Aurelia Debae - 603

Research blog for Materials and Media, 2023

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Final Animation - Queer Voices

I am really pleased with how my final animation has turned out. There were some small changes that I made to the animation overall before I decided it was finished. This includes changing the intro credits subheading to the same font and making it the opposite of the end credits (the small type at the end is Sans serif and the small font in the intro matches the larger type in the end credits).

I have learnt a lot through this brief and have definitely become more acquainted with after effects. This brief has helped me to improve ampon my animation skills and I would feel confident in creating a small animation in the future that features moving text. One thing I would like to explore more in the future would be 3D text, and creating animation with more depth and volume. I would also like to become more familiar with animation illustrations, as I feel this brief has helped me to become more accustomed to after-effects I feel like that could be possible.

I am really proud of how this has turned out and to see how my animation skills have drastically improved from last year's animation project.

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End credits, iteration 1

This was my first iteration of the end credits for my animation. I wanted to have the same effect applied to the type as I had in my intro credits to create consistency throughout the animation. I also incorporated scale to draw attention to the important information as to who the speech was about, the music and the animator.

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The Design System

Colours

These are the colours that I have chosen to use for my animation. I have picked these colours as they represent the

Type

Freight Sans /condensed

Freight Text

Music

Uprising by Maori Music Publishing studio- SoundCloud

I wanted to keep my design system very simple and straightforward so that it highlighted the message of the speech. When I first bean to storyboard my animation, I wanted to include multiple illustrations to support the words that were featured on the screen. However, I am glad that I did not continue with these ideas as they would have been too literal of a connection towards the word, making them irrelevant.

I am pleased with the amount of scale I incorporated into my animation, as I feel that it helps to create an emphasis on the words that are the most important and will draw the viewer's attention towards them.

I did find it difficult to match Georgina's pace of speech, as certain words would flow into each other making it difficult to create a certain type of effect that I was after.

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Final animation iteration 2

In this iteration of my final animation, I changed all of the typography to the superfamily Freight using Freight sans for the main text and Freight text for the words with emphasis.

There are still some small little transitions and timing that I want to tweak so they fit in time with the audio, but I am really happy with how it is looking so far. I also decided to remove the illustrations I had in there previously as they were too literal and then I felt that it would be unbalanced if I was to use only one little illustration through the whole animation. This is why I have decided to keep it text-based with some interesting transitions and moving text within it.

I feel that I have used scale to use my advantage by having frames that show larger types on their own to emphasise certain points of the speech.

I also tried to make sure that there was consistency throughout the animations, which can be seen through the same word having the same size and weight throughout. I also have tried to do this by making sure all the numbers that are in the speech pop out and then fade back, which I accomplished using the scale tool.

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Alignment of layout

I was recommended by George to align all of my text within Illustrator to make sure that the spacing between each line of letters was even. I decided to give this a try to make my design more consistent and effective when it appeared on the screen.

These are the main frames I decided to realign to make them more consistent.

I found this to be really helpful to organise my layout and make my animation look more clean and put together. I am going to use these to realign my type so they are evenly spaced and consistent throughout my speech.

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4th section, iteration 2

In this iteration, I changed the fill on the speech bubble and decided to outline it instead. I felt that having it all white was too heavy for the animation and drew too much attention towards it.

I also incorporated my colours onto the words.

I like how I ended the animation with the type coming out to the audience. I feel that it fits the whole context of the speech and links back to the intro credits.

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Changing type

As recommended to me by George in week 12, he suggested that I find a superfamily typeface that I could use to cover the san serif and slab serif desire I want in my work. The benefits of using a superfamily are that they will have consistency through the x-height and body size, which will overall improve the consistency within the animation. I began to look at some possible different superfamilies that cover san serif and slab serif characteristics.

These are a couple I have found:

Utopia

Lust

Litania

Orpheus

Scotch

IvyPresto

Belda

I have decided to use the typeface FreightSans and Freight Text for my animation. I have chosen this typeface as I find it beneficial that it has multiple weights and appreciate how the italics provide a noticeable contrast between the regular font. Freight Sans also has condensed weight options, which I thought could be useful for a certain section within my animation, so I don't have to destroy the type to achieve the effect I am after.

I thought that this typeface was also fitting for my animation the type indicates the different characteristics of masculinity and femininity through regular weights and italics. The italics feel more feminine and elegant whereas the regular (slab serif) feel more assertive, bold and strong. This also matches Georgina's personal characteristics and she was known to be a strong political force but outside those hours she was a wonderful, fun and full-spirited woman.

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Week 12 feedback

This week, I progressed my full animation and was able to put it together to receive some final feedback before submission in week 13.

The feedback I received from George was

Words such as world and elected are too literal. Change these so that they fit into the illustration more accommodating

Liked the slides that used the negative space and incorporated a strong sense of scale. eg, the mayor of Carterton, I am Georgina Beyer.

Good use of colours, refined and relatable to the context of the speech.

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Week 12 feedback

After our last class of feedback, I was recommended to change a couple things within my animation.

They were to

remove the number of times the tick animation occurs within the animation. The tick itself if jarring and too sharp, and it is too literal to the point that it is trying to communicate. Also, remove the world animation as it too is too literal.

Change the kerning used for the words rural and conservation. It doesn't work well within the animation and breaks typography conventions.

Make the um the same size as the rest of the text, just a thinner weight so it creates a difference.

umm is okay thin, but make it the same size as the rest of the text so it doesn't feel out of place.

I was also recommended by George that if I want to elevate my design to test out the type arrangement in Illustrator and then bring it back into after effects. This will allow me to test the best type of arrangements and make sure everything is spaced evenly.

I was also recommended into looking at type super families. This can help me to achieve different effects without destroying the type, maintain its integrity and creates a contrast between the words.

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Backing music

I wanted to choose a piece of backing music that complimented Georgina's speech and didn't distract away from the message she was providing. I wanted to find something that was uplifting, and instrumental while also conveying meaning to the speech.

I began looking through all of the different online platforms that offer royalty-free music. I considered looking for a soundtrack that could derive from Maori instrumental music, to symbolise the country she was born from and stood to represent within parliament.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a track that would be fitting to my animation or was long enough to use. However, I continued to look through this publisher profile I found- Maori Music Publishing and stumbled across the piece that I thought would be a great fit for my animation.

I thought this soundtrack was fitting through the name- uprising. As Georgina rose to the occasion to stand up for the LGBQT+ community and the sex worker industry. I found this soundtrack to be motivating and uplifting, which is what Georgina was able to achieve while she was mayor and apart of the parliament.

I also think this track helps to create more depth and feeling to my animation. Though the soft rising of the instrumental, it pairs well with her rise to being elected and supported by the people of Wairarapa.

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4th section, iteration 1

In this section of my animation, I thought it would be good to incorporate some more variations of illustrations. I thought I could do this by adding the thought bubble for think. I also had an idea to play with the word behind and have it emerge from the word lies. I think this creates some visual interest within the block of text.

Moving forwards, I need to incorporate my colour pallet, finish the section and play around with scale and visual hierarchy further.

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3rd section, iteration 1

In this section, I wanted to continue to play with certain words to help emphasise them in comparison to the others on the screen. I tried to do this in the first part of the animation by stretching and condensing the words rural and conservative, to create a sense of the word.

Another word I wanted to emphasise was remarkable. I considered creating a glitter effect on the word but felt that this might be too overwhelming and out of place with the rest of the animation. I decided to include a flickering-type effect so how it appeared on screen made it feel remarkable/special.

Continuing with this animation, I want to keep testing some animation effects to help it be more visually appealing.

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3rd section, iteration 2

In this iteration, I incorporated the colour and added an animation effect to the words constituency. I am not sure though if it works well as it sort of feels like I added an animation for no specific reason. I want to keep refine this section so it is more appealing and continues to play with scale.

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2nd section, iteration 5

In this iteration, I have incorporated the colours within the type to connect with the rest of the animation so far and also provide some more visual interest.

I have also found a new interesting way to animate in and out the word out, making it seem that as it leaves the screen it reveals the word transsexual. I feel that this fits well with the idea of someone coming out and revealing who they truly are.

I would still like to test more visual hierarchy through scale within this section of my animation.

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2nd section, iteration 4

In this iteration, I have combined all of the sections together so I can see how it will all work together. I have tried to include more words within one composition so that is allows the audience to read it all before it disappears. I would like to create more visual contrast in the larger body of text so it is more visually appealing. I feel that currently, it is a little boring.

I still want to keep testing different ways to show the word out appear on the screen. Moving forward, I also want to incorporate colour and see how that works with the composition.

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2nd section, iteration 3

In this iteration, I decided to remove the background colour and additional words on the rotating globe as I thought it is difficult to read. I do need to continue playing around with the pace so that it can be read during the time she says world and is easy to be read by the audience.

I have also begun to incorporate some visual hierarchy using the scale of type to create a sense of difference and importance within the animation.

I still want to continue working on how the word out appears within the screen and align it with the idea of coming out as a transsexual.

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1st section iteration 4

This iteration is the completed section animated. I like the use of scale I have used within this section so far. I do want to continue to sharpen up the transitions so it aligns perfectly with what Georgina is saying at that moment. I am also considering the pace, and whether I include more type within the frame so that it is easier for the audience to read, as currently it is moving rather fast.