After Effects 7.0.1 Update

Here is a link to Steve Kilisky's After Effects blog entry at Adobe (he is AE's product manager; I think I've mentioned him before) detailing the 7.0.1 update to After Effects. He includes links to both the Mac and Windows downloads, and those individual links explain in great detail what's been changed/update/fixed in this version. Enjoy.

Stranger Than Fiction

So I saw Stranger Than Fiction the other night and recommend that everyone go and see it. It is very funny, but to my surprise, had great motion in it too. MK12 Studios created the motion for the movie. The motion enhanced the movie, created great visuals for the audience and was great support for Ferrell's character. He plays a man that is obsessed with numbers, pretty much OCD. In the image, he is counting his steps to the bus stop. A grid pops out of his body to visually explain his habits, and depending upon the activity, it could be a small or large grid. In short, it's a great piece and the motion is awesome...so go see it.

Imagination with nothing more than your own tools

AtomFilms - Animator vs. Animation II

Remember the first one, where the animated stick figure opens up a can of WhoopAss™ on the Flash UI? Absolute genius, and done with literally nothing more than the tools on the desktop.

[via John Nack]

4350 FINAL PROJECT

Here we are nearing the end of the semester...Its time to really show me what you are capable of with this last project. This project is the culmination of the semester, and will be worth over 15% of your final grade. I am also going to setup a timeline for you guys similar to a real world project timeline that a producer, graphics coordinator or traffic manager would work with you on. Any phase deadline of the project not completed or missed will count against your final grade and could possibly lead to failure of the project and or class. This is your time to shine. Any of you serious about film/video/motion/broadcast TV and that works hard on this will DEFINITELY WALK AWAY FROM THIS CLASS WITH SOMETHING REEL WORTHY!!!!

Some of you in class on Monday the 8th and ALL of you that missed class are required to do a 20-30 second bump/commercial spot for the 29th Denver Filmfest. Using the copy I've emailed you. You can also get the copy and logo HERE. You must use AT LEAST the copy provided, but I would suggest that you may want to come up with more.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS:

Must be 20-30 seconds in length

Must be exported in the H.264 codec at Full NTSC D1 Quality

Must use at least one aspect of a tutorial we've done in class or outside (i.e. Camera shake, fractal, displacement map, etc)

Must be heavily rich (i.e. depth, space, etc) and VERY well animated.

Must use cohesive color or thread throughout(i.e., consistent color, color correction, aesthetic,image treatmant, etc)

If footage is used, it must be treated accordingly (see above).

COMPLETE, meaning a beginning and end.

You must tailor your project to your strengths

Your Project will be split up into the following parts:

Phase 1 : Proposal, Initial Story Boarding/Style Frame 1-3, timeline
DUE 11/13

Phase 2a : Final Story Boarding/Style Frame + test Anim.
DUE 11/15

Phase 2b : Final Story Boarding/Style Frame + test Anim. REV.2
DUE 11/17 (via email)

Phase 3a : Round 1 finished version (edit, FPO art)
DUE 11/27

Phase 3b : Round 2 Finished version
DUE 11/29

Phase 4a : Final version
DUE 12/4

Phase 4b : Final Version rev. 2
DUE 12/6

PHASE 5: Submit to client (final due, critique)
DUE 12/11



FINAL NOTES:
As I've said before, you should absolutely EXPLOIT YOUR RESOURCES! If you are good at shooting or editing or have access to cameras, use them. If you are good with photoshop or illustrator bring that into your piece. This is not a project to experiment with something new on. Again, this is the culmination of this class. This project will show me what you have learned and what you are capable of. If you are unsure about any phase of the project or have questions on technical issues, then ASK.

Also, check back here frequently for updates.

GOOD LUCk!

Expressions and scripting to the max

Company's name is Imago, based in Istanbul. Found this through an Adobe blog written by After Effect's senior product manager, Steve Kilisky. Might be nice to bookmark or add to your RSS reader. The video, Demographix, was apparently entirely generated with mathematics in AE, using nothing but expressions and scripting. To view it, click the small screenshot thumbnail at the end of their short article, then click the far-too-tiny 'play' button in the upper left of the popup window.

An Inspiration

Okay...I don't know how to do this whole blog thing so bear with me. This is an awesome intro done for the show Huff. This is what inspired me to do the Itch intro. I love the treatment of the film, the desaturation of almost everything except for the vibrant green. The running barbed wire is a nice transition and the ae camera work is amazing. I was very impressed with the concept and it heavily influenced my Itch piece.

(Here is the link to Shilo's website...the show is one of their first links.)

www.shilodesign.com
Showtime's Huff

Beck and Michel Gondry at it again

Michel Gondry has done a new video for Beck, "Cellphone's Dead." I'm not sure if this is on that new album he just released, but people see to be digging both the song and the vid. If someone finds a better quality version than YouTube (here's a link), post in the comments and I'll be happy to update.

Thinking outside the box: Audi - "Emotions"

I hate to keep pulling from Motionographer, but it's one of the few killer resources for keeping a thumb on what's going on in motion across the industry. I was drawn to this latest Audi: "Emotions" piece for the same reasons Justin (he runs Motionographer) was: it's a unique take on thinking outside the box about the product. It's a car commercial, but you never see a car throughout the entire piece. Beautiful.