Digital Photography and Imaging Final Project / Cinemagraph Self-Titled
25.5.2022 - 29.6.2022 (Week 9 - Week 14)
Takuto Hozumi / 0354047 / Bachelor Of Design (Hons) In Creative Media
Digital Photography and Imaging
Final Project / Cinemagraph
LECTURES
Intro to After Effects
What is After Effects?
Adobe After Effects is a 2.5D animation software used for animation, visual effects, and motion picture compositing. After Effects is used in film, TV, and web video creation. This software is used in the post-production phase, and has hundreds of effects that can be used to manipulate imagery. This allows you to combine layers of video and images into the same scene.
Adobe After Effects takes a different approach for creating movement. Motion graphics animation works by manipulating vector and rasterized art to create and tell a story. You can integrate physical based media as well through photographs and videography.
Compositing Layers in Photoshop
Basically Photoshop is a platform to compositing the layers. All the layers need to be arrange and rename accordingly so that it will be organize and easy to be animated in After Effects. Adobe After Effects is a digital visual effects, motion graphics, and compositing application. Basically we can import elements such as images, video, vector and more into After Effects. All the layer elements need to be organized and synchronized to the external software platforms such as Photoshop & Illustrator. After Effects files does not embed its media, it links to it.
INSTRUCTION
After Effects Exercise
Before the final project, we students learn basic After Effects operations through this exercise.
- Import the given PSD composition into Adobe After Effects
- Create a composition setting 1080 px (Width) x 1920 px (Height), Duration 15 second
- Create a keyframe animation to the layers using Position (P), Scale (S) & Masking path
- Render output: Quicktime (.MOV) or .MP4
- Upload the video into Youtube Channel
Fig.1: Window of After Effects
Fig.2: Folder Organization
- 01_COMP
- 02_PRECOMP
- 03_AI
- 04_PSD
- 05_MOV
- 06_AUDIO
Fig.3: Key
Display "Key" in the panel from the settings. This is used to set keyframes as the starting point for motion. Keyframes are a very important feature and they are used to set parameters for motion, effects, audio, and many other properties.
Fig.4: Motion Setting
Fig.5: Mask
This exercise requires the use of a mask as indicated in the specifications. As with masks in Illustrator and Photoshop, outside the masked area of the objects will be hidden. This time, mask is applied background.
Fig.6: Timeline
Fig.7: Exporting
Fig.7: Export Settings
Export in QuickTime (.MOV) as specified.
Fig.8: Uploaded Video
After Effects Exercise - Final Video
Final Project Self-Titled
Self-titled is an exploration project for the students to express their own individuality and reflect their personality into digital art self-expression.
The main idea is to build up self-confidence and discover their interest.
1. Idea Exploration
Things to do;
- Write a biography about yourself
- Write a statement about your work
About myself
A socially unfit guy
What my passion is
Emigrating abroad, Live and work without being confined to a country, area, place
What motivates me to achieve my dream is
Aiming for a stress-free life (Because of the working culture, I could not adapt well to my own country.)
How I want to visualize your dream into an artwork
Express comfort and happiness in my current head visually
About my work
Title setting: Yggdrasil
What the concept behind it is
The world tree is growing out of my brain as a metaphor for my dream come true.
And an animal representing my personality will be placed there.
What the message I want people to understand is
"You can run away from unpleasant things."
What my motto/quote is
禍福は糾える縄の如し / Good luck and bad luck alternate in waves.
2. Mood Board (3 Poster reference)
Study and gather all related information about your topic.
Fig.9: Visual Reference
Fig.10: Color Reference
Fig.11: Mood Reference
3. Idea Sketch
Fig.12: Idea Sketch
4. Digital Poster Designing
Creating a digital poster based on the sketch above.
Fig.13: Cropping
Fig.14: Tracing
Fig.15: Add Elements
Fig.16: Poster Ver.1
Fig.17: Poster Ver.1
Fig.18: Poster Final Ver.
5. Make it a Video
Photoshop-created composite poster (.PSD) is loaded layer by layer into After Effects and animated.
Fig.19: Cinemagraph Self-Titled W13 in Progress
In progress of trying functions in After Effects
List of things I wanna do but don't know how;
- Shake trees and plants
- Flapping wings of a bird
- Insertion of video material to background
- Other natural movements
- Sound
Fig.20: Cinemagraph Self-Titled W14 in Progress (29/6/2022)
Put in the atmosphere of a dubious new religion.
Fig.21: Cinemagraph Self-Titled W14 (3/7/2022)
From W14 feedback, we have made some corrections. In particular, adjustments to birds using chroma key compositing.
Fig.22: Cinemagraph Self-Titled W14 Final Ver. (6/7/2022)
From W14 feedback, we have made some corrections. In particular, adjustments to birds using chroma key compositing.
REFLECTIONS
ExperiencesAs with the first exercises, a sense of composition was required. I am still dissatisfied with the quality of my work, but I think it is better than the first assignment that started this module. Especially since this was my first time using after-effects, I felt frustrated that I could not technically realize what I wanted to do, and some compromises had to be made to meet the submission deadline.
Throughout this entire module, I learned the importance of filming techniques. Good design requires the use of good materials. I am particularly interested in the camera handling techniques I learned at the studio photo shoot and will continue to learn.Observation
We need to start by learning how After Effects functions. Just as it is impossible to create software without knowing a programming language, it is impossible to create a good video without knowledge of after-effects. I thought that expression is something that is backed by technology.
Findings
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