Digital Photography and Imaging: Week 13
2/6/2025 - 21/7/2025 (Week 13)
Alicia Lo Yann Wei (0357917)
Digital Photography and Imaging / Bachelor of Mass Communications in Digital Media Production (Hons)
W13: PROJECT 4: SELF-TITLED (SUBMISSION)
JUMPLINK
1.0 INSTRUCTION
2.0 LECTURE
3.0 EXERCISES
4.0 FEEDBACK
5.0 REFLECTION
1.0 INSTRUCTION
2.0 LECTURE
Consultation Week.
3.0 EXERCISES
3.1 TASK ASSIGNED
Animation Process in After Effects
This week, the focus was on animating our final compositions in After Effects. After organizing and preparing my layers in Photoshop, I imported the file into After Effects and began the animation process. I applied various techniques such as masking, rotation, CC Cylinder effects, and subtle 3D movement to bring my design to life.
Throughout the week, I continued refining timing and transitions, making sure each element flowed smoothly and supported the overall visual message.
3.2 FINAL POSTER AND STATEMENT
TITLE:
Rooted in Time, Inspired by Home
ARTIST STATEMENT:
I imagine a surreal and symbolic journey through Malaysia, where the city becomes a personal universe. A girl takes a glimpse of a giant clock, representing time and growth, toward a circular world made of iconic landmarks. Surrounding her are flying hornbills and Malaysian Ringgit notes, symbolizing national pride, freedom, and ambition. The dreamy clouds and swirling light trails create a sense of motion and inspiration. This concept reflects how the beauty of one’s hometown fuels personal progress and creative identity.
Fig 3.2.1 Final Poster
3.3 PROGRESSION
For the first animation, I focused on the swirling graphic surrounding the clock. I applied the CC Sphere effect to give it a dimensional swirling motion around the clock face.
Fig 3.3.1 Swirling Animation
Then, I started animating the hour, minute, and second hands of the clock. I masked out these layers and used rotation animation to convey the fast passage of time.
I also animated the floating banknotes, intentionally keeping them on separate layers to control which ones appear in front of or behind the central character (“me”), even though it made the composition slightly messy.
Fig 3.3.3 Banknotes Animation
The most challenging part was animating the hornbills. Initially, I considered using simple position keyframes, but the movement looked unnatural. To improve this, I returned to Photoshop, separated their wings into individual layers, and brought them into After Effects as 3D layers. I animated them subtly using position and scale to simulate flapping, but kept them mostly stationary to avoid visual clutter, since other elements were already in motion.
Fig 3.3.4 Hornbills Animation
For the background, I adjusted the color saturation over time to reflect the passing of time.
Fig 3.3.5 Background Animation
Fig 3.3.6 Vertical-Screen
Finally, to follow the required lock screen layout, I created a new composition for the rest screen. I added a black overlay and used masking techniques to reveal the clock underneath.
Fig 3.3.7 Black Overlay
To soften the effect, I increased the feathering around the circular mask. I then added the date and time using the Modern No. 20 font, keeping the design consistent with earlier examples.
Fig 3.3.8 Added Date and Time
After reviewing and making final adjustments, I exported the animation as a 15-second video, meeting the assignment requirements.
FINAL OUTCOME OF SQUARE-SCREEN ANIMATED VIDEO
FINAL OUTCOME OF VERTICAL-SCREEN ANIMATED VIDEO
FINAL OUTCOME OF OVERALL ANIMATION DESIGN
4.0 FEEDBACK
Mr. Fauzi advised me to set the preview resolution to Quarter while reviewing my animation in After Effects. He noticed that my project file was quite large, which could cause the playback to lag during previews. Lowering the resolution helped the animation run more smoothly, making it easier for me to review my work in real-time without performance issues.
5.0 REFLECTION
Throughout the process, I paid close attention to timing, rhythm, and the way each element interacted with one another. Animating the swirling clock, floating banknotes, and subtle wing movements of the hornbills taught me how small details can bring static visuals to life. I also realized how important it is to plan and organize layers clearly, especially when working between Photoshop and After Effects.
Overall, this experience deepened my appreciation for motion design. It pushed me to be more patient, precise, and intentional with every movement I created. Even when things didn’t go smoothly, troubleshooting and adjusting taught me a lot. Seeing the final composition come together made all the effort feel worth it.
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