This week, I started over, first creating my own ‘normal speed’ version of the reference, since the one I chose was sadly only slowmo.
I worked on 5 primary poses and sent them to Ting for review before continuing.
These are the poses:
This was a good starting point for my new blocking WIP, and this was the video of the poses and timing:
For this, Ting’s feedback focused on refining the fluidity and physical accuracy of the character’s motion, particularly after the punch I edited and shortened; this led to a lack of real footage, making it feel abrupt. Ting suggested reducing the extent of the hand’s withdrawal to make the transition smoother or using the original footage with the swing.
The COG and hips were another thing pointed out throughout the whole animation. The hips should turn forward and follow the curved path visible in the reference, and be careful not to shift them too far. Head rotation needs some tweaks as well.
After thinking it through and speaking with Ting, I decided to challenge myself further and use the original footage with the arm swing, along with all the other suggestions.