VFX - Experiments

I started off with this idea of creating a room which will look never ending with the camera movement. So I started off by creating a simple space and then used this ... To make separate planes for the inevitable lights to bounce off of to make it more realistic.

I started looking into this idea of a never ending tunnel and decided to follow a tutorial to learn how to do this type of effect. The simplicity of repeating and combining that with 3D aspects really gives this illusion. 

I think, instead of creating this "room" which is becoming difficult to even fabricate. I will use icons from the band such as Cecily's bass strap and Elena's symbols and have them create this basis of the tunnel. Then I can incorporate some other elements which can simply change shape, colour, echos etc. 

I will start by creating a digital copy of Cecily's bass strap.

I have learnt that if I want to import a shape I cannot add anything to it within the layer effects for some reason, I have to convert it to vector. The issue with this is that it means I will have to use Illustrator to create my icons to then import and convert to vector. 

I have created all of my icons:

I started out by adding a repeater onto my illustrator file by converting it to a vector shape. Then managed to use the position and key frames to make it move forward to create the effect of an infinite loop. I wasn't really getting the desired effect I was after and changed my idea.

I started by creating all of my separate elements starting with the instruments, I created them in illustrator first then imported them into after effects and once in the composition I managed to convert them into vector shapes which allowed me more freedom to be creative with them within the software.  I imported my sticks in too then by using the paint tool I managed to create a squiggle which represents the drum being hit and making a sound. I did this by using the paint tool and a grey solid layer in another composition then adding this too the main comp with the drum. Initially I started by moving the sticks using position which looked like it was going up and down rather than being held properly from the back of the stick. I managed to replicate a more realistic movement of the sticks using anchor point which allowed me to set the point at the back of each stick. 

 Once my instruments were completed I started work on my line drawing of the two band members playing. I filmed them then imported the file into a composition. Then by double clicking the video file this allowed me to open this into a layer and then allowed me to use the paint tool on top of this and finally make the layer transparent to only show the paint. I started with 2 frames per drawing of them so each frame which I drew lasted for two frames which I think looked the most natural and aesthetically pleasing for what I wanted to create. Only down side is that this process took a VERY long time as thee frames are detailed. The overall effect though I was happy with.

 I liked this idea of drawing the frame and started to use photographs that the band had sent me over and drawing them, I would have liked to have spent more time on this as I would have changed them to be more aesthetic and to have completed them all but never mind. I added a glow effect onto an adjustment layer and then used a mask to not have the glow affecting the text.

Using colour balance I tried to colour match the photos so they would tie in together better. This was fairly simple.

I wanted the strings of the guitar and bass to move. They looked too boring being static. I added a wave wiggle after looking at all of the wave type effects and found this was the most appropriate for what I wanted to create. I adjusted the amount of wiggle and the pinning of the wiggle which meant that it would stick to the point where the strings were meant to stay rather than them going all over the shop. I then added this into a new composition and key framed the wiggle to match the audio of the guitar solo at the end of the video. 

I wanted to create a little title, something simple so in the theme of the neon esk aesthetic I chose to replicate a neon sign to the best I could using this software. I created a bright pink lines as a base, then a thinner white line, this abled me to create a neon sign look once the glow effect was added. Added Trim Paths to the lines and key framed them so they would come in at the right time. I also added an echo which simply followed the lines which I think made the sign look "fuller". 

Using the paint tool I also create this set of animations in the same way as the line drawing of the two girls. 

After watching Max Hattlers video I wanted to attempt creating a 3D space. I envisioned something very basic as I had no clue how to create such a thing. I used the camera and positioned the camera directly above my text then using anchor point I moved the text in a circle around this and used the anchor point to key frame the movement and created my 3D space. 

I played around with trying to replicate this line drawed effect over some of the bands footage but I wasn't having much luck with it and decided to ditch it as it looked too faked and not in a good way. 

Using colour emboss I managed to create this separated effect using colour emboss and displacement map.  

I used the shape tool to create a polaroid and placed the video/picture within this. 

I used the bands 3am song and edit my camera and composition clips to this appropriately.