Final Project Pre-Pro

Better late then never people say...

It is down to the wire. Semester is almost over. Degree is almost complete. Everything and then some is due and due now. The start of this project has been delayed to all the other shenanigans going on in my life right now but I feel I have a pretty cool idea.

It is going to be a scene to scene reveal of all the incarnations of the Adobe Creative Suite logos; it will be a looping animation so it could be used as a banner ad if needed.

So here is the storyboard of where I am headed:

Some of the effects may be a little difficult to achieve but I figure I will have a little more 'free' time next week to work out the kinks. See you all in a few with something amazing.

-CJ-

Project Deco(nstruction)Reco(nstruction)

Greetings friends! I'm back with the meager beginnings of a new AfterEffects project. We are asked to take some packaging, deconstruct it, and then animate it's reconstruction using AE. We are allowed to take some creative liberties but it should still be somewhat recognizable in the end.

I know the text is impossible to read so I will summarize here:
The packaging I have selected is left-over from one of my Bioshock (video game) action figures. I'm going for an underwater, very floaty, weightless feel to the whole piece. Objects will drop in, causing bubbles, moving around rather fluidly.

As a soundtrack, I will be using a clip from 'A Jewel Traced Through Coal' by Dimmu Borgir mixed with a minute dose of GarageBand effects for more underwaterness.

I'm nervous about how I'm going to pull off the always-moving, current-driven feel of water using AE. I'm sure it's possible but my skills are simple at best. I will do what I can and make this project bang.

I will see ya'll in a few with more Project DecoReco up-dates,

-CJ-

Project Logo Animation

In all its blazing glory: my logo animation. It has evolved a little bit from the initial storyboard but the over-all concept is still the same. Puffs of sparks, a big spark, flames, logo, yum!

I do admit the ending of the song is kinda lame. I love that song but I didn't figure out a good way to end it. Suggestions?

Rumor is that we are starting AfterEffects now. Say it ain't so?

Til next time,

-CJ-

New project coming your way friends. This week we are asked to take a logo (whether ours or someone elses) and animate it. Over spring break I did craft my current logo so I am going to animate that. The first image below is my proposed story board. Starts out pitch black with pops of orange that rain sparks. One of the sparks arches high, drops, and when it hits the sweet spot the screen will reveal a flame illustration; just as quickly as it spread the fire will fade to smoke. This smoke then solidifies to form the 'SIN' part of the logo.

The flames that will rise after the high spark hits:

The current incarnation of my own personal logo:

With a name like SIN Studios it has gotta be good! See you in two with the final product.

-CJ-

Project Do-Things-Backwards

A fun filled Spring Break 2011 is now in the books. It wasn't much fun and it wasn't much of a break; more of a work filled week without classes. Guess that's what I get for being a senior right?

This is a mini-project, again using Flash (but now CS5!!!), to animate. We had to take writing, of one form or another, and bring it to life as if it were being written. My project is a finger-of-god type cause with a crack that turns into my initials (CWJ). It took a lot longer than I had planned so I have to run...

Until next time when I animate a logo, I continue to remain:

-CJ-

(and no I don't know what's going on above)

Project Kinetic Type

At long last, my completed Kinetic Type assignment. I cleaned up the audio, did a lot of monkey-ing with font sizes, redid parts of the ending and, overall, tried to make it more enjoyable. Hope you all find it exciting.

Next week is Spring Break so no new school projects for a bit. I do have some personal projects in mind though so stay tuned.

-CJ-

Below is the early version of my kinetic type project. I will warn you that there are some timing issues and missing graphics but the point is there. I need a different way to represent the shotgun, possibly with some deformed letters. I still need to figure that out.

Enjoy it! The finalized version will be up on Thursday so stay tuned.

-CJ-

Project #Ummmm

This is the preproduction work for exercise/project 'I don't know the number'.We are to choose a quote or passage of our own and animate it using only the words spoken. Sounds groovy right? So what did I select for my project?

In case you have no idea where this clip is coming from I'll fill you in. Swipped from the DVD release of Sam and Ivan Raimis 'Army of Darkness' (referred to in some circles as The Evil Dead 3). If you haven't seen this movie and are into wacky horror movies with cheesy effects and life altering one-liners, I highly recommend it.

My proposed storyboard is below:

This is just the initial idea. I'm sure it will morph as I begin the production of the actual piece. I'm a little concerned that there are too many low points in the clip but I think I've got enough going on to bridge the gaps. Only time and a bit of work will tell.

Now for Killzone before my voucher expires.

-CJ-

I know you've been anxiously awaiting this: my new project! A rather quick audio snatch, sound imported into Adobe Flash, animation of our choice. I'm drawn to this morbid stuff; I think it is (in) the blood.

The next video I do will have kittens in it I swear!

In case anyone is out of the loop, both Bulletstorm and Killzone 3 are being released tomorrow. School is such a hamper on my anti-social life!

'Til next time friends I remain,

-CJ-

Project 4 (Assignment #1) - TV Spot Remix

So cats and kittens another project is in the history books. We were given an audio track for a TV spot for the show 'Southland' on TNT along with various still images and video clips. We had to remix all the pieces into some semblance of a story. Maybe it was the number of layers I had. Maybe it is the age of my computer but this took forever and 3 minutes to render. I did end up 'cheating' and laying out the clips in iMovie but it was the only way I could get Photoshop to even consider playing ball. Without further ado, and with a little luck, my remix:

The lesson learned: Photoshop and only 2G of RAM make for poor bed fellows.

Until next time I remain,

-CJ-

Project 2.5 - Now, hopefully, with sound!!!

My fingers are crossed here. I had to toy around with the compression for quite a while to get the sound to sync up properly after rendering; every time I did an 'Animation' compression the sound started way before it was supposed to. It should be working now.

And to those sick monkey's out there who were hoping I'd do the finger-chopper one don't fret! I'm working on it as you read this.

Until next project I remain,

-CJ-

Up-date: As promised Sick Monkeys, here is the PG-13-not-for-children-gory version of my countdown project. Enjoy! (You sickos)

Nothin' but love,

-CJ-

Project 2 - Countdown to...

Another rather simple task:

Animate a 5 - 1 countdown again using Photoshop to animate.

Step one is to produce storyboards for the proposed animations (posted below). The second step, which will be posted this coming monday, is to actually produce the animation. When will we move to the 30 hour day? Then I may actually get some time to play around.

Version 1: Countdown to Truncation

Version 2: Countdown to Publication

I have another idea for the animation that I will storyboard and post tomorrow night after work/school. See you soon.

*Up-date* As promised, my third idea. This one is a little 'foggier' to storyboard but I'm hoping the main idea will come across. It's a matrix of shapes that I will light and delight as needed to form the numerals. It may be a bit more than needed for the project but I had to get the idea out.

Unlit Matrix

Possible Lighting Shifts

Which one shall it be?

-CJ-

Motion Graphics - Intro and Inspirations

Greetings world! No...you aren't ready.

This blog will showcase the research, ideas, and work produced by myself in Motion Graphics at Sage of Albany. Stay tuned...it should be interesting.

Project 1:

This is a rather fun assignment:

Find 3x+ videos showing the 2D magic of motion graphics.

Here are my submissions-

Daft Punk's 'Technologic' (I've gotten into techno again)

A Scene from 'V for Vendetta' (I like this movie)

A Self-Promotion Piece by Roman Perona

After seeing these and others, I'm desperately looking forward to playing with AfterEffects. Everything that I have seen done with that program looks breath-taking. Heres to hoping I can contribute something to world of motion.

The second piece of this project was to use static photos and use the basic tools of position, opacity, and layer styles to create a groovy video. Prepare to be amazed!

So maybe it won't win an academy award any time soon but it is a start.

'Til next time.

-CJ-