Production Process Record - 3D City scene -Mariya Mavli Wala
For our group project, after discussing with my group, I took on the task of creating a 3D city scene that would serve as the starting point of the journey before transitioning into a surreal space environment. I used Blender for the entire process, making use of different tools and techniques to build a dynamic and immersive setting.
I was confident in my ability to build the scene, but as I started working, I realised that setting up an engaging and dynamic cityscape was more complex than I had expected. I had the idea of using curves to create roads and make the camera follow them. I then started experimenting with the curves, and it gradually started coming together.
In simpler words, To create the roads which felt organic, I used curves in Blender and applied an Array modifier to generate roads that followed the curves smoothly. This made it easier to create a structured yet natural-looking city layout. Once the roads were in place, I moved on to the buildings which I sourced online.
However, during my first attempt at building the city, I made the path way too long, which increased my render time and the total number of frames. My animation, which was supposed to be around 40 seconds, extended to over a minute and more. And at the end my .blend file became too heavy that my software started to crash.
To fix this issue, I decided to start over and keep optimizing my file along the way. In my second attempt, I created a completely new road using curves again, but this time I made it shorter to keep the animation within the intended duration. I then again manually re-positioned all the buildings again. Initially, my tunnel was a simple straight path and I was quiet unhappy with it so during my second attempt, I experimented with adding twists and turns to the tunnel to make the transition feel more dynamic and engaging.
At this stage, the city was beginning to take shape, but it needed something to connect it to the next scene, which was "The Space". Thatβs where the tunnel came in. The tunnel was a key transition point between the city and space, so I paid special attention to its details. I even added a small destination display inside that read, Next stop: Wormhole Junction. Even though itβs barely noticeable in the final render, I liked how it added a subtle storytelling element.
With the scene built, I moved on to animation. I set up a camera path along the curved roads to create the illusion of movement through the city. The idea was to make the viewer feel like they were traveling through a modern urban landscape, taking in the sights before entering the tunnel.
As the journey progressed, the lights inside the tunnel gradually starts to fade, leaving the viewer in complete darkness for a brief moment. This pause was meant to build suspense before the final reveal. Suddenly, the viewer finds themselves in space, marking a dramatic shift in environment and tone.
Throughout the project, communication played a crucial role in our creative process. My group and I frequently shared progress, exchanged feedback, and adjusted our work to ensure everything felt cohesive. Collaborating with my teammates and brainstorming ideas together, helped me see different perspectives and approaches that I might not have considered on my own. On second note, their feedbacks also allowed me to refine my work and improve my work over all. At last, working on this project was pretty fun and helped me refine my technical skills in 3D modelling through experimentation and feedback.