Working with Shape Layers
In addition to some importing photos, movies and logos, After Effects has the functionality of creating a lot of images right in the application. These special elements are called Shape Layers, and they are a powerful tool in our arsenal of animation techniques. We are going to explore Shape Layers this week and discover how to create, edit and animate them in our compositions. Shape Layers provide the artist with a power asset creation system that allows them to generate content in After Effects. We longer have to rely on Photoshop or Illustrator to generate basic graphic design elements. Shape Layers give the function of doing this right in After Effects. Lets check it out!
DJ Master (50pts)
Project Due: Week 05
In this exercise, you learn how to create and animate shape layers in After Effects. Working with shape layers is an important skills that is crucial for motion design artists. Through this lesson, you'll learn how to create shape layers, animating specific shape layer channels, parenting and creating linear relationships in After Effects. Please follow the directions in Chapter 4 of the Adobe After Effects Classroom in a Book for specific instructions on completing this project. Please ensure your project includes the following required elements before you complete this assignment:
- Frame Size: 720x480 pixels
- Duration: 00:00:05;00 (5 seconds)
- Pixel Aspect Ratio: .91
- Frame Rate: 29.97fps
- Format (the codec) of Rendered Movie: H.264
Examples of Successful Projects
Check out this example video of how this project is supossed to look when you are done. Play close attention to the layering of all of the media assets, their on-screen position and timing. Good stuff!
All Finished with your Homework?
After you have saved the project file on your personal external storage device (like a thumb drive), please upload your After Effects Project File (.aep) and your rendered Quicktime Movie (.mov) to the DJ Master dropbox on D2L.
Before you upload your files to D2L, please ensure your files meet the following naming conventions:
Submit Your Assignment- lastname_gcom_390_dj_master.aep
- lastname_gcom_390_dj_master.mov
RoboTV (25pts)
Project Due: Week 05
In addition to working with Shape Layer, being able to animate multi-layer Photoshop documents is also a crucial skill. In this lab assignment, you will recreate the RoboTV motion graphic found on this page. Import the multi-layer Photoshop document into After Effects and set up the parent child relationship between the different arms of the robot. Don't forget to animate the text, as outlined in the finished example movie. Please ensure your project includes the following required elements before you complete this assignment:
- Robot Arm must move in time with the music
- Text must animate with the timing of the audio track
- Text must change color (like in the example)
- Video Montage must be behind the frame
- Fractal Noise Blocky must be blended with the Fractal Noise Soft.
- Frame Size: 720x480 pixels
- Duration: 00:00:06;00 (6 seconds)
- Pixel Aspect Ratio: .91
- Format (the codec) of Rendered Movie: H.264
- Audio must be rendered with the video
Examples of Successful Projects
Check out this example video of how this project is supossed to look when you are done. Play close attention to the layering of all of the media assets, their on-screen position and timing. Good stuff!All Finished with your Lab Assignment?
After you have saved the project file on your personal external storage device (like a thumb drive), please upload your After Effects Project File (.aep) and your rendered Quicktime Movie (.mov) to the "RoboTV" dropbox on D2L.
Before you upload your files to D2L, please ensure your files meet the following naming conventions:
Submit Your Assignment- lastname_gcom_390_lab_robotv.aep
- lastname_gcom_390_lab_robotv.mov
Important Documents
Check out these awesome learning resources! I've collected a number of assets that I think will help you conquer this week's homework and laboratory assignment. Please download the following materials to your local hard disk or flash storage device (AKA thumb drive).
