MAYA MCP - AI-ASSISTED MAYA TOOL: Developed an AI-assisted Maya tool using Python and PyQt, bringing a chat interface directly into Maya. The tool uses natural-language requests to generate and execute Maya Python commands for scene creation and modification. This demo shows an iterative workflow that develops a piano model and an interior scene, with the tool interface and the resulting Maya scene shown together.
 

DRAGON RIG: This is a custom rig I built for the Ninki Nanka - a mythical dragon-like creature in my thesis film. This rig was challenging as I had to troubleshoot various aspects of the rig to ensure that it could move in all the ways that we needed. A few of the attributes that I added in the rig are muscle physics to ensure that the dragon looks grounded in reality with flesh that reacts to its movements and sine-wave deformers on its whiskers, neck, tail and fins to enable animators to achieve the snake-like movements without having to hand animate an FK chain.
 

POSE LIBRARY TOOL: This is a Pose library tool I developed using Python and PyQt that allows animators to save, reuse, and blend between poses stored as JSON files. The tool supports transferring poses across different files and projects, and includes a mirroring feature that quickly applies poses to the opposite side of a rig. It also features automatic thumbnail generation and an organized library system for multiple rigs. I use this tool regularly in my animation workflow, and it has significantly improved both speed and consistency, especially when collaborating with other animators on shared assets. Used Claude AI for AI assisted development.
 

AUTO LIMB TOOL: Developed a tool using Python to create a limb setup for quadrupeds and bipeds. Incorporated an IK/FK switch, stretchy and bendy limbs using ribbons and muscle dynamics. This tool was instrumental to efficiently rig the complex dragon on our film and was also reusable for other types of limbs such as the wings of birds. I used Claude AI to debug and vibe code the UI and extra features of this tool.
 

NINKI NANKA FACE RIG TEST: Animated a short face rig test for the Ninki Nanka to ensure that the rig was flexible and expressive. Went back and forth between weight painting and rig tests to fine tune the facial deformation.
 

FIGHT SEQUENCE: With this shot I wanted to study dynamic body mechanics and camera movements. I studied a wide range of references and combined aspects of each to create something dynamic while still being readable. I animated the character descending from the sky, hitting the road, and rolling through the impact, focusing on weight, momentum, and clear posing. I composited the sequence in Nuke and used AI assistance through a ChatGPT-to-Nuke MCP (Model Context Protocol) connection to help calculate and create motion blur, including motion lines and stylized motion blur. The AI-assisted motion blur was driven by an Arnold motion vector pass rendered from Maya.
 

RIBBON TOOL: Created a tool to make ribbons from an edge selection. Added a UI to make it user friendly for other artists. This tool significantly improved the workflow efficiency and saved a considerable amount of time on the project.