Rig architecture
Controls, deformation and pivots that stay predictable under real performance.
SCENE 01 Character systems
Build the controls.
Direct the performance.
We rig illustrated characters and animate the choices that make them feel present: weight, timing, gaze, breath and intent.
SCENE 02 What we shape
Four systems. One believable character.
Body mechanics
Poses with readable weight, balance, overlap and clean directional intent.
Facial performance
Eyes, brows, mouth shapes and micro-timing built around the emotional beat.
Production handoff
Named controls, pose libraries and playback notes that the next artist can trust.
FRAME / 014ANTICIPATION
SCENE 03 Interactive pose test
A pose is a decision before it is a drawing.
Store the energy before release.
The direction reads early: compressed hips, counter-rotated shoulders and a gaze already committed to the destination.
Discuss a performance testSCENE 04 Rig anatomy
Controls should disappear into the performance.
ACTIVE CONTROL GROUP
Move from the centre of mass.
Foot roll, knee direction, hip rotation and shoulder counter-action remain understandable at speed and at the edge of the pose range.
RangeFull bodyPriorityWeight & balance
SCENE 05 Facial performance
Expression lives between the shapes.
We plan eye focus, brow pressure, mouth tension and the tiny holds that let an audience read what the character is deciding.
Plan an expression pass
SCENE 06 Walk cycle room
Rhythm reveals character.
A walk is not six drawings repeated. It is attitude organised through contact, compression, passing and lift.
SCENE 07 Secondary motion
Let the body stop before everything else.
Hair, clothing and soft forms continue with their own rhythm, supporting the action rather than decorating it.
SCENE 08 Clean handoff
Leave the next artist a system, not a mystery.
Control naming, pose references, mouth sets, playback notes and export constraints arrive together.
SCENE 09 Working sequence
From still design to controlled performance.
Read the design
Identify proportions, graphic rules, hard limits and the poses the character must survive.
Build the controls
Create a rig around production actions, not a generic catalogue of handles.
Test the extremes
Push silhouettes, facial shapes and deformation before polished animation begins.
Direct the shot
Block intent, refine timing, add overlap and deliver a documented working scene.
SCENE 10 Cue sheet
Before the first frame.
Q-01Which character files can you start from?
We can assess layered vector or raster artwork, model sheets and existing rigs. The first review checks separation, hidden forms, pivots and the expected shot range.
Q-02Can you repair an existing rig?
Yes. We first isolate whether the issue belongs to hierarchy, controller logic, deformation, artwork preparation or animation practice, then propose the smallest dependable intervention.
Q-03Do you work inside our animation software?
Tool choice follows your pipeline and delivery requirements. We confirm version, plugins, export constraints and ownership before production starts.
Q-04Can the work begin with one performance test?
Often that is the safest start. A short pose or motion test exposes control, deformation and style questions before they spread across a larger sequence.
Q-05What is included in handoff?
The agreed working files, organised artwork, rig controls, animation scene, practical notes and an export or playback check are supplied according to the project scope.
SCENE 11 Project intake
What should the character be able to do?
Send the character format, intended shots, delivery environment and the one motion problem you want to solve first.
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