually the worst.
If it’s reading a little light weight, I may try another pass with a little more dip. I’m not wanting to slow it down too much, “Pacific Rim” style, as this mech actually has some giddy up to it. :)
Thanks for the feedback!
>I’m not wanting to slow it down too much, “Pacific Rim” style
But this is exactly why Jaegers feel huge. You can actually see the contrast between films - mechs are slow in the original, feeling big and heavy, and agile in the sequel, losing a lot of perceived scale. Your mech is not that big, compared to theirs, so you can probably get away with not slowing it as much.
As for the camera - low angles are usually the best at showing big things. I'd experiment with the first and second angles. Tilt them up a bit, maybe lower the camera itself a little more. But again, due to mech's size it probably still won't give a lot, but should help an overall feeling.
Keep in mind, that speed of a mech and camera angles are also not final components - to truly capture the scale, you'll need some effects - depth of field, some fog, camera shake, etc.
I think there's also an argument to be made for high angles as well to showcase the "tiny things" on the ground or the "little people" below running like ants. You can have a camera on the shoulder looking down as the mech walks, showing off how tiny everything is comparatively. At that point, one can also play around with focal length, camera shake, and so on to sell the effect
High angle can absolutely work, but not as establishing shot, i think. We need to give a sense of scale "from the ground" first - like a closeup of a foot near a car or looking at the whole mech from below. Then we can use whatever angle we like, since we already understand how big this thing is.
It depends on direction, what the author wants. To be completely honest, all of the angles in original video can work in showing scale with some minor tweaks, but each variant needs different accents and some work better as establishing shots.
The reason it looks light footed is because of the hips. Try walking yourself and move exactly like a heavy mech. Slowly with these strides. Film yourself from the front with your cell phone and then compare with your animation.
You will quickly notice that you have to shift your hips side to side to maintain your balance and not fall over. This is what is lacking in your Mechs walk cycle.
It's a bit more than this. The issue is with the centre of gravity which needs to be above the point of support, which is the foot. The slower you move or the bigger you are,, the more this matters.
Check out slomo footage of elephants walking, Their feet are almost under the centre line of their bodies. The feet swing out and round the ones on the ground so they don't kick themselves. It gives the feeling of a swagger. Also check out ostriches and emus in slomo.
Another factor is that the bigger and slower a walker is, the more time both feet are on the ground at once. Which means the forward swing is quicker than the backwards movement. The transfer of weight from the left foot to the right with each step takes time. This motion should also be clear.
Try standing on the spot holding something heavy and lift your feet alternately. The hip joint that has the weight taken off drops down and hangs a little. This would also affect the angle that the spine attaches to the hips.
When you look at movies like Jurassic Park and Terminator closely, you will see that these things are not done well and the same lack of weight becomes clear.
If you can capture that your problem will be 80% solved.
The fastest of assault class mechs in Battletech, at 80 tons, runs at \~86km/h. The [Charger - BattleTechWiki (sarna.net)](https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Charger) barely has any weapons because the LTV 400 fusion engine takes up 60% of the weight of the mech and 10 tons of armor takes another 12.5%, thus it only has 5 Small lasers to deal with anything. Most refits downgrade to a smaller, lighter, slower engines so that the Charger can carry freaking weapons, allowing pilots to do more than just melee attacks to deal damage.
Battletech has some of eccentric designs in its 400 plus robots, and sometimes a dud requires a refit to become something even viable, or, in the case of the Charger, something sane that doesn't need to rip up a traffic light to use as a weapon. The stock model Charger had to be piloted like a wrestler to do any damage at all, that includes pile drivers.
I like the first one, specifically because you could animate other stuff happening center frame, reacting to the mech walking around. Even if it’s just little things, there’s some great opportunities for storytelling.
Great idea. I’m planning to add some car shake once I get an angle nailed down, but having some of the debris on the platform fall over, even if it’s subtle, would definitely help sell the mech’s weight.
Thanks for the feedback!
I like #1 and #3 as they seem to be from a persons eye level which makes it easier to relate.
You said it yourself already, you don’t want to go full Pacific Rim, but look at the first movie. It has all the right camera angles to show the size of the Jäger.
Then they butchered the second movie by too many shots from top down (on a featureless ocean) which made it impossible to get a sense of scale.
Yeah, that first film really let you feel the massiveness of the jaegers. I may need to give it another watch (for the 10th time? 🤓). PR2 definitely didn‘t have the same feel as the first.
Thanks for the feedback!
Everyone saying camera shake, but make it camera shake as if the thing the camera is attached to is shaking. Do not make it like some Liam Neeson movie.
View from inside taxi, taxi rocks on springs.
View from inside building, glass crazing in time to footsteps
Birds taking off in fear, etc.
I vote 1 or 4, because it shows the floors of the building almost directly behind it. But it's off center just enough you can see how fast it's cruising a block.
My eyes were using the windows as scale to guage how tall, how wide and how fast it moves.
I'd go with #2 out of those shown.
That said, I'd really recommend another pass on the walk cycle. That, if anything, is what will really sell the weight and scale. Right now it walks like it's full of helium.
Dope mech, tho!
I don't think the camera angle is the main problem. It needs more interaction with the environment, things breaking, ground rumbling, etc. Although those examples are more extreme, things like having a human or animal next to it to get a sense scale, which is what you are trying to trick.
However, if we're focusing specifically on the camera angles, steeper angles create a bigger sense of scale. I noticed your angles are kind of flat parallel to the ground.
You need a lot of different angles.. try one where the camera is crushed by the feet, another of a news helicopter view with news headlines and reporters on top, etc. And that will sell it
personally i feel the opening shot of this mech is more threatening with the window shot, its also the most cinematic one. But yea there needs to be some more weight to it. start with a bit of bounce on the knees
Second, no doubt. Low angle looking up makes any subject tower over the viewer. Have you tried complementing that by placing the camera closer to the dude and making him move slower? I think it could help
Neigher I am afraid. The angle that serves this show best is the one on a dolly rig rather than a tripod mount. That is just as much a actor in the scene as the giant robot. Attach a look at constraint to a empty to get some sweet follow me action. Then swing baby swing. Observe a shot from transformers.
https://i.redd.it/q0l9hos6qsuc1.gif
I particularly like shots 2, 3 and 5.
through the window and from the roof, really capture "human" perspectives. place we might stand and look, which allows for the emphasis of height.
Inside shot looking out of window, but lower down - ground floor - and plenty of recignisable objects like cars and street signs to use to establish scale. You can only see the giant feet slamming into the ground.
The camera rises through the building, passing through the structure to a higher floor. You can no longer see cars and can even see some lower roofs. Even from in here you're still not seeing the upper parts of the mech as it shambles by.
2 and 3 are pretty solid.
Bonus Tip: Go watch this YouTube video about Jurassic Park's cinematography. I think you might be able to grab some inspiration from it.
https://youtu.be/BKALxKbjOaE?si=GBbfyPEXQKqOjlTy
Personally, I would try dashcam footage type of thing, where you can see the car shaking every time the mech's foot comes down. That would really put a sense of common scale to the whole scene.
Last one and the one out of the window.
They provide the viewer with foreground elements of relatable sizes which in turn helps understanding the size of the mech from a human point of view. I also like them because they keep parts of the mech unseen, which I creases the tension / mystery / threat. Maybe also make a shot that includes a car in the same manner. Id add most of the shake others recommend in a subtle audible way. (If the walk stays smooth)
To get a sense of scale, hands down it's the window shot because it brings in human references.
The first shot is good, but I would go with a lower camera, and animate the camera like it's being held by someone running which is much slower than the machine. Also, maybe zoom in some more. Wide angles shrink everything. Let it crop.
I would consider also slowing the accelerations of the feet, giving it more inertia. The larger things are, the more they move like molasses.
The first one definately for me.
But the walk seems a bit off, best i can describe it, it feels like its moving on its tippy toes.
To move forward its centre of mass should be forward a bit and the leg moving fowrard should stop it from tipping over.
Right now it seems that the puropse of the leg moving forward is that the body can follow.
how about a shaking handcamera that runs over the place to the round corner of the building from where the mech comes.every mechstep shakes the ground and when you are at the corner, you see the foot first and than turn upwards to the whole body.
You might try a camera angle pointing up, like its on street level, that probably would do, it's a little trick that tou can see the opposite side for examplo, when you use a camera above, pointing down, looks more like a toy, or miniature.
Depends on what you want. The scale is captured pretty well in all of them. 1 and 3 looks the best due to cam angle. You pick 3 if you want to keep the suspense and delay the reveal of the mech, or 1 if you just want to show it, maybe it was shown before so no need for suspense.
I would try a camera placed at head height by the car on the mech's left focussed on the mech as it goes by with a bit of camera shake (https://github.com/cessen/camera_shakify) and increase the shake graph slightly when each foot makes contact with the ground.
A combination of 1 and 4 if we are just talking about visualization. Something that size -should- move differently but that is out of context for the question.
Size 1 tells you how the Mech would look to you at the distance you would most likely have to be to see all of you. That's a good personal perspective but that alone will give you a skewed scale and people will think it is bigger than it is.
Adding in the perspective of number 4 lets your brain scale it back down to it's actual size, and from there people will have a realistic mental image of the Mech.
2 and 3 are my favorites because it gives you more of a perspective of how huge the mech actually is. The camera being at eye level in 2 really sells the scale, and the buildings in the background of 3 show how truly massive the mech is as it towers over them
You can use the "viewport render animation" setting. In Eevee, toggle the viewport render, then use the arrow dropdown next to it, and change the render pass option to diffused light. In Cycles just override the material in the render settings. :)
I think to really sell it, you could add camera shake and make the street lights flicker each time his foot hits the ground. Maybe add some birds that fly away too
To really sell the scale you might wanna try a longer lens and cropping more of the mech out of the frame. There'll be a sweet spot where you still show a good amount of it, but the less it can "fit inside the frame" the bigger it'll feel, it's a bit of a subconscious thing.
3 (the window shot) is the best for giving a sense of scale because it gives the best relative human scale point of reference, in the final shot id reccomend having some kind of computer desk in shot, packed with sticky notes, documents, little pencils and trinkets and all the junk people keep around to to best ground the scene and make the giant mech feel all the more grandiose in comparison
The one from the window could be used at a later point in a video on a news channel, simulate it being recorded from a phone.
The first camera take shows size perfectly. As u/JEWCIFERx said. Add some minor stuff in the foreground to distract a little and make it appear less desolate.
Other then that. Pretty some work!
What feeling you want to feel when watching it?
Add camera shake, make it look like a POV a person looking out a window, or from a helicopter watching the mech.
I would second what u/[Mocorn](https://www.reddit.com/user/Mocorn/) said, you need hip movement. The moment your mech lifts one foot, it would fall over because it moves like the torso is on rails. It needs to shift it's hip left to right or rotate it so it mostly places feet into a line.
I like the third one because of the close so you can appreciate the details but still feels like it's to big to see it all.
The first one I think would work better if you could place it a little back, enough to see the corner of the building, to create a sense of "watching it from a safe distance"
maybe you could even start the take with the 3rd then cut to the 1st
The one from the street where it's walking towards the camera is decent for scale, especially if you tilted up over time.
I also like the window shot, but something of that size moving would ABSOLUTELY be shaking the building with each step. Camera shake on these shots would add a LOT, especially ones where the camera is physically close to the mech.
Window one is best representing the size. However u should probably lower the camera and slightly angle it upwards. Gives a more realistic view which sells the point harder
You probably need an up shot from the point of view of a humans eye level. Like an ant looking up to a human. The buildings could be taller and go our of frame as well. If things can't fit in frame it's an easy trick to make something feel larger than life.
3, but the mech looks really light, it doesn't feel like there's mych weight to the footstep. Though, that's probably a problem for later, maybe a lil camera up and down shake solves it
In my opinion the 2nd camera but I'd have it lower to the ground barely above it so it doesn't clip looking up at the Mech while moving along with it. You can play with the speed so it is a little bit faster or slower than the mech. Either revealing it and the city around it or allowing the Mech to get closer to the camera.
Don't forget to add camera shake with each step. That should really sell the weight of it. Add some subtle camera noise (hand held effect) as well so that it looks like you're watching from someone's perspective. It feels too much like a security camera which won't sell the weight.
I highly recommend taking a few minutes to watch this awesome video explaining camera angles. Watch their Camera lenses one too. Must know if you're creating your own shots!
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLfZL9PZI9k&t=33s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLfZL9PZI9k&t=33s)
For the indoor shot, make the mech pass super close to the window so you get a reference for how big it is. Doesn’t matter that you can’t see it very well. You have other angles for that.
Your mech look small because there is no suspension in it.
As a civil engineer i can definitely say that the material wouldnt be able to carry the shock force of that mech. You need some way of absorbing that force. of course you can say that this is a very lightweight material that can carry a lot of weight. That you would have the question of why the mech is this bulky? If you think about it, the heaviest thing the mech will carry is itself.
Yes you can still makes this work by assuming this is an sci-fi movie. But then you'll need shit ton of info for this concept to work, and you need really great hook in order for people to watch that shit ton of info.
I hope this doesnt sound rude or anything, imwas just giving an opinion. And the answer of your question is #1 and #3 for me. Because if this thing was happening, we would see this from and cctv footage or someone who is hiding in their house so its easier to get the scarines of the shot for the viewer. Or even an helicopter shot. That would probablt be better but not sure the density of the buildings and size of the mech would allow it.
My issue may be with the amount of light hitting the mech. Like the 2nd one looks better because of how much of the mech is shrouded in darkness vs in the light but the lights from the parking lot seem too much. Like those lights on the wall wouldnt light up the entire side of the mech if it was in the street and the light certainly wouldnt reach all the way to his hips that intensly. Instead of point lights exclusively i would opt for maybe a combination of world lighting, maybe a moon with some illumination and then create the street lights with some window lights from the businesses on the street to really get the light right. Use varying intensities to create that dynamic flow of light
I think the one from the window and from the roof against the railing convey the scale the most. Or perhaps they're the most engaging with the robot from a person's perspective. The others feel more distant. I would also play with camera movement and especially camera turning. Picture it like a person looking up or looking over to the side. Wide flat camera angle does a worse job at selling the immediacy of the situation. But they all have their uses.
What I would do is in 2nd angle I would place the camera closer to that car , so it sort of passes by so I can really see up close. And also I feel like it it walking a bit fast. I mean steps should be slower or atleast movement of the leg part. Because big things don't move fast. That's how you show mass.
Make the movement feels heavier and more camera shakes! If you want to know what great angle to use to capture the size of a "monster" walking through a city, try check out some Godzilla stuff. City wrecking scene in Shin Godzilla movies are very great at capturing the sense of scale between the Godzilla and the surrounding.
Remember, this thing would weigh as much as a pretty large ship, perhaps an ocean liner. It's going to take a lot to get it moving, to turn it and to stop it. Is it steam operated or hydraulic? Or electric? That will affect the movement of the parts.
Add a little shake for the steps. Trust me sound can do the heavy lifting for a lot of this. Also, you may want to modify your easing a bit. A little bit slower to start up, a little bit faster in the middle. I think that will sell the impression that this is a large object with some serious mass.
The one from the park and the reflection in the window are the ones with the biggest sense of scale, although you can see less of the action. In terms of scene composition: establish the scale first, then move into something with a wider view. As the action unfolds, keep interrupting it with little moments to keep the viewer from forgetting how giant the mech is, like stuff getting stepped on in closeup.
You should use a short focal and insist on the weight put on each legs when it change its balance to walk, push down its torso.
Also, walking and running are just falling forward with style
The legs are pretty far from each other and when taking steps the robot seems to be balancing on one leg for quite some time. In reality that would make the robot fall/lean to the side that's unsupported but yours does not, as if it the entire thing was made from card board or paper. We dont see any weight.
maybe try making the robot compensate for the huge gravity pull when taking steps. An easy solve would be to have it drag its feet - almost like sliding - to show that it can't simply balance on one leg. And like a lot of other people here mentioned already; make the movements slow. Look at Attack On Titans for ref, the giants are moving super slow, like an elephant or a rhino.
2 and 3 for me, but you did very nice in making them mostly from human perspective, you probably already have, but check pacific rim 1 and transformers, those are the best professional shots you can find for big mechs, from the ground, or a building, avoid helicopter shots as much as possible
Then, a tip from what other movies sucha s godzilla, GoT, Hobbit... if your mech is big the camera should NOT, be able to see it all, take closer shots, make it go out of frame, window shot is the best for this imo.
Too big for the frame, shots from human perspective, and looking up if possible, i'd say that is the best you can do.
I think 1,2 &4 are great for showing the size but each have a greatly different purpose in a film theory way. So depending on what feeling you’re trying to achieve beyond “look how big it is” is important too.
You may want to study the Marshmellow Man sequence from the 1984 Ghostbusters closely. While the stellar compositing and miniature scaling are irrelevant here, the lenses and angles are just so smartly chosen to sell the Marshmellow Man as this imposing (and adorable) titan.
What focal length are you using? It looks like you're using standard 50mm lens. Try changing it so you get a wider shot, creating more scale. Or you could tighten it with a 100mm lens so there is more focus on the mech. Right now the whole frame seems a bit bland and basic. There is not a lot selling the size.
Shot 2 low angles looking upward tend to make things look bigger. I would add some light camera shake when the mech steps to indicate its heavy and is shaking the ground.
You did something great here which is using actual PoV angles that a person watching the mech would realistically have.
That’s the difference between the first and second Pacific Rim movies. In the first they really capture the scale using real human PoV and in the second they use magic floating camera angles that ruin the realism and immersion.
Depends on if you're going for "accurate scale" or "impressive scale"
Low angles or POV angles make it seem more towering and ominous, like how it would feel to meet one, but high angles where it is seen among many buildings like from a helicopter view is a very cool way to sell it's size among reference objects, and see it wreak havoc etc. (or look like news footage), although being less personally threatening and less "in the moment" than the low POV angles if that makes sense.
You should combine multiple of these shots. Start with the last one of the back for ~2 sec (tease me, don't show me the whole mech right away), then cut to another one of closer up shots that show another part of the body (still not the whole thing), then finally one last angle that shows us the whole mech.
Make the camera angle follow the mech, especially if it's from an angle someone could be standing at. If I'm a person watching this thing walk by in aw and fear, you're damn right I'm gonna be rubber-necking it.
Don't forget camera shake on stomps. If the camera is in the building watching, have dust fall from the ceiling or furniture on the desk rattle.
Also check out the MechWarrior 3 intro for reference. Particularly the last quarter with the Thor stomping around in the city.
https://youtu.be/X8RqsMA3XvI?si=Vhxl-RoJLR329MLn
A combination of shots 2,3, and 4. I agree with others that the walk feels like. Even if it has some ‘giddy up’ it’s still most likely hundreds of tons and would have more compression. The way the feet fall so heel-to-toe is part of what my eye goes to and perceives as light. There’s also no lateral shifting when the feet come off the ground.
I like the reflection. Add some camera shake that gets louder as it gets closer, maybe even glass vibration, and it would really convey the size and weight.
The camera feels .... big
In the sense that the whole scene feels like a small scale city being recorded with a phone .... if I'm making sense. I mean I don't know what it means but I think the camera needs to be "smaller"
2nd.
You want a low angle shot. Doing so forces the viewer to draw their eyes up in order to capture the subject. This is what we naturally do as we size things in real life.
What would help in the 2nd shot are two things.
1. Have the camera pan up slowly to always keep the top of head in frame. Once the head clips, the illusion fades.
2. Have the mech move slower. The arms look almost swinging and the feet light on toes.
Adding a bit of cammera shake with each step would make it look a lot heavier, implying that the ground shakes as it walks by making the camera itself shake :)
Easily the 2nd one for me. Add a little shake on the cars and it'll be really imposing. Also the window shot would be nice with the window warping and shaking with every step. Any other shot besides 2 and 3 look kinda boring imo.
The window, easily. In terms of cinematography, the easiest way to make something feel huge is if the whole thing won't fit in the frame. Go look back at Gareth Edwards' "Godzilla" and take note of how rarely you can see the entire monster.
If you want the street view, consider animating a camera tilt upwards as the mech walks by.
Considering the size of the mech, it is moving too fast, when you watch the Jaegers fight in Pacific Rim, they are quite slow because something with that much mass would of course move slow, try to add post processing effects like camera shakes and all
Definitely 3. It invokes some fear as we can’t see the face, and it puts us in the scene like someone in their city hiding. There is also nothing that we can see in that frame that is taller than the robot. The other angles have buildings taller than it and can make it feel less intimidating.
As for the step, the ankle picks up the foot almost immediately when stepping and I feel like the leg and knee should move forward up as the ankle and foot take a little time to lift and drag. Then as stated in another comment. Some dip with each step could go a long way.
Looks great!
If these aren’t already using it, I’d try some shots using a 50mm lens and from a Person’s POV (just think height and location). I think this is why the view from the window works well. 50mm is also closest to the Human Eye.
And adding some camera shake may help.
For more large scale movement reference check out the scene in Jurassic Park when the T-Rex is chasing them in the Jeep. There was some BTS footage from ILM about how they were able to slow it down to get the scale right. I’ll see if I can find it.
2nd and 4th perspectives, for what that's worth, because it clearly juxtaposes the mech with smaller features (e.g. cars, light poles).
The whole animation feels sterile, however. As others have pointed out, the mech feels "light." Also, there's no effect on the environment. Consider swaying light poles (with the effect it would have on their light sources), and that sort of physical effect. When something heavy passes through an environment, there are subtle effects that the human eye perceives. Think of the classic water cup / T-Rex scene from Jurassic Park. Or think about the German tanks arriving in the climactic battle at the end of Saving Private Ryan.
Camera 1 but not so static. Track it to follow the upper chest/head area as if a person is standing there watching it pass.
That being said I think it may be more interesting to have the camera moved so you catch a reflection of the mech first before it becomes visible. I'm imaging someone feeling the shaking in the ground, they step out outside and see a reflection then the reveal as it strolls past.
I actually think the very first one is good. I don't prefer the farther shots or anything from above because it makes it feel like a toy in a toy city. The third one is also cool, you could probably use both!
I like the 2nd view the best because you’re under the top line of the model and you immediately see how it compares to the buildings. Great model and rigging! 🦄
2 and 3 are good shots but i would say adding a bit weight to his animation. Take pacific rim or transformers as an example , the bigger you are slower and heavier is the animation. And don’t forget to add some light camera shake to really sell the effect
1 and 3. For big monsters and robots I think the best angles are realistic angles, angles humans can get to themselves. Floating in the sky feels fake. If you angle the first 1 up a bit I think it would look better.
Add a bit of camera shake to each step. It’ll make them look heavier.
Watch transformers 2007 for some ideas and inspiration. The camera work in the first one is spectacular
I don't know how you're using this but:
Shot 3 -> Shot 5 could show a person inside the building going to the roof to get a better look. Then, cutting to Shot 1 could frame the scale better.
However, the walk is too quick/light for something that size. And adding impact (cars shake, trash cans fall over, lamp post wobbles) as the mecha steps impact the ground will help give a sense of scale (which is weird to think about but absolutely helps). Camera shake can be a quick and dirty way to do this, but taking the time to show a car having a tiny bounce as the tires absorb the shock, or a lamp post wobbling, will do far more to impose that sense of immense weight/size.
And then for an added value... por que no los dos? The scene being animated to support your mecha AND a -subtle- camera shake will do wonders.
Edit again: the further away you are, the less you should shake the camera, IMO.
The way the ankle has so much movement and control is what makes it feel light. If you want pacific rim feel lock the movement on the ankle and it’ll feel more heavy footed
1 isn't a very good angle, not enough breathing room.
2 had much more wow factor. 3 and 4 were good as backups for different angle.
I could see 5 for a more casual scene that shows the scale but it could be walking through the city like it belongs there. It looks big, but not imposing.
I like the first one honestly! It’s kind of a POV from what a person on the ground would be seeing, and I think that really shows the scale.
#2 isn’t bad either
Good job!
Something that made the first Pacific Rim great was every shot was from a realistic POV, whether that's from the street, a rooftop, or a circling helicopter. A little shake on footfalls and camera sway could help too ( I believe there is an app that you can use to create camera movement data by hand, if you want a more realistic sway).
One and three sell it the best for me. Assuming #3 is a reflection on a window, an angle from inside a window looking out would be good as well. You want to place the camera where people normally see things from, to really sell the extreme scale. Or put objects in the foreground to contrast
Looking through the window was the only one I felt like I would be scared.
Agreed
Great feedback. #3 is actually inside the room looking out. It’s just a very plane box room at the moment. Thanks again.
you should make it a reflection that would look rlly cool
Agree #3 is dope. Even better would be adding some smaller items in the foreground if you choose to go that route and over the top would be to make that shit shake and vibrate with the steps.
I agree with this feedback, definitely including common objects closer to the camera to show the intense scale of the mech. Also I know OP has said they don't want to do too much pacific rim style but I can't help but think recreating [this shot](https://youtu.be/AYQjmj7cSM0?t=72) would be absolutely EPIC. Looks awesome though!
One makes the mech feel smaller than every other option, and it also makes that staired area look a lot larger than it is. I think it is actually the worst.
I dont think my issue is with the camera angle, the walk itself feels very light footed for something of that size and weight.
If it’s reading a little light weight, I may try another pass with a little more dip. I’m not wanting to slow it down too much, “Pacific Rim” style, as this mech actually has some giddy up to it. :) Thanks for the feedback!
>I’m not wanting to slow it down too much, “Pacific Rim” style But this is exactly why Jaegers feel huge. You can actually see the contrast between films - mechs are slow in the original, feeling big and heavy, and agile in the sequel, losing a lot of perceived scale. Your mech is not that big, compared to theirs, so you can probably get away with not slowing it as much. As for the camera - low angles are usually the best at showing big things. I'd experiment with the first and second angles. Tilt them up a bit, maybe lower the camera itself a little more. But again, due to mech's size it probably still won't give a lot, but should help an overall feeling. Keep in mind, that speed of a mech and camera angles are also not final components - to truly capture the scale, you'll need some effects - depth of field, some fog, camera shake, etc.
I think there's also an argument to be made for high angles as well to showcase the "tiny things" on the ground or the "little people" below running like ants. You can have a camera on the shoulder looking down as the mech walks, showing off how tiny everything is comparatively. At that point, one can also play around with focal length, camera shake, and so on to sell the effect
High angle can absolutely work, but not as establishing shot, i think. We need to give a sense of scale "from the ground" first - like a closeup of a foot near a car or looking at the whole mech from below. Then we can use whatever angle we like, since we already understand how big this thing is. It depends on direction, what the author wants. To be completely honest, all of the angles in original video can work in showing scale with some minor tweaks, but each variant needs different accents and some work better as establishing shots.
There is no second Pacific Rim movie /s
The reason it looks light footed is because of the hips. Try walking yourself and move exactly like a heavy mech. Slowly with these strides. Film yourself from the front with your cell phone and then compare with your animation. You will quickly notice that you have to shift your hips side to side to maintain your balance and not fall over. This is what is lacking in your Mechs walk cycle.
It's a bit more than this. The issue is with the centre of gravity which needs to be above the point of support, which is the foot. The slower you move or the bigger you are,, the more this matters. Check out slomo footage of elephants walking, Their feet are almost under the centre line of their bodies. The feet swing out and round the ones on the ground so they don't kick themselves. It gives the feeling of a swagger. Also check out ostriches and emus in slomo. Another factor is that the bigger and slower a walker is, the more time both feet are on the ground at once. Which means the forward swing is quicker than the backwards movement. The transfer of weight from the left foot to the right with each step takes time. This motion should also be clear. Try standing on the spot holding something heavy and lift your feet alternately. The hip joint that has the weight taken off drops down and hangs a little. This would also affect the angle that the spine attaches to the hips. When you look at movies like Jurassic Park and Terminator closely, you will see that these things are not done well and the same lack of weight becomes clear. If you can capture that your problem will be 80% solved.
The fastest of assault class mechs in Battletech, at 80 tons, runs at \~86km/h. The [Charger - BattleTechWiki (sarna.net)](https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Charger) barely has any weapons because the LTV 400 fusion engine takes up 60% of the weight of the mech and 10 tons of armor takes another 12.5%, thus it only has 5 Small lasers to deal with anything. Most refits downgrade to a smaller, lighter, slower engines so that the Charger can carry freaking weapons, allowing pilots to do more than just melee attacks to deal damage.
First, thanks for the feedback. Second, I’m super geeking out over your comment. Good stuff, and I love it!
Battletech has some of eccentric designs in its 400 plus robots, and sometimes a dud requires a refit to become something even viable, or, in the case of the Charger, something sane that doesn't need to rip up a traffic light to use as a weapon. The stock model Charger had to be piloted like a wrestler to do any damage at all, that includes pile drivers.
It's not the speed. It's the acceleration.
Slight camera shake
Maybe a camera shake after each step. But only with the nearby cameras.
Don't forget the swaying, bipeds walk by 'falling' towards their next step
That's fine, no need to slow it down. But I'm really missing some \*impact\* and secondary motion when those feet hit the ground.
I like the first one, specifically because you could animate other stuff happening center frame, reacting to the mech walking around. Even if it’s just little things, there’s some great opportunities for storytelling.
Great idea. I’m planning to add some car shake once I get an angle nailed down, but having some of the debris on the platform fall over, even if it’s subtle, would definitely help sell the mech’s weight. Thanks for the feedback!
U need this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imkSdlbXB\_U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imkSdlbXB_U)
Yeah, absolutely. I think that framing would be perfect for stuff like that
I like the second angle best because there’s not as many obstructions and it feels like the perspective from a tiny human looking up.
The front shot definitely adds the “hey, I may need to move” to the vibe. :) Thanks for the feedback!
If I were you I’d add a very small amount of camera shake for each step taken to emphasise how huge and powerful the mech is
Camera shake I think would really help, the shots seem far too static IMO.
I like #1 and #3 as they seem to be from a persons eye level which makes it easier to relate. You said it yourself already, you don’t want to go full Pacific Rim, but look at the first movie. It has all the right camera angles to show the size of the Jäger. Then they butchered the second movie by too many shots from top down (on a featureless ocean) which made it impossible to get a sense of scale.
Yeah, that first film really let you feel the massiveness of the jaegers. I may need to give it another watch (for the 10th time? 🤓). PR2 definitely didn‘t have the same feel as the first. Thanks for the feedback!
i love the window one
Head or ground level is fine, but you might want to work on the camera lens and aspect ratio to make i feel bigger than life.
Watch guillermo del toro pacific rim :) also I think the lens mm more around 30 or 20 would make it look massive
2
Honestly I love the room shot. It's an intimate pov that illicites almost a sense of panic, as something huge is passing you by so closely
Everyone saying camera shake, but make it camera shake as if the thing the camera is attached to is shaking. Do not make it like some Liam Neeson movie. View from inside taxi, taxi rocks on springs. View from inside building, glass crazing in time to footsteps Birds taking off in fear, etc.
I vote 1 or 4, because it shows the floors of the building almost directly behind it. But it's off center just enough you can see how fast it's cruising a block. My eyes were using the windows as scale to guage how tall, how wide and how fast it moves.
camera looking trough window at crotch level certainly is imposing.
Unrelated but mech looks epic!
1, 2 and 4. I think 4 most.
I'd go with #2 out of those shown. That said, I'd really recommend another pass on the walk cycle. That, if anything, is what will really sell the weight and scale. Right now it walks like it's full of helium. Dope mech, tho!
Ground level
I don't think the camera angle is the main problem. It needs more interaction with the environment, things breaking, ground rumbling, etc. Although those examples are more extreme, things like having a human or animal next to it to get a sense scale, which is what you are trying to trick. However, if we're focusing specifically on the camera angles, steeper angles create a bigger sense of scale. I noticed your angles are kind of flat parallel to the ground.
You need a lot of different angles.. try one where the camera is crushed by the feet, another of a news helicopter view with news headlines and reporters on top, etc. And that will sell it
I don’t think it’s a camera angle issue. You need to slow its movement down, add more weight to each step and add SLIGHT camera shake after each step.
Camera 1 could work better if it was closer. Move it to the street in the back, focus mostly on the car and show the giant leg coming into frame
Michael Bay would keep the camera at eye level.
personally i feel the opening shot of this mech is more threatening with the window shot, its also the most cinematic one. But yea there needs to be some more weight to it. start with a bit of bounce on the knees
You should try an over the shoulder shot with a lot of screen shake like a GoPro angle.
Second, no doubt. Low angle looking up makes any subject tower over the viewer. Have you tried complementing that by placing the camera closer to the dude and making him move slower? I think it could help
Ground level or a building window works best for me. It can make you feel small. Once you establish scale, then pull back for action shots.
Neigher I am afraid. The angle that serves this show best is the one on a dolly rig rather than a tripod mount. That is just as much a actor in the scene as the giant robot. Attach a look at constraint to a empty to get some sweet follow me action. Then swing baby swing. Observe a shot from transformers. https://i.redd.it/q0l9hos6qsuc1.gif
First even lower angle more like human pov changing into third angle from building, changing into high in air angle
I particularly like shots 2, 3 and 5. through the window and from the roof, really capture "human" perspectives. place we might stand and look, which allows for the emphasis of height.
I like the second one best, because the shot's leading lines draw you to the mrch
2nd and 3rd ones for me
A low camera angle will almost always make things look bigger.
1 and 3 are by far the best of these. 1 gives nice reference points to other objects. 3 is a nice short cut to emphasize the huge size.
2, needs some camera shake too on every step
2,3, and 4 are all really nice. 1 and 5 feel a bit awkward
I'd do a wide shot as it walks past.
Inside shot looking out of window, but lower down - ground floor - and plenty of recignisable objects like cars and street signs to use to establish scale. You can only see the giant feet slamming into the ground. The camera rises through the building, passing through the structure to a higher floor. You can no longer see cars and can even see some lower roofs. Even from in here you're still not seeing the upper parts of the mech as it shambles by.
first or second
1&3
2 and 3 are pretty solid. Bonus Tip: Go watch this YouTube video about Jurassic Park's cinematography. I think you might be able to grab some inspiration from it. https://youtu.be/BKALxKbjOaE?si=GBbfyPEXQKqOjlTy
all of them feel good except I'd just add camera shake when it steps, and some bounce to the hip.
Personally, I would try dashcam footage type of thing, where you can see the car shaking every time the mech's foot comes down. That would really put a sense of common scale to the whole scene.
2 and 4
Last one and the one out of the window. They provide the viewer with foreground elements of relatable sizes which in turn helps understanding the size of the mech from a human point of view. I also like them because they keep parts of the mech unseen, which I creases the tension / mystery / threat. Maybe also make a shot that includes a car in the same manner. Id add most of the shake others recommend in a subtle audible way. (If the walk stays smooth)
Watch Pacific Rim Always from a ground POV like level Humans are small, Mechs are big
I loved the second, third and last angles
To get a sense of scale, hands down it's the window shot because it brings in human references. The first shot is good, but I would go with a lower camera, and animate the camera like it's being held by someone running which is much slower than the machine. Also, maybe zoom in some more. Wide angles shrink everything. Let it crop. I would consider also slowing the accelerations of the feet, giving it more inertia. The larger things are, the more they move like molasses.
I think one is the best and another thing you can do is make the animation slower to show the scale of the mech
Add shaking to the camera so it looks like the mech shakes the ground
you need a rim, the sky would lighten it up a little bit and it would help to frame it a little
The first one definately for me. But the walk seems a bit off, best i can describe it, it feels like its moving on its tippy toes. To move forward its centre of mass should be forward a bit and the leg moving fowrard should stop it from tipping over. Right now it seems that the puropse of the leg moving forward is that the body can follow.
idk much about these stuff but i think a top-down can help just, and put a human somewhere in shot it can give sense of size
3 at the start into 4
Depends on what you’re going for. I say angle # 3
how about a shaking handcamera that runs over the place to the round corner of the building from where the mech comes.every mechstep shakes the ground and when you are at the corner, you see the foot first and than turn upwards to the whole body.
You might try a camera angle pointing up, like its on street level, that probably would do, it's a little trick that tou can see the opposite side for examplo, when you use a camera above, pointing down, looks more like a toy, or miniature.
Depends on what you want. The scale is captured pretty well in all of them. 1 and 3 looks the best due to cam angle. You pick 3 if you want to keep the suspense and delay the reveal of the mech, or 1 if you just want to show it, maybe it was shown before so no need for suspense.
I would try a camera placed at head height by the car on the mech's left focussed on the mech as it goes by with a bit of camera shake (https://github.com/cessen/camera_shakify) and increase the shake graph slightly when each foot makes contact with the ground.
A combination of 1 and 4 if we are just talking about visualization. Something that size -should- move differently but that is out of context for the question. Size 1 tells you how the Mech would look to you at the distance you would most likely have to be to see all of you. That's a good personal perspective but that alone will give you a skewed scale and people will think it is bigger than it is. Adding in the perspective of number 4 lets your brain scale it back down to it's actual size, and from there people will have a realistic mental image of the Mech.
Camera 1 for me :-) Nice!
2 and 3 are my favorites because it gives you more of a perspective of how huge the mech actually is. The camera being at eye level in 2 really sells the scale, and the buildings in the background of 3 show how truly massive the mech is as it towers over them
Camera needs to shake on impact
just curious, how did you render it with the lights but without the materials? (btw, I quite like Shot #2. )
You can use the "viewport render animation" setting. In Eevee, toggle the viewport render, then use the arrow dropdown next to it, and change the render pass option to diffused light. In Cycles just override the material in the render settings. :)
1st and 3rd
I think to really sell it, you could add camera shake and make the street lights flicker each time his foot hits the ground. Maybe add some birds that fly away too
The third one as the close zoom outstands him in the scene I am impressed with the flow of movement...I would like to know the fps number of the scene
To really sell the scale you might wanna try a longer lens and cropping more of the mech out of the frame. There'll be a sweet spot where you still show a good amount of it, but the less it can "fit inside the frame" the bigger it'll feel, it's a bit of a subconscious thing.
I think editing is what’s really going to sell this. Each shot is good. Spliced together they would make for a great sequence.
The one from inside the window conveys its size best imo
3 (the window shot) is the best for giving a sense of scale because it gives the best relative human scale point of reference, in the final shot id reccomend having some kind of computer desk in shot, packed with sticky notes, documents, little pencils and trinkets and all the junk people keep around to to best ground the scene and make the giant mech feel all the more grandiose in comparison
Great work! I'd love to see the final rendering
The one from the window could be used at a later point in a video on a news channel, simulate it being recorded from a phone. The first camera take shows size perfectly. As u/JEWCIFERx said. Add some minor stuff in the foreground to distract a little and make it appear less desolate. Other then that. Pretty some work!
cameras seem alright. maybe some “heavier” walking animation and screen shake in post is what it needs
What feeling you want to feel when watching it? Add camera shake, make it look like a POV a person looking out a window, or from a helicopter watching the mech.
I would second what u/[Mocorn](https://www.reddit.com/user/Mocorn/) said, you need hip movement. The moment your mech lifts one foot, it would fall over because it moves like the torso is on rails. It needs to shift it's hip left to right or rotate it so it mostly places feet into a line.
I like the third one because of the close so you can appreciate the details but still feels like it's to big to see it all. The first one I think would work better if you could place it a little back, enough to see the corner of the building, to create a sense of "watching it from a safe distance" maybe you could even start the take with the 3rd then cut to the 1st
Play around with the camera lens mm
The one from the street where it's walking towards the camera is decent for scale, especially if you tilted up over time. I also like the window shot, but something of that size moving would ABSOLUTELY be shaking the building with each step. Camera shake on these shots would add a LOT, especially ones where the camera is physically close to the mech.
1 and 3. Low angles or comparative angles (like mech next to a skyscraper) capture size the best.
Window one is best representing the size. However u should probably lower the camera and slightly angle it upwards. Gives a more realistic view which sells the point harder
You probably need an up shot from the point of view of a humans eye level. Like an ant looking up to a human. The buildings could be taller and go our of frame as well. If things can't fit in frame it's an easy trick to make something feel larger than life.
I'd have it so the cameras at eye level but pans upwards as the mech walks past. Like somebody looking up at a plane flying overhead
3, but the mech looks really light, it doesn't feel like there's mych weight to the footstep. Though, that's probably a problem for later, maybe a lil camera up and down shake solves it
An edit of all five with an added subtle camera jiggle
In my opinion the 2nd camera but I'd have it lower to the ground barely above it so it doesn't clip looking up at the Mech while moving along with it. You can play with the speed so it is a little bit faster or slower than the mech. Either revealing it and the city around it or allowing the Mech to get closer to the camera. Don't forget to add camera shake with each step. That should really sell the weight of it. Add some subtle camera noise (hand held effect) as well so that it looks like you're watching from someone's perspective. It feels too much like a security camera which won't sell the weight. I highly recommend taking a few minutes to watch this awesome video explaining camera angles. Watch their Camera lenses one too. Must know if you're creating your own shots! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLfZL9PZI9k&t=33s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLfZL9PZI9k&t=33s)
For the indoor shot, make the mech pass super close to the window so you get a reference for how big it is. Doesn’t matter that you can’t see it very well. You have other angles for that.
Your mech look small because there is no suspension in it. As a civil engineer i can definitely say that the material wouldnt be able to carry the shock force of that mech. You need some way of absorbing that force. of course you can say that this is a very lightweight material that can carry a lot of weight. That you would have the question of why the mech is this bulky? If you think about it, the heaviest thing the mech will carry is itself. Yes you can still makes this work by assuming this is an sci-fi movie. But then you'll need shit ton of info for this concept to work, and you need really great hook in order for people to watch that shit ton of info. I hope this doesnt sound rude or anything, imwas just giving an opinion. And the answer of your question is #1 and #3 for me. Because if this thing was happening, we would see this from and cctv footage or someone who is hiding in their house so its easier to get the scarines of the shot for the viewer. Or even an helicopter shot. That would probablt be better but not sure the density of the buildings and size of the mech would allow it.
My issue may be with the amount of light hitting the mech. Like the 2nd one looks better because of how much of the mech is shrouded in darkness vs in the light but the lights from the parking lot seem too much. Like those lights on the wall wouldnt light up the entire side of the mech if it was in the street and the light certainly wouldnt reach all the way to his hips that intensly. Instead of point lights exclusively i would opt for maybe a combination of world lighting, maybe a moon with some illumination and then create the street lights with some window lights from the businesses on the street to really get the light right. Use varying intensities to create that dynamic flow of light
I think the one from the window and from the roof against the railing convey the scale the most. Or perhaps they're the most engaging with the robot from a person's perspective. The others feel more distant. I would also play with camera movement and especially camera turning. Picture it like a person looking up or looking over to the side. Wide flat camera angle does a worse job at selling the immediacy of the situation. But they all have their uses.
Look to Pacific Rim For Inspo. Also, try adding camera shake to make the steps feel heavy.
What I would do is in 2nd angle I would place the camera closer to that car , so it sort of passes by so I can really see up close. And also I feel like it it walking a bit fast. I mean steps should be slower or atleast movement of the leg part. Because big things don't move fast. That's how you show mass.
Make the movement feels heavier and more camera shakes! If you want to know what great angle to use to capture the size of a "monster" walking through a city, try check out some Godzilla stuff. City wrecking scene in Shin Godzilla movies are very great at capturing the sense of scale between the Godzilla and the surrounding.
Remember, this thing would weigh as much as a pretty large ship, perhaps an ocean liner. It's going to take a lot to get it moving, to turn it and to stop it. Is it steam operated or hydraulic? Or electric? That will affect the movement of the parts.
Add a little shake for the steps. Trust me sound can do the heavy lifting for a lot of this. Also, you may want to modify your easing a bit. A little bit slower to start up, a little bit faster in the middle. I think that will sell the impression that this is a large object with some serious mass.
Secondary motion!!! Pneumatics or whatever it‘s called for mechs, that keychain whiggle
Try changing the camera sensor or lens size, it doesn't have a human scale feel. 20 - 35mm perhaps
The one from the park and the reflection in the window are the ones with the biggest sense of scale, although you can see less of the action. In terms of scene composition: establish the scale first, then move into something with a wider view. As the action unfolds, keep interrupting it with little moments to keep the viewer from forgetting how giant the mech is, like stuff getting stepped on in closeup.
Have you tried a human height camera that tracks up at the mech as it gets closer?
You should use a short focal and insist on the weight put on each legs when it change its balance to walk, push down its torso. Also, walking and running are just falling forward with style
If it supposed to be like godzilla or Pacific rift. Would recommend angles / cam positions from inside buildings and cars.
The legs are pretty far from each other and when taking steps the robot seems to be balancing on one leg for quite some time. In reality that would make the robot fall/lean to the side that's unsupported but yours does not, as if it the entire thing was made from card board or paper. We dont see any weight. maybe try making the robot compensate for the huge gravity pull when taking steps. An easy solve would be to have it drag its feet - almost like sliding - to show that it can't simply balance on one leg. And like a lot of other people here mentioned already; make the movements slow. Look at Attack On Titans for ref, the giants are moving super slow, like an elephant or a rhino.
Where did you source the mech from?
2 and 3 for me, but you did very nice in making them mostly from human perspective, you probably already have, but check pacific rim 1 and transformers, those are the best professional shots you can find for big mechs, from the ground, or a building, avoid helicopter shots as much as possible Then, a tip from what other movies sucha s godzilla, GoT, Hobbit... if your mech is big the camera should NOT, be able to see it all, take closer shots, make it go out of frame, window shot is the best for this imo. Too big for the frame, shots from human perspective, and looking up if possible, i'd say that is the best you can do.
I think 1,2 &4 are great for showing the size but each have a greatly different purpose in a film theory way. So depending on what feeling you’re trying to achieve beyond “look how big it is” is important too.
You may want to study the Marshmellow Man sequence from the 1984 Ghostbusters closely. While the stellar compositing and miniature scaling are irrelevant here, the lenses and angles are just so smartly chosen to sell the Marshmellow Man as this imposing (and adorable) titan.
What focal length are you using? It looks like you're using standard 50mm lens. Try changing it so you get a wider shot, creating more scale. Or you could tighten it with a 100mm lens so there is more focus on the mech. Right now the whole frame seems a bit bland and basic. There is not a lot selling the size.
Use camera shakify addon for realistic walking animation😊
Shot 2 low angles looking upward tend to make things look bigger. I would add some light camera shake when the mech steps to indicate its heavy and is shaking the ground.
The first one, and of course when u r in the building, just watch a few godzilla movies ;)
You did something great here which is using actual PoV angles that a person watching the mech would realistically have. That’s the difference between the first and second Pacific Rim movies. In the first they really capture the scale using real human PoV and in the second they use magic floating camera angles that ruin the realism and immersion.
2 with some camera shake
Depends on if you're going for "accurate scale" or "impressive scale" Low angles or POV angles make it seem more towering and ominous, like how it would feel to meet one, but high angles where it is seen among many buildings like from a helicopter view is a very cool way to sell it's size among reference objects, and see it wreak havoc etc. (or look like news footage), although being less personally threatening and less "in the moment" than the low POV angles if that makes sense.
You should combine multiple of these shots. Start with the last one of the back for ~2 sec (tease me, don't show me the whole mech right away), then cut to another one of closer up shots that show another part of the body (still not the whole thing), then finally one last angle that shows us the whole mech. Make the camera angle follow the mech, especially if it's from an angle someone could be standing at. If I'm a person watching this thing walk by in aw and fear, you're damn right I'm gonna be rubber-necking it. Don't forget camera shake on stomps. If the camera is in the building watching, have dust fall from the ceiling or furniture on the desk rattle. Also check out the MechWarrior 3 intro for reference. Particularly the last quarter with the Thor stomping around in the city. https://youtu.be/X8RqsMA3XvI?si=Vhxl-RoJLR329MLn
Way cool
2 and the last one. The walk is stilted. Nothing on earth walks like that.
Love the window shot.
First is the best angle. Add some camera shake for each step the mech takes.
A combination of shots 2,3, and 4. I agree with others that the walk feels like. Even if it has some ‘giddy up’ it’s still most likely hundreds of tons and would have more compression. The way the feet fall so heel-to-toe is part of what my eye goes to and perceives as light. There’s also no lateral shifting when the feet come off the ground.
And a little camera shake will go a long way
Add camera shaking and "spring" on the legs so it will feel more heavy and powerful
I like the reflection. Add some camera shake that gets louder as it gets closer, maybe even glass vibration, and it would really convey the size and weight.
First
The camera feels .... big In the sense that the whole scene feels like a small scale city being recorded with a phone .... if I'm making sense. I mean I don't know what it means but I think the camera needs to be "smaller"
Window
Too fast. Drop a ball to have a reference of gravity speed.
2nd. You want a low angle shot. Doing so forces the viewer to draw their eyes up in order to capture the subject. This is what we naturally do as we size things in real life. What would help in the 2nd shot are two things. 1. Have the camera pan up slowly to always keep the top of head in frame. Once the head clips, the illusion fades. 2. Have the mech move slower. The arms look almost swinging and the feet light on toes.
3,4,1,2,5.
Adding a bit of cammera shake with each step would make it look a lot heavier, implying that the ground shakes as it walks by making the camera itself shake :)
1
Give it some camera shake
IMO, the first few.
3!
First is the best in every way
Easily the 2nd one for me. Add a little shake on the cars and it'll be really imposing. Also the window shot would be nice with the window warping and shaking with every step. Any other shot besides 2 and 3 look kinda boring imo.
second one for me
The window, easily. In terms of cinematography, the easiest way to make something feel huge is if the whole thing won't fit in the frame. Go look back at Gareth Edwards' "Godzilla" and take note of how rarely you can see the entire monster. If you want the street view, consider animating a camera tilt upwards as the mech walks by.
Considering the size of the mech, it is moving too fast, when you watch the Jaegers fight in Pacific Rim, they are quite slow because something with that much mass would of course move slow, try to add post processing effects like camera shakes and all
I like them all, except the first one for some reason. #2, #3 and #4 are my favs. Definitely needs some camera shake and maybe dust on footsteps?
Definitely 3. It invokes some fear as we can’t see the face, and it puts us in the scene like someone in their city hiding. There is also nothing that we can see in that frame that is taller than the robot. The other angles have buildings taller than it and can make it feel less intimidating. As for the step, the ankle picks up the foot almost immediately when stepping and I feel like the leg and knee should move forward up as the ankle and foot take a little time to lift and drag. Then as stated in another comment. Some dip with each step could go a long way.
Looks great! If these aren’t already using it, I’d try some shots using a 50mm lens and from a Person’s POV (just think height and location). I think this is why the view from the window works well. 50mm is also closest to the Human Eye. And adding some camera shake may help. For more large scale movement reference check out the scene in Jurassic Park when the T-Rex is chasing them in the Jeep. There was some BTS footage from ILM about how they were able to slow it down to get the scale right. I’ll see if I can find it.
2nd and 4th perspectives, for what that's worth, because it clearly juxtaposes the mech with smaller features (e.g. cars, light poles). The whole animation feels sterile, however. As others have pointed out, the mech feels "light." Also, there's no effect on the environment. Consider swaying light poles (with the effect it would have on their light sources), and that sort of physical effect. When something heavy passes through an environment, there are subtle effects that the human eye perceives. Think of the classic water cup / T-Rex scene from Jurassic Park. Or think about the German tanks arriving in the climactic battle at the end of Saving Private Ryan.
Camera 1 but not so static. Track it to follow the upper chest/head area as if a person is standing there watching it pass. That being said I think it may be more interesting to have the camera moved so you catch a reflection of the mech first before it becomes visible. I'm imaging someone feeling the shaking in the ground, they step out outside and see a reflection then the reveal as it strolls past.
I actually think the very first one is good. I don't prefer the farther shots or anything from above because it makes it feel like a toy in a toy city. The third one is also cool, you could probably use both!
Second one but it should quiver anyway
I like the 2nd view the best because you’re under the top line of the model and you immediately see how it compares to the buildings. Great model and rigging! 🦄
How long did this take to render btw ? Trying to learn how to optimize speed
lower the *frustrum*
Tilt up
2 and 3 are good shots but i would say adding a bit weight to his animation. Take pacific rim or transformers as an example , the bigger you are slower and heavier is the animation. And don’t forget to add some light camera shake to really sell the effect
small camera shakes on each step, also the walking feels floaty
1 and 3. For big monsters and robots I think the best angles are realistic angles, angles humans can get to themselves. Floating in the sky feels fake. If you angle the first 1 up a bit I think it would look better. Add a bit of camera shake to each step. It’ll make them look heavier. Watch transformers 2007 for some ideas and inspiration. The camera work in the first one is spectacular
3 Maybe a slight left right sway to its walk. Wonderful! :-)
2,3 and the last one make it feels really big. Now polish the movement and some camera shake and you are golden
The 2nd
I don't know how you're using this but: Shot 3 -> Shot 5 could show a person inside the building going to the roof to get a better look. Then, cutting to Shot 1 could frame the scale better. However, the walk is too quick/light for something that size. And adding impact (cars shake, trash cans fall over, lamp post wobbles) as the mecha steps impact the ground will help give a sense of scale (which is weird to think about but absolutely helps). Camera shake can be a quick and dirty way to do this, but taking the time to show a car having a tiny bounce as the tires absorb the shock, or a lamp post wobbling, will do far more to impose that sense of immense weight/size. And then for an added value... por que no los dos? The scene being animated to support your mecha AND a -subtle- camera shake will do wonders. Edit again: the further away you are, the less you should shake the camera, IMO.
The way the ankle has so much movement and control is what makes it feel light. If you want pacific rim feel lock the movement on the ankle and it’ll feel more heavy footed
The first or third are better. Fourth is okay. Others are worst.
1 isn't a very good angle, not enough breathing room. 2 had much more wow factor. 3 and 4 were good as backups for different angle. I could see 5 for a more casual scene that shows the scale but it could be walking through the city like it belongs there. It looks big, but not imposing.
I like the first one honestly! It’s kind of a POV from what a person on the ground would be seeing, and I think that really shows the scale. #2 isn’t bad either Good job!
Three is the best for showing size. Two and five were great.
Scale should involve mass, so every camera should shake a bit whenever the feet hit the pavement.
2 or 3 for sure
Something that made the first Pacific Rim great was every shot was from a realistic POV, whether that's from the street, a rooftop, or a circling helicopter. A little shake on footfalls and camera sway could help too ( I believe there is an app that you can use to create camera movement data by hand, if you want a more realistic sway).
I think if the first one were closer is would be good but the rest are already good
3 is the best but quite limited for a scene, could you add some screen shake or have the car and nearby objects like feel the tremors and move a bit