WEEK 13
My goal this week is to finish my motion graphics so I can receive constructive feedback. By completing it on time, I will be able to review the feedback carefully and identify areas for improvement. This process will help me refine my skills, make necessary adjustments, and create a more polished and professional final product.
Feedback
I realised that a longer title at the back could encourage viewers to take a moment and breathe, fostering a deeper connection with the piece
Using shapes instead of rigid forms creates more room for imagination, allowing the viewer to experience the work in a personal and meaningful way.
The handwritten font adds authenticity, making the text feel more organic and less mechanical.
The explosion, as the climax, requires a sudden, dramatic shift to emphasise its significance. By starting with slow, morphing organic shapes, the transition to the explosive moment feels more impactful, enhancing the overall experience.
Storyboard #5
Previously, I used bursting blobs that transformed into rigid shapes. Now, I need to make the transition between the blobs and the rigid shapes more distinct to better highlight the climax of the story. This will help create a clearer contrast and emphasise that turning point.
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I realised I didn't clarify that the blobs are the same thing, so I'm still going to use the text throughout the blobs, and they should contrast more with the explosion. The explosion blob before didn't have the feeling of an "explosion" sound. Because of this, I made the blobs move more smoothly and slowly, with a sudden change for the climax to create a stronger contrast. I felt that making it shattered would look odd and not contrasting enough, so I decided to keep the explosion effect but make it faster.
I used consistent blobs throughout to create a sense of continuity. When the blobs open up, they reveal many smaller blobs, representing the overwhelming of a lot of problems. The blobs move slowly at first, then merge into one.
Suddenly, the blobs explode into rigid shape with three colours. Initially, I felt the scene was too empty with just those three shapes, so I added small, fast-moving shapes for extra visual interest. The character then closes its eyes, followed by a soundwave.
As the character opens its eyes, the explosion slows down and morphs into a rounded shape, with the colour transitioning from red to cyan.
Then, the character hugs the shape and becomes one. The character's scale increases to emphasise the moment, leading to the final transition, ending, and title.
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after
CS Colour #1
I made changes to the colour scheme after realising that red, yellow, and blue felt fun.
I asked my target audience which colours they associated with stress and anxiety, and they said red, white, purple, and black. I then researched an article on colours related to stress and anxiety (https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/6-colors-that-represent-anxiety-and-where-to-see-them-in-nature/ar-BB1idbxV), which mentioned red, grey, and black. This made me recall the movie Inside Out 2, which was my CS Video #1. The colours used to represent anxiety in the film were orange and red. This inspired me to explore different colour combinations to better reflect those emotions.
I also explored colours to represent calmness and decided on cyan. (https://www.figma.com/colors/cyan/)
I felt that cyan conveyed a sense of tranquillity, contrasting nicely with the intense, overwhelming colours representing stress. Cyan’s calming, soothing effect helped create a visual shift that was both refreshing and grounding, offering a sense of relief.
This transition in colour, from red to cyan (contrast colour), visually supported the change in mood and atmosphere, symbolising the character’s emotional shift from chaos to calm.
Assets #3
Previously, I used red, yellow, and blue, which didn't quite represent stress, so I explored various colour combinations like black, dark red, brown, red, orange, and dark purple. This new colour palette felt more fitting and effectively represented stress, anxiety, and overwhelm.
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Since I changed the colours, I also adjusted the character’s colour scheme with an orange tint. I made the crest and eyes more rounded to match the character's style and personality.
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Also, I changed the font to handwritten font to match the hand drawn shapes, so I changed from Gilroy to GoodDog and Marydale.
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For the transition to an explosion and rigid shapes, I simplified it into one form with explosion effects, with addition of the rigid shape elements from my Motion Graphics 20s.
before
exploration
final colour
before
after
exploration
before and after
MoGraph #2
Previously, I used bursting blobs that transformed into rigid shapes. Now, I need to make the transition between the blobs and the rigid shapes more distinct to better highlight the climax of the story. This will help create a clearer contrast and emphasise that turning point.
At first, I replaced the blobs with the ones I had created earlier in the animation. I kept the blobs consistent to maintain continuity. When the blobs open up, they reveal many smaller blobs with depth, which I achieved by playing with the Z-axis to represent the overwhelming nature of problems. The blobs move slowly at first, using position and Bezier paths, then merge into one very quickly, creating a shocking effect.
I adjusted the crest rotation to rise, which helps convey the impression of shock and panic. I made the character's eyes dart around quickly to give the impression of panic, and they also shrink slightly to emphasise the feeling of being overwhelmed and shocked. For the transition, I used scale to smoothly enlarge and then reduce the character’s size. This scaling effect helped making the transition between moments feel less jarring.
Suddenly, the blobs explode into rigid shapes with three colours and small, fast-moving shapes, the one I had created earlier in the animation, adding visual interest and repetition. I also explored the speed of the animation, and I realised that making it too fast caused a harsh, uncomfortable effect on the eyes. It didn’t feel right, so I decided to slow it down a bit. The slower pace helped make the transitions feel smoother and more natural, allowing the audience to absorb the changes without feeling overwhelmed.
I then masked the character’s eyes and keyframed them to close, followed by a sound wave to heighten the tension but I haven't made it yet.
I tried manually creating the sound wave, but it ended up looking rough and painful to work with.
So, I revised the sound wave line and found a helpful tutorial, which is using wave warp. To make it fit better with the beat, I used keyframes to adjust the height and width of the wave for louder and softer sounds, and also slowed it down where needed.
As the character opens their eyes, the explosion slows down and morphs into a rounded shape, with the colour shifting from red to cyan. To make the transition smoother, I keyframe by curving the sharp edges in the middle, ensuring the morph felt more fluid and seamless.
For the side view of the character embracing, I used the puppet tool to move the hands from straight towards the shape. As the character hugs the circle, I applied the puppet tool again to make the hug feel tighter. As the circle fades out, its opacity decreases, and the character’s colour shifts to signify unity. The character's scale increases to emphasise this moment, leading to the final transition and ending with the title.
I then tried removing the character entirely to see how it would work. While I felt that the transition became smoother, I realised it might make the animation too abstract for some viewers. Without the character, the message could be harder to understand, as the emotional connection might get lost. The character’s presence anchors the story and helps convey the emotions more clearly.
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I also considered combining both approaches—keeping the character at the end and no character at the front. However, I found that it looked strange because there was no proper introduction or context for the character. Without that initial connection, the audience might not fully understand or relate to the character’s transformation. This approach makes the overall narrative feel a bit disjointed.
In the end, I decided that the character needed to be introduced clearly first to ensure the emotional journey was communicated effectively, rather than relying too heavily on abstraction from the start.
explosion 2
explosion 3
sound wave manual
sound wave keyframes
morphing without additional keyframe
morphing with additional keyframe
with character
without character
combination
MoGraph #2 Result
Pboard #1
To create the storyboard, I first developed the text:
"In a fast-paced world, it's easy to overlook the value of pause and reflection. This motion graphic invites viewers to pause and breathe amidst the rush. As fast-moving shapes symbolise life's turmoil, the character takes a moment to centre itself, allowing clarity and self-acceptance to emerge. Like students before entering the Temple, it shows how stillness and introspection foster growth, inner peace, and self-awareness. Take a moment to pause and breathe—your journey begins there."
Next, I focused on defining the key visuals. I felt that the most important elements were the rigid shapes and the rounded shapes. I also realised that the key moment would be the morphing process, so I aimed to emphasise the transformation of shapes and colours during that stage.
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I then explored various layouts, and I found the last one I liked best. This layout felt more visually appealing and represented my story more clearly, supporting the themes of pause, reflection, and transformation.
Reflection
I’ve learned how important it is to create a strong contrast in my motion graphics to indicate that it is the climax of the story, especially when transitioning from the fluidity of blobs to a more rigid form. This sudden change highlights the climax and adds emphasis, making it the most impactful moment. I also realised the value of getting feedback from my target audience. By asking them about their emotions while watching my motion graphic, I can better understand if my message is being communicated effectively. In addition, I learned that looking into case studies is a great way to find answers to my questions and gain inspiration. Throughout this process, I’ve also focused on maintaining consistency in my art direction and style. This consistency ensures that my motion graphic feels cohesive and aligned with the vision I want to convey, helping the audience connect with the story I’m telling.