In this tutorial, we were taught all about more ways to use After Effects, especially looking at the 3D aspects of After Effects. We were given an example of what the outcome may look like when doing this task:
BBC Today Programme - Stephen Hawking from Jasiurb on Vimeo.
With the use of cameras on After Effects, you can make it seem as if you are flying past the graphics. Although this is animated, most of the actual graphics are static and none of the images or text actually move yet the camera moves past them. This meant, we started with a still image that we were then going to animate.
I decided to use lyrics from a favourite song of mine, Only Ones Who Know by the Arctic Monkeys. I made it look simple and reflect the tone and mood of the song. Overall, the still image looks effective although, the next step, After Effects, was where it began to get difficult.
In the image, every word and image was on a separate layer so that I could position each word and object differently for the animation to work. When I had inserted all my layers into After Effects, I then had to click the 3D box. I firstly made the moon on the string twist and spin although this wasn't that successful as you couldn't see it properly when I added the camera. However, it looked effective on its own.
That meant each layer had a 3D cube in the final box. Then, this appeared on the composition:
This meant that I could now animate my objects and text to make them look 3D and begin animating these aspects. I could now drag text and objects closer or further away from the front and that means, when I add the camera, I can look through these different aspects of the composition. I then had to add the camera and make it so the camera could pass all the letters. The camera was a separate layer with its own functions and settings:
Camera Settings
Camera Functions
I had to set the camera so it looked through all the words in order, beginning with 'only' and ending with 'know'. This was the most difficult part and I found it really hard to execute well but I learnt how to move and use the camera and the 3D effects. This was my final product:
https://youtu.be/LPEe_rib3G4
I am not entirely happy with the over all product. I think the main fault is the positioning of the text as it doesn't go from one word to another smoothly and clearly. I also think there would have been a better way to include the spinning moon on a string. Overall, the tutorial was helpful as always and introduced me to many new aspects of After Effects. Although the workshop was a challenge, I enjoyed it and hope to improve my skills on After Effects.
