Reflective Writting 4-5-6

Week 4

               During the 4th week we explored better how we can use type in aftereffects to give life to words, we explored how to rotoscope a small video and how it can be used to give real-life feeling to an animation. We explored during our pop task how film techniques can influence motion design and animation. We also explored using multiplanar shots or parallax effect, to give depth and 3 dimensions to animation using layered planes. Through this week we also finished up our summative 1 project.

               During our classes during this week, the different techniques we learned in class, from rotoscoping, motion typography and parallax layering. Are various techniques that even though It was already late to use in my project they are going to be very advantageous for future projects.

               Throughout the last week of the ABFAB I was able to finish my animation based on my animatic only using in adobe animate. Since I have always enjoyed, the hands-on part of drawing, doing 17 seconds of frame-by-frame of my video was not very hard and editing it with the sound was also quite intuitive.  Some aspects of my final animation which I wish I had better developed, were the background pattern of the video, the framing of some scenes and the editing of the voice over. At last minute before finishing the animation I was worried the message I was trying to convey was not clear, so I tried to record a voice over with simple phrases and pop it in to the animation, when I was finished there didn’t seem to be problems with the sound of my voice but during the presentation it very badly edited and eventually decided to go back to the video with only music in the background.

               The project did not come out exactly how I imagined it would, but I was proud of all the things I learned during these first 4 weeks and I know feel more prepared to start new projects. I learned to better organize myself and my projects to improve the outcome.

               Week 5

               The 5^th week was the introduction to new summative briefing. We are tasked to create a video of 30 seconds for AIR MAX DAY 2020 where we showcase our shoe as a brand that represents our values. We are required to have a set of varied techniques involved in the video. From 3d modelling and animation in Cinema 4d, use elements of photography/Filming, 2D elements, our own created font and a pattern. Using and mixing these elements to finish with the video where we present our brand values, and it must later be edited to fit in a snapshot story for Instagram on the phone.

               Through the week we had to start to prepare by doing research on the shoes we were going to use to represent us, their brand’s values and how they could relate to our values. I choose my New balance “By the sea” shoes, because they look like a spaceship, and this reminded me of that quote by Neil Armstrong “Small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Which led me to my values and concept. The shoe is the medium for new experiences and to step into new worlds, the shoe is the spaceship that travels to the infinite space of experiences.

               During the week I learned new techniques to animate and use different features of Cinema 4D from modelling to better optimizing the performance of the renders so that the scenes don’t take ages to render.

               Learning 3D techniques had never been so interesting until this week. I think I already comfortable with the idea of my project and I can clearly envision what I want to do, I think my concept is strong, and I have gathered a strong visual reference with the music made by my friend ( 80’s synth wave) and my storyboard.

Week 6

               The end of week 5 we had our pitch presentation, the week after that, was when I start with different aspects of my project. I was able to make my animatic efficiently with a hand drawn storyboard which gave me clear guidance for what I wanted my animation to look like.

               I discovered a technique which I found that would fit perfectly with my video, using a shader (sketch and toon), You can render 3D scenes with a filter that give outlines and less realistic renders. But adds a lot of personality to the renders. This helps to have better control of the simple colour pallet I am using.

 I started by modelling a spaceship, planets and a satellite to try different techniques and assets that I could potentially use for my video. I was able to render 2 scenes successfully with the sketch and toon filters, one of the spaceships passing in front of the camera, and a landscape.

I also finished the font that I will integrate as a 3D element, the following week. The font is a serif futuristic font, inspired by spaceship designs of movies like Star Wars and Star trek. The fonts will be split into the live life that will appear at the beginning of the video and to the max at the end.    

For the next week I will finish the environments and 3D assets. I will also do all the 3D renders quickly because the sketch and toon does not require much time. I will then do some parallax effect with clouds and skies with planets and stars using the free aftereffects plug-in orb.