Information Design: Final Project

08/02/2024 - 29/03/2024 / Week 1 - Week 8

Lim En Yu / 0354452

Information Design / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor’s University 

Final Project: Animated Infohraphics

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Instructions

2. Final Project: Animated Infographics

3. Feedback

4. Reflection

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Instructions

Fig 1.1 Module Information

Fig 1.2 Exercise & Assignment Brief

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Final Project: Animated Infographics

Group 2 - Topic 3: The Impact of Social Media on Society

As a group 2, our task is to research and condense the given script and develop a suitable visual narrative to deliver and awareness motion graphic video about the impact of social media on society.

Requirement: 

• An animated infographic informing audience about given topic (min 1.5 - max 3 mins long video)
• Must include some form of data/statistics
• Must use the questioning technique and provide answers

Production Milestones: 

• One week to complete a presentation for every stage
• Updates to be done on our e-portfolio blog and used as presentation

1. Research

During first week of class, we have discussed among our group which we done the research part together and compile the data we have collected into a google docs. For the topic, we mainly focused on the pros and cons of social media on society. Here is the document of our data compilation:

Fig 2.1.1 Research on Impact of Social Media on Society (PDF), Week 1 (08/02/2024)

2. Roles & Tasks Delegation

After we have finished the research stage, we proceeded to the next stage which we distribute evenly the storyboard scenes. Other than that, mainly 3 of us handling illustration part while 2 of us handling animation part. My main role will be animator and I just responsible with a few scenes of illustration.

Fig 2.2.1 Group 2 Roles & Task Delegation (PDF), Week 1 (08/02/2024)

3. Storyboard & Style Frames

After we have completed the reasearch, we proceed to storyboard planning. Our group have discussed the overall storyline in class and we have divided the sketches of different part of storyboards among us. Here is the slides of content & visualisation and storyboard sketches.

Fig 2.3.1 Storyboard (PDF), Week 2 (15/02/2024)

Our group art style and design direction will be mainly in 2D and colourful style. We does not have much lines in the graphic illustration.

Fig 2.3.2 Moodboard and colour palatter done in Miro, Week 2 (15/02/2024)

4. Script Breakdown

Here is the script breakdown of each scenes and the duration of each scene are marked.

Fig 2.4.1 Script Breakdown in Google Sheet (PDF), Week 3 (22/02/2024)

Below is the final version of slides of all scenes with script, BGM, SFX and illustration:

Fig 2.4.2 Final compilation of storyboard and scenes (PDF), Week 6 (14/03/2024)

5. Illustration

Originally, I was just assigned to do the illustration of first scene as I will handle most of the animation. However, due to some reason we have rearranged the task delegation among our group and I have to work on 3 scenes of illustration.

For the first scene, I have made some changes based on the sketch as I think if the background is only sky will be a bit boring. I added speaker, a hand with magnifying glass and some elements like stars, circles and textured  background.

Fig 2.5.1 Progression of illustration on scene 1 #1, Week 4 (02/03/2024)

Fig 2.5.2 Progression of illustration on scene 1 #2, Week 4 (02/03/2024)

Fig 2.5.3 Final Outcome of scene 1, Week 4 (02/03/2024)

For scene 10, I illustrated it fully based on the sketch so this scene was not much problem for me.

Fig 2.5.4 Progression of illustration on scene 10 #1, Week 4 (02/03/2024)

Fig 2.5.5 Final Outcome of scene 10, Week 4 (02/03/2024)

This scene contains more graphics element that needed to be illustrated out so it takes longer time for me to finish compare to other scenes.

Fig 2.5.6 Progression of illustration on scene 11 #1, Week 4 (02/03/2024)

Fig 2.5.7 Progression of illustration on scene 11 #2, Week 4 (02/03/2024)

Fig 2.5.8 Progression of illustration on scene 11 #3, Week 4 (02/03/2024)

Fig 2.5.9 Final Outcome of scene 11, Week 4 (02/03/2024)

Here is the compilation of illustration assets of all scenes  which included my group members, Yi En and Yuk Guan's works.

Fig 2.5.10 Compilation of illustration assets of all scenes (PDF), Week 5 (10/03/2024)

6. Animation

As what we have discussed among our group, I will be the one animating scene 1 to 12. First, I started with the animation by importing all the illuatration files into Adobe After Effects.

Fig 2.6.1 Importing scenes into Adobe After Effects, Week 6 (11/03/2024)

For all the scene's animation, I have apply the easy ease keyframes to maek the animation smoother. Besides that, the transform function that I mainly apply will be position, opacity, scale and rotation. All the animations are created based on this. The pictures atteched are my progression of animation in After Effects.

Fig 2.6.2 Progression of animation in After Effects #1, Week 6 (11/03/2024)

Fig 2.6.3 Progression of animation in After Effects #2, Week 6 (11/03/2024)

Fig 2.6.4 Progression of animation in After Effects #3, Week 6 (12/03/2024)

Fig 2.6.5 Progression of animation in After Effects #4, Week 6 (12/03/2024)

Here are some example videos of completed animations that I have done:

Fig 2.6.6 Outcome for scene 5&6, Week 6 (11/03/2024)

Fig 2.6.7 Outcome for scene 7, Week 6 (12/03/2024)

Fig 2.6.8 Outcome for scene 11, Week 6 (12/03/2024)

After completing all the animations, I started to add the sound effects that I have mentioned before which are all the sound tracks that I have found before we progress with animation. I just needed to add it according to the time and I have also added the background music. Also, I am responsible to do with the voice over, I have done it after I complete with all the SFX and BGM.

Fig 2.6.9 Sound effects impported in After Effects, Week 7 (22/03/2024)

Fig 2.6.10 Sound effects impported in After Effects, Week 7 (22/03/2024)

Final outcome of Animated Infograohics:

Here is the video of animated infographics with SFX, BGM and voice over:

Fig 2.6.11 Group 2 Final outcome of final project, Week 8 (26/03/2024)

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Feedback

Week 3: We have shown Mr Shamsul our storyboard sketches and then he was ok with the progress and he advice us to proceed with the illustratiuon stage.

Week 5: In this week, we have shown Mr Shamsul our illustration assets. He think that some of the scenes are doing great while some are not. He suggested us to unify our art style and design direction. He said that we could redo some of the scenes and choose a lead illustrator to uniform the style.

Week 6: The progression of animations have done, Mr Shamsul think that overall there is not much problems, just that we could add some texts, not just graphics. 

Week 7: In this week, Mr Shamsul adviced us to proceed with the animation by adding BGM and SFX. We could utilised Adobe Premiere Pro to add the voice over.

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Reflection

Experience

This is the only group project in this module that requires us to work as a group. To be honest, it is quite hard to balance the group dynamic and have responsible group members. So, it is quite challenging for us to progress smoothly according to the weekly tasks. We need to separate the work among the group members that able to complete the work. Luckily, we did it within these weeks and the oucome was satisfied too. This project was quite fun and interesting as this can consider as my first time producing a 3 minutes animated infographic video.

Observations

Throughout this project, I observed the importance of having a consistent art style and art direction. A t first, we hard to unify the art style as we do not have a lead illustrator but after receiving Mr Shamsul's feedback, we have improved on it. We have maintained the overall illustration in 2D style and we try to have similar colour theme through out all the scenes.

Findings

Based on my discoveries, teamwork is the most important thing in a group project. As it is already a group project, means that it require all members' efforts and cooperation. It is really hard to accomplish the project with just a few members' efforts.