Motion Graphics

One of the areas of story telling that always drew my attention when I watched documentaries and online videos were the motion graphics.

I was fascinated by the way other filmmakers used 3D camera moverments, key framing, trim paths and more in After Effects to bring static compositons to life with information and eye catching visuals.

Spending time building my skillset in this area is very important to me as a storyteller, and I am always excited to try out new designs and ways of conyeing information in easily digestible forms through motion graphics.

Below are a selection of motion graphics which I have designed and used in the past, and also some which I made just for my own enjoyment.

Map Animation

This animation was used to convey the reach and impact of the activities that the Watamu Snake Farm has in coastal Kenya. To make this animation I sourced a freely available map and added it to a composition in After Effects. I then started to add elements such as the lines, place markers and text. I used trim paths to animate the lines spreading out across the map and adjusted the key frames and easing to get a smooth feel to the motion. I also used textures, turbulent displace and roughen edges, as well as perspective effects such as drop shadows and pin lighting to help blend the various features into the map and enhance the atmosphere of the overall piece.

Trim Paths Animation

I love to use trim paths to animate lines in interesting ways. In this example I set out to design and complete a flow chart which outlined the key benefits of snakes, and highlight the many positive impacts which they have. I started by selecting a blank texture and making a large composition 6000 x 4000 pixels in size. I then added in the various text elements and arranged them in a visually pleasing way. Once this was done, I began to animate the red lines in and used keyframes to stagger the animations so that it flowed from start to finish. After I had completed the animations, I used various techniques such as blending, texturizing, roughen edges and turbulent displace to add texture and feel to the lines and text to blend them cleanly into the background paper texture. To finish the animation and give it motion I added a camera layer and keyframed the movement in to follow the flow chart blossoming out.

Film Projector Animation

Project shutter effects are an interesting way to transition through a variety of shots or frames quickly whilst capturing the viewer's interest. Combined with good sound design these can be a brilliant way to add flare to a project.

Animating 2D & 3D Elements

Sometime the use stock footage, imagery or scenes is needed, but they may not always have the finesse that one would hope for. By using 3D elements, we can bring these to life and add interest, as well as guide the audience's focus. In the example shown, I used renders of clouds over the satellite clip to give the scene a more interesting effect. Using blending and keyframing I was able to overlay and add motion to the cloud elements, giving the effect that the viewer is peering down from above at the urban sprawl along this stretch of coastline.