Crunch

I have made this crunch video using text created on After Effects and simple transform features.

STORYBOARD

Final Crit

For my Final Crit I have chosen these 4 animations and attached the relevant background work. I hope to develop these further by drawing my own typeface and any other suggestions made in the Final Crit.

My typography

I feel like I'm not really producing anything interesting... Sure, I am learning the software but I think I can do better. Drawing out my own text for this and importing into Illustrator, creating outlines and then importing into After Effects to animate might make me get more interested in this project and create more effective work by using simple techniques. Here is a quick example I made creating my own type on Illustrator...

I think what has inspired me to do something dofferent is getting bored with the same old kinetic typography (I feel like once you've seen one good one, I've seen them all) this ABC Yo-Yo video amazed me and is the type of video I would love to do... sooo why arn't I?! Creating my own text seems like the perfect compromise and will be something I can put into my digital portolio while still keeping in touch with the direction I want to go into, typography.

IMAGE OF SKETCHED TYPE



This is only very quickly done to illustrate how I could use handrawn/my own designed type in this way. For this in Illustrator I drew my text (extremely quickly!) using the Pencil Tool and then selected expand (as like create outlines on type normally) this could then be pasted onto a new solid layer in After Effects and manipulated as with any other Illustrator type import.

Animate stretch

Creating text in After Effects and using the animate selection I have tried to experiemtn with lots of different forms of stretching based on these storyboards...

STORYBOARD

I have changed them slightly due to not knowing how to create some effects! I made the animations in parts to make it easier for me to understand...



I then added more animations...

Composition timeline with keyframe markers.

Screengrab 0.00s

Screengrab 1.00s

Screengrab 2.00s

Screengrab 3.00s

Screengrab 4.00s

 Screengrab 4.24s

I am really happy with this and hope to develop the initial idea further.

Text effect - explosion

I found a text effect and put it to use...



If I can develop this idea further it would be great. I have not edited any of the setting, I have only changed the scale so the text gets smaller for an instant before 'exploding'. I think the effect needs to be further away so that we can see it.

With this effect I can attempt to recreate one of my more complicated storyboards but I want to get each element right first before I combine them together to create my desired animation and get confused!



In this animation I again have not edited any of the automated settings on the explosion effect yeat but have used a more cartoon typeface 'Badaboom' and have the audience zooming away from it explosion for safety and this adds perspective. I want to try and add context to this explosion and have a bigger blast if that is possible.

Why not to mess about with effects

I have no idea what i'm doing and messing about or me has just wasted time and I have created something which doesn't reflect anything!

Explode - Balloon blowing

Balloons explode and I did manage to use an effect which makes my text look like a balloon, however I didn't save it and cannot figure out how I did it! I have tried a few different effects and hope to compile them together to create a great animation... hopefully. I like the typeface I used in the second video.

Stretch - Quad Light

I wanted to experiment with a different font... one which was more robust and bolder so that I could distort it so far by 'stretching' indiviidual points it could look something like this...

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Here is what I initially produced using Quad Light, but again when mask points interest they invert and this is so annoying! I like the font though and have another idea to emphasise stretching by using colour also.



I tried using opacity to show how the 'material' would thin as stretched. Again experimenting with the typeface Quad but this time in Ultra. Each letter had to be imported onto a seperate solid layer to create its own mask to avoid the problem of inverting when crossover occured. I may apply this technique to all letterforms in the animation... but just as a demonstration...

Stretch idea 1

From the key frame storyboard ideas shown on xxx (link) I have made this quick animation.


Stretch1 from Hazel Gage on Vimeo.


I really need to develop this further. I wish I could make the masks not overlap and also the speed needs looking at. I could also make the word look like it is under pressure and stretched against its will. I could do this by making the word shake or something.

Explode development

Safe areas workshop

Storyboarding workshop 2

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In this session I had a limited time to create 9 storyboards, each consisting of 5 keyframes.

Crunch.

Explode.

Stretch.

This workshop really helped me understand the importance of storyboarding and screen grabbing. It is a good way of developing ideas before opening After Effects. I liked storyboarding and need to get to grips with working faster and unleashing my ideas. I can think outside the frame which it something I would really like to build on in this module.

Flipbook workshop

Image of notes

This was my first attempt at creating a flipbook. I decided to try out 2 ideas but only one really worked. I can see how a flipbook is a quick sketching way to see how an idea might work. 

Untitled from Hazel Gage on Vimeo.

This was a more refined version of a more eleborate idea. It was supposed to show 'stretch' but I created some lines wrong in the first few frames so I had to change my idea. I think it still works well and shows me how effective flipbooks can be in demonstrating an idea. I have found that for me, it is easier to work backwards and draw the last frame first. This way I can used the next frame as a a trace. 

flipbook2 from Hazel Gage on Vimeo.

Storyboarding workshop 1

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Storyboarding is important!

Silent Movie briefing

The Brief Select three words from the randomiser. Produce a minimum of 4 five second animated sequence that explore the visual communication of these three words through the use ofletterform only.	Background Software will not save a bad idea. An application of fundamental design principles, appropriate research and development methods and the ability to evaluate the communication of ideas are what you need. Designing for Digital Media is all about organisation. Once you have worked out what you want to do there is a range of systematic approaches that can be used to develop your ideas. Working to restrictions is essential. You will become aware of what you can and can’t do with the time and technology available. Live with it and learn to think creatively around the problems that you encounter.
Concept/Proposition Time is precious how do you use it effectively, efficiently and creatively to communicate your ideas. Start with a thousand possibilities and go from there. How does the frame/format inform your investigation. What pace do you associate with your chosen words? What fonts/typefaces/ letterforms are the most appropriate for your words? Keep it simple. Technology creates as many problems as it solves work out what you need to do before you go anywhere near a computer.	Mandatory Requirements The word that you have chosen (or the letters included in those words) must be used in each of your resolution. Your resolution must be produced using Adobe After Effects and be delivered as a QuickTime Movie. You should work to an aspect ratio of 16:9 You can only use BLACK, WHITE + ONE OTHER COLOUR Deliverables 4 x 5 second animated sequences 4 x 12 frame screen grab storyboards in pdf. format. Storyboards, test pieces, design sheets and test storyboards appropriate to your resolution.
Studio Brief Deadline THURSDAY 16th DECEMBER - 9.30pm Progress Crit. Tuesday 11th / Wednesday 12th January Submission DeadlineFriday 16th February 2011 – 2pm (all work should be posted to your Design Practice Blog and be labeled with the OUGD202 and Silent Movie)

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