typographic animation with after effects sarah rocco
. . . a wide plain, where the broadening Floss hurries on between its green
banks to the sea, and the loving tide, rushing to meet it, checks its passage with an impetuous embrace . . .
—george eliot
the mill on the floss
time as music
Dustin O’halloran, Arrivals N2
music as time
experiments
click image to play
click image to play
final
When we were first tasked with creating a video in After Effects, I had trouble coming up with a concept. I didn’t want to create anything cheesy, like the standard lyric video, but the program soon proved to be rather difficult to maneuver, so a simple concept was going to be the way to become familiar with the software. After picking the original song, Dustin O’Halloran’s Arrival N2, and completing the initial graphic score, I was still unsure of possible content for my video. However, after listening to my song on repeat quite extensively to finish the score, I was reminded of some of the literature that I read when listening to his music. From this, I decided to visualize the first few lines or chapter of George Eliot’s The Mill on the Floss, a book I have distinctively linked to this soundtrack in my mind. After looking up multiple tutorials and completing a few experiments, I kind of had a direction to go in, but nothing concrete after the first ten seconds or so. After further frustration with the program and a lack of direction for the project, it was suggested I go on an adventure to Earl Cardot Eastside Overland Trail. This place had an incredibly ethereal quality, especially in the overcast light, and became the backdrop for my video. Originally, I was going to use one of the videos I took of the weeds blowing in the wind as the background for the text. But, after looking at a blurred photo I took, I realized I could use the photo as a starting point introducing the book, and then zoom out as I added more text; giving the viewer more of the picture—but not the whole picture since it was blurred, mimicking the worlds we create while reading: those with undefined edges and infinite possibilities. These page spreads showcase some of the photos I took on my adventure.
Overall, this process was incredibly challenging. Even while following the tutorials, the program was illusive and incredibly persnickety. I did enjoy how my project unfolded as I went along, though. After creating the initial graphic score, I ended up changing my song and allowing the new song to dictate where my video went as I was creating it. Intellectual Property Report (IPP) Typefaces used in the project, US Constitution and Parchment, are public domain faces available for free for personal and commercial use. All imagery was shot and edited by me. Programs used in the creation of imagery, Adobe Photoshop, are owned and licesned by SUNY Fredonia for student use. Time Sheet Start —
Finish. approximately 3 mental breakdowns , 2 all nighters, & 1 really stressed out designer .
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