Completed!!!

My complete sequences and the storyboards for each.

William Blake Sequence: 

Captain Cook Sequence:

Guy Fawkes Sequence:

Sound

To finish off my Cook and Guy Fawkes sequences I just need to pick a soundtrack and make sure that the animation fit with the beats.

My ideas:

Cook - reflective, classical music, quite upbeat and fast paced to convey a sense of adventure. This is the sequence I am struggling to find the music for the most but Jupiter, the bringer of Jollity is my preferred piece, I plan to cut a section from the centre as the beginning part won't work well with the appearing of the text.

Fawkes - dark, threatening, slightly sinister atmosphere

Apex Twin - Windowlicker very start of it only but mybe too fast 

Clint Mansell

This is the composer of Requiem For a Dream and I think that several other songs from him would work really 

well in my sequence as they create the tension and atmosphere I am looking for..

Lux Aeterna

so far this is my favourite although it is quite quiet so I would need to work on the volume- 

Clint Mansell Death is the Road to Awe.

Guy Fawkes Redone

Research following tutorial - Henry VIII title sequences.

I can see exactly the point about my typography when I look at this sequence compared to my own. I do really like the effect from the light writing but when I did it I was a bit concerned about the rounded shape of the letters and how it doesn't really fit with the period the personality is from. I have looked for typefaces that look like handwritten text from Guy Fawkes' time. I want the type to still look like it is being drawn out but I want it toned down and created in a more subtle manner. The typeface that I have decided to go with is 'Aquilline Two' but I want to work on the kerning slightly as it is uneven. 

Typography: 

Titles revisited

Tutorial feedback

Things to work on:

Blake - 

• Some parts a bit slide show like (esp. at beginning) try to alter this so less like this.
  
• Need to fade all things at the end together (title, series titles and figure)

Cook - 

• Slow down the quote and ending so both are up on screen longer for the audience to read. 
  
• Slow down the place names - have several appear together, add blending effect or move over long period of time so not looking like they are just stuck there.
  
• Perhaps zoom out on map only instead of following the vector paint line

Fawkes -

• Try different typography - Uppercase old style?? see prologue show reel and Henry VIII title for Channel 4 current series. 
  
• Ideas for sound - Apex Twin - dark mood, melancholy 

so far..

I am going to take the work I have done on all my titles so far to the RSA. 

This is where I think I am at with them: 

William Blake - Completed

Captain Cook - Needs some reworking of timing and sound

Guy Fawkes - Needs sound

Cook Update

I have decided to go back and change the Cook sequence as a break from Guy Fawkes. This is what I have achieved ...

 

Further work

• Sort out timing, needs slowing down somehow as the places names appear too quickly to read 
  
• Change colour of the text - black for the place names makes them stand out too much
  

More Guy Fawkes Trials

3D camera layer and basement footage

3D camera/words/flickering fire footage/streaks of light

3D camera on the words and light streaks layers. 

I don't think it is necessary to use the 3d camera or layers as it is just making things more complex. As I am rotating the images you can see the edges so if I was to use this I would need to work on this problem. Also changing the perspective of the letters distorts to writing making it more difficult to read.

I have put a sepia glow adjustment layer over all the footage which I think is really effective in removing the greenish night filming glow. The only problem with this is in some of the footage the filming then looks over exposed. This can be corrected when I pick out my exact final clips and I can do this with that issue in mind.

Trapcode Trial

This is my experimentation which I have finally managed to make using AE Trapcode plugin and following internet tutorials. 

Now I have completed it I have realised that this won't work as well as I had hoped with the footage or the words I have created. I have also tried to create some typography only trials using my created alphabet and the Guy Fawkes rhyme. I have then used my original long exposure light photography with masks in AE to create my own moving streaks also.

Using the light exposures

My typeface and words created using the light writing. I really like the glow effect of these letters and the highlights of the light however as it was difficult to write each character has turned out quite modern, informal and rounded and I'm not sure this is exactly what I wanted for my Guy Fawkes sequence. However I want to attempt to use it against my footage.

More footage...

Some of the other filming I achieved:

Footage ... Guy Fawkes

Examples of the footage I managed to capture for Guy Fawkes. I used a sony night vision camera so the footage has a real spotlight effect which I would hope to tone down in my final sequence.

My filming aims were to record:

• an old cellar
  
• a flickering fire
  
• a spark
  
• a gloved hand
  
• boots
  
• all with an eerie/tense atmosphere

Ideas - draw out plans along the wall???

The only way I could get a flame was to use a match however Guy Fawkes obviously would not have used safety matches so need to use the sequence in such a way that this is not shown - maybe through masking of the footage

 

Light Streaks

Research - 

I really like the effect of ipod nano advert with the light streak running through. I have found these clips on Youtube that I also think could look effective and would next like to try and create my own version of light streak movement with the After Effects plug-in Trapcode Particular.

Guy Fawkes Idea

I have been researching and experimenting for this sequence over the weekend and I really like the idea of creating some kind of light writing/graffiti effect to link to the firework and fire aspect of Guy Fawkes. I have been trying to capture some lighting effects using long exposures (5 -30 seconds) Originally I wanted to spell out the name or the guy fawkes poem however this was too difficult and I think it would become incomprehensible on a title sequence therefore I tried to stick to simple shapes to use for plotting out the route/gunpowder plot plan and letters to create an alphabet.

Cook sequence so far

I wanted the quote to have some context so have decided to include a statue of Cook beforehand at the very beginning of the sequence for reference. 

Research Images:

Cook Background and chosen figure:

The background I wanted to look like a piece of old paper as though it could be pulled out from an ld traveling journal or such like.

Other files to I need to make up my titles - map, map lines of longitude and latitude to represent Cooks mapping skills, compass marks. From research I found that Cook's journey's were more easily represented on drawn out slightly differently from the standard atlas so I arrange me composition in this way too.

This how far I have come with my sequence at the moment I want to add more detail to the journey part such as plants representing Botany Bay and maybe put in the names and dates of destinations Cook encountered or explored. 

Experiment - Quote

Motion sketch to create exploding quote - needs slowing down... 

My experiment - random explosion of quote in AE

Altering scale of random exploding quote

The ending - reversed from the beginning all letters come together to form Cook's name

Text effects - Cook

For my Cook sequence I wanted to include some kind of animated type so firstly I experimented with different effects I could apply to the initial quote at the beginning of my sequence. 

Out of these effects the two closest to the kind of animation I want to achieve are the explosion and flying in/out clips. However neither is completely right so I attempted to produce the effect myself. For these I used motion sketch, keeping each character of the quote as an individual layer and moving them outwards. Next I changed the scale and rotation of each to make the whole quote explode more randomly and finally I rearranged them back into the correct start positions. (see following posts ...)

Captain Cook and Guy Fawkes Ideas and Storyboards

My initial ideas for CAPTAIN COOK

• An exploration of museum artifacts
• A narrative of his three voyages
• Around the world - spinning globe
• Journey through the eyes of Cook - his design and papers.
• Animation from map/storybook

COOK Rough Storyboard - 

• Start in present day - photograph of Cook monument. 
  
• Move from a quote to show his three voyages. 
  
• Pick out main points with visual imagery such as the Sun and Venus, trigonometry, algebra and astrology charts to depict his mission to track Venus traveling across the Sun or plants specimens and aboriginal tribes people to show his discoveries. These I will figure out from further research into specific details of his travels. 
• Have line/map route running through the entire sequence to illustrate his skills as a navigator and mapper

COOK Final Storyboard:

I have decided I want to complete this sequence in After Effects again this time using more typography and my own imagery. 

Initial Ideas for GUY FAWKES

As the brief is to try different approaches and moods for each sequence I want to attempt to film parts or the whole of my Guy Fawkes work. From research my thoughts are to film parts of the gunpowder plot, I only really want to create a series of clues as to what happens. My aims for filming are as follows:

• A gloved hand
• A dark underground cellar - could use caves?
• Gunpowder barrels
• A spark
• A fire
• Leather boots
• Writing of plans and warning letter (possibly put blur on text to only key point distinguishable)

Sound

I have been searching for a dark and threatening audio track to complete my sequence. Ideally I wanted it to come from the same period as William Blake's work and be something that complements his gothic romantic and biblical themes. From suggestions on the internet I have looked into the modern and jarring work of Shostakovitch as well as Rachimaninov's dark symphonies and piano concertos. I think that in the Tate's commissioned work using Carmina Burana's Carl Off is really effective in building tension and setting the mood.I am aiming for something similar. So far my preferred track for this sequence is Mars the Bringer of  War by Holst. 

 

Although I like this audio at the moment I am finding it difficult to make the movement I have already created fit with the pace of the music. I have decided to carry on looking for something which still has the same dark and intense qualities but is maybe a little more reflective and slow at the same time. 

I am also going to start my second and third sequences, these will be based upon Guy Fawkes and Captain James Cook. I now plan to work on them all together to help me keep the three looking like a series.

Sequence so far

The sequence slowed down into 20 seconds with background and titles ...

Backgrounds

Today I plan to add the backgrounds and sound to complete my first sequence. As I have previously unsuccessfully attempted to blend the figures against Blake's paintings, I have decided to create my own. I wanted these to fit with the paintings whilst being quite plain as I found that using Blake's artwork was too busy and distracted from the animated figures. 

I have used watercolour to create backgrounds inspired by Blake's work. I particularly like the flames and plan to put these behind the tormented figures as shown below.  

Originally I planned to start the sequence on a lighter background wash (see angels above) and have this become darker, however when I put this together in the animation it just became disjointed. Now I have decided to use only the darker wash and alter the brightness/contrast of this between key frames in After Effects.

Type

My chosen typefaces for this title sequence:

William Blake - Edwardian Script

Great British Heroes - Gill Sans

 

Ending???

Sketchbook page - initial ending idea...

Series title???

The BBC's series was called 'Greatest Britons,' for my series I have chosen a name along similar lines... 'Great British Heroes.' I plan to have each person's name written in a unique style of typeface but this title will remain constant between all. I will therefore choose a simple sans serif typeface (Gills Sans, Helvetica, Verdana, etc??) that will not distract or compete with the other elements of the animation.

Attempt 2

This is my second attempt I have taken out the figure I didn't like but I still feel the sequence moves too quickly. To solve this problem, I am going to reduce the key frame differences in each figure's scale and position. Hopefully, this will help the sequence flow more smoothly. 

I also want to add the series title at the end to maintain a link between all three sequences.

Almost..

My first attempt at the full sequence.

I am pleased with how it is going in general but there are some bits I want to change: 

... the animation is too long and moves to quickly

... some of the images don't focus properly as they are moving too fast

... I would also like to remove the figure shown below as I don't think it fits very well anymore.

Blake Backgrounds????

With this sequence I was testing how I could add some kind of background to the figures. I tried to rotate the figure in the foreground and then merge/fade it into another of Blake's works. 

The two paintings I used:

Animation Update

 

These animation sequences are where I am at now. I've just been playing around with a camera layer and making the figures 3D. I like the added depth this gives but I think that the distortion the 3D property adds to the figures makes the sequence look strange. I prefer the movement I have created with the 2D layers so far but want to experiment more with this tomorrow.

Animating angels

Here is just a quick example of what I plan to do with the cut out figures. I am happy with this idea now so my next step is to continue adding and animating more imagery from Blake's work.

Storyboards...

Now I have found the figures I want to use I feel more confident in storyboarding a sequence that will work. Here are two ideas from my sketchbook. As I now have all my files prepared my next stage is just to go into After Effects and experiment with the imagery I have. 

More figures

Further examples of Blake's figures that I have cut out and adapted for experimentation in After Effects                        

Further Research

From the scanned images I have decided I want only the main figures to move therefore I have had to take them into Photoshop cut them all out and prepare them for After Effects. Here are some examples of my chosen artworks and figures so far..

Paintings

I found some really good books on William Blake in the library which I was able to scan his paintings from. I went through these to find images that I thought would fit well in my sequence. There are quite a few repeated motifs and figures within Blake's work so I have mainly been looking at links between paintings and picking out elements that I could animate into each other smoothly. 

Below are examples of my sketchbook pages where I have been trying to work out ideas from the found imagery.                                                                                                                           

Storyboard Idea 1

Now I have worked out how to animate parts of the work as though they are being drawn out I have started to think about how this could be put into my title sequence. Rather than just being a series of ink drawings I want to combine these with Blake's paintings in order to keep the sequence interesting and add more of a feel for his overall work. Below is my rough storyboard for this.                                                                                                             

Imagery from research

Examples of further imagery and ink drawings I have picked out from William Blake's work to animate. I particularly like the bird and snakes and think this could be used effectively at the beginning of the sequence.                                                                                                                                                                  

Masks

Quick Experimentation for my first title sequence

William Blake's etching scanned into Photoshop, small section made into ink outline.

Imported to After Effects, masks applied to reveal the image over time.

Further work??

Sort out speed/ add to complete etching or background/ try with feather on the mask

William Blake Animation

Commissioned by the Tate Gallery for their Blake Exhibition 1977.

Background music - Carmina Burrana 

Theme - Poet's journey from heaven to hell

"Energy is Eternal delight and whether we create or destroy it is the same energy."

Churchill in Typography

This is a title sequence demo for a documentary on Winston Churchill, number 1 on the top Britons list. Although it is quite basic, the part that appeals to me the most is the typographic star animation near the beginning of the sequence. I think adding sound would improve this animation helping to enhance the mood. For my pieces at the moment I am thinking of going for  a combination of image and typography. 

Inspirations

Television Title Sequence for Dexter, ITV Drama

William Blake

Previously the BBC has conducted a survey to find the 100 greatest 

britons and then followed this up with a series on the top 10. 

I have chosen three more people from the list who I would like to 

create my own title sequences for. I wanted to pick very different 

personalities. Each of which I would be able to find a good body 

of interesting associated visuals to use as my starting point.

The first sequence will be devoted to William Blake. Initially I 

am thinking about including elements of his own work, paintings 

and poetry. Ultimately I want this sequence to reflect the dark, 

gothic mood of his work in a way that will attract a 

contemporary audience.

Firstly I searched YouTube to see if anybody else had tackled 

this subject and what kind of thing they had come up with, 

especially interpretations of his poetry. Here is a short 3D

animation of his poem "Mad Song."

The second clip is a short story by Guilherme Marcondes of Brazil 

based on William Blake's poem 'Tyger'. What I particularly like 

about this is the blend of photography with the animation. I 

especially like the fairground footage and soundtrack to set the

tone at the beginning. I also think the glowing shapes which grow 

and follow the puppet tiger and animation throughout are a really 

nice touch adding a sense of magic to the story.

Of the two examples, I think the story is much more interesting, 

because it captures the sense of Blake's poem but this has been 

done in a contemporary style. Obviously these are far longer than 

the 20 seconds I will be aiming to produce for a title sequence 

but they have both helped me think about what I want to achieve.

FInal Major Project Number 3

TV/FILM TITLE SEQUENCES

AIMS - 

To be experimental in an area where I have only have a basic knowledge. 

To trial some motion graphics and animation ideas and techniques. 

To learn more about the software.

TASK - 

Pick a genre that interest you/your chosen audience and develop three different TV title treatments.These could work as a series but each should cover a different theme.