ANIMATION
![MV's Video Jukebox Showcase SPECIAL [Now Playing]: Curly Pasta - Moving On (Original)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lbaiSuc7dyo/sddefault.jpg)
For my CCA's freshmen showcase in 2020, I was tasked to edit my band's music video. At first, we had filmed an actual video, but the COVID restrictions made it impossible to release. Hence, I turned to animation in the hope of conveying the same message - just using drawings instead.
Of course, it was more like a slideshow as I knew nothing about animation, but finding smaller animations online to augment our video made me realise how intricate and technical animation really was, spurring my interest in this area.
Technical Research
Animation Software
Adobe Animate CC
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Offers frame-by-frame animation tools
Adobe After Effects
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Character, camera and lighting rigging. Offers complex keyframe animation and visual effects
Adobe Character Animator
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For understanding facial expressions in animation, allows webcam/camera connection to impose real-life facial expressions on characters
Toon Boom Harmony
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Offers traditional animation tools and modern cut-out and rigging
Adobe Photoshop
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Offers frame-by-frame animation with Photoshop’s drawing tools
Animation Workflow
Pre-Production
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Storyboarding: Serves as visual structure, blueprint of the animation
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Software: Familiarise oneself with software and ensure assets are transferable if using multiple software
Production
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Create layout as still image before animating, ensures depth even when it is a still image
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Makes animating feel more natural
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Asset organisation: Animate in groups (e.g. if the same effect is applied, work on those assets at the same time) and sequence it after based on storyboard.
Post-Production
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Keyframing, making things move
Application Research
SkillShare Course: Basics of Hand-Drawn Animation by Johannes Fast
To get technical knowledge on 2D animation from a professional, I attended a SkillShare lesson by animator Johannes Fast, where he shared about setting up workspaces in Adobe Animate CC, alongside basic and commonly used motion in animation sequences.
![[EP10] Soundscape Sundays - Nicholas (Antisocial)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WxXOsmUi4m0/maxresdefault.jpg)
![[EP11] Soundscape Sundays - Anna Rica (Good Luck)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pFc7PPyn_Io/maxresdefault.jpg)
The videos showcase my practice in animation in lieu of my GL journey - putting into practice what I had learnt through the time of my research and learning. I mostly tried to familiarise myself with Adobe After Effects, understanding more about the different effects and how to keyframe them properly. This also helped me to understand how to enhance my animations by adjusting the preset effects in After Effects, as well as other functions like camera and lighting to bring more life to my 2D animations.
Deliverables
Video Concept Proposal:
We Thank You (Rock Version)
I use what I have learnt to create a video concept proposal for the animated music video of We Thank You, with feasible scenes combining the use of animation and visual effects to convey a video of appreciation to our frontline workers while matching the upbeat and fast-paced nature of the song.