My Project(s)
I didn't really have one "big" project this semester. Instead, my semester consisted of several smaller projects. Most of these involved using effects and plug-ins in Adobe After Effects. My ultimate goal was to become better at using After Effects so I can create my own motion graphics and special effects in the future. Coming out of this semester, I can say that I'm much more comfortable with using After Effects. I feel like I know it better than Maya at this point.
The Process
Wanting to get a better hang of After Effects and its capabilities, I completed a bunch of various tutorials the first half of this semester. I followed some tutorials on Video-Copilot, Youtube, and Lynda, and I mainly focused on motion graphics with some kinetic typography and special effects sprinkled in. I completed a variety of small projects from making a cool spinning logo, using expressions to have color react to sound, using waveforms, recreating a minute of concert visuals (which took a while due to masking). I also made a couple of animations for my school's news program, ONW NOW.
Color Reacting to Audio
I went to a concert in September, and I saw that not only did the visuals react to the music, but so did the lights, more specifically, the color reacted to the lights. So I went to After Effects and I made several panels of light, and I had them react to the beat of Porter Robinson's Song, Language by using a complex expression. It could still use some tweaking to be perfect, but the beginning of the song came out pretty cool.
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| The Expression used to have colors react to the music |
Waveform
After exploring the effects within After Effects, I found out that waveforms could be reacted, similar to the ones use in Youtube music channels such as Monstercat and Proximity. I wanted to become more familiar with using a waveform and working with audio, so I created my own. To add a unique element to my waveform. I used Video-Copilot's Saber plug-in to make the circle glow when it expanded, but when the circle is whole, it looks a little too white. Other than that it came out pretty nice.
Spin!
I just followed a couple tutorials on Youtube to make this. I thought it looked cool and it would get me familiar with more effects. There isn't much to say here.
30 Seconds of Concert Visuals
I was inspired by Porter Robinson's tour visuals. I wanted to try my hand at recreating a section of the visuals for his song "Divinity." I only got around to about a minute before I had to start working on another project, but I'm pretty happy with the result. I found the gif of this punching cat online, and I used the roto-bezier tool to mask it. I also had to time remap it, but that didn't take too long.
ONW NOW
My "deadline" project this semester actually turned out to be creating animations for my school's news program, ONW NOW. I used the Adobe Illustrator vector file for the logo, and extruded it in Element 3D. From there I textured and animated it.
Next Semester
Starting next semester, I will be working on the basketball animations that I said I was going to work on this semester. I became really busy, and the group I was working with didn't really stay in contact, so I'm going to try and finish up these animations before the basketball season ends. If I don't get them done in them, at least I know they will be used next year. After I finish these animations, I'm going to try and create a good lyric video before the year ends. Hopefully I can get there.
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