What is Motion Graphics?

Motion graphics is a digital technique that combines pictures, words, sound and video. Motion graphics are usually displayed via electronic media technology, but may be displayed via manual powered technology. It combines different creative elements like typography, illustration, logos, shapes and video. They are then animated or moved in a way that tells a story. A great example of the purest and simplest form of animation and motion graphics combined is an animated GIF.

After effects

-Short-cut sheet

Adobe After Effects is a digital motion graphics, visual effects and compositing app developed by Adobe Systems used in the post-production process of film making and television production. After Effects can also be used as a basic editor, media transcoder an Animation creator. Adobe After Effects is primarily used for creating motion graphics and visual effects. After Effects allows users to animate, alter and composite media in 2D and 3D space with various built-in tools and third party plug-ins, as well as individual attention to variables like parallax and user-adjustable angle of observation.

Glossary of terms

Vector Graphics

A vector graphic is the most common graphic type found in motion graphics and typically come from Illustrator. A vector graphic is based on paths or stokes which lead to different control points that make up the graphic. Each one of these points has a definitive position on the work plane. Vector graphics are popular because you can scale it up or down and it never loses quality.

Raster Graphics

Pixel-based raster graphics will typically come from a program like Photoshop. These graphics are made up of individual coloured squares (pixels), which are all assigned a specific location and colour value. The amount of pixels that make up a graphic is determined by the resolution. So this means if a bitmap graphic is scaled up or down it can lose quality. With motion graphics, vector based images are typically used more often, but there are still times when a bitmap graphic is very useful.

Frames

Frames are the individual images that make up a moving sequence. When these images are played back at a certain speed the movement is created. The speed at which these images are displayed is determined by the frame rate. The most common frame rate is 24 frames-per-second, meaning 24 individual images are displayed over one second. However, depending on the output the frames-per-second may vary.

Trim

Trimming refers to the process of cutting out segments of a layer by removing frames from the beginning or end. This is a process which is used very often when a layer’s effect or animation is no longer important. For example, a layer may be needed for a few seconds of the sequence, but after those few seconds it doesn't serve a purpose. So instead of having the layer be calculated the entire time, you can trim the frames back to the point where the layers effect ends.

Real-time preview (RAM preview)

A real-time preview allows you to play back the entire composition, including all the effects directly in the program without having to render out the sequence. In After Effects this is called a RAM preview. While it’s definitely faster than rendering, depending on the length of the video, and the quality of the real-time preview it can take anywhere from a few seconds, to a few minutes.

Timecode

The time-code is a type of display in After Effects showing the exact time in a composition in hours, minutes, seconds and frames. For example, the timecode in the screenshot above that says 0:00:26:13 is 0 hours, 00 minutes, 26 seconds, and 13 frames. This is great for being able to see the exact moment an effect occurs or where exactly a layer’s effect ends.

Layers

You’re probably familiar with layers if you've ever used a program like Photoshop or Illustrator. When you’re creating motion graphics you will most likely be working in After Effects, and After Effects handles layers basically the same way. A single layer can hold anything from graphics, text, effects, shapes, etc. Depending on the how the layers are stacked on one another will determine how they appear in the composition. In order to create complex motion design you will often be working with numerous different layers to create the finished project.

Adjustment Layers

An adjustment layer is a type of layer that is used to apply effects to multiple layers at once. Whenever you apply an effect to a layer the effect applies only to that particular layer. With an adjustment layer the effect created on the adjustment layer can exist independently of the other layers. So for instance, if to create an adjustment layer, the effect applied to the layer will affect any of the other layers below it. If the adjustment layer is at the bottom of the layer stack then it will have no effect on the composition.

3D Layers

When creating motion graphics in a program like After Effects the basic graphics you manipulate are flat two-dimensional layers. With a 3D layer the layer itself remains flat, but it gains additional properties like position, anchor point, scale, and rotation. Any layer can be a 3D layer, creating the illusion something is 3D when its actually 2D.

Keyframes

Keyframes mark a specific point in time where a significant change happens. In motion graphics this can be a keyframe that marks the start and end of an effect or used to create animated movement, like text flying into the composition or different graphical elements being animated. Typically there will need to be two keyframes needed to create movement. The first keyframe will make the point in time where you want the movement or effect to start, and a keyframe at the end which marks the moment in time when the effect or movement should end. Depending on the complexity of the effect or animation there can be just two key frames or hundreds used on a single layer.

Timeline

The timeline is an interactive interface found in a program like After Effects that displays all the important information like the frames in the sequence, the layers within the composition, as well as audio and video information, and where the layers can be trimmed, and effects can be added. This is also the area where you will create and edit the keyframes for an effect or animation on a specific layer.

Ease in Ease out

This refers to one of the 12 animation principles which are mentioned very often in the motion graphics world. Ease in refers to the gradual acceleration, and ease out refers to the gradual deceleration of a movement. Since nothing in the real world really gets up to full speed instantly or slows down instantly the same idea can be applied to your motion graphic’s animation. In After Effects this can be quickly achieved with an easy Ease keyframe.

Motion Tracking

With motion tracking, you can track the movement of an object and then apply the tracking data for that movement to another object—such as another layer or an effect control point—to create compositions in which images and effects follow the motion. You can also stabilize motion, in which case the tracking data is used to animate the tracked layer to compensate for movement of an object in that layer.

After Effects tracks motion by matching image data from a selected area in a frame to image data in each succeeding frame. This is done by using tracking points.

Bouncing ball

This was my first creation using After Effects. I think this was quite successful for my first attempt. I started by creating the simple ball shape using the shape tool. I then went on to create a path. The path had individual plotted points which the ball followed to make it look as if the ball was bouncing across the page. I learned from trial and error that making the path smoother gave the ball a better flow.

Battery

My second task was to create moving image and type. I did this by creating a simple battery. In order to create this I had create simple shapes and use null objects. After a simple demonstration I found this task quite easy.

Logo

From a previously created radio logo I made on Adobe Illustrator I began a simple traditional story board. From this story board I then created a digital version which I used as a template to help me with my After Effects clip.

Traditional Storyboard-

Digital Storyboard-

Using the Adobe Illustrator file of my logo I brought it into After Effects where I began making my short sequence. Although this took quite a while, with the use of YouTube tutorials I was able to grasp the techniques quite quick.  I am very pleased with the outcome however with sound I think it would improve the standard of my clip.

Character

I then went on to create a short clip of a character I drew traditionally and created digitally. This was a long process that included creating the character, adding movement to the character, creating the background and adding sound effects. 

Although this took long I am quite pleased with my outcome.

http://vimeo.com/117449074

Studio Ghibli, Inc

Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation film studio based in Koganei, Tokyo, Japan. The studio is best known for its anime feature films, and has also produced several short films, television commercials, and one television film. Many of Ghibli's films in Japan are theatrically distributed by Toho while home video releases are handled by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Japan

Founded in June 1985, the studio is headed by the directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and the producer Toshio Suzuki. Prior to the formation of the studio, Miyazaki had already had a long career in Japanese film and television animation.

Miyazaki incorporated his own ideas, beliefs and philosophy’s on society into his work. Planning his work around a central message relatable to young and old viewers. He is even referenced by other high profile film makers in their own work. While other big name animators have made the transition into 3D, Miyazaki has continued to devote his work to 2D animation. Two of his most well-known works include 'Spirited Away' and 'My Neighbour Totoro'. Miyazaki has a strong love of nature, “We need courtesy toward water, mountains, and air in addition to living things. We should not ask courtesy from these things, but we ourselves should give courtesy toward them instead.” Miyazaki carries this idea into Spirited away.

Interview with Miyazaki :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3G8PBrwgII

Evaluation

Overall I am very pleased with my final outcomes and feel that i've gained a good understanding of After Effects. One of the outcomes I was very pleased with was my radio logo. After using Youtube videos to learn new techniques, I felt myself becoming quite advanced with the programme (After Effects). However to improve this animation I could have added sound such as the fire crackling. Although this wasn't complete I think the whole composition was quite complex as I had time to plan the full idea.

I intend to use the skills i have learnt throughout the course in the future and hopefully apply it to my FMP.