ollie603

[ollie603]

The end

Over the last 6 weeks I was introduced to a program I had very little experience with. I learnt how to work with content typographically in class. I spent hours a week looking into resources and designers from the industry which could help inform my design choices. I looked into animation principles and how they could be applied to my work and when all brought together, I created a 49 section animation that visually depicts an audio file from scratch.

I was incredibly passionate about this project. I found the challenge of learning a new software initially as a hassle, I questioned why. However, as I began to work with it in class, asking questions of concepts and how-to's from my lecturers and showing my peers how to accomplish animations based on my own understanding and experimentation I found myself asking why again, only this time I was question why I hadn't decided to work with After Effects before.

After Effects is immensely difficult to learn, arguably (and in my own opinion) the most difficult program I've used by Adobe to date. I never-the-less enjoyed learning it. I intend to hone my skills on the program further as the years progress to hopefully look back on this project and laugh.

Ollie Duncan - 2023

[ollie603]

Working screenshots

By the end of my animation I ended up with 36 layers. This number could have been much larger had I not learned how to use the source text function. As you can see some layers only last for several frames while others last for several seconds (since these ones will be using source text). The first half of the project I found the interface to be incredibly daunting but by the second half of the project I found myself navigating different menus near subconsciously. I think that if I want my ability in After Effects to increase then I must continue to practice it after the assignment is submitted.

[ollie603]

Resolved animation

Using my resolved background song and several tweaks to the kinetic type (such as easing scaling keyframes) I created my resolved animation. I felt that by easing the keyframes I could make the movements of the text feel less superficial and more fluid. The resolved soundtrack is present in this animation and makes the animation feel more complete before the second half of the song (which is rather dominant compared to the first half) enter later into the animation (when my outro is played). I also changed the final section of the outro (where my name and year is displayed) to use the trim path effect which I had experimented with previously, creating a dynamic last scene which is in theme with the rest of the modern aesthetic portrayed throughout my animation. Overall I believe that this animation is resolved and ready to be submitted.

I tested the Adobe Media Encoder requirement on the rendering of this resolved animation. The entire animation sits at 28mb and is the size that George had anticipated and expected from our submissions (around the 30mb mark) as per week 10 conversations.

[ollie603]

Resolved background song

When showing my animation to my family for their thoughts they noted the change in instruments in the song contradicted the theme/vibe of the song. The first half of the song was the part myself (and my family by extension) was drawn to and agreed that it fit the theme of the speech however the second half didn't.

Therefore I edited the song. I removed the second half and replaced it with a section from the first part of the song with a near unidentifiable change to the the tempo of the song, continuing the section that I felt was appropriate for longer and making the section I felt was out of place come into play when the outro to my animation is present. This creates a difference between the two which better sets up the viewer for the end of the animation.

[ollie603]

Iterated animation

Using my collated intro/outro, inner image and background music, I created my iterated animation. In total the animation is 49 seconds long and uses a multitude of different keyframe animations to create a final product based on research and experimentation. I wanted to avoid using the preset effects as I felt that they took away from this project and I wouldn't learn how to achieve effects if I used them. Therefore every animation/movement in this animation is hand-done. The source text keyframe setting was my primary go-to and using that in conjunction with other keyframe settings such as masks, scale, opacity and positioning I was able to create various different effects.

Overall I am happy with the result. I felt that the representation of Helen Clark throughout this animation is strong and empowering, exactly what I set out to do. The colour palette was followed and I didn't stray from the near "corporate" feeling. While in other settings I would see a "corporate" feeling as a negative input, I don't see that as one here. I didn't want to portray Helen Clark as a "party freak" trying to justify cannabis so anyone could get their hands on it, but rather as a professional trying to justify a point so that people who need it for medicinal use, are within means to obtain it.

[ollie603]

Outro

The outro was based on the intro to the animation, this was to ensure a perfect loop when the animation ends and when the animation starts.

I included information on the speech, speaker, song and then myself before I dragged it away & faded it as it was my most used transition throughout my animation.

[ollie603]

Developed intro

During the week 12 class George provided some feedback that suggested my introduction didn't have the right appeal within the context of my speech. He expressed how the current intro feels more like an advertisement for a "party" rather than an empowering speech.

Therefore I went back to look at how I could use imagery to my advantage. Since the advice to cull the illustrations, my animation was lacking in imagery and I felt that I could add it in, if it was added in a small moderation. Therefore I created 2 images:

My first image (with the skytower) would be used in my intro and outro. This would provide context on location to the viewer. I added a concrete overlay to the green background (developed after my dislike for the first iteration below):

I felt that these images were too flat and didn't represent the resilience and strength of Helen Clark. I felt that concrete represented these qualities universally in any language. Therefore it was overlaid and provided a lovely texture.

And thus I created a developed intro:

[ollie603]

Background music selection

When adding my music I went through various different selections of music. I wanted to evoke a sense of power through the music to accentuate the message of the speech however I didn't want it to be overpowering. I started by looking at the song "Intersect" by Lane King however after testing the song with my audio I felt it just didn't have the right theme. I then looked at the song "A Different Story" by Roots and Recognition however that too didn't have the right theme. I felt that the song was too peaceful and calming, when Helen Clark is clearly passionate and strong during the speech.

Eventually I found exactly what I was looking for. The song "Please Calm My Mind" by Lesfm had the perfect balance of relaxation, feeling of empowerment and a slow start to match my intro. I felt the song was futuristic (in comparison to the previous two I didn't like) and when placed into context, Helen Clark is talking of the future, a perfect match.

The song I chose will be played at a lower volume as to not detract from the empowerment of the speech but rather accompany and support it. I ended up setting a -12.0dB on the audio level keyframes.

[ollie603]

Resolved text animations

After a-lot of testing and consideration of how I want the text to move, I ended up with a fully animated kinetic animation! I may revisit particular aspects and revise them where I see fit however at this point based on previous experimentation I am confident in the way I have animated this speech.

I found animating the captions to this speech to be incredibly difficult. The speed at which Helen Clark talks in the audio is very fast and therefore makes it difficult to create the animations I would want to create since by the time I could get halfway through the keyframes, I'd already be animating another word. This can be seen at particular points where I move/scale the text and drop the opacity, before the text is removed from the composition, the next set of text is presented. I felt that this way of presenting the text was done well since it was a clear continuation of what she was saying previously.

I especially liked the thought of how the animations at the start seem rather simplistic and amateur, as at the time Helen Clark is speaking with the text her speech is just starting, providing context and therefore isn't as empowering as it is later. With this concept in mind I found the later animations to be more in-depth and intricate, reflecting the speech.

As based on previous research, I made sure that the end of the animation (barring an outro to be made) is clear of any assets/text, so that the animation can loop without a jarring change.

The next steps for me would be to reanimate the background. Create an outro. Add a soundtrack in the background and potentially refine any outstanding animations that I see need attention.

[ollie603]

Outro concept drawings

I created two different outro concepts on paper. The first one uses source text to quickly move through different text in a dramatic way which better represents the them of the speech in the second half. The text would be aligned to the left side of the art-board. The text would be replaced by the next set harshly but slow enough to make the text legible. The ending set of text (Ollie Duncan - 2023) would transition off the art-board by sliding down and fading, leaving the background empty to allow a smooth transition back to the start of the animation.

The second animation uses anchor points to push text upwards, allowing the reader to continually read the previous text as the next set comes onto screen. This would make the art-board feel more cluttered however if placed correctly it could make the ending feel more complete and rounded. The text would move to the left of the art-board at the end, so that a clean transition back to the start of the animation can be conducted.

Out of the two I decided to go with the first one. I felt that it better represented the speed of the speech and the use of source text throughout would remain cohesive with the animation too. By having each line presented by itself, the line becomes more impactful and is made the focal point of the animation at the time.

[ollie603]

Intro scene

Using my background I then thought about an introduction to my speech. I used the cannabis icon recognised everywhere in popular culture all over the world, better relating to anyone who may be viewing but especially to my target audience.

I then used the two assets, tiny bit of type and multiple keyframes such as scaling, position, source text and opacity to create the below video. I also returned to using bezier keyframe interpolation, which I discovered awhile ago in my experimentation & introductory phase of After Effects:

The video is 7 seconds long, follows my colour choices and is easy to understand. The type has a thin weight which feels more professional and contrasts the vector/near cartoony feeling of the illustration used.

[ollie603]

Background asset

Expanding on the user of effects from class and my own experimentation I created a moving gradient background from two prominent colours to represent the cannabis (and therefore the key aspect) of my project.

I used a multitude of effects including; directional blur, twirl, motion tile and a drop shadow (for the darker colours). The resulting clip will fill what could have been a very dull and boring solid background with a more kinetic and energetic background asset that is intentional slow as to not draw viewers away from the main content.

[ollie603]

Intro storyboarding

I felt that the intro to my animation needed to be strong and visually engaging, thus I employed the use of my cannabis illustration and theorise to use scale and rotation to quickly create a transition to the beginning of my speech.

[ollie603]

Kinetic type experimentation 8 - Slide into place

This animation uses scale and a one-sided anchor point to reveal text from a blank background. I grabs the viewers attention by making them consider what the words could say when they become legible. I thought that this animation was in-line with the complexity of the others. The anchor point would be positioned to one side of the text and then unclipped the symmetry option on the scaling keyframe options (just like in my third experiment), however, this time, I exaggerate the X axis value to created a stretched text horizontally. The text eventually settles into a legible state toward the end of the animation.

[ollie603]

Kinetic type experimentation 7 - Weight ticker

This concept was presented as an example in class however I thoroughly enjoyed creating it, it looks dynamic and can be customised in a multitude of different ways. I feel that this animation could be used if there is a pause between talking in the speech as to effectively pull the animation off I would need time for the effect to run its course, if the animation was too quick then it would look like some kind of error on my part. I don't want to become overly complex with how I want this to be presented. I think by just increasing the weight I can make the link that the text presented should be emphasised, which is why I'd use the effect to begin with.

[ollie603]

Revised storyboarding for the speech

During the week 12 class George warned me against the idea of using as many illustrations as I had planned since the purpose of the project was kinetic type not illustration. Therefore I had to "go back to the drawing board" since my original storyboard consisted of illustrations in every scene. However based on the experimentation on kinetic type and Adobes preset effects I had conducted I then created a storyboard using them as guides to how I want text to move. I played the animation as I looked at all of them at the same time and then picked the animation which I felt could best be used for the text at the time. The following images captured my initial concept which could be developed further digitally as I work:

[ollie603]

Kinetic type experimentation 6 - Large & small fades

The idea with this animation was to provide a transition to a new word/concept with impact or emphasise the next word. I struggled to visualise how I wanted this too look before I made the initial drawing, however, once I digitised my idea, it worked perfectly. "word1" expands massively with the use of scale keyframes and the opacity drops before the opacity of "word2" is increased and falls back into the place of "word1". This short animation creates emphasis on "word2". Just like many of the previous experiments, the animation drops off the art-board and fades to reveal the next set of words.