Motion Graphics and Animation!

So this post isn't really entirely Fiction Field Production related, and I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive me. BUT it is about Motion Graphics and Animation, so it'll be super cool, I promise.
I ended up enrolling in not one, but two of Arturo's classes this semester and I decided to post today about the other one, Motion Graphics, because we're all thinking about registration about this time of the semester.
SO. The class, which meets twice a week, deals with learning animation and effects in Adobe After Effects. We've also spent some time discussing other programs, including Photoshop and Maya, but we spend most of our time learning After Effects.

After Effects Launch Menu

So far this semester we've learned various elements of After Effects, including how to use rotoscope, motion tracking, green screen, color correction, and we've played with many of the effects that come with After Effects. 

Our first assignment that we completed on our own was a music project. We had to pick a song that we liked and make a graphic video to accompany it. Some people made lyric videos, which are becoming very popular on YouTube. Others made more interpretive videos, but all of them were really cool, and it was interesting to see how everyone interpreted the assignment. 

For my project, I did the song "Radioactive" by a band called Imagine Dragons. I really liked the feel and the beat of the song, and I used it to create my general theme of "red" and "sparks." 

My Lyric Video Project

I really liked this project because it gave me a chance to figure out After Effects for myself, and use the information I learned in class. I used many of the effects I learned in the class, but I also utilized one of our class resources. This great website, Videocopilot.net specializes in 3D effects in After Effects and other various motion graphics software.

If you're interested in motion graphics and animation, feel free to ask me about the class! Good luck with registration :)

Underdog Story

Last week I wrote a blog about Woody Allen's film Midnight in Paris.  Despite accumulating close to 20 views,  my hours and hours of hard work was not recognized by my professor.  Even though my feelings were temporarily hurt I decided right then and there that I wouldn't let it hold me down.  With this blog post, I hope to generate the highest number of views in "Blogger" history.  If that doesn't happen, at least give me an A for the submission!
-Kofi Boundy

ESPN Presentation

I know this was a few days ago, but I thought I should post about the ESPN panel on friday afternoon. If you are interested in working in sports video, you should have gone. It was a great experience. A dozen alums were there including Karl Ravech who for all you baseball fans is kind of the man. There were producers and the guy who makes the awesome graphics for sportscenter. They talked about transitioning to 3D and trying to stay on top of the business. It was really cool. Also, Park Aud was completely packed. Standing room only. Crazy.