CoMotion 2021

Project Overview

CoMotion is an annual motion graphics conference organized by students at the Savannah College of Art and Design. This year’s conference, titled Conductor, explores the theme of transformation from death to rebirth. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the organizers remain dedicated to bringing together the community of motion graphics enthusiasts.

 

Responsibilities

As the Lead Animator for this project, I supervised a team of 11 animators in the virtual production of the event’s title sequence. My primary responsibilities included providing technical direction and engineering animation techniques and toolkits, utilizing Javascript expressions to optimize efficiency and effectiveness.

In addition, I undertook various project management duties, including compiling asset lists, delegating tasks, creating production schedules, and cultivating a secure and supportive environment in which team members could perform their best work.

Role
  • Lead Animator 
Services
  • Animation
  • Type Animation
  • Animation Direction
  • Animation Toolkits
  • Project management

Creative Treatment

The story of Conductor begins with a group of discarded musical instruments that are no longer functional. The conductor, a symbol of leadership and guidance, takes charge and directs the instruments to play a grand symphony. Through this act of transformation, the instruments are given new life and purpose.

Design

Animation

Procedural plant growth

The primary challenge we encountered during the project was the need to minimize the amount of cel animation required, particularly for the growing plant elements, due to the substantial time commitment it demanded. Despite the five outstanding cel motion tests produced by my colleague, Daee Kim, we still required additional content not just for the title sequence, but also for the title card animations.

To address this issue, I devised a procedural approach to creating and animating plant shapes using After Effects’ Expressions and Shape Layers. To demonstrate the feasibility of my proposed solution, I presented my team with a proof-of-concept motion test, as well as the plant algorithm I had authored and a simplified tutorial explaining the technique.

Cel motion tests by Daee Kim

Animation rig

Algorithm

				
					// Stem path 
l = effect("length")("Slider")/2;
arr = [[0,0],[0,-l]];
createPath(arr,[],[],0)


// Branch path 
var ctrl = thisLayer;
var seed = ctrl.effect("seed")("Slider");
var stem = ctrl.effect("length")("Slider");
var sym = effect("symmetrical")("Checkbox");
var sides = 2;
sym==1? sides=2:sides=1;
// data
var myIndex = thisProperty.propertyGroup(3).propertyIndex-2;
var dir = myIndex%2 // yields 1 - left, 0 - Right
var rowIndex = Math.floor(myIndex/sides)+1; // start at row 1

//User Variables
var base = effect("base")("Slider");
var spacing = base + effect("spacing")("Slider")*rowIndex;
var xRange = effect("xRange")("Point");
var yRange = effect("yRange")("Point");

// Begin expression
seedRandom(seed,true);
var fork_x =random(xRange[0],xRange[1])//rowIndex // rand x gets smaller as rows increase
dir==1? fork_x*=-1:fork_x*=1; // switch direction based on index

var rand_y =random(yRange[0],yRange[1]);
fork_y = spacing+rand_y;

// execute
arr = [[0,0],[0,-spacing],[fork_x,-fork_y]];
createPath(arr,[],[],0)

Tutorial video made

Technical development​

In addition to developing the plant generation rig, I also devised several other setups, including the wave and blobs showcased below, which were intended for utilization in the title sequence and title cards.

To ensure seamless collaboration with the Graphic Design team, who was accountable for the title card animations, I constructed my animation rigs with Master Properties and conducted instructional sessions on their usage. Moreover, each of my After Effects Project (AEP) files came equipped with a comprehensive Read Me document, enabling artists to consult my directions in my absence.

Credits

Creative Director

Yuying Herr

Art Director

Freya Yeh

Producer

Kagan Marks

Scott Sandifer

 

Lead Designer

Kathie Yang

Design

Anna Yang

Auralee Mayfield

Ghia Villasin

Obi Nwosisi

Olivia Trotter

Yu Xin King

Yuying Herr

Lead Graphic Designer

Mel Petzold

Graphic Design

Alaijah Hampton

Alyssa Kalbus

Anna Yang

Erica Kim

Ghia Villasin

Yorlieth Avila

 

Lead Animator

Desmond Du

Animation

DaAe Kim

Freya Yeh

Greg Markman

Kathie Yang

Kagan Marks

Leah Evans

Lirio Ramirez

Olivia Trotter

Pranay Parekh

Wendy Huang

Yuying Herr

Sound

Tzuying Wang

Experiential

Alex Campbell

Riley Carson

Website

Andrew Goodridge

Eric Flatt

Special thanks

MOMELove

Our Professors

SCAD Motion Media

Kelly Carlton

Duff Yong

Minho Shin

Anna Vallario

Krystal Coates

Carly Johnson