evauluation

1/ what skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?

Storyboarding has really helped in terms of idea development. I found getting my ideas on paper helped with furthering designs for the sequences. It’s something that I’ve struggled with in past briefs and actually putting it into practise really aided my progress. Learning about a new software has been really interesting. Motion graphics is an area of graphic design that I’ve never experimented and to be honest I was quite apprehensive about it. However, now I know my way around the after effects programme I’m really pleased with how much more comfortable I am with this area of design. Obviously there’s a lot more I’m yet to learn and I’m keen to develop this. I found online tutorials were very helpful, such as cc particle, as I was then able to apply effects that aided my designs. Blogging has always been one of weak points, however, I feel that I’ve definitely progressed from previous modules. Rather then leaving it all to last minute, I’ve put a lot more effort into blogging my development throughout the briefs. It’s helped me to feel more organised which has therefore helped with my time management.

2/ what approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?

I found developing my design context earlier on in the brief really helped with my design production as it helped me narrow down exactly what I needed to be doing/looking for. I had a good knowledge of the content of my work which also allowed me to progress my design development. Within this module I’ve tried to experiment with effects and transitions within the software. Playing around actually led me to develop a lot of the ideas that appeared in my final title sequence. Taking the time to get a range of designs for one idea gave me a nice amount of ideas to work with in order to make the most of the design process.

3/ what strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?

I really like the idents that I re-visited after I became more comfortable with the software. In the past I haven’t re-visited work, however, by setting time aside to improve what I had done was enjoyable. I particularly like ident1, spin re-visited, and comparing the earlier sequences to the later ones show my development with after effects. My final title sequence has a certain sense of depth in it, which was done using 3D transitions. CC particle effect really helped with this, along with using the x, y and z axis with layers. Using a clipping mask on the sun, as apposed to a flat circular shape, added to the depth as it helped to make the video a bit more realistic. I think the song choice was really appropriate for the content and when this was synced with the sequences it really aided the videos. It was really satisfying syncing movements with the music as it really does make a difference when watching the video. It shows that when you actually take the time and effort to add those finishing touches and they come together nicely that it can massively difference to the appearance of the designs. Using the studio space that’s available to me definitely helped with this module. It’ something that I’ve taken for granted in the past but after apllying myself more for these briefs, I’ve learnt that it really does help with work rate and design production.

4/ what weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future?

Although I feel like my work rate has improved there’s always more that can be done. Committing myself to the briefs that are set and putting more time and effort in will most definitely aid me as a designer. It will improve my time management as well as design quality and quantity. I’d like to be more experimental with type in future modules as it’s not something I’ve paid enough attention to. It has a big impact on the work and so this is an area in which I aim to improve. If I spent more time browsing or even creating my own fonts it will help my designs to look more professional and well put together. Using the title/action safe button on after effects gave me an awareness of layout and composition. Again, this I an area that I’d like to become more confortable with. Design sheets and general experimentations would help me to do so.

5/ identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these? BACK UP MY WORK! It’s not something I’ve given much thought in the past and then I unfortunately lost some work close to the deadline which cost me my time that I could’ve been using to do finalise my work. Having my work backed up prevents any stress and time-wasting n the future. I plan to put more time and effort into finishing touches such as type and layout as I’m interested in making my work more professional and generally better put together. It really does make a difference with the appearance of designs. I’ll definitely use my time more wisely in the next module. Although I’d say I’ve improved with time management, it’s still a weak area for me. Getting on top of things early on really helped my designs and so if I put more effort into the designing process I’d be considerably more organised. Storyboarding helped with idea development and so next time if I begain design sheets earlier on I could get a wider range of ideas which help me have a larger body of work too. More blogging. Again, although I feel I’ve improved, it’s still something that I’m yet to fully grasp. Blogging as you go along, whether it’s in a session or just general development, massively aids organisation and allows me to see my development within the module. 5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor 1 2 3 4 5 Attendance x Punctuality x Motivation x Commitment x Quantity of work produced x Quality of work produced x Contribution to the group x