Author: Wai Sum Amber-Rose Liu

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Production Principles Rotation 2: 2D Motion Graphics (17/10-28/10/2022)

Week 1-2D Shapes Exercises

I learnt how to morph forms with the scale tool in the professional industry-standard application- After Effects. The position tool might be used to move stationary items from one location to another. The software’s essential usable tools and guidelines enable me to manipulate anything like a skilled magician, bringing forth “unexpected tricks” from my sleeves. After being exposed to the fundamental functioning of “arcs,” and with some assistance from AI, you could easily design a desired invisible trail for shapes/ objects to travel around. After Effects is unquestionably one of the most capable programmes for animation and editing!

Squash & Stretch- Stretchy ball

I feel that maintaining consistent volume of the ball is critical. When the ball extends horizontally, it is important to reduce its volume vertically to make it seem as natural as a real ball. I had a lot of fun animating this short exercise. I let myself pour as much exaggeration into the sphere as I could, expanding it as far as I may till it reached the screen’s edges. I intended to make the ball seem playful. It’s as though the jelly-like texture causes it to behave like a stress ball that exudes enormous pleasure when you squeeze it hard.

Heavy Ball

Conjuring up the image of the ball as a hefty bowling ball was quite beneficial. Because I wanted the ball to be as weighty as possible, I didn’t animate it bouncing off as fiercely as a typical light bouncy ball would. The activity made me realise something. Even in the absence of words or dialogue, the medium of animation is capable of transmitting and expressing certain ideas or concepts. This smashing bowling ball might very well win you a lot of strikes in a bowling game!

Light Ball

The most difficult part was animating the light ball. I had to think how much weight it had and how violently the light-weighted ball should bounce back when it hits the ground. Once I get my hands down and start animating it, the seemingly simple process becomes difficult. I accidentally animated it into a cartoon-like ball. It does not bounce off as a genuine ball would. The movements appear strained and unnatural. Despite the fact that I was unable to produce a high-quality animated piece, I stil lconsider it a worthwhile effort. I also realised how important it was to gather references if I wanted to animate something accurately. Though it is easier said than done, there is no shame in seeking references because it indicates that you desire to strive for quality in your work.

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Intro to Animation

Museum Visit- Tate Modern

Life of Imitation-

Ming WONG & Tseng Kwong Chi

My group and I went to The Tate Modern Art Museum for a gallery tour, when we came across an artwork that attracted everyone’s attention. As a result, we agreed to choose and reflect on this artwork. Ming Wong and Tseng Kwong Chi developed the piece, titled- Life of Imitation. The artwork featured two large screens side by side that showed the same scene simultaneously but with different actors from Singapore’s dominant ethnic groups of Chinese, Malay, and Indian playing in them, with the use of costume and performance to tell a story of race, nationality, gender, and identity.

Racism, discrimination, and prejudice, in my opinion, are all relatives. I admire how the two artists Ming Wong and Tseng Kong Chi recreated a scenario from the film “Imitation of Life” with a modern twist, reminding us that racism remains a throbbing problem and we should not ignore it. The anguish that has been caused persists throughout the centuries. The two running screens that play the same event with different actors seemed like a strange emotional trip to me.

The actors may look different and have distinctive features, but the one thing they wish to reiterate is that sometimes society could be brutal and that discrimination brings along sorrow, pain and suffering.

I’d want to emphasise that no one should be judged based on their looks or background. As previously stated, actors from many ethnic backgrounds were employed. As I watched the two TVs, I kept wondering if they switched roles between them. It honestly confused me. Perhaps the meaning behind is that not being able to fit in with a certain group or having difficulty embracing or discovering one’s identity is extremely perplexing and frustrating. This, I assume, is what the artists endeavor to communicate to us, the actual veiled sentiments of the sociological term- Passing.

I am happy that I get to appreciate art and learn history during this gallery visit! What a trip! : )

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Production Principles Rotation 1: Stop-motion (3/10-14/10/2022)

Week 2- Process & Making of- “Say Cheeeeese!”- (A Trip to the Moon)

Mind-mapping & Storyboarding

When my partner and I were discussing ideas for the film’s protagonist, we decided to employ a mouse. We imagined the moon to be a massive chunk of cheese. The idea was that the mouse would go to the moon merely to have a large mouthful of it. We scrapped the idea after discovering that it has been utilised several times in various animated films.

We sought a fresh, unique notion because the term “copying” just did not exist in our vocabulary.
For the theme, A Trip to the Moon, we chose a rabbit as the primary character. We rapidly came up with the story of “Mid-Autumn Festival” while brainstorming our storyboard. It’s a popular event in Asian cultures, where the mythological “moon bunny” is said to be the moon goddess’s comforting companion far above. We subtly introduced the concept of “east meets west” in the form of animation as well.

Final Product- “Say Cheeeeese!”-(A Trip to the Moon)

A short animated stop-motion animation created in Dragon Frame about the mischievous adventures of a bunny that thinks the blue earth is a giant chunk of cheese. It goes out of her way to go from planet to planet, much like a space arcade game, until she reaches the moon. It eventually gets a taste of “cheese” with a pretty twisty conclusion! 🙂

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Intro to Animation

20 Photos-Mood Board

My assignment was to photograph 20 objects that do not belong to me, not from my residence, or on a neighboring street. I’d have to organise them in such a manner that they tell a story. I arranged my photos on a mood board and color-coded them depending on their hues so that their colors contrasted with one another.

I’m sure it’s evident from the mood board that half of it is packed with traffic signs we encounter every day. I opted to photograph street signs because I enjoy how basic their designs are while still conveying information or directions that help us navigate the roadways. When we see signals, it’s as if we have quiet dialogues with them, allowing them to direct us down other pathways or reminding us to be cautious at times. The link between the signs and humans is strange! The guiding signs made me wonder who the unknown genius behind these practical creations is.

These 20 images seem to have an unspoken relationship with one another. If they were to engage with one another, it would most likely entail noises, lights, and tingly motions. When they get together, they could make music or even a musical. That’s what I’d name- The Symphony of Objects! It intrigues me that 20 unconnected items may establish an unintentional relationship. I discovered that surprises and delights may be found in unexpected locations!

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Production Principles Rotation 1: Stop-motion (3/10-14/10/2022)

Week 1- Short Stop-Motion Film- “In Good Shape”

Watching claymation in typical stop motion films all my life, having been introduced to different forms of stop motion astonished me!

For my first film- “In Good Shape”, my partner and I used shredded pieces of black paper as we ventured on to translate our creativity onto a 2D surface. We explored the wonders of Dragonframe and it progressively aided us in creating a video of quality.

With shredded paper, we were to make three solid shapes. I had to move the shredded pieces gradually with patience in each frame to transform one shape into another. My partner and I experimented with metamorphosis, starting our video with a tiny droplet of water followed by a big splash that evolved into a wave and then into other shapes. The idea behind this indicates that a small step could lead to something spectacularly astounding. Shapes are typically known to be hard or heavy to the naked eye, so we wanted to alter the laws of physics with the unlimited boundaries of animation. Our response was to add a wobbly jelly-like texture to the square. It squishes and stretches in exaggeration as it moves. We also wanted to experiment with dimensions. We ended the video with a repetition of the square shape turning into an empty room and back into a square. Our work emphasizes the spacial bondage between the objects and on/ off-screen space.

The theme of shapes may sound shallow and boring, but with the input of creativity, anything could have a fun side. Besides learning to have the patience to produce the film, I valued working alongside my teammate as we spontaneously threw brilliant ideas at each other. It was great to see the world from my partner’s point of view in a creative sense. Our difference in thinking exudes diversity as our worlds collide!