Evaluation: Week 7 (01/04-07/04)

This week focused on starting production, creating assets to be used in my title sequence, as well as starting a bit on the final product itself.

I started my work with the creation of a motion graphics text box for my title sequence. The purpose of this task was so that I had an asset I could utilise throughout the sequence, being able to easily just place it in when needed, swapping just the text out.

From this task I have learned how to utilise my knowledge collected during experimentation, combining parts of different tutorials I followed together to achieve a very nice composition. I also learned how to mimic the style of the original game's menus, giving me further knowledge on the visual style of my chosen product. This task highlighted my weakness with coming up with new ways to use the tools in after effects, forcing me to use my brain to think up new and unique solutions.

Then came editing my previously collected clips, a rather simple task done with premiere pro. The purpose of this was so that I could use them in my title sequence.

I learned some basic knowledge on colour grading here, and how it can be used to create a certain mood. I learned some basic knowledge of premiere pro, a software I will only be using a small amount throughout this project to clip some things or add music, etc. This task highlighted my weakness with premiere pro, a software that I actually know a lot less about than after effects, despite it being considered less complex. This taught me how software can be used together on a project, for different aspects.

Producing the train asset required a small use of illustrator, a software I have used before in previous projects; while not an expert in it, I felt fairly comfortable using it for this one little thing.

From this task I learned how different adobe software can be used in tandem with each other (in this case photoshop, Illustrator, and after effects) in order to achieve different things that each software is better for. This task highlighted my weakness and lack of skill in drawing/illustration, and if this was more my forte perhaps I could create a much better train asset.

Finally, I got around to creating the first shot in my title sequence, although perhaps still a bit of a work in progress. I did this first, not just because it was the first shot in the title sequence, but also because I knew it would be one of the hardest, utilising a tool I am still quite unfamiliar with.

This task taught me further how to utilise the 3D camera tools, and I believe I did it much better and found it much easier than during experimentation. I also learned a bit about how to use video references, looking at a real life video for animation reference on how the train pistons move. The main weakness highlighted by this task, was my lack of artistic skill and little experience with 3D, giving way to a simplistic composition. Going forward I do hope to add some minor touch ups later to attempt to give it a little extra flair.

This week's work shaped my knowledge in how to manage an after effects project, keeping it as clean as possible for the timeline to not pile up and make later work and navigation much more difficult. It shaped the project to come, as it has given me an idea of what the overall product will be like, just from the first shot, and what quality and consistency I should be working to.