Tangible themes

The following nine themes emerged from participants' spontaneous expressions during system use and are presented with some examples

For complete results and discussion, please see the final report.

The tangible interface is easier than traditional animation software

Very easy, as someone who doesn't know how to use Softimage or Maya. This is much easier.     ~ Bradley (director)

This helps those who don't feel they can draw     ~ Kai (production coordinator)

Directors don't often know how to use 3D [software], so it bridges the gap.     ~ Nora (texture/3D artist)

For people who don't do 3D stuff, this is much easier to get into.     ~ Zuki (concept/2D artist)

I think there's a use for working with junior artists. Senior artists can work quickly from verbal instructions. This is easier for new guys.     ~ Bradley (director)

The tangible interface is fun to use

I'm enjoying this, this is fun.     ~ Khumba (3D artist)

Everyone would come and play with this during lunchtime.     ~ Kai (production coordinator)

This definitely makes first-pass previz more fun.     ~ Nigel (VFX/3D artist)

Previz has a lot of negative associations with it because no-one sees your work. So no-one wants to do it. It being fun like this makes up for it.     ~ Nora (texture/3D artist)

As a CG person [3D artist], working in a CG space all day long... It's really nice to get away.     ~ Seko (animator)

Hands-on interaction is part of the tangible interface's appeal

I liked the hands-on creative feel of it. I like doing stuff with my hands. This made me feel creative.     ~ Nora (texture/3D artist)

I love the tactile thing, moving things [with my hands] is so much faster.     ~ Phango (non-artist)

I like moving models with my hands.     ~ Sakkie (animator)

The physicality is a big draw card.     ~ Seko (animator)

The tangible interface supports spatial reasoning

It's nice to actually see it in a real 3D environment. I get a better feel for the space. I'll get more realistic storyboards and scenes.     ~ Mama V (2D artist)

It helps you understand the relative sizes of characters and the depth of the scene.     ~ Zuki (concept/2D artist)

Rather than sketching on a piece of paper, you get a sense of where the camera is.     ~ Mantis (storyboard/2D artist)

I would want to use it to work out distances and so on. This thing could do measurements for you.     ~ Nigel (VFX/3D artist)

The tangible interface is viewed as a collaborative tool

A creative and a director can work together with this, or the director can do it on their own.     ~ Thabo (storyboard/2D artist)

As a director it's hard if I'm alone, because I can't draw at all. With this I could do it on my own and then give the output to an artist.     ~ Jannie (director/scriptwriter)

The stage is like an open field that anyone can interact with. It's not just one guy hogging the mouse.     ~ Khumba (3D artist)

You could have more people working together with this. It's more egalitarian 'cause everyone can pitch in.     ~ Skalk (previz/layout artist)

Computation time for conversion to virtual scene is a barrier to use

I think the [registration] delay will lead to frustration.     ~ Captain (non-artist)

In the industry we have a limited amount of time. It needs to calculate faster than this.     ~ Fifi (storyboard/2D artist)

If it computed faster I'd use it. It would make layout quicker.     ~ Percy (animator)

Getting it approximate is quick, getting it exact is taking lots of trial and error.     ~ Phango (non-artist)

The tangible interface alone does not offer sufficiently fine-grained control

Fine calibration is difficult.     ~ Captain (non-artist)

I can tell by their feet that they should be a couple of millimeters further apart but it's hard to fix that here.     ~ Khumba (3D artist)

I can see a tiny disparity which normally I'd fix [in 3D software] but it's too hard to move it [indicates model] such a teensy bit by hand.     ~ Mkhulu (previz/3D artist)

It's the hardest thing, getting this character head-on.     ~ Khumba (3D artist)

The scene camera must provide more feedback

I'd like more cues, like where's the frustrum of the camera, because it's hard to know beforehand.     ~ Captain (non-artist)

This camera could also show you like a triangle, like a cone of light, to show you what you'll be able to see.     ~ Fifi (storyboard/2D artist)

It would be nice to mark where I've placed the camera, just so that I know I can put it back there again.     ~ Zuki (concept/2D artist)

The tangible interface has several potential industry applications

It's almost in-between [story]boarding and previz. You could do this first and then pass it on to both sets of artists.     ~ Jannie (director/scriptwriter)

We'd probably use this for previz layout. Like scene setup or something.     ~ Mantis (storyboard/2D artist)

We could troubleshoot a camera quicker, so an animator, who needs a locked camera, can start animating.     ~ Kai (production coordinator)

Directors would use this to check camera angles, especially with the storyboard lead there.     ~ Mkhulu (previz/3D artist)

I could use it to experiment with framing and layout. How does a shot feel? What sort of lens should I use?     ~ Khumba (3D artist)

I would use this for [story]boarding.     ~ Skalk (previz/layout artist)

I see this as a tool for a director, not necessarily someone who can draw or animate.     ~ Thabo (storyboard/2D artist)

"Tangible themes" is an online addendum to Viability of a tangible tabletop for industry storyboarding [Rix 2015].
Pseudonyms taken from Khumba (2013) and Adventures in Zambezia (2012)