Motion Graphics!

This week in class we discussed motion graphics. It's funny how when you're watching something on TV you don't necessarily think about how time consuming it was to make that intro to your favourite film, or all the work that went into it. It's made to look as though it was effortless and natural, but when exploring motion graphics this week, it gave me a new appreciation for everyone who is involved. I’ve always known that it would be very difficult to do something involving motion graphics but I figured that the people who create these pieces are naturally talented, and that it somehow all falls together. I thought that until we watched the making of that music video. I was right about the people who created this piece to be naturally talented but it did not fall together as simply as I imagined. They took something like 2400 pictures I believe and had to know exactly what picture they wanted before they even took it. Then they had to put it all together while timing it with the music. It was truly amazing to watch how it all came together and my immediate thought was that I would never be able to do something like that.


Then we were shown some 5 second clips that students in the program had created that also had me a little worried about the upcoming motion graphics assignment. When working through the After Effects tutorial though, I saw that once you understood the program, it was fairly easy to make a clip of something, but it’s the little details that make all the difference. It’s interesting to see how a 5 second clip could take days to make.


Which brings me to one of my favourite motion graphics works that I have seen: the Juno “All I Want is You” music video. I love this piece of motion graphics because it caught my attention right away and kept it. There is something about hand drawn effects that greatly interest me, so when I saw this video I was immediately in awe. I can’t tell if everything was hand drawn, or if some of it was video clips that were made to look like they were hand drawn because the faces of the characters are so clear. I also love that it goes from real footage into this drawn world, then effortlessly back again. When watching this, it makes the viewer feel as though they are walking in this world with her and it’s a really cool thing to be able to see. This was probably the first hand-drawn style motion graphics piece that I had seen and since then I have loved watching pieces like this. Maybe one day I’ll be able to make my own hand drawn music video and amaze a young person like me!

First album cover with artist statement

For this assignment I decided to do an album cover for myself. I’ve recorded my songs and I am coming out with a demo CD so I thought that this would be the perfect thing to do for the assignment. I immediately had an idea in my head about myself throwing letters into the air with the album name surrounded by these letters. I didn’t expect that it would be that hard to have a picture taken of myself pretending to throw letters. I probably took about 30 pictures before I found one that I could use.

The idea that I finally decided to stick with was a little different from my original idea. I had put all the letters in the background of the album name but when I showed various people they found it hard to focus on just the album name without getting lost in the letters. Eventually I made the decision to take the letters out. I then altered the lettering to make it look like it was the album title “Love is in the Air” that was being thrown into the sky.

I had a hard time deciding what to do with the background image. I fiddled around with it for a while and finally decided that I would blur it then add a drawn affect on top of it so it was more of a silhouette of a girl throwing these letters into the sky. I did this because it made the lettering stand out much more. Originally I wanted the picture to be taken inside but I found that it was much harder to find the right angle without having too many things in the background.

When working through this assignment I found that I was second guessing myself a lot. I finished three album covers and it was harder for me to choose which one to hand in then the editing was. The three that I made appealed to three different audiences, but in the end I chose the one that I believed represented the audience that would listen to my music.

What's Next?

Technology is evolving every second. Everyday new things are being discovered - whether it’s a new app for your iPhone or a new way to communicate with someone across the world. But the question still stands: what will come next? We were shown a video in class today about a man who discovered a new way of computing all sorts of information with the touch of a finger called sixth sense technology. This got me thinking. If he was able to discover this sixth sense technology over 10 years ago by using two computer mice, what can be discovered today? We have many more accessible resources available now, so why doesn’t everyone know about this sixth sense technology? Why isn’t everyone using it? It’s weird to think that we are exposed to the things that the creators choose to expose us to. There are thousands of things that have been discovered and created that we won’t hear about for another decade – some things we may never hear about. But why? Why is it all being hidden from us?

Well I’ve come up with an answer to that question. It’s a long-term money making scheme that assures that there will be never ending funds thrown in the direction of companies such as Apple. First Apple had the original iPod. This was big news because up until then we had been – for the most part – strictly listening to CD’s on our Walkman’s. Some people had mp3 players but nothing was as convenient and easy to use at this new iPod. Before they even put the next iPod on the shelves they had an idea for what they would release next. Then came the iPod mini (I believe that’s what it was called) which everyone had to had because it was the new thing. Keep in mind all of these were still in black and white. When that was released, Apple was already in the works of making an iPod that had color. Instead of waiting to release the iPod mini with color they released a half ass version knowing that it would be purchased and in turn knowing that the next iPod would be the new “must have” toy. This cycle kept repeating and still is today. We’re now in the iPod touch generation. The first iTouch was wanted by everyone. It was a facility for games, note taking, music, pictures – everything. If you had the money at the time, you had the iTouch. Everyone knew that something better would be coming out but it seemed to not matter for the majority.

Many of us recognize this never ending cycle yet it doesn’t matter to us – but why is that? When watching the video about sixth sense technology, a lot of the things that he was doing (i.e. zooming in and out of pictures by pinching or spreading your finger tips) were things that were a part of the iTouch/iPad. All of the ideas for Apple’s technology seemed to be based off of this sixth sense technology. If that is the case then it means that they have had these ideas for the past 10 years and are spacing the release of new products in ways which are most profitable for the company. So back to my original query: why aren’t we all using sixth sense technology? Because there are hundreds of product’s left to create that all stem from the idea of sixth sense technology and millions of dollars to make. So if you’re the type of person that has to have that brand new toy, wait a couple more months and save your money, because years from now when everyone is using this sixth sense technology and you have empty pockets and a house full of useless electronics, you’ll be kicking yourself in the leg.

CRAP!

This week in our lecture we learned all about CRAP. CRAP being the principles that advertisement agencies commonly use to make an ad more effective and successful. Contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity are the four basic principles of CRAP. I was looking through some ads and the ones that tended to catch my attention the most were humour ads. So below I’ve posted my four favourites and I’ll explain if I think the CRAP principles played a part in the success of the ads. I stumbled upon a website that was all about humour advertisements if you want to take a look:  http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/11/40-seriously-funny-print-ads/

This is an ad for IAMS low fat dog food. When I first looked at this ad there were two things that immediately caught my attention: the dog in the door and the bag of food. The use of contrasting colours forced me to subconsciously do this. Everything around those items is dark and less vibrant where as the bag of food and the dog itself are shown in more vibrant shades. This also forces the viewer to make the connection between the dog and the IAMS food bag. Beside the bag it says “contains 30% less fat so you can get your dog back” in white font. The IAMS bag also has white font – immediately connecting the two. The placement of the bag of food and the writing are in the bottom left corner so it’s clear that it was not meant to be in the picture itself. The placement and colour of everything in this ad is what makes it so effective.

I think this is a pretty effective ad also. It proves a point the second you look at it and this is done by colour. The only problem is at first glance it might be misconstrued as a ketchup ad which is a risk the Ariel White Company made. There is a subtle contrast of colour in this ad that makes the distinction between the Heinz bottle (green outline) and the Ariel White logo (red). Both of these were put on a white background which makes them stand out even more. The Ariel White logo is also written in a very different typeface so that there is a clean distinction between the products. The only thing that I noticed repeating throughout the page was the use of white. If they had put another colour in the background, it wouldn’t have been nearly as effective. Having the white background, and the white ketchup bottle – that we all know is usually red- proves the point that this Ariel detergent really must get things clean. It makes the viewer think it works so well that it even takes the colour out of ketchup. In addition, the Ariel logo is in the top right corner, not aligned with the ketchup bottle, so that there is a clear division between the two and their proximity. Over all I think the CRAP principles were used very effectively in this advertisement.

This ad was one of my favourites. It’s very effective ad because it immediately captures the attention of whoever sees it. This ad embodies all four of the CRAP principles. There is a very strong contrast of colour throughout the ad. There is white font, on a solid black background, with George Bush in a blue and red suit at the bottom – all bright colours. Colour and font are repeated throughout the page. The font in the top left corner is the same as the “open your mind” font which makes the ad seem as though there is a common thread from start to finish. The colours of Bush’s suit and the smart car are the same as well – making the viewer see the connection between George bush making a decision that wasn’t smart, and a car that is smart. The main statement in this ad was placed in the top left corner so that it is the first thing to be read. The next thing the viewer notices is Bush’s face. They then make the connection between the line at the top and him. Then the viewer’s eyes are be taken to the bottom right of the ad and finish there. When each part of the ad is in a different location (top left, middle, bottom right) it is much easier to follow in the right order. Everything in this ad that was related was put in close proximity to each other it so the ad was easy to follow. It gets the point across while keeping the attention of whoever is looking at it.

This was another one of my favourite ads. There’s a whole bunch of different font sizes and type faces in this ad. It’s very effective because if the ad was to say“reality sucks” and in the same font it said “utopolis ground of cinemas” it would seem as though those two things were connected. The fact that the typefaces are so different helps to make a clear distinction between the two. Also, anytime there is white font on a dark colour it creates a good, strong contrast which makes it an attention grabber and easily legible. There are various shades of blue that repeat throughout the page and seem to subtly tie everything together.  At the bottom of the ad, there is a blue bar going accross and within that bar is all the writing. Using this style in an advertisement allows the viewer to take in the picture, think about it, and then read about the company at the bottom. The humour in this ad also helps to keep get attention of the viewer and keep their interest.

Using the CRAP principles have proven to be an effective way to get a message accross. Using contrast draws attention and repeating sayings or colours creates a sense of connection throughout the ad. Alignment – when used correctly – subconcioulsy forces the viewer to take in the ad a certain way. It’s in our human nature to read from top to bottom, left to right so if the advertiser uses this to their advantage it could be beneficial. Proximity is also a useful tool for advertising because it creates organization throughout the ad. If related things are put together, it’s much easier to follow the ad. I believe that if all of these design aid’s were used effectively when in an ad, then it would take the ad to another level. When using subtle techniques such as this, the advertiser is making the observer think something. Whether that something is about how great the art in the ad is, or how much they now want/need a certain product. The advertising world is filled with tricks that force us to think a certain way, and the CRAP principles are what assist this trickery. Next time you look at an ad think about what the advertiser is trying to make you believe, and see if it changes your mind.

Who Am I?

I know who I am, but after today’s lecture it makes me wonder if people out there perceive me the way they should be. I knew that once something was posted online it was there for good, but I didn't realize how easy it was for ANYONE to find it. All you have to do is type someone’s name in Google and you instantly know at least 5 things about them. Then you click on one of the links that pop up and you now know 3 more things about that person. Then another click takes you to their Facebook profile and you now know anything you need to know about this person’s life. It’s a scary thought that anyone in the world has access to this information – employers, family, friends, even people that you will never meet.

I have been fairly careful in regards to what I post online. I don’t write on Facebook groups, and I’m not one to say anything hurtful. I don’t put pictures up of myself that could cause one to think poorly of me. Just to reassure myself though, I Googled my name to see what came up. The first few things that came up were song cover’s that I had posted on YouTube (not my best ones either). That’s something that I will look into changing. A few articles came up about me from when I played rep fast pitch along with my twitter and Blogger accounts. So instantly anyone who Googled me would know that I sing, play sports, and go to Ryerson for Radio and Television Arts. They then can assume I live in Toronto or in the GTA. That’s a lot of information for a random person to stumble upon.

The fact that people I don’t even know can gain all this information by the click of a button will defiantly change my approach to my online presence. Not so much in the sense that what I have online is inappropriate, but in the sense that anyone who has access to my Facebook account knows where I live and where I went to high school. Anytime I post a status saying where I am and what I am doing, people I don’t know could potentially be reading that. I am now more aware of this and will take more precautions.

Though it makes me slightly uncomfortable that this information is available to anyone, I think it is important for one to have a strong online presence, especially in our field of work. If I wanted to get a job at a company that required me to post blogs and tweet about upcoming event and a potential employer Googled me and saw that I’ve never tweeted or blogged in my life, I wouldn’t get the job. So one has to weigh out the good and the bad and see if it’s worth it. For someone like me who wants to get into a field where digital media is a part of everything, then it’s essential to have a strong digital identity. On the other hand there are people out there who are completely unaware that all their information is floating around on the web. Some people have Facebook just to keep in touch with old friends and are unaware that they have to turn on privacy settings if they want to keep anything hidden. I personally think that sites such as Facebook should automatically have full privacy settings on and give you the option to turn them off for people who are unaware how exposed they are. But at the end of the day, everyone knows that once you post something online it can never fully be erased. So if you are willing to say something online, or post a picture, you have to know that there is a chance it could come back and haunt you. If you want everyone to see your cards, lay them on the table. But you can’t be surprised if you lose.

My first photoshopped postcard!

Digital What?? - Week 1

          What is Digital Media? Well before I was familiar with specifics about what we were learning in class, I heard the term Digital Media and immediately thought computers. Media is a means of mass communication, whether it’s through posters, newspapers, magazines, or any other number of ways to get a statement across to a large number of people. To me, Digital Media was the same idea, but solely focussed on electronic ways to get this message across (i.e. computers, televisions, etc). I thought that this would mainly focus on making commercials to target a certain age group and online advertising by use of websites such as Facebook. Though I was right in the sense that we would be exploring things such as this, I did not realize that there was so much more involved. When watching the clip that was played to demonstrate how a simple change in music could alter ones’ perception of a video, I came to the realization that Digital Media was much more than just using computers. Subtleties that I never even thought were a part of Digital Media were brought to my attention and showed me a completely different point of view. I now realize that it is not only using computers to make a video and putting simple clips together; it’s using your imagination and creative side to engage anyone who watches it.

At first I was fairly intimidated by this new technology and equipment and I was worried that it would be overwhelming. I wasn’t sure if we would be expected to know certain computer programs – but in our first lecture I soon learned that everything would be taught step by step. When I saw all of the videos and examples of what we would be doing throughout the semester it surpassed my expectations and I knew that this would be a very useful and fascinating class.

In the lecture I learned that this course would expose me to many different aspects of media and teach me how to put everything I learn to use in an effective manner, which is why it is so important to be exposed to a course like this in my first semester as a Radio and Television Arts student. Digital Media is a very effective means of communicating, especially when we rely so heavily on media in this day and age. It is very important to understand how our society is evolving in regards to technology, and it is crucial to be aware of how we connect as a social community. Without this knowledge, and without being exposed to this aspect of media, we would be holding ourselves back and not allowing ourselves to grow. If one wants to be successful in this field, being able to understand Digital Media and put it to use in an effective manner is critical.

Marshall McLuhan was spot on when he said “media is the message”. Media is how we communicate today, and media is the future. We rely day to day on all the technology that has been integrated in society, and this technology has in turn become a part of us. It is everywhere we go – whether it’s a poster that you see when you walk down the street or a commercial you see advertising a product on TV.  It is our Facebook updates that we check every day, and it is the new time filler. Music, movies, and even books are now available to us with the push of a button. It is exciting and scary at the same time, but yet we all wait to see what new idea comes out next. I am so excited that I have the opportunity to be at the forefront of technology in such an amazing program, and cannot wait to see what we learn next!