Project 6: Storytelling (a.k.a. Ransom Note)

Part 1 Due:  April 4
Part 2 Due: April 11
Part 2 Due: April 18

Description:

Using your favorite techniques from our class, create a 30 second animation of a ransom note (or any other storyline that intrigues you) to the soundtrack of your choice. The emphasis of this project is on conveying a story rather than abstract animation we've been doing.

Suggested techniques: 

3d layers/camera/lights

AE animated text

Handwriting effect

Part 1:

Create 2 – 4 style frames (submit as 4 jpegs in a folder or a single pdf)

A Style Frame is a visual guide to the way your final animation will look. Unlike a storyboard, which lays out the animation from beginning to end, style frames illustrate the look and feel (colors, lighting, visual elements, etc) without locking in specific shots. This exercise will help you brainstorm the effects you might end up using before you get into After Effects.

Use Photoshop or Illustratror—NOT After Effects.

Below are links to some style frame references:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XQ5BZwVBXeFuruoorxjotvT246ZO0k8u1_V36LxZrcocpFvXSqYpAUqgi0jYXUpg9XN41tHuxWSpcUfIYsqw20DasUcbkXVmJWyPDLZFAlI3_8Gym5WHV0RvlT4haiLSrKCjkFE2vos/s1600/style+frames.jpg
http://www.mydbmedia.com/DB_Obama1_Board.jpg
http://www.mydbmedia.com/DB_Marl2_Board.jpg
http://www.gasket.tv/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/bb_recycle_style_frames.png

Part 2:

Begin animating your piece. Your "rough" animation should be the full length of your piece, but not polished (it's ok if you're missing a few seconds off the end, but try to make it complete)

Part 3:

Final animation

Project 5: Abstract Video

Due: March 28

Description: 
Take a segment of any video and apply effects to it until it becomes completely abstract and unrecognizable (something ambient and fun). Add music if it strikes your fancy!

Project 4: Bring a Photograph to Life

Due: March 21

Description:
Separate a photograph or an image into several layers (foreground, middle, background), bring the layers into After Effects (as Composition *Not layer size) and use a camera to give depth and life to the scene. Don't forget to paint out repeating images from the layers.

Your animation should be at least 10 sec. Sound is optional.

Project 3: Song Lyrics

Due: Feb 28 (week 7)
* bring in a render from the Feb 28 in-class work session the following week.

Description:
Select a segment from a song that is at least 20 seconds. Use all the text animation techniques we covered in class to narrate every word of your song segment. Try to make the motion evocative of the lyrics. Play with your composition by varying the number of words in the frame, size, background/text color, etc.

Project #2: Geometric Shapes

Bring work-in-progress to our next class: Feb 7

Render due: Feb 14

 

Description: 

Create a 20 second abstract animation of geometric shapes to a soundtrack of your choice. 

Project #1: A Simple Story

Due: Jan 1 (Week 3)

Description:
Select a unifying theme (nature, city, weather, family, etc.) and create a 20 second film timed to a soundtrack of your choice. You must use at least 20 images and 3 videos (I will count!)

The purpose of this assignment is to understand rhythm and timing. Practice hitting the beat when bringing images on and off screen. Varying the duration and scale of the images/videos will make your piece more exciting. Play around with composition and use multiple layers (it shouldn't be a "single image after single image" slide show).

Check out the "Inspiration" section of this blog for references (look for the "Week 1" entry) 

Bring your work-in-progress project to class on a drive—we will go over render settings together.

Specs:
- 1280 x 720, square pixels, 29.97 fps

- 20 seconds

- h264 or mpeg4 compression (in class)

Free Video Sources:
You can download free stock footage (including HD footage) with no watermarks at http://www.stockfootageforfree.com. You will have to register in order to download clips but it is free.

There are some interesting videos in the community video section of www.archive.org

http://www.archive.org/browse.php?field=subject&mediatype=movies&collection=opensource_movies

The video section of Getty Images allows you to download sample videos with watermarks. Click on a video and download the watermarked sample on the right.

http://www.gettyimages.com/footage/frontdoor/istockfootage?isource=usa_Home_ftv_hero_istockfootage_B

Your favorite video

Please find a motion graphics video that inspires you and send me a link (yparshin@pratt.edu or yparshina@gmail.com) with a few sentences describing why you chose it.

Vimeo Account

For this course, you need to create a free vimeo account (www.vimeo.com). You are welcome to use an existing account or create a new, anonymous one. 

You will use this account to upload all projects for this class. Links to your work will be posted on our blog so you can continue to review/comment on each other's progress outside of class.