After Effects

Using After Effects 

Our task of the day was to learn how to use after effects and to eventually make our own motion graphics 6 second video. 

We began by all making the same video for our tutorial. We imported 3 different coloured balls from photoshop, each on a different layer. Then we learnt how to make the balls descend and hit the floor, and we also learnt how to create a reflection by duplicating the object and giving it an effect so that it looked like rippling water. It was interesting to see what the program was capable of and we were able to use these ideas for our own videos we made once we had finished the tutorial.

Sunset

I decided to do something similar to the tutorial, but more interesting so I created a descending sunset over the sea. I did this by taking a picture of a sunset off the internet, photoshopping the sun and the reflection out and then I created layers on photoshop and separated the original photo so that the sun would appear to go under the horizon. So I separated the sea and the sky into different layers, and then made a sun as a third layer, and added a feathered effect to it so that it would appear to be giving off light. I then made the sun descend from off the screen, and the slow down eventually and then stop as it began to go under the horizon of the sea. I then duplicated the sun and made a reflection in the water and slightly stretched it and gave it a rippling effect to give the reflection some realism. 

I thought my video was quite successful but it was difficult to get the reflection to decrease and then disappear with the sun, so I had to make some alterations and make the sun linger on the horizon, so it wasn't as noticeable. I was quite pleased with the end result as I felt I learnt a lot about the program which I have never used before and the effects on the sun made it appear very realistic. Below is a picture of the process of making the sunset descend under the horizon and the finished result of the video.