Double character fight scene
Process:
First I storyboarded the animation with some placeholder characters to get the basic movement of the scene down. I created the characters in Illustrator going for a unique medieval look for both. The helmets are vastly different to separate the characters from each other and were where I put the most detail. I then imported the background and used Photoshop to separate the scene into layers in order to get some subtle motion in the background further down the line.
Next, I organized the layers and cleaned everything up to be moved into After effects. I began by rigging the characters with Duik, then started diving into the key poses. I decided to animate the left character first and make him the driver of all the motion in the shot. The character on the right would mostly be reacting and thus was animated responsively. On account of the armor and heavy swords that the characters had I made sure to show in the motion that each movement was difficult and momentum driven.
Physically collisions are shown through careful keyframing work, VFX, and speed adjustments. After animating the character's movements, I moved on to the background elements I had previously separated. I added motion to the flags, the trees, and the windmill to give the sense of a slight breeze in the background. Finally, I added effects in the form of sword glint, sparks on clashes, damage to armor as the fight went on, and dirt flying up from the ground.