Project 5 Objectives

My objective for my final project is to fix and improve my Occupy KC logo build, by altering the timeline so that the elements appear to be dispersed and then regroup without the looping being needed. I also plan on working on the craft of the motion of the elements till I can make it fully natural feeling.

What is Motion Graphics?

The video begins its definition of motion graphics with a simple explanation as type or graphic forms moving. It then precedes to contrast this to animation, which tells the most about the application of motion graphics. The only difference between the two fields is wether or not the character expresses itself directly. Motion graphics lack the self-expression of characters, which in the present world makes it useful in the applications of short time-slots or as supplemental implied information. The short time-slots are the home of logo builds, t.v. interstitials, and advertisements, which can rely on the quick delivery of information that can be quickly read by the viewer. As supplemental implied information they can appear in the opening credits of movies where the motion and appearance can imply qualities that can be filtered through experience as empirical deductions. These implied qualities are chosen by whether or not they lead to common understandable deductions by the masses.

Occupy-KC Logo Build

This build for the Kansas City Occupy Movement was designed to operate on a display that would continuously loop it. The constant hum of people talking and the action of continually regrouping emphasizes the fact that this group like all occupiers will not give up and will keep coming back together.


I learned that five seconds is more than ample time for creating a small narrative and that through manipulation of repetition you can take something that is apparently negative in meaning the first time around and show it to have a positive meaning.

Kansas City Union Station Interactive Timeline

Union Station in KCMO will be celebrating its 100th anniversary soon and this project was to celebrate this occasion by pairing students in groups of two and giving each group a decade to focus on while still covering Union Station's history. My group had Union Station's history from 2000 to the present. Upon researching this time period it became apparent that the station had turned it's attention to becoming a culture and educational hub. 

Our timeline is based on the concept of the community coming together to celebrate the pursuit knowledge as our timeline was designed for use by multiple users of all ages. Community comes into play as multiple users can use the timeline simultaneously, while adults can also snap-off the peripheral windows to drag them lower so children can interact with them.


From this project I learned: 


1. After Effects will tease you by working all day and then pull the carpet out from under you when its time to render.
2. Illustrative process. I learned how my drawing style can be used to target a wide range audience. 
3. More Adobe After Effects skills and sensitivity to timing! 

Tender Buttons.

A Sound.


Eyeglasses.

Find and Share: Motion Graphics

Conan O'Brien Kinetic Typography from Jacob Gilbreath on Vimeo.