Assignment 1 - Reflection

STEVEN SANSHWE: N6325998

ASSIGNMENT 1: Temporal Identity

KIB 105: ANIMATION AND MOTION GRAPHICS

LECTURER: LAZAROS KASTANIS

TUTOR: VERONICA WAIN

The location used to construct the temporal identity for this assignment was a digital SLR camera, specifically the lens component of the camera. To highlight the link between the camera, the lens and the user, the motion graphic video is viewed through the camera’s viewfinder, which the user would use to frame shots before taking them. To emphasize the identity of the lens, camera based motions such as zooms, depth of field, lens blur and camera shake are used to resemble real-world movements associated with using digital SLR camera.

The motion graphic video uses two compositions all which are viewed through the viewfinder diamond. The first composition is a ‘sensor cleaning’ video which reflects the sensor cleaning function of most digital SLR cameras. The graphic uses a particle effect in a 3d environment to replicate dust which can show up within the camera body and lens connection of most cameras. Lighting is used on a 3D backdrop to give a greater depth to the camera shakes and movements. This composition is used to introduce the identity, and helps the target audience to immediately familiarize themselves with the setting of the motion graphic. The second composition is a conceptual composition which relates directly to the tagline. Although the animation still resembles real camera movement the subject is a montage of buildings arranged using an unrealistic abstract perspective within 3D, hence the tagline ‘shoot different’

The target audience for this piece would be photography enthusiasts. The reasoning being that photographers would instantly recognize the viewfinder frame and create the relation between the motion graphic and SLR cameras without needing a physical camera graphic in the composition.

The composition would not be suited to people who have not had experience with older camera types that use viewfinders, or higher-end digital cameras that use viewfinders to adjust autofocus, shutter speed, aperture, ISO etc.

The composition can also be defined using the techniques of morphology; space, form and time. Firstly, the composition structures space using mostly three points as seen in camera movements which utilize the x, y and z axis. Graphic elements exist in a 3d environment within After Effects and is framed using an aspect ratio of 16:9. Further framing is applied via the viewfinder diamond that overlays the entire graphic.

Secondly, form is created through images which exist in an empty environment (eg. Particle effect used to create sensor dust). This helps create focus on the subject and evokes a conceptual style to the graphic. A monochromatic colour scheme is used to also emphasize the conceptual style. Text is minimally used, the featured font is ‘terminal’, a windows font which resembles MS-DOS text as well as the font used in the LCD of digital cameras.