Techniques

In the end, I only used two programmes. Maya and After Effects.

Maya is a programme that allows you to create 3D models on a computer, which is how I was able to model my designs. I was taught how to use Maya from the very start of my course; in year one we modelled a interactive map, that we could transfer to a programme called unity (E3 used this programme to make one of there games called, Assassins Creed ® unity) which we could walk around in and experience something we created ourselves. I find Maya to be a complicated programme to use, due to the many tools and the many mistakes you can make, however I’m glad that I learned how to use it because I will need it for university. The advantage to using Maya is that I could create a 3D object that I could animate and put into my advert.

After Effects is a programme used for Visual Effects, which is where I created a 3D dimension as my background (which I discovered by myself by experimenting with the options and effects) and other effects like the text and transitions. I learnt how to use this programme in year two, where we had to create a title sequence for a James Bond film we made a title to, I very much enjoyed this project which Is why I decided to use this for my final major project. However there are disadvantages to this programme, if you used to much data or the computer was to slow, the programme would shut down and try to restart itself, which meant all my progress would be lost. To overcome this problem, I saved every time I knew I was going to do something complicated, which also meant I ended up with a lot of saves; that I had to number to keep track. But from this experience, I now know a better way to present my work in a class or presentation, rather than using PowerPoint.

Writen plans and Notes

         

These pictures are scans from my sketch book, at the top you see the drafts of my first designs, where i was experimenting with different style of objects i could use and model in maya. The last four are the storyboards i used for my final major project. I decided to create storyboards and lists so that I could be prepared for the up coming weeks, also so I could have a better understanding of what I wanted to create and by doing this I overcome barriers by planning early and learned to be organised with my work.

an hour in after effects

This video clip shows me working for an hour on after effects in a lesson; I recorded me working because I wanted to show the time it took me to do a simple scene and also it shows me using the technique of rotoscoping.

I used the rotobrush tool because i can remove the background without a green screen, however the quality wont be as good as a green screens because I have to manually select the background that i am removing, which means if I rushed my work I didn’t select the whole object, parts of the object would be missing.

Week 6

This is my Final Major Piece so far into the 8 weeks.

At this point i was close to finishing; its was also the point where i got the idea to bring different colours into the scene and make it change colours like the samsung advert. I did struggle with this scene, due to the fact that i had to rotobrush every frame; when i had scenes that had a green screen in the background which I removed by using the tool keylight. However a disadvantage to using the tool, is that all the colour green would be remove, and during this shoot, my green screen reflected onto the persons arm removing part of their arm, which was hard to adjust and make it look unnoticeable.

The tool Keylight which is only used in After Effects, selects the colour that you choose and makes it disappear from the screen. The disadvantage to this tool is that it removes every shade of that colour; for example is the actor was wearing a green tie, no matter the shade, keylight would remove it because you selected a green colour.

Sangsum Galaxy 4 advert

After my change of plans, I decided to look for further inspiration for my final major project. As I was searching YouTube for adverts, I came across this simple but effective Sangsum Galaxy advert. I liked how clean this advert was made and the way the model floats around the screen which is how I was inspired. By watching this advert several times, I could see that the 3D model could of been made in Maya and maybe they also used a far more complex after effects program, because of this, I became more attached to the advert due to the fact it was similar to what I wanted to create for my second idea. From this advert I chose to use the way they worded the designs, which became successful at making my advert look more like an advert.

Sangsum used pastel colours to make the advert more natural and soft to the eye, it also gives of the sense of peacefulness which is why I enjoyed watching it.

 

Checkpoint

This is the beginning of my FMP. So far it has taken me 3 separate days, within 5 hours; which includes an hour of rendering (due to the fact I had to batch render it from Maya) and what took most of my time was using the rotobrush

 for each frame, because I didn’t use a green screen on some of the scenes. I still have a few scenes to do, but I will have to shorten the music because I had expected my clips to be longer.

 

 

Class Crit

What i’m going to present next week for class crit: i’m going to show, the clips i recorded over the weekend and edited in after effects; maybe one short clip, showing the silhouettes with my products, a basic idea of my product, Depending on how quick i can edit in After-Effects, due to the fact i can only do it at college. However on wednesday i have two vocational lessons which should give me enough time to complete at least one scene to present to the class.

This video shows me experimenting with silhouette, trying to decide whether i should make it a silhouette like i did for the James Bond project or leave it the way i filmed it. I also had to decide what my background should look like, so i started with different colours and finally decided to go with a 3D dimension as my background.

This video shows me experimenting with the different ways that the character could interact with the object. This scene shows the enemy demonstrating how much the shield could withstand with any attack; at the time of me filming, I was only halfway when i realised that i had forgotten my green screen i the background.

Week 3 – Week 4

With some reassurance and my emotions in control. I faced the problem in front of me, figuring how i could make it easier for myself and complete this project.

Even with the changes i made, (find out what i changed and in detail what the problem was in the vlog) i carried on modelling my products, and with the Autra-Dome nearly completed i moved onto the AI, which was thankfully simple and easy to model in Maya.

    

Week 2 – Week 3

The next week was just as difficult, i had a colour palette to go by in my design but getting the correct texture was irritating due to the fact you have to think about the direction of the light. If the light was directly shining onto the colour it would brighten and when i moved the light, the other side would have the exact problem and it would be to dark. Also during the end of this week i had second thoughts about my idea, whether i had enough time to create characters, and animate them, which lead me down a whirl pool of emotions.

    

Week 1

On the first week i began the procedure of modelling my products and planning the characters/storyboards. At first it was simple to create the body for the bag but things changed when i had to create a dip; where the ball for the shield would float. Things became difficult when i did a booleans difference with a sphere to create a perfect alcove, however it became uneven no matter how much I lined it up to the center. Eventually I had to virtually go in and edit the edges/corners myself,  which consumed a large amount of my time.

This video clip from YouTube, shows the game that inspired me and an example of how I would like my advert to look like. I came across this video when I was playing the game Bioshock on my Xbox 360; I liked the way the company (2k) presented the characters and the humour behind the video.

(if you watch my vlogs, you’ll see me explain why I was inspired by this video)