OUGD202: Design for Digital Media
Module Evaluation
1. Your ability to select, develop and evaluate a range of appropriate source material gathered through a breadth of appropriate research methods.Sourcing good visual material for this project i found was the hardest part as there seemed to be few idents that almost directly linked to the subject in hand. I did however find inspiration through primary research by visiting the YSP to view the Rob Ryan Exhibit which provided a great inspiration point in terms of the look and appearance of the later to become idents, inspite the fact they were not animations. Saul Bass provided some ideas about using vector graphics to communicate and i also looked at stop-frame animations as a possible visual quality which i experimented with later on.
For the design of the dvd menu and the packaging the designs were inspired through the ident's appearance and so i developed my designs for them not based upon other examples of packaging, this helped to keep a consistency and not let other designs of packaging dictate what it is i wanted to produce. Looking back i should have looked at a few more that were relevant such as valentines day packaging, however i feel the design speaks for itself and furthers empasises the twist of the films being horror/gore for Valentines.
2. The level of investigation and experimentation into appropriate production media, processes and technologies.
Having previously worked using simple animation skills before i had a grasp on what could be achieved however i had never used after effects before to create animations. So starting from scratch i found the initial sessions really helpful in terms of getting to grips with the new software, i gained valuble knowledge about creating simple shape layer and movement of objects within a 3D environment. I produced various test pieces, some more seemingly random than others but i feel i showed how i got to developing my skills really well.
Staying away from the software i was able to show in detail through storyboards what it was i wanted to produce and working by hand allowed me to develop concepts that were visually engaging. Working with the computer as a tool i was able to develop an understanding on how to use after effects effectively.
3. The breadth and quality of practical skills, ideas and development.
Working away from the computer i planned the ideas before coming onto screen, i feel i let my designs take the fore-front of the project and not let the software dicate my designs. Of course there were exceptions mainly due to time availability. I feel i have produced some strong digital media pieces which have been massivly helped by putting in long hours of work and experimenting to get what i actually wanted from the software. A particularly useful part of the design was working with a limited colour pallet, this enabled me to work with a higher consideration to actual movement when animating objects, in terms of technical competance with using after effects i feel i have established a good basis of knowledge.
Obtaining realistic physical movement that flowed properly became something the i pressured heavily on the look at feel of the work i produced. Making slight adjustments to create a realistic drip set a standard for the rest of the work and so using the Graph Editor tool became one of the biggest tools used to obtain an accurate acceleration and flow of movement which translates into some really successful looking idents where inspite their hand-crafted appearance look and feel as if they are based on real-world physics.
I also experimented using hand-drawn animation based upon research that i had done and crit feedback, i managed to produce a short sample and quickly analysed that i would need a lot more time to complete a fully moving object in stop-frame animation.
4. The documentation, organisation and presentation of the work for this module.
For the Silent Movie brief all of the designs were produced on time and ready to deliver in presentation. For the Initial presentation of the Film Season i think i gave a consise and wealthy amount of information that supported my decision making through use of clear points and being really confident about my idea. I would personally liked to have involved some actual footage involved in my presentation to give a better idea about what it was i was looking at but unfortunately i still havn't been able how to fit moving image files into Powerpoint. For the next presentation of the 6-frame storyboards, again i was well prepared and illustrated what i intended to do really well, and then i was able to consider use of texture and handcrafted design from the feedback that i recieved.
In terms of time management i was able to complete my work on time with allowances for errors and unfinished work but after working so long i feel if i were to continue the work i would need and animator to work the animation for me.
5. The success of your final products in relation to the briefs.
I aimed to produce a series of 5 10 second Idents for a season of horror/gore films for channel five over Valentines weekend for a predominantly youth/male audience. I feel the work that i have produced suits that particular audience that i set out to design for and shows a good contextual understanding of not only the films but also about Channel Five's audience and identity as a whole. They have also been completed in terms of technicality at a high standard where through concerns about detail make the compositions work on a much more realistic pace.
For the design of the DVD although i did produce it to a high standard with good interactivity i should allow more time for proper proofing, this would help clarify any small mistakes such as spelling and grammar but also to ensure that the quailty is consistent throughout as some of the menus do become pixelated greatly.
In terms of the entire delivery i feel that i have completed this brief with a good considered design solution the has a distinct visual quality and effectively communicates its promotion of a good concept of films.
5 Things I will do differently next time and comments
Take more breaks when working on long-winded session on the computers.
Use more detailed storyboards to show more depth and pace of not just the moving image but the sound and when/where it might appear.
To shorten the amount of workload consider creating assets before working into DVD Studio.
Research possibly into greater depth After effects tutorials which may be beneficial in the development and help me gain a better understanding of the software.
Allow more time for testing and corrections if needed .
