We've been taking After Effects workshops to help us with our animated shorts. At first I didn't find it useful as it was just moving objects around but as it got further into the sessions we learnt about imbedding music into the work and how to step the music in and how to step different transitions.
Every after effects must have a composition, just like setting up a page in photoshop.
Grey chunky bit on the time ruler (blue handle) can select a certain section.
Composition - new composition - composition presets (end product list) - HD def PAL NGTSC standard definition
If you make a mistake and need to change it - composition settings
if there are no layers showing are you in the right section? click composition layer section.
moving the red bar in the time ruler section changes the time on screen.
LAYER PROPERTIES
- to the left of the layer name, small triangle. if you click on that, reveals more options!
- Transition, anchor point, position, scale, rotation, opacity.
- Click on stopwatch for position that creates a key frame (diamond shape)
- then move time indicator to where you want transition to finish
- Should move path.
- Then AE animates it automatically.
Render settings - Best settings - time span (whole work or part you choose).
Output module "lossless" - Format options H.264
RENDER.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Position - Layer selected + P
Anchor - A
Rotation - R
Scale - S
Opacity - T (for transparent)
New composition - preset for brief - PAL D1/DV wide screen square pixel.
can have multiple composition in one project
Select layer - O - the marker will line up with the outpoint
Select layer - N - Brings workspace to end of work
Select layer - U - shows all properties of the layer
U twice - all the modified properties of the ayer
Drag click box, then key frames, when both are selected they will do the same thing.
Select all the layers THEN alt -click drag very first or very last key frame diamond. this can change the time of the whole thing.
Photoshop - new - film video preset - size PAL D1/DV
exactly same as AE
cmd + to set guides.
rectangles are safe zone
everything significant keep inside
File - import - always check your importing type. If it is in the project folder, drag it down OR double click the file.
STORYBOARDING
Storyboarding is a sequence of pictures created by a production illustrator.
Key positions and key framing. It helps with visual thinking and also with composition.
For our final deliverable it helps show development for final piece, helps to show exploring rather than showing the end product.
Lighting and pace can be shown in storyboarding easier.
- Look at cameron Stewart.
- - Positional, Pan, Zoom, Track.
- Get it down on paper dont keep it in your head.
- Screen "grab" mid or post production to get feedback from collegues. Helps to show your progress to potential pitchers.
- Resolve something on screen that comes across in print.
This was the image I chose to take into storyboarding. Below are examples of my first few attempts at storyboarding. I found it quite challenging getting something out of my head onto paper, also having nine slots made it harder and I had to think more about the composition. I also had to consider Position, pan, track and zoom as tools.
I didn't find this task very easy, we had to use our image as the middle of the storyboard so I had to think about how to get to that bit. I think I probably over thought it a bit too much and that is something to consider with after effects. As we only get 15 minute stings its probably easier to keep it something simple. We also got suggested to think about the soundtrack. I have listened to a few pieces of music on Free Music Archive and British Library but I havent found anything I am really thinking about using yet.
By developing my storyboarding skills it really helped me think about the actual things I can do with 15 seconds and how much you can get across in a small amount of time.
STINGS
I had a look at some different animated stings, this one was only 9 seconds long, for E4 stings.
Although it was short it was aimed very well at its audience (15 - 24 year olds// younger "hip" age range). By using a fast paced shape system to keep attention and quick repetitive music that drew attention fast.
The music used is not very contextual, it is simple noises with a heavier "dubstep" beat underlaying to give it that edge that will be relevant to the music 15 - 24 year olds are listening to these day. The beat keeps in time to the images that appear on screen. The images themselves do tell a story, a very short one that reveals itself at the end as those shapes being finger puppet shapes made by a weird unexplained character. The bright colours attract our eyes with the shapes jumping up and down to get our attention, although it is probably digital the white background is given a paper like quality to move so nothing is still in the frame. .
This next one is a slightly long sting at 20 seconds long for Comedy Central.
It focuses on a cowboy trying to shoot some cans off a fence with his gun.
The music used is realistic music, sounds of him walking with his shoes, the sound of a gun reloading and everytime he shoots his gun a different noise (accompanied by a shape) appearing out the end.
It is used in a comedic way, using jokey sound effects when different shapes appear.
I dont think this one is as effective as it isn't very humourous and i think the music doesn't support the animation very well.
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