Bibliography

Bibliography

• Dafont.com, (2014). True Lies Font | dafont.com. [online] Available at: http://www.dafont.com/true-lies.font [Accessed 18 Apr. 2014].

• YouTube, (2014). Coheed And Cambria Animated Vignettes 1 - 6. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFiqhD0zS-Q [Accessed 20 Apr. 2014].

• YouTube, (2014). The Ultimate Clouds Flight - Ft. Micah Jude: Piece of Me. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXr8RBYhVk0 [Accessed 20 Apr. 2014].

• YouTube, (2014). Thunder Storm and Rain Animation - Free HD Stock Footage. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG0h4xE2YCM [Accessed 20 Apr. 2014].

Final Reviews and Conclusions

This post will look at the final products for each section of the assignment and review them paying close attention to three main questions, they are as follows:
1. The success of your final designs (in terms of what works and what doesn't)?
2. What would you do differently next time?
3. What would you spend more time on?

The post has been split up into 3 sections, one for each product from the assignment and finally a conclusion.

DVD Case

I feel that the final design of the DVD case was on the most part very successful, it is in keeping with the designs and style of the existing comic books and also has a clean and simple layout, allowing all parts of the case to be viewed and read with ease. 

Although i feel that the design of the DVD case was a success overall, i believe that if i was to undertake the task again in the future i would try and create my own characters and draw them or in fact photograph friends or family and edit them to look as though they belong in the fantasy world. 

Another aspect of the DVD case that i would change if i were to undertake the task again is the background of the case, i feel that although it gives a dark cloudy effect it is lacking in interesting features, if you were to view the front covers of many of the original comic books, they are decorated with highly detailed drawings of scenes from within the comic. 
The ideal front cover would be a scene from the movie depicted in either a live action shot or a drawn interpretation. 

As previously mentioned the main aspect of the DVD case i feel i should have spent more time on or would spend more time on given the chance to undertake this task again in the future is the front cover of the DVD case, i feel that if i was able to create a scene from the film from either sections of images already present in the existing comic books or images which i have created/taken myself this would have made for a much more appealing from cover and therefore give the DVD a greater visual impact to any potential buyer.


DVD Inlay

I feel that the design of the DVD inlay was mostly successful with the main themes within the design taken from the DVD case to create a unified look to the digipack. The DVD inlay was intentionally left very plain and simple as i feel that the DVD does not necessarily need to have a lot of information printed on the inlay as the majority of the information is available on the DVD case.

Although the design of the DVD inlay was mostly successful, i feel that if i was to undertake the task again in the future i would have created by own character (as mentioned in the DVD Case section) and add them to the inlay on either one side or both, this would have then created a stronger link between the DVD inlay and the DVD case. 

I feel that i should have spent more time on the logo for the DVD inlay or would spend more time on the logo if i was given the chance to undertake the task again in the future as i feel although it is the same logo as the DVD case, it does take up the majoring of the top half of the DVD, therefore i feel that i could have designed a slightly more disc friendly logo instead of using the existing "The Amory Wars" logo which is used on all comic books.

Trailer

I feel that overall the trailer depicts the comic book style as i had hoped with the use of the images from the comic book series and using clips from the animated vignettes which Coheed and Cambria released as part of the publicity for one if their albums. Also by using the same logo and the same font for the titles as in the DVD case and DVD inlay, i feel that this has created a unified look and almost a signature font for the film. This coupled with the music from the band has created a final trailer i am happy with.

Although i am happy with the final outcome of the trailer, i feel that i should have spent more time on creating animated clips or using already created images from the comic book series and comping them into one clip, to create more of a motion comic look to the trailer. 

Another aspect of the trailer i feel i could have spent more time on is the fact that there is a lack of a voice over, although i do not feel that a voice over is completely necessary to create a good trailer as some of the best and most powerful trailers have no dialogue, It would have helped tell the story more other than relying on the dvd case synopsis to tell the story.

Finally, if i was given the opportunity to undertake this task again i would change two main aspects of the trailer, one of which mentioned above is i would have liked to create some more animated sections to the trailer to create a better motion comic effect. 
The second section i would have changed about the trailer is i would have liked to have used live footage coupled with the animated vignettes, but as the vignettes were of a poor quality, putting them next to live footage would have given the impression that the quality was worse than first thought. Although live footage may have given a different impact to the trailer, i feel that the major downfall of the trailer is the quality of the video clips taken from the animated vignettes, i feel that i should have spent more time searching for better quality versions or finding other motion comics that have a similar look and style to "The Amory Wars" and use those instead. 


Conclusion

Overall i feel that the final versions of each of the products are to a good standard and fulfil the brief given to me in this assignment, After reviewing each product and stating what i felt could have been improved and what i would change if i was to be given another chance to undertake the assignment, I feel that most If not all of the adjustments would not necessarily create a better digipack, they would merely improve the image quality or specific look of a product. 

Finished Trailer

This post is to show the final finished trailer and the reasons for exporting in a certain format.

The final video has been exported in quicktime format with the preset of pal dv widescreen which will be on the CD handed in with the assignment whereas to put the trailer on youtube the video had to be converted to MP4. 

 Below is an image of the export screen from Premiere Pro, showing the export codecs and settings used to export the final video.

Creating the Trailer - Editing Footage

Intro Sequence and Titles

The first step in editing the trailer was to create an opening sequence for the titles, this was done by importing the PSD (Photoshop file) of the logo for the DVD case, when importing a PSD into Adobe Premiere Pro, you are given the option as to which layers you wish to import, therefore on the first import of the PSD file i could choose the original logo layer and the second import would be the layer that holds the title of the film.

I then added the two images to the sequence timeline each on a separate video track, this enable me to move the images around the frame to make both visible at one time. The next step was to use keyframes to make the logo fade in whilst zooming in and fade out.

This effect was achieved by using the opacity field to create the fade in and fade out, the reason for using keyframes was to enable me to customise the length of fade out or to create a fast initial fade out to around 40% opacity and then slower fade for the remaining opacity.

To create the zoom in of the logo i used the scale keyframes, to do this i reduced the size of the image to the point where i wanted the zoom in to start, created the keyframe and then scrolled forward within the timeline to a point where the zoom in would stop and increased the scale of the image, this automatically created the second scale keyframe.

The next step in creating the intro sequence for the titles was to layer the footage obtained from a copyright free channel on youtube: Footage Island (as mentioned in the blogpost - Creating the Trailer - Preparing Footage)

When editing this footage I decided the overall look of the intro sequence would be better if i had the first section of footage as the first layer as the background on the rain and lightning clip was solid black and therefore if i was to try and add this over the title and logo they would become invisible.

Composite Clip 1

The next clip in the trailer was one that i created in an attempt to create the motion comic look and feel.

The first step in creating this clip was editing an image in photoshop of several ruined buildings in what looks like a war zone. 

I edited this photo simply to try and tie in the look of this clip with the DVD case and Inlay, the way in which i did this was to remove the original background from the image and replace it with the clouds image from the background of the DVD case and the DVD inlay, Secondly i decided to add a noise effect over the image to try and match the style of the other images and clips within the trailer.

Below is the finished composite image before it has been imported into the Premiere Pro project.

The next step in creating the composite image was to import the image into the Premiere Pro project. After importing the image, I decided to add the image of "Claudio Kilgannon" used on the front of the DVD case, I did this by importing the DVD case PSD and as before with the logo, selecting the appropriate layer, in this case it was the Claudio layer, I then used keyframes to animate this image into the frame.  The image below shows the keyframes and the image half way into the frame.

The next step in creating the composite clip was to add images of speech bubbles taken from the original comic book series. i used photoshop to cut out the speech bubbles and save them as separate images. I then used keyframes to animate one of the bubbles to come in from the top of the frame down and the other to come from the bottom of the frame upwards towards the centre. This can be seen on the image below.

The next few clips where taken from the animated vignettes that Coheed and Cambria had created for one of their album releases. All clips within the trailer have been put into a vague chronological order which follows the storyline of the comic book series, Therefore the first clip had to be an image of one of the characters within the graphic novel "The Writing Writer" just as he turns evil. 

Composite Clip 2

The second composite clip uses the green screen footage obtained from a copyright free channel on youtube: Footage Island (as mentioned in the blogpost - Creating the Trailer - Preparing Footage). In this clip the green screen footage was layered over an image of "The Keywork" which is the universe on which the comic book is based.

Within the Premiere Pro project I added the image above as the first layer of video and used keyframes to animate a slow zoom on the centre triangle of planets.  As seen in the image below:

The next step was to add the green screen footage over the image and key out the green background, this was done by importing the clip, layering it over the image and using the UltraKey plugin to key out the green background. 

The final step in the creating the clip was to use a fade to black transition on both of the layers.

Title 1

The first title was created using the Title > New Title > Default Still option from within Premiere Pro. 

The next step was to enter the text into the Title window and centralise the text in the frame, the next step was to choose the font, I decided to use the same font as the title on the DVD case, " True Lies" which can be downloaded from DaFont.com.

I then added the title to the sequence by dragging the title file from the titles bin i had created when starting the project.

As before the next three clips where taken from the animated vignettes that Coheed and Cambria had created for one of their album releases, as before they have been edited in a vague chronological order. 

The next clip is another title which was created in the same way as the first one, by using the default still option in the title menu within Premiere Pro, adding text onto the title window, centralising it and applying the same font as the first title "True Lies".

The next series clips where taken from the animated vignettes that Coheed and Cambria had created for one of their album releases, as before they have been edited in a vague chronological order. 

The next clip was an image from the original comic book series, i imported the image into the Premiere Pro project and used keyframes to slightly animate the image, creating a slow zoom onto the planet which can be seen in the background of the image.

 Finally the last clip of the trailer before the end titles is another clip from the animated vignettes, This shows the figure of "The Writing Writer" through a creatures eye. slowing zooming into the centre of the eye, i then applied a fade to black transition to slowing fade out the image.

The final clip of the trailer is the end title which reads "Out Now" along with the logos os "Boom Studios" who produce the graphic novel "The Amory Wars" along with "Evil Ink Comics". 

The process of creating the last title is much the same as the others within the trailer, using the default still option within the title menu, also using the same font as before to create a unified look between all of the products within the digipack (DVD Case, DVD Inlay and Trailer), I then added the logos of both Boom Studios and Evil Ink Comics one in either corner, using a cross dissolve to fade the logos in slightly after the title. I then used a dip to white to end the trailer. 

Creating the Trailer - Preparing Footage

This post will look at the production of the trailer using Adobe Premiere Pro.

As the subject on which my DVD has been based upon is a comic book set in another galaxy, I felt that it would be extremely difficult to create a live action trailer using actors and close to home surroundings, therefore i decided to look at motion comics, which use the images from the comic books animated in a way to act out a scene.

Coheed and Cambria had created animated vignettes for one of their album releases so i decided to use a mixture of both pre made animated vignettes and some that I made in premiere pro as well as some images from the comic books.

You can see the Animated Vignettes here: 

According to Copyright laws a piece of work can have a limited use if it is being used for education purposes and is not intended to entertain a paying audience. Therefore although the animated vignettes are owned by Coheed and Cambria and Sony Pictures I am able to use them as it is for education purposes.

I want to create a fairy fast paced trailer, using mainly straight cuts between short clips from both the pre made animated vignettes and self made animated sections. 

I have also used pre made and green screen footage found on youtube.

The first piece of pre made and green screen footage I used was one that consists on lightning strikes and rain and i plan to use this over the title section of the trailer, so as the lightning strikes across the frame the title can appear. The footage can be seen here.

Youtube Channel : Footage Island - Copyright Free Footage.

The second piece of pre made and green screen footage i used was one that consists of a moving cloud effect over a green background, because it is over a green background i will be able to use the ultra key effect on premiere pro and key out the background, making it possible for me to layer this over another video or image in the project. The footage can be seen here.

Youtube Channel : Footage Island - Copyright Free Footage.

Finished DVD Label

This post is to simple show the final version of the DVD label in a full resolution PNG export from Illustrator.

As mentioned in a previous post, i have exported the DVD inlay from illustrator in a high resolution PNG file as i feel that it is an acceptable middle ground between file size and image quality, whereas some of the other export options available from illustrator either create excellent quality images with a large file size or images with a small file size but lack in quality.

Creating the DVD Label

This post will show the process in which the DVD label was made, the Label was made in Adobe Illustrator to create a high quality vector image. 

The first step in making the DVD label was creating the guides which can be seen in a previous post, therefore i will go straight into the production of the label.

The first step in the label production was to import the background image from photoshop. I saved the background image from photoshop as a PNG and imported it into adobe illustrator, I then constrained the background to the largest circular guide. Seen in the image below.

The next step was to import the Keywork logo which was used in the DVD case front cover, This is the Logo from the band Coheed and Cambria and is seen throughout the Original comic book series as it is a 2D visual representation of the universe in which the comic book takes place. I placed the image in the centre of the DVD label and and resized it so the centre circle of the image was the same size as the stacking ring of the DVD. 

The next step in creating the DVD Label was to add the name of the film, this was done my adding a text box and using the same font as the DVD case (True Lies) and the same colour, again to create a uniform look. I then used the Text arch tool to transform the text in a way that it runs around the outside of the DVD. As seen in the image below.

The next step was to import the logo from the DVD case, and place onto the DVD label, i decided to leave the logo in its original form to as before create a uniform look between the DVD label and the DVD case. After importing the image I resized it and placed it centre top of the DVD label, seen in the image below.

The next step in creating the DVD label was to add the age rating, as with the DVD case, I used the same BBFC standard 15 rating symbol and placed it on the centre right of the DVD label. this can be seen in the image below.

The final step in creating the DVD label was adding the production company logo which I had created used Adobe Illustrator, the logo merely consists of my initials with the left part of the A extended downwards and the tail of the R extended downwards also to create a small area between the letters to put the word "Productions" Below is an image of the final logo in Adobe Illustrator.

After creating the logo I added it to the DVD inlay on the left hand side of the disc opposite the BBFC rating, approximately the same size as the rating. 

For the export of the DVD Label I decided to remove the very centre of the dvd to simulate the look of a DVD and then add a slightly darker circle for the stacking ring, which is present in several DVD's I had looked at. 

The next post will show the finished DVD label as a PNG export from Adobe Illustrator.

Initial Sketch and outline of DVD Label

This blog post explores the initial sketch and outline of the DVD label. 

Above is the outline of the DVD label, this will contain the name of the film instalment "Secrets of the Early Universe", the Film logo, an image that is present in the DVD case and will also be present in the trailer and finally the age rating.

The background for the DVD label will be the same background which I created for the DVD case, this will create a uniformity to the DVD case and label and therefore create a specific style that is present throughout all of the pieces of work within this module.

The next post will be the walkthrough of the different layers in the DVD label and how the label was made.

Finished DVD Case

This post shows the final finished DVD case, I will also explain the reasons behind exporting the finished DVD case in a specific format.

The finished DVD case has been exported from Adobe Photoshop in a PNG (Portable Network Graphic) format.

After testing different compression rates on different file formats, I found that PNG was an acceptable middle ground between image quality and file size, for example if i was to export the finished DVD case using Bitmap (BMP) the image would be very good quality but will also create a file with a much greater file size.

Creating the Back cover of the DVD Case

As the background was for the back cover was created when i made the front cover there was no need to create a new one as this created a uniformity between the two faces of the dvd case. As seen in the image below.

The next step was to create the area in which i was to write the synopsis of the DVD, to do this i created a white rectangle using the rectangle shape tool, i then created an outer glow and drop shadow to give the shape a 3D effect, finally i decreased the layers opacity to create the desired effect, this was to ensure that the background could still be seen through the shape but still leaving at least the outline clearly visible. As seen in the image below.

The next step was to copy the "KeyWork" logo from the spine of the DVD case and place it behind the Synopsis shape layer, I did this to create a uniformity between the faces of the DVD case and also to create an easily recognisable trend using this logo throughout the products, thus creating a more uniform finished product.

The next step was to copy the Synopsis shape layer twice to create an area for screenshots of the film. Within these areas i have used two snapshots from the Original comic books, sections which i plan to incorporate into the trailer in some way.

I then used the rectangle shape tool, with no fill and a thick black outline to create a black box around the screen shots to focus the eye on the content as the original image had a spill from other sections of the comic book within the desired area.

The next step in creating the back cover was to add a barcode and age rating, for the barcode i used a large resolution image from google and added it as a new layer on the back of the case.

For the age rating I duplicated the age rating layer from the front cover of the DVD case and placed it on the back of the case. As seen in the image below.

The next step was to write the synopsis for the DVD, this was written in a fairly simple font. the font I used was "American Typewriter" which can be found on any Apple Computer. The synopsis reads "Heavens fence is in turmoil, after the Ultimate Tri-Mage Ruler Wilhelm Ryan overthrew any scrap of government left in the solar system. Government Scientists in a bid to save the Universe are trying to understand how it all began, but dark secrets are unveiled. Is the Black Rainbow over sector 8 an act of God or Wilhelm Ryan? Dr Hohenburger and his team think they have found the answer."

After looking at the back cover I felt that something was missing so i decided to add another screen shot from the comic book below the left hand side screen shot, this then filled the blank space at the bottom left of the page, i did this by duplicating one of the surrounds for the screen shots and moving it into position then importing another image and resizing it. As seen in the image below.

I then realised that i had not included the DVD information for example the running time and subtitle language, to accommodate this i moved the synopsis up on the page slightly and resized the background and text to make more room for the DVD Information.

I then duplicated the synopsis background and resized it to fit in the gap between the synopsis and the screen shots, shown in the image below.

The next step was to segment the box into 3 sections, the far left for the information headings, the middle for the DVD information and finally the far right for the content warnings.

Finally I placed all of the information about the DVD within the three boxes, using the same font as the synopsis text to reinforce the uniformity to the DVD Case.

The final step for the DVD case was to add the logo's for the companies that create the original comic book series, I found their logos online and imported them into project, resized them and placed them in the blank space that was left from adding the third screen shot, once both logos were added I feel that i had finished my DVD case. As Seen in the images below.

The next post will be the export of the final DVD Case in full resolution.