COMF 496
AFTER EFFECTS PROJECT SHEET

Commercial/PSA using After Effects. Each student will produce a 30 second spot that promotes any established and legitimate business, organization, or institution in the Springfield area using only After Effects for the final composition on video. Audio is to be produced using a professional audio software program, but video composition must be completed in After Effects. Video may be captured or re‐encoded using Avid, but no other video editing software is to be used. Multiple animations are expected, including text animation. The commercial should be designed to use the strengths of After Effects. This project requires a storyboard to be approved by the professor before beginning production. Students may receive help during production, but must complete post‐production individually. Project is to be turned in on DVD with appropriate titling and pre‐roll.

Requirements:

1. Project must be turned in on DVD-video ready to play in class. Make sure project has a slate for five seconds, then five seconds of black before it begins.

2. All visual material in the spot must have been composited and edited in After Effects. You may use Avid to create video clips for the project - such as isolating shots, creating green screen, etc. But do not edit items together or add effects in Avid. You may also use Photoshop for still image creation. In other words, you put it all together in After Effects - then you render it as a movie that you can take to Encore for export to DVD. Edit your audio track in Audition, then import it into AFX.

3. The audio track should contain music, voice, etc. that promotes a specific activity, event, or aspect of the local organization. Think of the audio track as being similar to a radio spot, but you don't have to have an announcer every second of the track. The audio and visuals should go together in terms of energy and timing. It shouldn't be just a music video.

4. This is an exercise in complexity editing - not continuity. Do not create a story or drama for this. Think montage.

Steps:

1. Write a script and create a storyboard. This helps to organize your project from the get-go. If you fool around with the software hoping something will come of it, the project will take longer and will not be as effective. The storyboard is due one week before the project is due. You must use the storyboard template provided here.

2. Think in terms of creating attention and maintaining attention throughout. Visual energy is needed.

3. Keep graphic elements aesthetically pleasing. Use a color palette that is complimentary. Avoid using too many font styles. Keep things looking like they go together.

4. Use footage and stills that you take for this purpose. Many students just want to use what is available and go with that. This often doesn't look good or really fit the style of the project. Make the things you want to use yourself with a video camera, digital camera, or software program.

5. Have fun and be creative. If it is a little cheesy - that's okay this time, as long as it looks like you were trying to do it well. In other words - it looks polished.