Grantz Graf - Print To Pixel Animation

Here is my final animation, after additional feedback i was introduced to the effect 'Wigglerama' in which i could incorporate into the motion of the individual 'Idea Balls' as they travel, in order to give them a sense of sync with the erratic and static sounds of the track itself. This small tweeking/ editing of my animation i feel has worked to a highly effective degree as it allows me to create tension by manipulating the 'Wiggle' speed. Thus is crucial as there is a large proportion of segments in the song where tension is suddenly risen and fallen.

I've incorporated more camera movements through rotation and zoom, effectively giving the animation more edge that the track oozes from it's sound. This by which i feel gives the track more justice, through these changes in my emotional/ visual interoperation. This therefore concludes my final print to pixel animation.

Upon feedback of my animation below, there was good reviews, yet there was a lack of dynamic angles as the animation consisted of few points of view, so as you can see i've incorporated more camera movements through rotation and zoom, effectively giving the animation more edge that the track oozes from it's sound. This by which i feel gives the track more justice, through these changes in my emotional/ visual interoperation.

Here is my final animation for the Print to Pixel Project, portraying my emotional response to the track Grantz Graf. As you can see, the two heads with ideas in their brain's (conveyed by the individual 'Circles' as individual 'Ideas') slowly come together, causing the ideas in the head to rush into the space where the two heads 'Interact' and create a 'Static'/ 'Fizzing' effect. This effect is the concentration point for the animation so the camera zooms in a twisting motion to the concentrated space to a point where you can see the individual ideas rushing around and then later crashing and deflecting ideas against each other in a chaotic way that will be in sync with the music/ track, to the point a which one big idea hits the other. This by which causes a 'Static' and 'Powerful' emitting of energy (i.e. a 'Spark'/ 'Idea') that builds up into one huge burst of energy (i.e. The big 'Innovative Idea'). This by which then expands, causing the camera to zoom out as the two heads separate leaving the big idea in the middle of the two designers for them to see in front of them.  

As you can see from this screen shot, i have integrated layers and effects, effectively managing my time along the timeline, in order to establish my intended effects. This is particularly evident as i integrate 'Bang' layers to be visualised in a short period of time as the ideas collide, conveying the effect of impact.

As my animation consists of small 'Bangs' as the ideas collide, here i have created a psd file utilising my Bamboo Dock where i have created an illustrative image that will be utilised in my animation as the ideas collide with each other, in order to emphasise the 'Spark'/ 'Static effect' that i intend to portray in animation in a emotional response to my music track.

Utilising my 'Bamboo Dock', i have hand drawn utilising the pan tool combined with the brush tool a composition in which appears to be 'Static Forks', in which helps me to visually interpret the 'Static' element/ theme that my emotional response involves as i listen to the track.

As you can see, i integrate this psd file into the animation and integrate the static psd into the composition.

Using the 'Puppet Pin Tool' i manipulate the 'Static Forks' so there will be a rapid animated 'Static/ Fizz' effect as the original 'Static Forks Layer' will be placed against the 'Puppet Pin Layer' next to each other  at 0.1 second intervals, in order to create the 'Static' effect i intend to create.

Utilising my Bamboo Dock, i can use the bamboo pen to hand 'Erase' this found image from 'Google' into my intended patterns, thus creating the 'Static Interference' that i intend to create and become out of control as the track reaches it's climaxed state. From the first 'Static Interference' to the last consists of the order in which they will be visualised in a rapid way as the track begins to climax and the '4 Ideas' collides into one main idea.

As you can see, i integrate this psd file into the animation and integrate the static interference psd into the composition.

Further Development For My Print To Pixel Animation

Here i have split my animation into individual sections. As you can see, i have established animation for the beginning and end of my animation as i choose to blend these sections in with my main animation. These sections above consist of the beginning (where the two 'heads' collide together) and the ending (where the two 'heads' separate), as i will blend these tow with the main section (where ideas collide with each other to the point where one big idea is generated).

Workshop Animation

Here is a workshop experimenting 3D effects on After Effects, utilising Cameras, Lights and Typography which is animated along a 'Path'. The animation consists of Spiderman flying towards the centre of the frame as the camera pans and zooms with lights and type.

this workshop experiments the utilisation of the 'Puppet Pin Tool', learning and gaining understanding how the tool can manipulate images from a PSD file to your intended way.

This workshop example shows how to use certain 'Blend Modes' combined with the use of the 'Pen Tool' animated around the mans head to create the effect that the head is floating on it's own.

Development And Progression For My Print To Pixel Animation

Here is the experimentation of the opening for my animation sequence as the two heads and ideas come together. This 30 second video only requires 3 seconds at the beginning to show my development as i begin to capture and generate my idea digitally.

Here is the main elements in which i have created in 'Illustrator' and modified/ edited on 'Photoshop' and will later be imported into the animation composition to the way in which follows my storyboard.

Final Storyboard Concept

This is my Final Storyboard, in which generally illustrates an 'Abstract', 'Static' and 'Chaotic' emotional response to my allocated music track.

Reserach Into My Interest Of Stop Motion Animation

Stop motion (also known as stop frame) is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence.

The way in which this example above has demonstrated and illustrated 'Stop Motion' is inspiraing and i may consider utilizing small fragments of the technique to integrate into my production process, in order to enhance the range of techniques portrayed in the animation.

Here is an experimental outcome from one of my previous Print To Pixel workshop consisting of 2 seconds (i.e. 24 individual frames) of a 'Family Of Squares' traveling across the mountain range to get to their 'Square House'. This video consists of 2 seconds of the intended 10 second journey.

The purpose of this video is to demonstrate understanding and skill in the 'Stop Motion' technique, thus opening the possibility to integrate such 'Stop Motion' techniques into my idea development for my animation project for Print To Pixel. 

Initial Ideas/ Concepts General Story Boards

1. Retro Pong Inspired Idea

The Way The Robot Arms Enter The Frame

This mini Story Board illustrates the beginning segment of my initial idea, whereby a center point/ Mechanical Circle rapidly 'Transforms' into 'Robotic Arms', effectively in a static motion to become in sync and complimentary to the 'Static' beat and sounds of my allocated track 'Grantz Graf'.

Generalized Movement Of 'Pong' Match

As a personal response to my allocated music track, i have chosen to select the 30 second segment consisting between 0:40 and 1:10, where it almost sounds to me as a 'back and forth', getting a sense and image in my head that there is a 'Ping Pong' back and forth occurring, in time with the beat. Therefore i have used these two robotic arms to each become the 'Bat' in this 'Retro Pong' influenced animation. I intend the ball to be hit in rhythm to the beat and the 'Robot Arms' will spasm and shake, combined with the use of 'Static Interference' effects set both behind and in front of the 'Retro Pong' inspired animation in order to emphasize the 'Static' sense of feel to the song, establishing a rounded interpretation of the beat and song.

Post Match Explosion

I have integrated the idea that in this 'Retro Pong' inspired animation, one of the arms looses to the other arm, causing one arm to get distressed and self destruct itself, while the other arm shakes in excitement. This is integrated as an idea as within the 0:40-1:10 segment of track i have chosen, there is a point from 0:56 onwards that consists of a build up of tension into an explosion at 1:04 of sound consisting of 'Static' and 'Metallic' elements. Within this build up, the sounds evident in this selected segment sound close to the sound of a robot or computer 'Malfunctioning', therefore, i wanted to symbolize and convey this aspect through this animation of the 'Robot Arms' blowing up.

       2. The Concept Of Ideas Colliding Together

Story Board

 As you can see in this small story board, the two heads with ideas in their brain's (conveyed by the individual 'Circles' as individual 'Ideas') slowly come together, causing the ideas in the head to rush into the space where the two heads 'Interact' and create a 'Static'/ 'Fizzing' effect. This effect is the concentration point for the animation so the camera zooms in a twisting motion to the concentrated space to a point where you can see the individual ideas rushing around and then later crashing and deflecting ideas against each other in a chaotic way that will be in sync with the music/ track, to the point a which one big idea hits the other. This by which causes a 'Static' and 'Powerful' emitting of energy (i.e. a 'Spark'/ 'Idea') that builds up into one huge burst of energy (i.e. The big 'Innovative Idea'). This by which then expands, causing the camera to zoom out as the two heads separate leaving the big idea in the middle of the two designers for them to see in front of them.  

As you can see, the motion of the 'Balls' is hihgly reminicient to the influentially researched Sony Bravia advert bellow, establishing a 'Chaotic' and 'Abstract' sense of feel to my animation design.

I am considering utilising a different approach and replace my previous responsive 'Mechanical' word with the more abstract approach of 'Chaos', as the word 'Mechanical' sounded too literal. The brief asks for an 'Abstract' response to our allocated music track, and therefore i feel 'Chaos' will allow me to develop such an abstract 'Response' as 'Chaos' itself can to represented in may shapes and forms.

This advert for the Sony Bravia consists of a way in which i intend to portray 'Chaos' within my animation piece, as it is highly 'Chaotic', represented by the many 'Balls' traveling and bouncing in different directions. This motion can establish an 'Abstract' theme for my animation, and will be considered when generating initial ideas.