In the last module, we learned additional skills and techniques for advanced motion design and viewed examples for inspiration. Then, we used what we learned in this course to create our final motion-based project.
Reading and Writing
The last chapter of Animated Storytelling by Liz Blazer talks about the “show and tell” process of completing your animated project. Get it out there, determine your audience and share it with them. Also, remember that it’s about getting the right people to view your project, not just the most. First, organize your project in a professional way. If you’re submitting your work, make sure you include everything to move the process along smoothly. Design, clear communication, and following directions are just a few things to remember. To break it down:
- Upload Password Protected Film Online: Create a working link to your project, password protected for film festivals, that’s ready to share. Do some research on your own, but as of right now, Vimeo is a popular option. Also, remember to test the link out to make sure that it works for everyone across devices and browsers.
- Festival Submission Assets
- Title and Logo Still: Design a clean and legible logo for the title of your project and pair it with a photo that embodies the story.
- Synopsis with a Hook: Write a clear and concise description of your project, one or two sentences at the most. Leave viewers intrigued but without any follow-up questions.
- Create a Memorable Tagline: Make you project stand out. Think of it as text to further intrigue audiences at the bottom of your project’s poster.
- Director’s Bio: Keep it short and sweet. Start by what you want to be known as professionally and then accomplishments that support this role.
- Story of the Film: Begin with why you wanted to make this story, or project, and why you felt it needed to be told. Next, talk about your creation process.
Once you’ve organized all of this, determine where to show your project. Find your people and try to run with that crowd. Remind yourself what your final project is and who it’s for. Do some research, find the festivals that fit the best, read and follow the submission guidelines. With all of this in mind, the festival route may not be for you and that’s alright. Perhaps, directly releasing your project online, like Vimeo, will be more valuable to you. Do what is best for you and your project.
Regardless of the route you choose, establishing a professional brand online is essential for those looking to get their work seen. Follow the steps below or risk missing important opportunities and connections:
- Connect With Your Peers: Become an active participant in the online communities for designers, filmmakers, and artists sharing their work online. Find your peers and make friends.
- Be A Good Audience: The best way to make friends online is to be supportive.
- Tease Out Your Work: Once you’re ready to share your project, don’t give it away in a single post. Tease it over time like with character designs and sketches.
- Network In Person: Don’t forget the importance of in-person interactions too.
In the end, regardless of the route you decide to take when it comes to sharing your work, be as professional as possible. Blazer ends with the following piece of advice: never stop, share and repeat. Overall, this book and last chapter provided us with a number of things to consider as aspiring creators and was a nice read.
Research to Inform
This week, we had to find examples of pieces that exemplify advanced motion or animation that pique our interest. To start, I chose to showcase the opening movie or cinematic of Final Fantasy VII Remake. Even if you’re not into games, it’s impossible to ignore the incredible level of detail and narrative depth present in modern titles. I did start the video at a specific moment that stands out, in not just motion and animation, but also camera movement mixed with captivating sound design to reveal the city followed by the game title. I encourage you all to check it out, at least up until the title appears, about 45 seconds in length.
This cinematic opening not only introduces the game’s timeless story but also demonstrates the advancements in gaming graphics and storytelling. The sequence that I pinpointed exemplifies the mastery of scene composition, camera movement, and impactful sound design, making it a great example of advanced animation.
The opening credits sequence of The Walking Dead stands out as a prime example of advanced motion design. The eerie and haunting visuals, paired with its unique musical score, and the use of the “creating a 3D scene from 2D images” technique to construct a dynamic and immersive experience enhances its visual appeal. Collectively, this makes it engaging to watch and leaves a lasting impression on its viewers.
The opening credits for Wednesday on Netflix is another standout example of advanced motion. The relatively fast-paced sequence of dark and eccentric elements to create snippets of scenes, with smooth transitions to the next one, is both captivating and bizarre.
Create
For my final motion-based project, I decided to animate an opening sequence for Studio Gek, a fairly new reaction YouTube channel, using their logo as the primary element. I also incorporated a few of their highlighted moments as the backdrop, the famous Cannon slam reaction and the Gek Jam.
By employing motion design techniques, and a careful attention to detail, I aimed to create both an engaging and memorable video opener for Studio Gek. Then, I used this base to make a fun Discord server icon for St. Patrick’s Day which is being used right now.
Course Takeaways
I have learned so much in this motion across media course. Previously, I had a basic understanding of motion and animation including programs like Adobe Animate and Adobe After Effects, but this was back in high school. I was not confident in my abilities in After Effects though as we had only spent a day in this program, so I was looking forward to learning how to formally use it. I’m also glad to have learned how to properly use Adobe Photoshop to make animated GIFs because in the past, I did not do this the right way. Now, I feel so much more confident in my abilities in motion design, basic animation, and Adobe After Effects. I really enjoyed watching the 12 Principles of Animation video on YouTube as well. This was not only very interesting but also extremely informative. I hope to use these new skills to create more animated GIFs and motion projects, like title sequences, in the future.