I just got out of a meeting about understanding how the animation will proceed. I wanted direction and I was puzzled by the process, but I guess it comes down to “just do it.” Deciding on colors, textures and animations will be one of the most decision intensive thing I’ve done.
Today one of the team members made the outline of the first structure that the other animator and I will be converging on so the animation seems seamless.
update 5-8-13: Animation process
This is what happens when you try to link something into itself. #nestingfails
I added some pattern. This should really be in Proof of Concept post, but I am finally on slate for doing the animations for the video. I quoted two weeks, but I should have noted that was after we have the idea down and it’s just execution.
Update 5-24-13: The Process using Adobe After Effects
Fig 1: From my animation partner, Pete: “Here an attempt at the flicker animation. I used the wiggle expression on the opacity and position parameters. To turn on and off the opacity wiggle, I made a null object, added an effects slider, linked it to the wiggle amplitude and then animated using the slider. It’s pretty easy and I’m happy to show you how to do it. There’s also a video tutorial if that’s preferable. The file is attached so you can check out the parameters. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pFM7TDYYZk” I use this flicker effect as the base file for all the triangles I use in the first part of the video, giving them a feeling of new and uncertainness. I put this file into “Ideasection1” comp.
Fig 2: Ideasection1 comp gives the the yellow triangle a mask and mask effects like opacity and feather. I also added some movement.
Fig 3: In the beginning of the video, I start with two triangles, but they are really the same moving triangle (Ideasection1) mirrored. The only difference between them is the color effect-Hue/Saturation on the grey triangle. This way, when I changed the feather mask and opacity on the “Ideasection1” comp, it effected them both equally. This makes up the “ideasectionp2.”
Fig 4: I put this file (ideasectionp2) over the main footage and gave it more movement within the context of the film’s composition. Each time I put file over the main footage in the timeline, I use that footage for a short sprint, turning the opacity to 100% when I want it and 0% when I don’t and then lock it immediately. Organizing the layers chronologically, in this case, the triangles that happen earlier are lower in the timeline stack. This is important for going back and editing individual parts and changing out the “reels” if the team doesn’t like what that bit is doing.
In this video, you can see the dramatic changes that the “idea” went through. The middle one is the semi-final one– it still needs some color correction on the footage.
[…] Ai file for after effects, Rough Draft for Moving Logo and credits. What I ended up doing: Portfolio Animation | Katablog I’m still behind. I’ve been distracted/engaged in this Portfolio Animation. Very […]
I just got out of a meeting about understanding how the animation will proceed. I wanted direction and I was puzzled by the process, but I guess it comes down to “just do it.” Deciding on colors, textures and animations will be one of the most decision intensive thing I’ve done.
Katarina Countiss 
[…] Ai file for after effects, Rough Draft for Moving Logo and credits. What I ended up doing: Portfolio Animation | Katablog I’m still behind. I’ve been distracted/engaged in this Portfolio Animation. Very […]