Collage Animation Tutorial

Introduction

• Focus on creating a collage animation.
• Importance of starting with a good idea.
• Inspiration from an old camera vs. a new phone.

Ideation and Storyboarding

• Use of Canvas Pro 13 for storyboarding.
• Importance of planning assets and transitions.
• Key elements to consider:
  • Quality of assets
  • Relevance to the collage theme (paper world)

Asset Creation

• Need for photos of cameras, textures, and handwritten elements.
• Asset creation involves:
  • Scanning textures
  • Incorporating unique elements

Setting Up After Effects

• Composition settings: 1920 x 1080 at 24 fps.
• Create a match cut scene using camera lenses:
  • Organize assets into folders for efficiency.
• Scaling and positioning assets for the match cut.

Animation Techniques

• Motion Tools: Used for offsetting layers and sequencing.
• Background creation:
  • Use a light, muted color for a clean background.
  • Add shapes for flare using the shape tool.
• Simple animations for shapes:
  • Scale and position animations for added dynamics.
  • Example: Opacity flicker for textures.

Adding Texture and Movement

• Use of scanned textures for added depth.
• Layering textures and using blending modes for effects.
• Adding movement to shapes and images:
  • Using wiggle expressions for subtle movement.

Transitioning Between Scenes

• Setup for scene two:
  • Import and arrange cutout assets.
  • Create a timeline using the pen tool and trim paths for animations.
• Use of null objects for organizing animations.

Final Scene and Title Sequence

• Importing an Illustrator file for title design.
• Positioning and scaling titles with animations.
• Adding texture overlays and final adjustments for the overall look.
• Use of various effects to enhance visuals:
  • Grain, lumetri color adjustments, and others.

Conclusion

• Overview of techniques used:
  • Match cutting, textured animations, and hand-drawn elements.
• Emphasis on creativity and exploration in animation.
• Encouragement to practice and experiment with techniques discussed.