Tyler-Egeto-Design-Flash-Experiment-Blog

I am very happy to share my latest work titled “Tarot”. This project was created in a collaboration with Sara Cheung over the course of about 6 weeks. The goal was to create a short infographic informing the audience on the subject of tarot cards.

The process of building this piece was quite large, involving many steps from hand drawing illustrations, working with professional voice talent, to heavy 3D animation. It was a big process from start to finish, but in the end we created something we are both happy with.

Check out the video below.

Tarot Video

Tarot is a motion piece currently in production by myself and the talented Sara Cheung. This image is a picture of a few of the assets we have put together so far. The scope of this project is quite large, but we are well into production and should have no major problems hitting the dead line. Stay tuned for some more early looks of this project as we get closer to completion.

I have been working on a title sequence for a short movie called Mortecai. The film is a mockdocumentry about a vampire who wants to be a Hollywood star, but unfortunately, can not be seen on camera. The film is a final project directed by a student in the VFS Film program.

Besides the basic goals of any title sequence, things like capturing the feel of the movie, I had a few specific things I wanted to do with this piece. As a designer who works a lot of the time on the computer, I have been feeling the desire to step away from it on some of my projects, and really start pulling in some more traditional elements, much like I see in the work of my some favorite designers from the past. After watching a rough edit of this movie, and talking with the director, I immediately knew what direction I wanted to take this project, and I felt it would really compliment the style of the film. After pitching the concept to the director, and him liking what I was describing, I sat down and really explored and experimented with this piece.

It was interesting to look around me at others working on different films. I could see them on their computer’s working with the typical digital tools, mean while I had a pair of scissors in my hand.

The final titles is three still images, with a little camera movement over top of them, and the look of them being projected through an old film projector. It’s just a short sequence, clocking in at just 12 seconds, but the director was really happy with the final result, accomplishing exactly what he was looking for.

You can see the short video right here.

This was just a small exercise in 3D, but people have been asking what I have been working on since my last post, so here it is. It should be a quick load for your viewing pleasure. I am really looking forward to developing my 3D skills further so I can really start adding them into my other projects. That will be a big focus for me in the next stage of things. I am currently feeling a little like there is not enough time in the day. I have lots of things I want to explore, and am exploring, but I am feeling a little torn between them currently.

Watch the 3D bouncing Tennis Ball Here

Inspired is a new motion graphic piece that I have been working on over the last month, and I am happy to be able to post it today. Overall I am very happy with the visual style, and the visual unity created within the piece. For this project, one of my requirements was the mixture of blue screen footage and computer generated imagery, and it worked out quite well. Watch the video below in either the smaller or the larger format.

An interesting note about the making of this piece is that the music was also created entirely by me. Didn’t know I could play the violin? Trumpet too you know! Well, in all actuality this is just the result of modern technology. What we can do know is load into our computers all the sounds of a trumpet, or a violin, and then through a key board attached to the computer, we are able to play the instrument. Using a program, we record the music, and add layers onto it. So I play the violin, and once I am happy with it I got back and record the trumpet, then I add them together. After enough layers, you can have a full orchestra playing from your home computer. Very neat.

Inspired: Large Format

Inspired: Small Format

Here is a short character animation I have just completed. This one was more of an exercise, not a major project. It was animated on the computer. Every part of the character that moves, ie: the forearm, or fingers, are all separate images that are moved together to form the animation. Its just a short video, but check it out. I am really happy with the visual style of the piece.

Watch the video here.

One of my focuses this year is to learn as much as I can about the program After Effects. For those who do not know, it is a motion design program. This image is a product of that exploration. Now after effects does have some 3d capabilities, but they are for working with flat, 2 dimensional objects. What I was able to create here was text that has actual depth to it, created entirely in after effects. To do this I used expressions, or a programming language within after effects, that is often untouched by many designers.

So what does this image do for me? Why is it important? Well it is still a text layer, meaning I can go in an change what it says at any time, but more importantly, I can include this within any project I do, without the use of a true 3D application. It could greatly speed up the work flow, and make the integration a whole lot easier when designing my pieces.

This is just really scratching the surface of what is capable with expressions, and as I continue to explore, I will show some more experiments.

Here is another little update. This was a smaller project we did along side the “Euphoric” video I made. The project was to make a commercial. And since I was reading the book “Life of Pi” at the time I figured why not use it as the product.

My personal goals with project was to refresh myself with some of the programs I haven’t used since my last go at school, as well as explore some new things within the programs as well.

I suppose the real feat from this piece is I did it in basically one weekend.

Once again Audio done by me as well. (Don’t mind the bad voice over!)

Watch it now!

Here is my successful failure.

Why? Because this movie is only half of what it could have been, should have been. And honestly there is no good reason for it.

However I have learned lots from the process of making it, and really, that is the ultimate goal. If I had walked away from this without having learned some new skills, or challenging myself both creatively and technically, there wouldn’t have been much point starting the journey in the first place. So in that sense I am totally satisfied.

All video and Audio created by me. Enjoy!

Watch the Small Format Watch the Large Format

Making the music was quite interesting as well. Before this my experience with Jazz was very limited. I spent a lot of time listening to jazz on the radio before making this song, and while some great jazz musician may be rolling over in his grave right now, I’m pretty happy with the end result. ANd in case you are wondering, I did not not actually play any instruments for it. Thats the magic of computers!