MOTION GRAPHIC AND COMPOSITING / PROJECT 2 - CHANNEL BUMPER

25/04/2024 - 25/07/2024 / Week 1- Week 14
Chew Zhi Ern / 0358995
Motion Graphic and Compositing / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Project 2 / Channel Bumper

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INSTRUCTIONS

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LECTURES

Lectures: Refer to Exercises

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Project

PROJECT 2: CHANNEL BUMPER

In Project 2, we will synthesize the knowledge gained from Task 1 to create an abstract channel bumper. This exercise challenges us to demonstrate our ability to explore and generate a visually compelling video with a well-considered audio tempo. We are to use information for any proposed channel, either existing or fictional. The project involves creating a mood-board to reflect our concept, developing a style guide for the final look and feel, and storyboarding animatics. We will start with sketches, test a range of conceptual ideas through digitization using appropriate software, and select our personal design interpretation for the final presentation. The progress will be compiled in a slide deck, and the final output will be a 10-15 second video, rendered in specific technical formats and uploaded to a YouTube channel.

Basically, a channel bumper is a short promotional video or animation that is used to introduce or identify a television channel, network, or specific programming segment. Bumpers are typically used to transition between programs, commercials, or segments within a program, and they help to reinforce the channel's brand identity. The examples of channel bumpers from the brands I plan to work on are shown below.

IDEA #1 NIKE

Introduction

Nike, Inc. is an American multinational corporation founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports and renamed Nike, Inc. in 1971. It is one of the world’s largest suppliers of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment. The brand is recognised globally for its innovative designs, high-quality products, and powerful marketing campaigns.

Key Points

Tagline: "Just Do It."

Core Values: innovation, athleticism, empowerment, performance.

Figure 1.1 The "Nike" Logo

Figure 1.2 "Nike" Logo Evolution

Figure 1.3 "Nike" Advertisement

IDEA #2 MCDONALD'S

Introduction

McDonald's Corporation is an American fast-food company founded in 1940. It operates more than 38,000 locations worldwide, making it one of the largest and most well-known fast-food chains. McDonald's is famous for its burgers, fries, and family-friendly dining experience.

Key Points

Tagline: "I'm Lovin' It."

Core Values: happiness, convenience, family-friendly, affordability.

Figure 2.1 "Mcdonald's" Logo

Figure 2.2 "Mcdonald's" Logo Evolution

Figure 2.3 "Mcdonald's" Commercial

IDEA #3 DRUNK ELEPHANT

Introduction

Drunk Elephant is an American skincare brand. The brand is renowned for its philosophy of "clean-clinical" skincare, emphasising the use of biocompatible ingredients that are both effective and free of what the brand calls the “Suspicious 6” (essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical sunscreens, fragrances/dyes, and SLS).

Key Points

Tagline: "Clean Compatible."

Core Values: clean beauty, non-toxic ingredients, effectiveness, transparency.

Figure 3.1 Logo of "Drunk Elephant"

Figure 3.2 "Drunk Elephant" Advertisement

After the consultation session with Mr. Fauzi, he approved the direction for creating the channel bumper but suggested choosing a brand without an existing bumper to avoid comparisons and enhance originality for portfolio purposes. He advised using Drunk Elephant as a reference to inspire bumpers for other skincare brands, leading to the selection of Kiehl's and Laneige as potential candidates. So, I started to research on this two brands.

IDEA #4 Kiehl's

Introduction

Kiehl's is an American skincare brand that was founded in 1851 as a pharmacy in New York City. Known for its pharmaceutical approach to skincare, Kiehl's combines natural ingredients with scientific formulations to create effective skincare products. The brand emphasizes its heritage, quality, and customer-focused service.

Key Points

Tagline: "Let Us Change Your Skin."

Core Values: quality, efficacy, natural ingredients, heritage.

Figure 4.1 "Kiehl's" Logo

IDEA #5 Laneige

Introduction

Laneige is a South Korean skincare brand that was founded in 1994. It is part of the Amorepacific Corporation. Laneige is known for its innovative water science technology, which aims to provide deep hydration to the skin. The brand targets a youthful audience and emphasizes fresh, hydrated, and radiant skin.

Key Points

Tagline: "FEEL the GLOW, LANEIGE."

Core Values: innovation, hydration, youthfulness, and radiance.

Figure 5.1 The "Laneige" Logo

Figure 5.2

Figure 5.3

Figure 5.4

IDEA #6 fresh

Introduction

Fresh is a well-known skincare brand that combines natural ingredients with modern science to create effective and luxurious skincare products that offer both efficacy and a pleasurable experience. The brand is committed to purity, using high-quality ingredients sourced from around the world. Fresh emphasizes transparency, sustainability, and a holistic approach to beauty.

Key Points

Tagline: "A Journey in Every Jar, fresh."

Core Values: natural ingredients, luxury, sensorial experiences, and effective skincare.

Figure 6.1 The logo of "fresh"

After conducting further research, I have decided to focus on "fresh" as the brand for my project. Fresh's dedication to using natural ingredients like soy, rose, sugar, and black tea in their formulations provides a rich source of inspiration for dynamic and engaging visual elements in the channel bumper. Fresh offers a wide range of skincare products targeting various concerns, including hydration, anti-aging, brightening, and protection. Their products are formulated with key natural ingredients known for their beneficial properties. Therefore, I will develop a channel bumper for "fresh", drawing inspiration from their unique brand identity and core values.

Figure 6.2 Reference

Fresh Brand Identity

Initially, I focused on understanding Fresh's brand philosophy, their tagline "A Journey in Every Jar." and their emphasis on the use of high-quality, natural ingredients in their skincare products, combining traditional beauty rituals with modern science to create effective, luxurious, and sensorial experiences. This research included studying Fresh's visual style, color palette, typography, and packaging to ensure the bumper would align with their brand identity. Their visual style is characterised by a calming and fresh aesthetic, featuring elegant and clean packaging often adorned with botanical illustrations. The colour palette includes soft pastels and natural tones that evoke a sense of purity and simplicity. Fresh's typography is sophisticated and modern.

Figure 6.3 Packaging Reference

Figure 6.4 Main Ingredients Used by "fresh"

https://www.fresh.com/my/en_MY/about-us/our-ingredients

Key Skincare Concerns and Visual Elements

Given Fresh's offerings, I plan to create a channel bumper that highlights their main "fresh" ingredients. As Fresh's diverse range of ingredients, I have selected four key ingredients for animation in this channel bumper.

1. Lemon (Brightening Care)
2. Black Tea (Anti-Aging Care)
3. Aloe Vera (Soothing/Hydrating Care)
4. Strawberry (Nourishing and Antioxidant Care)

I gathered inspiration and created a mood board with images that reflect the aesthetic and tone of Fresh’s brand, focusing on how each ingredient is portrayed in nature and skincare contexts.

Moodboard:

Figure 6.5 Moodboards

Next, I moved on to the conceptual sketches and storyboard phase. I sketched rough ideas of how each ingredient would be represented, emphasizing visual elements like lemon, black tea leaves, aloe vera leaves and strawberry motifs. The storyboard outlined the sequence of the bumper, detailing the transition between ingredients and the overall flow of the animation.

Storyboard:

Figure 6.6 Storyboard #first draft

After the first sketch of the storyboard was done, I found that the whole direction was a bit complicated because some scenes appeared to be redundant. So, I refined it again with a new, simpler storyboard that effectively conveyed the message and visual appeal.

Figure 6.7 Final Storyboard

In developing the style guide, I defined the color palette and typography to be used. For Lemon, I chose a bright yellow. For Black Tea, I selected a light green for the leaves. Aloe Vera was represented with a darker green tone than the Black Tea, while Strawberry used a light red. The typography was chosen to be Modak font, which is modern, clean, and aligns with Fresh’s branding, adding a playful and bold touch to the overall aesthetic.

Colour Palette & Typography:

Figure 6.8  Chosen Colour Palette and Typography

With the style guide in place, I moved on to the digital design and animation phase. Using graphic design software like Adobe Illustrator, I created digital versions of the visual elements for each ingredient, ensuring high quality and visual cohesion.

Illustrate:

Figure 6.9 The Process of Illustration

I then imported these elements into animation software such as Adobe After Effects and animated each segment, focusing on smooth transitions and maintaining the visual integrity of Fresh’s brand. Effects were applied to enhance the visual appeal, and an audio track was selected to complement the visual tempo and mood of the bumper.

Animate:

Figure 6.10 Animating Process

Necessary adjustments were performed to enhance the audio synchronisation, graphic components, and transitions. Also, according to the requirement, the final output was then exported in the required format and uploaded to my YouTube channel.

Final Outcome:

Figure 6.11 Youtube Link

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FEEDBACKS

Week 7: 

After consulting with Mr. Fauzi and presenting the initial idea of creating a channel bumper for Drunk Elephant, the feedback was positive regarding the alignment with assignment requirements. However, Mr. Fauzi suggested exploring a brand that doesn't already have an established channel bumper to avoid direct comparisons and enhance originality. This approach would be more beneficial for portfolio development, particularly for internship opportunities. He recommended using Drunk Elephant as a reference to inspire creative elements for other skincare brands. Consequently, two additional brands, Kiehl's and Laneige, were identified as potential candidates for the project, offering unique opportunities to create innovative and visually compelling channel bumpers.

Week 8: 

That's a great progress. Mr. Fauzi have checked all of my update on my blog. It's neat and organized. Keep up the good work!

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REFLECTIONS

Experience:

Project 2 was a dynamic and rewarding experience, and also exhilarating opportunity to synthesize the knowledge gained in previous tasks and apply it to create an abstract channel bumper. At first, I felt quite lost in choosing the brand I wanted to work on. However, after a consultation with Mr. Fauzi, I gained clarity and was able to confirm the direction and brand for my project. This initial uncertainty turned into a clear path forward, providing a solid foundation for the creative process. This project required a blend of technical proficiency and creative innovation, making it a highly engaging endeavor.

Creating the channel bumper involved several stages, each with its own set of challenges and learning opportunities. Developing the mood-board helped me visualize and solidify my concept, while the style guide ensured consistency throughout the project. The animation part was particularly fun, although it required meticulous attention to detail. Ensuring a smooth flow and logical progression in the animation was crucial, demanding careful planning and execution. This iterative process was both challenging and rewarding, as it pushed me to think critically about design choices and their impact on the final product.

Observations:

Throughout this project, several key observations emerged. Firstly, the importance of a well-defined concept cannot be overstated. The mood-board and style guide were essential tools in keeping the project on track and ensured all design elements were aligned with the intended aesthetic and message. These tools provided a clear visual reference that guided the entire creative process.

Secondly, the consultation with Mr. Fauzi was invaluable. His guidance helped me navigate through the initial confusion and set a clear direction for my project. This experience underscored the importance of seeking feedback and consulting with mentors, especially during the early stages of a project.

Thirdly, the role of audio in enhancing the visual experience became evident. Choosing appropriate audio to uplift the motion tempo required careful consideration and experimentation. The right audio not only complemented the visuals but also added an extra layer of engagement and impact. This reinforced the significance of audio-visual synchronization in creating a compelling and impactful channel bumper.

Additionally, the value of storyboarding and animatics was highlighted. These tools allowed me to plan the sequence of animations meticulously, ensuring a smooth flow and logical progression. Storyboarding helped in visualizing the overall structure and timing of the bumper, while animatics provided a rough preview of the final animation. This step was crucial in identifying potential issues and making necessary adjustments before the final rendering.

Findings:

The completion of Project 2 led to several important findings. Firstly, I realized the power of iterative design. Starting with sketches and testing a wide range of conceptual ideas through digitization enabled me to explore different possibilities and refine my approach. This iterative process of design, feedback, and revision is essential for achieving a polished and effective final product.

Secondly, I discovered the importance of balancing creativity with technical execution. While creative exploration is vital, technical proficiency in software tools is equally important to bring those ideas to life. This project reinforced the need to continually develop both creative and technical skills to excel in motion graphics and compositing.

Lastly, the project emphasized the significance of a structured workflow. Following a systematic process from conceptualization to final output ensured that all aspects of the project were thoroughly considered and executed. This structured approach not only enhanced the quality of the final product but also made the entire process more manageable and efficient.