VFX LESSON FOUR (SKELETON)

With this lesson being one of the last Phil decided to show us more complex things in after effects. He asked us to create a skeleton out of the shape layers. So rectangles and circles for the limbs and joints, very basic shapes nothing complex. Then adjust the centre point so that they were nearest the limb or joint they were going to be attached to. Then parent them to each other. For instance, the right foot was parented to the right shin, and the shin was parented to the thigh, then the thigh was parented to the pelvis etc. This was a really fun but complicated exercise to do! once that was all parented and together we used a plug in called Durik, which was an animation plug in that helped the limbs moved. It was a really cool plug in as you could select which limb was what and it would link it all for you so the limbs were then properly attached. Once this was done we could key frame the limbs so that they would move, or do a little dance. However, when I linked all my limbs up with Durik, something didn't seem to quite settle, somewhere in my parenting it had gone wrong and some of my limbs weren't properly attached. I had a look over to see if I had just missed something, but when Phil checked it he couldn't see anything either. But I didn't let this bring me down I still key framed my little skeleton and him being not properly connected just made him look more funny.

I hope you enjoy. Thank you.

VFX LESSON THREE (EXPERIMENTING)

This lesson was all about deciding what title sequence you wanted to do and start experimenting from there. I knew that My Little Pony was going to be too hard for me, so I had a look at some tutorials and found how to create a neon sign in after effects. I knew there was a neon sign in Black Mirror, so I thought I could create this neon sign, and film some live action and edit it together to look nice and well effected.

I followed the neon sign tutorial and it took a long time but I managed to get it working in the end, and once that was done I recreated that and just had some ending text before what would be the beginning of the show. This took me all day but I was feeling hopeful about how this would turn out as I felt it was complex enough but not too complex that I couldn't create it.

Sadly after this session it snowed it down and uni was closed for a few days. The episode of Black Mirror I wanted to create required really hot and sunny weather as it is based on the west coast of America. However it snowed it down so hard it was unsafe for me to drive to a beach, plus the beach would have snow on which wouldn't look how I wanted. So yet again I had to change my idea and change it fast.

I hope you enjoy. Thank you.

VFX LESSON TWO (LIQUID TEXT)

For the second lesson we were taught all about trim paths and all the effects you can do in after effects. We were asked to download a high res picture of the Nike logo, then import it. With the import Phil said we should use the pen tool to draw around and use the beziers to make sure we had nice curves and that it looked as close to the original as possible. Then we selected all the points we had made and created a trim path, also we were told that if you highlight your keyframes and press F9 then it makes them easy ease. Then you can edit this progression in the speed graph option.

Then with all of this set up we could key frame the trim path so that it would disappear and appear smoothly and so it looked sleek. This took quite a while to do as it was fiddly and complicated. But once it was done it looked really good and you could spend some time changing its colours and all sorts. I really enjoyed that lesson and can't wait for the next one

I hope you enjoy. Thank you.

VFX LESSON ONE (3D TEXT)

This was our first lesson for VFX for creative toolkit so I was excited as to what we would do. After having a few after effects lessons in first year my skills aren't as good as other peoples but I am taking time to learn and improve so I can be as good as everyone else. Phil started us off with the first lesson introducing 3D layers, cameras and lights. 

Phil asked us to create a standard composition, and type whatever we wanted. Then he asked us to activate a camera in after effects, which I had never done before. But it was really fascinating as you could select weather you had depth of field and focus and everything. After activating a camera we then created the composition to become 3D. With the composition being 3D this meant that we can move around the space on a XYZ axis and give depth to the piece. We then added a light, this was also really cool as you could select what sort of light, weather it was a spotlight or a fill and how bright etc. We then were asked to duplicate the text you had typed earlier and move it round the space so that when you moved the camera, you would find the pieces of text and your light would shine on it too.

We were then encouraged to use the skills we had learned in the morning and apply them to making a 3D object, such as a box. We had to create the box from 2D square layers and then bringing them together. This was a lot harder than it seemed as you had to move constantly around the space in order to get all the sides touching. I managed to eventually create what looked like a box, but it took me so long that I ran out of time! 

I hope you enjoyed. Thank you.

VFX INSPIRATION MOOD BOARD

For VFX I have been thinking for a long time what I wanted my title sequence to be. At first I wanted something colourful and fun such as My Little Pony or Hello Kitty, but that would require a lot of advanced skills to make the 2D characters 3D and a lot of effects that I am not quite competent enough to use yet. So I decided to have a look at some interesting tutorials on After Effects and text in After Effects and came across a neon sign tutorial. After completing the tutorial I felt that this was quite achievable for me to do and that I should find a way to incorporate it somehow into my work. So I had a look at TV shows or films that had used neon lights and remembered the Black Mirror episode San Junipero and remembered the neon lights in that episode. In the bar that thee girls both meet the neon sign in the background is pink and blue and very striking as the light falls on their faces. The later in the episode when they kiss on the beach they are wearing pink and blue as a running colour scheme. So I think I am going to use this throughout my live action filming and my animation work on After Effects. Pictured below are some abstractions from the episode and some mood boards and colour schemes/swatches.

pink and blue colour scheme

neon sign at the bar 

colour palette swatch

another colour scheme 

the two running colours in neon

blue swatch

pink swatch

I hope you enjoy. Thank you.