Thursday, May 3, 2007

The After Effects of Motion Graphics

Film school has been really great but I never knew going into it just how busy it would really be. At the moment I have 3 projects that are in stages of re-editing or pre-production. Ironically, I thrive on this kind of excitement when it comes to the creative process. The good thing is that for every new skill I acquire, it only helps me when it comes to re-editing. For instance, this week I learned some really cool tricks that I can apply to title graphics that will help me with my re-edit of my PSA that I did for last quarter's project. Moving graphics can be quite awesome in opening and closing title credits. I originally was going to do a straight title credit for the actors who performed in the piece. Now I can actually make it more dynamic and eye catching.

On another piece, a documentary that I did for 2nd Quarter (the one I'm probably the most proudest of at the moment) I'm getting an original score created and I learned that there is a program called "Sound Soap" that can minimize the ambient noise that sometimes can be produced in recording. At one point in the doc, I am interviewing a doctor in his office and although it is a great interview, it's slightly marred by the buzzing noise of the fluorescent lights above us in the office. I was told that this software program can "clean it up" where I will have a better sounding interview. Isn't technology grand?

The piece that I'm in pre-production for now is the music video which I spoke about in earlier posts. This one I want to be my opus! Using AVID Xpress Pro, I made a mock music video that sort of encompasses some of techniques that I plan to use in the music video. I never knew until now just how important transitions and proper sound syncing can make or break a music video. The only difference with the music video I will do is that I will have more locations to splice into the piece that will only enhance the beauty of the film. Also with the use of some tricks in After Effects, I'm almost certain that I can turn the music video into something spectacular.

At the present time I'm in my morning After Effects class writing this post. I just completed a project that I have to hand in at the end of class today of a image that I found on the web and cut up and made it appear to walk across a moving image. It's so cool the things that I've learned in this class. If I had known this stuff last year, I probably would still have a job. However, I would be doing boring moving images for a boring corporate fat cat! On second thought, maybe it was fate that I lost my job and found myself sitting in this class. For the first time I feel ALIVE!!!!!

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