I felt the research I gathered for the digital brief was appropriate not only to the subject area but also of interest to my target audience. I made a point of selecting both printed and digital material so that I had a broad range of research as a base for applying the right target audience and developing a meaningful concept. I tried to gather both statistical and visual research to inform my ideas. For example the selection process for footballer inclusion was based on my questionnaire results as well as my own understanding. The visual research proved that there was quite a strong visual base for developing my ideas.
I got to grips with the new software quite quickly and that meant I could experiment with ideas and change them and develop as I broke new boundaries with the software. I tried to stick to the storyboards as often as I could until the graphics I wanted to present were too technical for me to lay down on paper with any degree of accuracy. I knew that I could always come back to the drawing board and think about what I wanted from the sequences rather than what I could achieve when allowing software effects to dictate my progress. In the end I learned how to do everything I wanted to do from the ideas I had.
The quality and the depth of my development definitely was more apparent on screen. I think once my ideas were on screen they came to life. It was a difficult task working with such a long piece of footage and so I decided early on to break the time down into mini sequences. This helped me focus down on one section at a time. So, for large periods I was working with 10 second sequences even though the final resolution would be 50 seconds long. This meant that everything was clear to me. In the end everything came together and my ideas developed through testing different ideas as well as trying different combinations of colour.
I believe the relationship with my blog has helped my organisation and there is a clear development shown and I think through updating my blog daily and sometimes more than that I have kept on top of what I wanted to achieve and could always look back and see what I have done with a click of the button. This process has kept me organized and focused. The presentation of paper based work is still a little suspect, I don't have a nailed on format that I adopt and so the paper work is usually a little muddle and all over the place, which sort reflects my mindset at the start of a brief (I should buy a presentation folder to organise my development sheets). I try visualize as much as I can on paper but I would say that digital submission has helped me play to my strengths and organisation of the blog allows me to document my research, ideas and finals accurately and with a much better finish than if I was submitting sheets of paper with my analysis on.
I think my finals were really successful. The design direction, I feel, was spot on for my target audience, and those sentiments were echoed by friends and peers. I think the aesthetic quality reflected a professional standard that was supported by an appropriate body of visual research. The packaging turned out nicely. However, the packaging net on my design context might have given the project a real buzz, it's just a pity I didn't find it earlier. I am not going to dwell on that though, I felt the project went really well and I felt I worked as hard as I could have.
The five things I would do differently are:
1. Seek advice or guidance from tutors even if I feel everything is going right.
2. Get more ideas down on paper before settling on a concept.
3. Relax a bit more and try to enjoy the project even when the heat is on.
4. Pay more attention to paper based work
5. More trying and testing.
Attendance 5
Punctuality 5
Motivation 5
Commitment 5
Quantity of work produced 4
Quality of work produced 5
End of Module Evaluation
Final packaging
Today marks the day of the end of this brief, its quite bitter sweet really. I have enjoyed the brief and have learnt new skills in the software I have been introduced too, and the DVD shows my development from week 1 in the silent movie brief where I made a solid shape zoom and then change. Hopefully, my development will come across in this final resolution.
Here are some product shots of my finals.
DVD menu development
This has more or less been an after thought, as my focus has been to get the main sequence up to scratch. I started out with a menu I felt tied in with my title sequence, using the same fonts and the same sort of colours, and featured the badge I had developed early on. It was a simple task of putting the menu together, and I changed the buttons once I had a menu background I was happy with.
Final movie
The final movie can be found on the disc. I haven't uploaded it here because of how long it all takes to render and upload. However, I will be uploading screen grabs to show the development of the final title sequence.
Packaging for DVD
I have created the artwork for the packaging for the DVD. I already had a idea in mind for the packaging and I have been waiting for the delivery of some CD tins to see which suited my designs. In the end I stumped to use a circular CD tin. The artwork compliments the finish wonderfully and I shall be printed and cutting the designs this week.
I will also including a couple of trading cards which were featured in the title sequence. Each DVD would have two cards in as promotion for the programme. The final designs are below. They are double sided too.
Packaging development
I had not planned to spend any more time than I needed on things such as this. However, I felt compelled to get these up to a good standard as justification for these to be part of the packaging. I didn't want to throw these together. These are some quick sketches of a trading card I plan to put inside my packaged DVD. They will be double sided with a random player on one side and the badge I designed on the other. These are really quick sketches but give an ideas as to what I am after.
Closing the book
potential final now for the closing of the book. I tried to use the page turn effect but I found I had a lack of control and the result of it looked quite tacky, so I adopted to use 3d manipulation and a couple of masks and this was the result.
This still needs tweaking as the background disappears later on.
More trying and testing
This line animation will probably become final as I have already tried this before. I have now tweaked this sequence so that it is smoother, and I feel it links in well with my other sequences.
The next sequence is of the pitch scene where the stickers fly in. I first of all had the pitch graphic look as it did when the tactics fly in. It looks ok but I think it looks less like a magazine or sticker album background. These videos give an aerial view of how the final will animate. In the final the camera will pan down and the pitch will fill the frame.
I later added my other pitch graphics in the form of an opacity blend and I believe this had made the magazine, a hundred times more effective, and it also has more of magazine type feel like I have seen in my research.
DVD menus
Already finished my final home menu, but I am also putting together other menus for the extras, as well as the silent movie brief. These will just be static menus appose to the moving menu I have for the home section. If I had time I would have animated them in a similar way but unfortunately I don't.
This is the extras menu. I have used all the characteristics from previous menu as well as bringing in graphics from the title sequence. I have added the relevant buttons with little descriptions underneath, as well as a back button. I do not need a home button on this menu as this will be the first one the user will navigate too.
mmm sleak.
Final stickers
After trying to animate with the other stickers I made up quickly, I decided it was worth the extra time to develop the stickers in my little spare time. I went back and looked at my source material and came up with these. They are much more like what I envisaged when planning out this idea. These have the same feel as the original John Terry sticker, and therefore work well. Luckily I had developed that initial so repeating the process was a simple, yet long task, as I had to crop all 18 stickers.
The sticker designs are informed by the albums I looked at and now I am happy with them.
In other news the animating is 99% finished and once finished I can move into DVD studio Pro.
Final album background
I have finished the pitch scene where the stickers fly in, and I think the background of the album could look more like what it is supposed to be. Therefore, I propose that I have a simple image fade, which will allow me to use this background as the stickers fly in to make the sticker album link a little stronger. I started out with page numbers, but now I feel a change in colour and extra graphics can make a big improvement.
This decision was also informed by Paul & Craig from my first crit in which they said the first storyboards were too green. This is now much less green and more like the albums from my research. I have kept the complimentary blue and red tints to keep with the theme too.
DVD schematic development
Here I have a hand drawn schematic diagram, which I used to visualise how my graphics my look. I got this out of the way quickly to focus on the title sequence as time is running out. I have put emphasis on the positioning of buttons and how they link rather than how they look. The design direction is already set in stone in terms of colour and font use so all I have to do is put the menus together.
Player stickers
For the stickers that fly into the book on the final sequence, I wanted to just go for a simple player photo with name and club badge attached. This design decision is reinforced by the many sticker albums I looked at as part of my research into visual material. I wanted to keep them plain as I didn't want the whole sequence to be overbearing.
I really wish I could develop them further, but time constraints have made me spend less time on these.
Trying & Testing - Intro
My crit raised the issue of not testing enough, and although I want to rectify that, I have to think about the time constraints. The player animations for instance were developed during a long process so it was much harder to change those as the files were complex. However, the intro which I had just finished before the crit, was said to be plain compared to the intense graphics on show in the middle of the sequence.
Therefore, I decided to do some small colour changes for the intro just to show I am considering colour that I presented as part of my original rationale. These were quick to change and means I can quickly decide what's working and what isn't. At present I am liking the look and feel of the pale blue background. This is one of the premier league colours, and although I will not use the Premier League logo, it means I have a hidden link to the premier league and there is reasoning behind my colour choices.
Formative feedback Pt2 - Final Crit
My choice type, colour, imagery and design direction have all been informed by my source material which has enabled me to make design decisions really quickly, perhaps too quickly. However, this has really allowed me to explore the possibilities of what I could do.
The groups said to include just about everything and anything. I think I'll back date some blog entries for the really rough work and then include quality development on the disc. (PDF extract with focus). Some of my test pieces will be duplicated due to them being included on the interface but I don't think that matters as they will be seen out of context with no explanation on there.
One group highlighted that I had a lot of videos, which was important, as I wanted to put emphasis on trying and testing to allow me to keep developing. Some projects in the first year proved unsuccessful because I had not done enough trying and testing. I still think I will try and test at this point too, using my colour pallette and type choices on the remaining mini sequences I have left to finish. Ofcourse, I have to be realistic and because of the time constraints I now have. Finishing what I started remains my priority and I should have a aesthetically pleasing, and informed resolution which considers, audience, tone, format, frame, pace and timing, etc
Newest intro
Used the same fonts I got from the research, I want the sequence to start of in a monotone sort of way, black and white, and then spring into action. I think this adds a suprise element to my sequence that the audience will appreciate. The fact also links back to how I wanted to make the sequence seem educational to a degree. This whole sequence is a good indicator of the last ten years as I have picked a range of players to focus on, not just the newer ones, once again that reinforces the audience link (older guys will recognise the older players and possible say to the newer, younger fan how good that player was.
I'm fairly happy with this and I think it gives a little contrast to the intense colour usage through the middle of the sequence. I considered the pace and time and wanted it to start slower and gather pace, like a roller coaster. The whole title sequence is a roller coaster ride, and hopefully will bring back memories to the fans watching, ready for the main programme.
The video isn't supposed to be 21 secs long, I'm just silly like that
Intro counter test
I wanted the number of players in the premier league statistic to count up. I think the effect is really effective but I need to find the right colour selection. Now I have created these tests I can move on to look at the whole of introductory sequence.
Final Crit
These should be my final storyboards, pending feedback. Some of it may change aesthetically if I have a moment of inspiration, and I feel it adds quality. However, with time running out I wanted to have this sorted now. I want also do a more in depth storyboard which shows my awareness of time and pace, so I may photocopy these and move them around to dictate the pace, and see how long my sequence will be.
The player animations I have now finished, and can be seen below. (To see where they would fit in, look at the storyboards). I am doing a bit at a time and in the end it will all fit together.
The sequence for the first play screen which leads to the static menu is done. This is the final version. The sound is from the audio that will play during the title sequence and so I wanted the theme to continue throughout.
this is a basic time reverse and will be played when a button is selected.
I have another piece of my sequence here, and it took me all morning to figure out the camera. It has opened up more possibilities. You can see where this mini sequence fits within the storyboards I have.
As for packaging and delivery of the DVD, that is all in hand and developing well. I have my packaging ready, and I will use a sticker to brand it. I've gone for a metallic CD tin, and inside will be a trading card/sticker sample inside the tin. Again, this reinforces the collectibility and the message I want to communicate.
For further reading, and perhaps to make my concept clearer to you, you could ready my interim evaluation, which can be seen on the second post down on the next page.
Question Time:
I was a little apprehensive about my story boarding, my sketching isn't great and so I digitize them. Is digitizing the storyboards appropriate or should I include my scrawlings as well?
Looking at the final pieces I have, does this now hit my target audience of football fans aged between 15-30?
Is it clear I have considered alternative design directions?
Do my resolutions fit the requirements of the brief? (Keeping the audience interested, persuade them to continue watching)?
Is there a clear consistency throughout my final storyboards? (colours, fonts, design direction, aesthetic appeal)
Final player frames
These will soon be part of a storyboard but these are the graphics I shall be working with on the final sequence. Introducing...
I did a focus player from each club to avoid bias, and this gives no indication as to the final top ten presented in the show.
New Action Plan
What do you have to do? | When by? | Have you done it yet?
- Photograph the first set of storyboards from first crit | ASAP | Yes
- Design stickers for Album (x18) | Tuesday | Yes
- Stickers for animation (x4) | Tuesday | Yes
Schmeichel, Shearer, Henry,
- Produce final storyboards | Tuesday | Yes
- Work out pace timing | Friday | Yes
- Gather sound effects if any | Tuesday 9th | Yes
- Animate intro | Thursday | Yes
- Animate players | Tuesday | Yes
- Animate book/pitch | Tuesday | Yes
- Animate end | Tuesday | Yes
- Do DVD menus etc | Friday | Yes
-DVD studio stuff - Finalise schematic | Friday | Yes
- Print stickers and packaging stuff | Thursday 11th | Yes
- Collect and review work | Friday | Yes
- Initial Ideas/concepts | Friday | Yes
- Trying & Testing - alternatives | Yes
- Think of some questions to post on blog ready for crit | Wednesday | Yes
Miracles can happen, right?
I'll edit this as I complete tasks