During my Advanced Body Mechanics Blocking session, I received some really useful feedback from George. One of the main points was about the character’s arm and leg positioning during the run—he pointed out that they should splay outward slightly, rather than staying too upright and linear. I hadn’t considered this before, but it made a lot of sense in terms of natural movement. It also got me thinking more about how I want this character to come across: they’re quite carefree, and driven—an active type of person—so making the movement more dynamic and slightly flailing might actually help bring out that personality.
We also discussed the jump arc. Initially, I had the backflip pivoting from the hips, but George explained that it should actually pivot more from the mid-to-upper chest, which I’ll be adjusting. Another area of debate was the final dash. George suggested that the body angle should be close to parallel with the ground—almost like a vacuum between the character and their destination. I personally lean more toward having it around a 45-degree angle, since I want the feet to be grounded enough to support a forward slide when they land. That way, the motion would transition more naturally into the Superman-style landing I’m aiming for.
There were also notes on the legs trailing during the backflip, which I fully agreed with—it adds more realism, as the legs would naturally lag behind the body’s rotation. Another point was about the arc during the starfish moment. In my blocking, I had the character do a small hop just before the strike, which breaks the single smooth curve of the arc. I agree that simplifying this into one clean arc would be stronger visually, even though animating that curve smoothly is a bit more complex.
Lastly, when the character hits the ground, I originally had one hand already placed on the floor. Looking back, it would probably work better if they landed with their feet first, then let the hands trail and follow through as they slide, making the movement feel more reactive. I’m also really happy with the way the blast propels the character forward—it gives the attack more impact and weight. George and I had some differing opinions on a few of these points, but I plan to test multiple variations and see what works best in context. I’m open to experimentation and refinement as I go.