imago reel 2012
Here’s a long-delayed new imago studios reel for 2012. It includes commercial and independent pieces completed both in-house and as a collaboration with various production companies.
Archived entries: animation
Preset+Tutorial: Floaties
In this tutorial I will demonstrate the use of a new free preset from QubaHQ.com – Floaties. Floaties is a text animator based fake particle simulator allowing you to create floating specs of dust, glitters, bokeh-style out of focus abstract backgrounds and other visual elements. It attempts to emulate some of the basic behavior found in Trapcode Particular, providing limited, but free alternative to that popular plugin (as long as you are going for a certain visual style).
Running time: 51min
Difficulty: Easy
Required tools: After Effects
Music used in the preview video is a fragment of Borrel by Jukka Koops a.k.a. Sumo Lounge. Check his other works at: jukkakoops.com
Cinemagraph: Remember ZX
Not too long ago, these were referred to as simply “cool animated gifs”. These days they go by much more artsy name of Cinemagraphs.
In the picture: ZX Spectrum microcomputer, an Italian analogue sound mixer and a National TV set. Only TV still works. Image brought to life in After Effects.
PS. Yea, I just realized these are called Cinemagraphs, not Cinegraphs. Corrected the spelling throughout the post.
Reel 2011
Here is my personal reel for June 2011, featuring commercial and independent pieces I have directed, edited, animated and designed in the recent years.
Music composed by Joel Nielsen.
Tim Minchin: Storm
Over a year ago I posted a trailer for a fantastic animated short entitled Storm. The film was to be written and performed by Tim Minchin and directed by DC Turner and scheduled for release in 2010. They year has gone and passed and I assumed the film was cancelled. Apparently I haven’t followed it closely enough. The film was released in festivals in 2010 – and in April 2011 it premiered on YouTube.
gnctrkcll: Kurucesme
This project is a not-so-distant cousin of gnctrkcll / cornetto project, and was produced over the weekend break between the two parts of its bigger relative. The main concept remained the same – a stop-motion actor, t-shirt with a character, busy background.
The character was, again, designed by Meni, but this time we were delivered ready frames from the agency and did not have much input on what it does. Instead I focused on creating a small library of cell-shaded 3D elements, later used to liven up the scene.
DAN the MAN
If you ever played classic 8-bit platformers, you know the drill. The hero fights monsters, defeats the boss and saves the princess. But what’s next? In video games you simply get a congratulatory message (“The Winner Is You”), but you never get to see how does “Happily Ever After” look like.
Well, thanks to Australian studio JOHO, now we can all learn. Their hilarious animation DAN the MAN is one of the best takes on the 8-bit gaming I’ve seen in a while. And, according to the YouTube comments, the sequel one is on its way! Video after the break.
Get ready for Stash Online
Starting May 5th 2010, the Stash DVD magazine will be available in a new, online form. The full 120-hour archive of the world’s most exceptional animation, VFX and motion graphics will become accessible in a full resolution streaming video form. All the bonus materials such as behind the scenes, production notes, music, toolkit and more, will also wind place in this new format.
The regular price for a yearly subscription runs at $158, but if you pre-order it before May 1st, there is a whole bunch of discounted options available.
More details at:
http://www.stashmedia.tv/?p=5732
Japan: The Strange Country
Japan: The Strange Country is an infographic animation, created as a final thesis project by a Japanese designer Kenichi Tanaka. This exceptionally executed 11 minute video examines Japan and its culture, taking a step back and observing it from a global perspective.
Tutorial: Alphabet Soup (Fake Text Particles)
In this After Effects tutorial I will show you how to create a cool underwater opening title sequence. Rather than using Trapcode Particular (which many of you may not have installed) or CC Particle World (which really could use an update to its coordinate system) the project fakes particle simulation through use of text animators.
This quite lengthy tutorial is derived from another Video Bits project I created a while ago. The original Alphabet Soup used Particular and wasn’t much more than an eye-candy. The new-and-improved one I present to you today can actually be used for something else than ambient displays :)
Let me also give the credit where it is due: The preview video uses an audio clip from Lech Janerka’s song entitled Absolulu. I have been listening to it all day long and I can still take more.
Running time: 66min
Difficulty: Medium (as long as you’re patient)
Required tools: After Effects
