Module 7

In finishing my city, I forgot to include my thought-process for my beginning and end credits. This was something that the class was asked to think through, to be creative, even though it seemed like such a simple addition to the overall story. I did some research and looked at examples to see what large hollywood productions were using for animated credits. This was one that I really liked. While it was much more complex than I was willing to tackle, the end credits to Kung Fu Panda literally took the audience through a scene (and almost ended up creating another story, just within the credits). Although my project didn't end up having credits quite this elaborate, it did spark the idea to somehow incorporate my scenes into the credits -- trying to make them seamless  For example, in my video, the background color (black) is the start to my piece...it's complete blackness/darkness. Same with the end of the video, it again goes to darkness, and all we can see are eyes (of the character). So instead of just having the eyes disappear and the credits role, I kept the eyes, and had the credits literally carry the eyes up the screen. This was similar to how some of the text in Kung Fu Panda traveled with the scenery.

I was a bit ahead with finishing my city. I got feedback in class about it and so now I can move on and work on some other minor projects I may have left behind while developing the city. This week, we began to learn how to take projects in illustrator and bring them into flash. This isn't just a technique to know how to export; sometimes projects will be easier to design in illustrator and then brought into flash. We looked at some videos online of elaborate examples of this. This one, When Humans Ruled the Earth, stuck out to me when watching:

At first, I was sort of turned off to the idea of using illustrator to create projects because it's definitely one of my weaker "adobe programs," although I was willing to try. My first project where I used this was the "walk cycle." This project gave me a really good idea of how beneficial using illustrator can be. It would have taken me triple the amount of time in flash as it did using illustrator. Below, I will post my "walk cycle" project (I need to tweek a few things before posting).

Finishing my city! (Module 6)

This week I worked hours and hours on my city project. It was already a decent way completed. But I had a lot to add this week. Animation was put in, sounds were added, the timeline of the story was created, details were critiqued, and on and on and on. It was tedious, but also rewarding. It's like editing a movie, for me (being a film major); it's very tedious, long, and tiring, yet the final product makes it all worth it. I have a few minor details to adjust once I get to class (to discuss with Professor Grace), although the primary animation is done.

Something that took me a long time, but was one of my favorite parts in a way, was the sound. I find sound to make or break a video. It can add SO much to the emotion of the piece. You are literally choosing how the viewer feels about a certain situation or person, just by what music you choose to play during a scene. I love having that control -- it's a painful process to find something that fits just right (without creating it yourself), but it's a process worth working through.

I also really utilized the use of sound effects to drive the story. The powering down and powering up of the city's power added some drama to the scene as well as a way to grab the attention of the viewer and help them better understand what is happening in the story. It makes things more realistic.

The voice of my "blob character" is also really "intriguing" for lack of a better word. It helps drive the emotion of the character effected by the events occurring in the scene. This was a challenge to come up with a way to show the blobs emotions without making things horribly complicated. Originally, I was going to allow the blinking of the eyes (and sound effects to go with it) to primarily drive the emotion. It was a bit obscure and abstract, but it would have worked. After having some difficulty with this, I chose to record myself grunting in different ways and adjusting the pitch to make it sound a bit like a Pixar character.

Ultimately, I'm really pleased how it came out. It's simple, it's fairly clean, the sounds add depth, and there's a story -- a very short story. Please watch the movie (at it's current state) below.

The weekly viewings this week were really interesting. There was one regarding a happy new years animation for 2012. It was so simple. it was literally just a bunch of different designs put together. Each number had a completely different design and each design changed every second when it was a different number. It seemed like someone could have just created this on a rainy Saturday afternoon, playing with flash or after effects. And yet, the detail and time that goes into the simplest things is remarkable. Animations definitely get overlooked by society. Feel free to view this lovely animation for yourself at this link --> https://vimeo.com/34295313

Working on my City Project (Module 5)

My focus and concentration this past week for this class has been on the city project. As many other things that may seem to be going on, I am trying to get a bit of a head start and really solidify my vision so that I can focus next on the execution and playing around with flash for the next few weeks to really nail it. After scribbling notes and drawings (nothing fantastic) and ideas in my journal (and much of this coming after a lot of thoughts swirling in my head), I believe I've come up with an idea that will be interesting to watch and yet attainable to execute. Below, i've included some snapshots from my journal and the process I took to get to where my idea currently stands for this "city" project.

 

I think one of the main things that will add to this story is sound. It will go from a normal animated flash project, to an enticing 30 second story once sound is added. I plan on incorporating sound effects to make things more realistic and attention-grabbing, along with underlying musical track to add drama, suspense, or excitement.

Bouncing Ball & Class 4

This week we worked on a bouncing ball. This helped us to learn to basics of getting fluid motion with our animations and making them look realistic.

The techniques used to create this short piece can be used when creating a variety of motions in animation. The key is to make everything look realistic. It's not just going from point A to point B. The ball goes from Point A, speeds up to point B, squishes as it hits the ground, then slows down while returning to Point A at regular size. A lot of thought has to go into every movement of the ball -- what makes the ball look realistic?

This is a lesson I hope to bring with me when creating my midterm project -- the city-scape. I want to come up with animations that are realistic to the scene, while providing something interesting to look at for the viewer. As talked about in the previous blog, I also hope to add animation that adds and supports the story. By creating more "realistic" animations, there will be less distraction and focus on the way things are moving (for example) and more focus on the story.

Class 3 Thoughts

Class three was all about the tools, furthering our knowledge of flash, getting used to symbols, and continuing to advance our skills. Every week there's a new challenge, a new way to think of design. Now, the challenge is learning to think in "symbols." It's an essential part of creating a flash project to fully utilize the symbols -- they are there for a reason. In the end, symbols can greatly aid any designer in creating a fantastic flash project. Although, it takes a sharp mind to think and design in a way where they can aid you. For example, symbols are great because you can use them multiple times on the one stage, but any change made to one (of the same symbol) on that stage, and the symbol changes for all of them.

I enjoyed the viewing in class titled Bathtime in Clerkenwell because of the clever use of repeating symbols.

This video shows the incredible potential of the designer when utilizing a simple flash tool such as symbols (and repeating symbols).This intricate flash video was really made with just a handful of symbols -- it's amazing to me. I want to try to remember this when I am creating the more intricate projects for class (such as the midterm and final project). The really creative part of the project may not be in how fancy or detailed the drawing is, but how the symbol is implemented into the piece along with clever animation.

Sometimes it takes seeing how other designers think, before creating your own masterpiece.

Class 2 Thoughts

We viewed a handful of videos in class today. While watching, I continued to think about the city project we are continually working on for our midterm grade. "What made these video clips so successful and great that they would be chosen as 'excellent animated video pieces'...?" is what was running through my head. The video Oktapodi stuck out the most. It wasn't necessarily created in flash, but the design, the animation, wasn't the part that stuck out to me in this video. The "hero," so to speak, was the story-line. I, the viewer, got so engrossed and committed to the storyline, that the animation came secondary. The animation was made beautifully, mainly so it wouldn't be a distraction; the story is what captured the attention of the audience.

This is what is most important when creating any motion graphic or "short story." Let the story be the prime/main focus and the animation come second. BUT, make the animation so good, that it never distracts from the story. This is what makes a great animated piece. I hope to implement this mentality into my story as I create and design my midterm project.

Time Intensity: Class 1

In class this week, we viewed a handful of video clips regarding different art of motion graphics. One of the most frustrating parts of working with graphics (particularly moving graphics in flash) on a computer, is the time intensity. It takes so long to "draw" the piece on the computer and then giving it motion takes a great deal of patience. Watching those video clips in class made me realize how truly easy we have it now. The amount of labor, diligence, and vision it took to make a cartoon in the 50s/60s, for example, is mind-blowing. The biggest motivation for me is to have a clear vision of what the final product will look like; it can be so rewarding to see a motion graphic completed that you/I created. I look forward to that moment.