I'm still here.. whew!

So I did what I never thought I could do: back to back projects with the second one having an accelerated deadline.

The first project I took on was a song titled "Nobody's Sad on a Saturday Night" by country star of 90's fame Uncle Kracker.



It's been awhile since I've actually done a lyric video, my last being Camryn which was at the beginning of Summer. I've been preoccupied with my job and internship to tackle on anything as demanding as a project as this. I decided to give a hand at creating basic vector shapes since I'm slowly starting to move away from vectors I find online. I feel when I create them myself I learn more and I'm able to communicate a similar style amongst the graphics I create. I saw a preview for a tutorial on AE Tuts+ which inspired me to try out a similar style in morphing vectors.



I really wanted to learn how they did it, but unfortunately only premium members get access to the tutorial so I just ripped the video off YouTube and studied it frame by frame. It's amazing what little tricks animators due to create the illusion of a seamless morph. Thank you AE Tuts+ for the inspiration.

During my work for Vanguard/Sugar Hill Records for Uncle Kracker, I was thrown another job offer to work for a Christian Pop Singer named Britt Nicole under the Christian music division of EMI. I agreed to work on the project right after Uncle Kracker with the usual turn around time of 2 weeks. The morning I finally submitted the final version of "Nobody's Sad on a Saturday Night", I get a message from my contact at EMI requesting a 1 week turn around for the project. At the time, I haven't slept for over 24 hours, was hopped up on caffeine, and still on a creative high from my previous project.

I've never attempted to finish a project like that under such short notice. I recall taking 2 months to finish my first kinetic type video, and eventually narrowed down the process to 2 weeks. I must have felt really crazy that morning, but I was leaning towards taking the job. 3 cups of coffee later and a couple of hours I decide to take on Britt Nicole's "Gold" in 1 week. I was still on a creative fervor and decided to use it to hit the ground running for this project. I wanted to really push myself to see what I could really do. I remember reading a quote somewhere which said something along the lines of "The only way to improve yourself is to do something you thought you could never do before". One of my fears is that I reach an apex early in my life so I decided to go forward and test myself to the best of my abilities.



I definitely wish I had more time to work on this because I had so many more great ideas to implement but time would not permit me, but I'm happy that I was even able to work a lyric video like this in 3D space in 1 weeks since 3D projects generally take me a bit longer.  Overall, I'm happy with the project. I just really want people to feel good after seeing the video. I'm not into Christian Pop music, but the song has good message. Generally, when I work on projects, I excel creatively when the project is something I truly believe in.



Well, once again I apologize for the lack of updates, but I come bearing 2 gifts in return. I'm still planing out my personal project. I have an idea in mind, but with my senior thesis project shooting days around the corner, I feel I'll have to wait a little bit longer.. That's fine though, because I feel having more time to think things out really help me translate my ideas in my head better onto pixels.




Time to smoke a fat one and be lazy, because with senior thesis looming closer, this is just the calm before the storm..