Motion Graphic & Compositing-PROJECT 4 - ABSTRACT MOTION

MOTION GRAPHIC & COMPOSITING

Thursday,July. 17 .2025

01.07.2025 - 27.07.2025 | Week 11 - Week 14

Jia Wenbing /0365436/

Design principles/Bachelor of Design in Creative Media

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INSTRUCTIONS

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PROJECT 4  

The assignment this time requires us to make a short 30-60 second promotional or story video with text and animation.

I wanted to make a video about the technological feel of VR glasses, so I started collecting my mood boards.

Fig 1.1 Moodboard

After I decided on my own technology style, I started looking for videos and pictures of materials, and then began to integrate and produce my content. The first thing I did was to draw my storyboard based on my own story line.

Fig 1.2 Story board

I downloaded several stock videos and then cut out the parts I needed for processing.

I captured a video of the city at dusk as the beginning of the video, and then wanted to have different colors scanning past, so I copied a layer of video, then modified the background color, used shapes and graphics to give the feeling of scanning, and used a mask to make a special effect of the rectangle and video.

Fig 1.3 Title production, color adjustment

Then make a pre-synthesis for the text at the beginning so that when the rectangle is scanned, the text can be displayed together with the video.

Fig 1.4 Title text

The video I used had a white background, so I first used the blending mode in the effect controls, then found the extraction function and slowly adjusted it. Although the result was not perfect, the effect was still very good.

Fig 1.5 Remove white background from video

I wanted to make the effect of various panels rotating in front of the character, so I used pre-composition, copied a lot of rectangles, and then used the effect to scroll horizontally to achieve the effect I wanted.

Fig 1.6 Creating a scrolling panel

Because the overall effect of the video is technological, I want my text to reflect a glitch style, so I searched for some tutorials, used the fractal noise effect, first made a solid color background, and then applied it on the text.

Fig 1.7 Creating a text glitch effect

When transitioning in the video, I used a mask to make the font slide down while another scene appeared, creating a very natural transition.

Fig 1.8 Use a mask to slide the font down

In the last scene, as a memory of the story, in order to express the low battery, transparency is used to flash, and the glitch style of the effect is used to express the memory glitch.

Fig 1.9 Use the glitch style in the effect.

I used a mask to show the appearance of the electronic panel and the prompt.

Fig 1.10 Using masks to make the electronic panel appear

Finally, add technological sounds and some specific sound effects to the overall video.

Fig 1.11 Synthetic sound effects

Progress Content Slideshow

Final output

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FEEDBACK

Week 13

• Mr. Fauzi agreed with my idea very much and gave me some reference styles. However, my content had to contain a complete story. My previous content was too scattered and lacked a complete story line, so I rewrote a short story line.

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REFLECTION

This Motion Graphic Compositing project was a refreshing experience for me and gave me a deeper understanding of the relationship between visual design and compositing. Initially, I spent considerable time developing the overall style and rhythm of this comprehensive visual narrative, aiming to create a harmonious rhythm between the graphic animation, background, and text, rather than simply stitching them together. Upon completion, I felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment and felt I had created a truly stunning video.

Throughout the production process, I became more proficient in After Effects, especially with layer overlays, masking, adjusting animation pacing, and transitions. I also realized that a smooth, engaging composite animation requires more than just visual appeal; it also requires a clear structure and rhythm. This also taught me to sketch and plan a timeline beforehand, which improved my work efficiency.

Most importantly, this project made me realize the importance of design thinking in motion graphics. Previously, I focused more on the animation effects themselves, but now I'm considering the audience experience and the meaning behind each frame. Overall, this project was not only a technical training exercise, but also a growth in my visual expression skills. I’m starting to feel more confident in creating my own visual language, and I look forward to trying more challenging compositing projects in the future.