Making things move

The more I learn about design, my own personal aesthetic, and the never-ending amount of software magic in the world, the more I'm convinced I've chosen the right career. I feel like I'm just scratching the surface of these explorations and every day I'm excited by the prospect of what new project will be around the corner.

This semester is a perfect example of that. Every Saturday from 9am – 3pm I find myself locked in a room on campus, sitting in front of a computer, learning yet another beast of a program from Adobe. This time it's After Effects and I feel like a fish out of water. Actually, like a fish out of water and in a frying pan.

I had no idea what to expect when I registered for Motion Graphics, but guys, I think I'm in love. Yes, it's frustrating, time-consuming, and mind-numbing at times, but I find myself laughing out loud at accidental animations more often than not, and that can't be all bad, right? Perhaps the best part about this experience is the fact that I've been forced to explore whole new levels of design: positioning and designing paths for objects, timed storytelling, and audio just to name a few. I'm also digging into illustration and collage for the first time in a long while—bringing tangible art-making back to an oft solitary digital world. Of course I'm struggling with execution and am constantly reminded of my own limitations, but with each little short I make I feel like I'm making fun, awkward progress. Learning is so cool.

tl;dr Motion graphics and animation is hard as hell but I'm having a blast.

So here's are my first six projects. They're not perfect, but I like them. I hope you enjoy them too.

Week 1

Music: http://www.bensound.com

Week 2

Music: http://www.bensound.com

Week 3

Music: https://www.freesound.org/people/Sirkoto51/sounds/367504/ Sound Effects: https://www.freesound.org/s/126420/, https://www.freesound.org/s/150210/, & https://www.freesound.org/s/150220/

Week 4

Music: http://www.bensound.com

Week 5

Week 6

Music: http://www.bensound.com Patterns: https://www.pinterest.com/marstarmpls/imagery-texture/ & https://www.pinterest.com/marstarmpls/illustration/ Sound Effects: https://www.freesound.org/s/101877/

UDPATE: Here are the rest of my videos from this semester. Enjoy!

Week 7/8

WEEK 9+

I wanted to create a piece that normalized the female body and encouraged women to rewrite society's pre-packaged narrative about what is acceptable, beautiful, and normal. To convey the fact that this struggle has been a multi-generational and a deeply personal fight for women, I made a point to film myself and paired that with found footage and stock imagery from previous decades. While no one video can immediately change the lens through which we view our bodies, I hope this can be a catalyst for conversations or at least provide some entertaining information.

Final Reel