Information Design // Final Project

 

05/01/21 - 21/02/21  (Week 1 - Week 7)
Caitlyn Aurelia Tjandra (0339381)/BDCM
Information Design
Final Project

Tutorial Notes

Week 1 : Introduction 

Fig 1.0 4W1H
Mr Shamsul briefed us about our group project. We were told to pick topic for our group and answer the above list. This is critical as this would be our animation script and it needs to flow smoothly.

Week 2 : Simple Animation (12/01/21)

Today Mr Shamsul teaches us how to make text animation in adobe after effect. I watch tutorial video 1 of Mr Shamsul that helps us makes bounce effect of text in the morning session. On our class, Mr.Shamsul teaches us some basic animation step on transform. After that, he told us to make our own animation using the sentence " My name is ___". We were told to do a simple animation in 30 minutes and he would look at our final result to see our skills. 

I created a simple animation using basic transform buttons. I play around with opacity, scale, position and x-axis. I also did a motion blur to create a smooth transition. Here is my final Animation:

Fig 1.1 Introduction Animation
Week 3 : Data Animation (19/01/21)

In to day's tutorial, Mr Shamsul demonstrate how to animate graph for data. He teach us the use of trim path and text mask. After that, in 30 minute, we were told to make our own data animation using Covid-19 data in our country. Here is my animation:

Fig 1.2 Data Animation

Weather Animation (22/01/21)

For today, mr Shamsul has given us example video and data for us to make a weather infographic animation. I watch the video which was a weather animation that usually pops in news channel. 

I start by animating the title and background. For the background I use weather image from google. Then I made the weather layout. Since mr Shamsul's data has already consist of weather icon, I don't need to illustrate that anymore. In this animation, I animate the weather icon one by one, I also have mask text animation for transition.

Fig 1.3 Weather Animation

Instruction

Task: Animated Infographics

Week 1  ( Grouping & Briefing)

Today we were told to make our own group which mine consist of four members: Cynthia, Della, Sajiya and Timothy. I was appointed as leader because my name was on top of the list. Firstly we brainstorm about possible topic for our final project. Since the main topic is about disinformation and misinformation, we were researching about conspiracy theories and other false information. 

Our initial ideas :

1. Origin of Covid

2. Covid as biological weapon 

3. Anti Islam- statistics of contribution , Islam help Christian 

4. Diet Drinks  -  gain money from selling false diet drinks


after a while of consideration, we decided to do the "Muslims are terrorist" as our topic. This is because it is a significant problem which people need to be more aware. While other topic we didn't include because some of it contain problem that's ambiguous. Therefore, we couldn't spread facts that's obscure. 


Therefore, we decided to go with the misinformation of " Covid-19 is not contagious". We did our research in google docs and present the slides to our lecturer. However, Mr. Shamsul told us that our topic is too broad and we need to find more data based on misinformation of covid 19. Thus, we research again based on what our lecturer told us with a new Google Document. 


Fig 2.0 1st idea proposal

Week  2 ( Idea Proposal, Script & Moodboard)

However, all my teammates agree that this topic is difficult to obtain data and it's not fun topic for us. Thus, we decided to start from the beginning and find topic that's more interactive and easier.

Our Ideas conclude with five choices:
1. Eating food within 5 seconds
2. Shaving makes your hair grow back thicker
3. Swallowed gum takes 7 years to digest
4. Sugar makes children hyperactive
5. Healthy teeth should be perfectly white

After that, we all voted on what we want to pursue. All five of us chooses "5 second rule" which is an urban myth that proposes that if food is removed from a contaminated surface quickly enough, the microorganisms on the surface won’t have time to transfer. We went ahead and research on this topic for us to present on Friday and compiled in in a google docs:

Fig 2.1 2nd Idea data compilation
After gathering enough data, we make our presentation slide for our idea proposal on google slide:


Fig 2.2 2nd idea proposal

Then I hold a group meeting where we discuss together our script. We all combine our ideas together

to make a story based script which includes an acting and information based. Since I was the leader, I need to appoint each member roles in order for us to have understanding of what we should do. I was looking over my members and noticed their different potential. Hence, Sajiya and Cynthia would be our Illustration team, while me, Della and Timothy will handle the animation.


Fig 2.3 5 Second Rule Notes and Script


Since Sajiya and Cynthia is on illustration team, they would be incharge of our illustration style. Especially Sajiya which I appoint as the Art Director of this team. We as a group decide initially that our art style would look like the game "Dumb ways to die". With that in mind, Sajiya samples our ideas for art style into one mood-board that consist of visual reference, fonts and colour palette:



Fig 2.4 Mood-board


Our Illustration team surprised us by already finished drawing the sketch of our characters. Therefore, we present all of this in-front of lecturers and other groups. After we present, Mr. Shamsul let us use this topic and our narrative script was great. So, next, we were told to make a story board.


Fig 2.5 Character Design Sketches

Week 3 ( Storyboard & Character design)

This week we finalised our script since we were told to make our storyboard. With our character sketch already done it was easier for us to sketch out the storyboard since we can imagine what it was going to look like. Since we are far away from each other, we realise that communication plays an important role in this group. Therefore, I play an important role to keep everyone up to date, remind and ask for current progress on their task. Thankfully, all our group member was able to cooperate with each other and are willing to do their task.


Fig 2.6 Storyboard


We also finalise our character design and all other elements that Illustration team needs to draw. Here is the draft of our character design and assets:


Fig 2.7 Character Design Draft (Sajiya)


Fig 2.8 Character Design Draft (Cynthia)

Week 4 ( Animatics )

Today we move on into the making of our animatics. With the help of illustration team, they make a comic strip with arrow to guide us on our animation. Using these files, our animation team would separate the objects into different layers in Adobe Illustrator then, we would import the illustrations file into our Adobe After Effect and start animating.

Fig 2.9 Act 4 Illustration strip


Fig 3.0 Act 5 Illustration Strip


I propose the idea that we divide our work among animation team between acts to lessen our burden. I was in charge of animating act 2 and 4, Della was uncharge

for animating act 3 and 5. Meanwhile, Timothy was uncharge in animating act 1 and compiling all of our animation together. 


We also agree with each other that animation team would be the character's voice over. With della as our main character C's voice over, Me as B's character voice over and Timothy as A's character. I also appoint Timothy as our sound director which he will be uncharge in finding background music and sfx needed.


When we first started our animatics it was chaotic. We each communicate in group asking for sound effects and additional assets needed. Fortunately, everyone was quick with their work which helps us managed everything in the end.

Week 5 (Fixing Animatics and Assets)

Fig 3.1 1st Animatics draft


We showed our animatics to Mr Shamsul and he said there are some inconsistency in the character and animation changes needs to be made. He suggest us to show our animatics to our families and friends. Therefore, I remind everyone in the group to do that before our next group meeting.


On our group meeting, we talked about the response we got from our relatives feedback and changes that we needed to make. I wrote down list of things we need to fix:


Animation Team =


Scene 1: 
- A and b should be walking align 
- Timer countdown 5 - 1 sec
- shorter B wriggles and bushes moving
- lower background music
- C extending colour
- intro comes in ( chewy font) ( longer animation)
- bacteria moving animation individually 

Scene 3 
- background color
- bacteria moves individually
- kid eating cookie animation

Scene 2
- 13-14 century ( change animation ) + don’t disappear 
- “ding sfx” Genghis Khan name appeared in arrow
- wait a second before zoom to chicken
- usual first before thumbs up ( food is good)
- slide to California zoom
- slide scene kitchen and Julia child 
- drop lamb and stop to read bible text 

Scene 4
- bacteria closer to the food ( sticks to the food) 2 bacteria
- zoom to the 2 bacteria ( either side ) ( gummy in the middle) ( bubble text shouting) (sfx yea)
- clock appeared later
- gummy in the middle 

Scene 5
-  food poisoning list down text ( three on each side)
- throw that away vo angry
-  animation last scene

Illustration Team =


- Character Design Finishing ( highlight, shadow)

- make b legs shorter

- make both bacteria glasses pixelated

- green bacteria eyes smaller

- Make them the same style 

- Pastel colour food

- Background coloured

Week 6 (Final Assets)

Fig 3.2 Final Character Design & Assets


We showed mr Shamsul our final assets which he said it was good already. Therefore, we spend the remaining days on finishing the animation and send it to Mr. Shamsul for feedback. Therefore, the illustration team changes every assets in the scenes and compiled everything in a comic strip for us to animate. Final scenes illustration :


Fig 3.3 Final Illustration Strip

Week 7 ( Final Draft & Final Outcome)

Fig 3.4 2nd Animatics Draft

Mr Shamsul told us that our final animation draft has looked completed now and it looks fine. However, he told us to change our background music and when we watch and analyse the video we found some animation minor issues which we wanted to fix.


The changes we had to make:

act 1:
- the movement of the hotdog in the first scene, along with the walking movement
- Cait voice is too loud
- speed up the "are you referring to the 5-second rule bro" (just a bit)
- change the font color for the timer and title (so that it doesn't look like an outcast from the whole video)
- slow down the movement of the bacteria and hot dog in 0:39-0:54

act 2:
- Laughter of Julia child ( after narrator stops talking)
- clear the black outline outside act2
- the resolution for drumstick (1:07-1:09)

act 4: 
- the hand is cut off (2:09-2:11)
- layering problem 2:19
- hand movement is a bit too fast (C looks like he's tryna hit somebody lol) 2:30-2:35

act 5: 
- glitch at 3:17 and also there's a funny line under C's hand
- a mouth under a mouth (B) 4:01

Fig 3.5 Final Outcome



Feedback

Week 1 

Make sure we have enough data and evidence to make our narrative. Find 5W1H, counter argument and defend evidence. Present your topic and data on Friday.

- Show research or statistics most people believe this is just a misinformation. How it would affect the community. For example, people don't care, they don't wear masks. Then defend it with the death statistics.

There’s not enough evidence shown. You need to research more information of:

- Data of people believed corona is a misinformation 

- How has it affected the community? (show sayings or research of people don’t wear mask) 

- How does it affect the US and Around the world? ( show statistic) 

- Key events ( protest,etc ) 


Week 2

Individual Feedback:

It looks good, yes it's simple but at least it moved smoothly.

Group Feedback:

- Mr Shamsul told us that our topics and narrative script is excellent. It is detailed with dialogue of character provided. He could see what we are going to do for our animation.

Week 3

Mood-board Feedback:

- colour and typography fits the style of the topic

Story board Feedback: 

Mr Shamsul told us feedback for our moodpboard and storyboard. He told us that colour and typography fits the style of the topic. However, for storyboard, Think about transition from 1 scene to another, add sound effect, Act 2: add short trivia scene who is Julia child, Sparks ( does that means the food is clean?), Act 4 need more visual details, Act 5 (back to the first scene) which means we need a rewinding animation.

Week 5

Animatics feedback:

Mr Shamsul said that our character seemed to have different style. He suggest to add shadow and highlight for all assets. 

Cynthia's friend: 

- VO are not clear (volume up), text are too fast (maybe add subtitles?)

Sajiya's sister:

- background music are distracting, Genghis khan was ejected didn't make sense, Text for Julia Child was too fast, VO was good and funny, List the symptoms

Caitlyn's Parents:

- Animation and Illustration was good, VO was too quiet, Impostor scene has no purpose

Week 6

Mr Shamsul told us that our assets looks great now. 

Week 7

Mr Shamsul told us that our animation looks like the final. Everything looks fine. I would suggest you find different background music that is suitable for the video. The one that you use doesn’t feel right.


Reflection

Experience: 
This module has given me a lot of experience that's outside of my comfort zone. This was my first time being a leader and it was quite hard. I was feeling responsible of my team and my teammates and I keep reminding myself to make sure our team's animation would be the result of our hard work. The most hardest job as a leader was keeping everyone on track and engaging them to participate in discussion. The animation itself has given me animation experience. It was my first time creating such a long animation which seems like a story.

Observation:
I observe that everyone may have defferent point of view on something. Our group thankfully appreciate each other's opinion which helps me in decision making. I also observe that everyone has their own talent on certain things.

Findings:
I find this module is exciting and stressful at the same time. It was intriguing how we can make an animation infographic with our team as final outcome. However, this was the most hardest project we've ever had. 

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