The document summarizes the key aspects of the author's pre-production and production process for creating a parallax animation. In pre-production, the author researched existing parallax animations, developed plans and aims, created storyboards and contingency plans. In production, the author cut images into layers in Photoshop, then animated the layers in After Effects over three shots, utilizing techniques like scaling, rotating and moving layers. The author reflected on their process daily to improve efficiency and reinforce creative decisions.

1. EVALUATION

2. RESEARCH

3. ANIMATION RESEARCH
 By looking at popular existing works that utilised parallax animation with very
similar images, I was able to learn a lot about how paintings could be edited to
create interesting and appealing animations. Furthermore, the two pieces I
looked at utilised a comedic tone, which was something we wanted to use
ourselves to appeal towards the young adult age demographic. The two
animations held different purposes in their own context, with the first being an
opening sequence to a TV show and the other being used as an intermission in a
film. I feel that I did a good job in gathering information from the two whilst
addressing how their different contexts affected the style in which the were
created.
 A way to improve on my research would have been to include more examples of
existing products. This would have made what I learned more reliable whilst also
allowing me to compare a greater range of styles and animations to gain a
deeper understanding of parallax as a whole. Furthermore, it would have been
good to learn how the animators behind these specific examples created the
animations, as at the time I was completely new to parallax and so had no
experience in actually creating it, forcing me to quickly learn during the pre-
production period.

4. PRE-PRODUCTION

5. PLANS & AIMS  I feel that my Pre-Production was successful in
allowing me to lay out the general plan for the
production part of the project whilst also acting as a
means of developing ideas further to discover new
skills and techniques at my disposal. By writing out
what I plan to make as well as what the overall aim
of the project is, I was able to ensure that my final
decision on what to create would fit the set brief.
Furthermore, my slide discussing my plan to use
Adobe After Effects as well as utilising the parallax
animation style displays why I chose to use the two
as well as how I planned to refine my skills in regard
to using them. By doing this, I was able to reinforce
my confidence in using them whilst also setting the
groundwork for the upcoming production period.

6. CONTEXT RESEARCH
AND PERMISSIONS
 In my Pre-Production I continue by discussing the artists and paintings
themselves, looking into what the creators were wanting to convey to their
audience through their work. This was useful, as noted in the slide, for
giving me more context behind the paintings, which I could use as
inspiration in my animations. Furthermore, I made sure to make mention of
each of the paintings I planned to use in my production, ensuring that I had
an interpretation of each piece involved. Such interpretations include how I
believe the artist perceived what they included in the painting, such as in
Benaiah. For this painting, I hypothesised that the artist may have made the
injured man so pale to make him ‘less visually appealing or appearing less
‘normal’.’.
 Following this slide, I made a list of the paintings that I was able to acquire
permissions for including in my animatio. This small moodboard ensured
that I was not get into any legal trouble because of my production, and so
allowed me to immediately begin with production when intended without
any need to delete any of the animations I created.

7. MIND MAP  The next part of my Pre-Production featured a mind-map
which covered various different topics about the upcoming
production. For each section made, I created an analysis in
which I discussed how I planned to use the different factors
mentioned as well as why. I made sure to connect what I
was discussing to my audience, as appealing to the viewer
and keeping them interesting would be vital to meet the
brief set. Something else repeatedly mentioned in this
section is my want to give the piece a comedic feel in order
to appeal to the target audience. Including this in my
analysis’ ensured that I stayed on track with my planning so
that the end product would be successful in grabbing the
viewer’s attention. In conjunction with my research on
pieces such as Monty Python and the Holy Grail, I was able
to develop an understanding of how parallax can be used
to create comedy as well as how I could incorporate this
into my own work.

8. SEQUENCING  By setting a structure for how I wanted to
sequence the animation, I ensured that I had a
general idea of what I would be including in the
video as well as where they would be found. I
continue by looking more in depth about the
content withing the paintings, such as the
inclusion of three people in the St. Luke image. I
make further mention of how I could potentially
animate these figures to set the tone for the rest
of the animation. Furthermore, I discuss the
potential issue of the paintings being different
sizes whilst also coming up with a method of
counteracting the problem, thus making me
more prepared to face it during production.

9. EQUIPMENT & CONTINGENCY
PLANNING  Following this slide, I developed a list of equipment that I
planned to use during the production process. I displayed this in
the form of a table for easy viewing whilst also making note of
how I planned to use the equipment mentioned, which I follow
with a slide in which I take a more in-depth look my plans.
 I created a second table focused around contingency planning,
where I list the potential issues that I could have faced during
my production as well as how I plan to prevent/solve the
mentioned issues. Through these two tables, I was able to
prepare myself for the potential problems that I would face
during production, allowing me to not worry about said issues
occurring and instead being confident that I would be able to
counteract them, thus allowing me to focus on my animation
work instead. Furthermore, it is important to mention that some
of these issues, such as not being able to send files via email,
did actually occur. My ability to solve these problems with ease
proves just how useful these two tables were.

10. SCHEDULE  By developing a schedule, I was able to layout
what I planned to work on throughout the four-
week production period. By breaking each week
up into separate tasks, I was able to set myself
smaller, more attainable goals for each day. This
made the production period feel less intense and
stressful whilst also ensuring that each part of
the animating process was covered. Furthermore,
by listing each task in chronological order of
importance (from top to bottom), I was able to
ensure that I worked on the higher-priority jobs
first (e.g. cutting up the paintings before trying
to animate them in After Effects).

11. PRODUCTION

12. WORKING IN
PHOTOSHOP
 It was vital that I began my production work in Photoshop as I would need to cut the images into
separate layers to allow for the animations I would create later. Beginning with St. Luke Drawing
the Virgin and Child, I was able to separate Mary, St Luke and the Baby Jesus into separate layers
so that I could animate each of them individually. Furthermore, I separated Jesus further so that I
could animate each of his limbs on their own, allowing me to create the visual of him flailing his
limbs about. I believe that this worked well to provide myself with a broader range of potential
animations to work with, thus making me able to develop more appealing visuals which keep the
viewer interested.
 Continuing with Remrandt’s Studio, I separated Rembrandt, his canvas, and the audience seen on
the left into separate layers from the background. The lasso tool allowed for smoothly cut outlines
whilst I again used the layer via cut option to separate the selected areas. Finishing with Benaiah, I
was able to use the same method to successfully separate the three figures in the foreground as
well as the clouds in the background. This worked well to set up the use of depth that would occur
whilst animating this image.
 The empty areas behind these cut out areas that I filled in all blend in decently well with the
surrounding image. Whilst you could definitely notice differences between where I added
background and the natural areas if you looked closely, the continuous animations that I would
add to these backgrounds are distracting enough that the audience shouldn’t really notice.
 Overall I believe that I was very successful in separating the different parts of each image. For each
painting, I was able to obtain a range of cut-out images that I could later animate, each of which
has been accurately cut around via the lasso tool. Furthermore, the background areas that I filled in
all fit with the rest of the images.
 To improve on this work, I would spend additional time working on the tiles on the ground of the
St. Luke painting, as the confusing perspective resulted in this being a very difficult task with results
that I wasn’t too happy with.

13. SHOT 1 – ST. LUKE
DRAWING THE
VIRGIN AND CHILD
 This beginning of this shot has the background spinning into frame away from the
camera, a movement that makes good use of the 3D space as well as After Effects’
ability to rotate images along different axis. This is only further displayed when Mary
and St. Luke are introduced to the shot, with both moving into position as they
travel further from the camera. By having Mary simply slide into position as Luke
spins horizontally, I was able to keep the two movements different enough that the
piece still felt like it had a variety of different animations. Furthermore, by having
Luke rotate along the x-axis I was able to keep his spinning motion different to the
vertical rotation of the background as it was introduced, thus further ensuring each
movement feels different. Jesus falling into Mary’s arms from above ensures that an
image was introduced to the shot from each side of the screen, giving the
animation a more dynamic feel. Continuing with Jesus, as previously mentioned I
separated each of his limbs onto separate layers to allow me to animate his arms
and legs flailing. Whilst I did create this animation, the separate layers also allowed
for me to create the unintended animation of each of Jesus’ body parts falling
individually at different rates into Mary’s arms. I really liked this addition to the
animation as it gave the piece a more comedic feel, something that I wanted to
incorporate regardless. Manipulating the z-coordinates of the background worked
well to create a zoom-in effect, which in turn put more focus on Jesus’ movements.
Furthermore, by having the background move horizontally across the screen, I was
able to prevent the zoom-in section from seeming to stagnant.

14. SHOT 1 – ST. LUKE DRAWING THE
VIRGIN AND CHILD
 During this zoom-in, I inserted some text saying ‘Come join us’ as a means of encouraging the
viewer to come to the event. I end the shot by setting up the transition that I planned to use to
move into the second shot. This involved a spinning motion of the background, that I believed
worked really well as a means of counteracting the issue of the two backgrounds of the shots
being different lengths. I made sure to include the spinning background launching Mary, Luke
and Jesus off screen, as this not only played up the humour, but also worked as a means of
having the three leave the screen in a way that didn’t feel abrupt.
 Overall, I am really happy with how this first shot turned out, and believe it to be my favourite
amongst the three that I created. It utilises dynamic and fun animations to keep the viewer
interested whilst involving each important figure present in the painting. Furthermore, in regard
to the transition at the end, I believe that then spinning motion works well as a means of
counteracting the size difference of the two aforementioned paintings. By having the three
figures of the St. Luke painting fly off the screen as the background rotates, I not only maintain
a comedic tone for the piece, but also allow for the three figures to leave the shot in a non-
abrupt way.
 To improve on the shot, I would create more animations involving the background, such as the
studio in the right side of the screen, or the view through the windows at the back. This would
help to make the environment feel more alive, although I would have to be careful to not have
the screen feel cluttered with animation, as this could take attention away from the three
figures, who act as the focus on the shot.


15. SHOT 2 – REMBRANDT’S
STUDIO
The first thing seen in this shot is the second half of the transition mentioned in the evaluation of Shot 1. I was
able to create a smooth movement between the two backgrounds by switching out the images in the middle of
background 1’s spinning motion. As I did so whilst the image was at a 90 degree angle to the screen, the
difference in length between the two backgrounds isn’t noticeable to the viewer, and so I was successfully able to
keep the transition looking smooth. The introduction of each person/figure to the shot is done so in a way that
ends with the viewer’s focus on Rembrandt and his canvas, which is where the next animation takes place. I did this
by having the difference figures’ introductions be staggered, ending with Rembrandt in the middle of the image. I
believe that this works really well, although I would have liked to have given the people more interesting/varied
animations for their entries to the shot, as they currently all just slide into frame.
The next piece of animation involving the audience throwing objects at Rembrandt and his canvas works well to
add some more humour to the shot. Furthermore, I believe that the actual animation of this segment is of good
quality, as the impacts causing the canvas to rock back and forth as well as the falling of the objects after impact
give the piece a much greater sense of realism despite being such small details.
Continuing on, by having Rembrandt and his canvas fall downwards off the screen, I was able to develop a means
of transitioning to the next shot smoothly. I did this by having the rest of the shot fall down after him, which is
then followed by the Benaiah painting rising from the bottom in the next shot.
Overall, I really like how this shot turned out. My favourite part is definitely the audience throwing the objects at
Rembrandt, as I believe this segment involves the most interesting and fun animations.
To improve on this shot, I would develop a greater range of animations for the introduction of the different
figures, as previously mentioned. Additionally, I would add some movement to the people on the right-hand side
of the screen, as they are currently completely stationary, which can be quiet jarring compared to the rest of the
image.

16. SHOT 3 - BENAIAH
This shot has more emphasis on the background movements, as seen with the clouds panning
across the screen. I believe this helps to add a greater sense of depth to the image, making use
of the 3D space and multiple layers. In the foreground are the main focuses of the shot – a
corpse, a warrior, and an injured man. Aside from bringing the corpse closer to the screen, I
didn’t do any anything with it, as animating a corpse that isn’t being interacted with isn’t really
possible. The separating of the warrior’s arm from his main body that I did during my work in
Photoshop was definitely a good decision, as I was able to create the swinging motion seen in
the video. My thoughts on this movement are mixed, as whilst I believe it fits with the rest of
the shot really well and helps to set up the upcoming zoom-in, there is a slight bit of
movement between frames which causes the arm to move position slightly at the shoulder.
The aforementioned zoom-in allowed me to put the focus of the shot onto the injured man’s
face, which I then split apart to create the visual of the sword slashing the head into two.
Overall I feel that although this is the weakest of the three shots, it still looks good and has a
range of interesting animations present. I like how the clouds work to give the background a
greater sense of movement whilst not taking attention away from the foreground. To improve
the shot, I would spend more time ensuring that the swinging arm didn’t shake at the shoulder.

17. PRODUCTION
REFLECTION

18. PRODUCTION REFLECTION
 By recording the creation of my work on a daily basis, I was able to keep
references to my work during its development. This was useful for referring
back to when working on different areas of the project, as I could get an idea
of how long certain tasks would take as well as how I could improve my
technique to work more efficiently. Additionally, by comparing what I had
created in After Effects with my Photoshop work as well as my storyboards, I
could see what changes I had decided to make as well as how I had
transitioned the still images over to animation.
 Another positive of creating a production reflection is that I could reinforce my
reasoning for certain decisions about creating the animations. For example, I
often talk about how I added certain movements to give the vide a more
comedic tone to appeal more to our target demographic.
 I made sure to make common referrals to the tools that I used during the
production process, as it is important to understand how I actually created the
animations/edits rather than just skipping over the actual work process. This
also helped in regard to recording what tools did and didn’t work well for
specific tasks, making the job of creating similar edits much easier later on in
the project.
 I overall feel that my reflection worked well to keep track of all the tools and
software that I worked with to create my animations, which in turn will allow
me to refer back to this project when working on future productions. A way to
improve on my reflection would be to address what we did on the actual day
of the exhibit event.

19. THE EVENT

20. THE EXHIBITION
 I believe that the exhibition was successful in attracting a young-adult audience whilst also
presenting the paintings in the gallery in a new and intriguing manner. We were able to plan
the layout so that there was a natural flow to people’s movement around the gallery,
beginning with the audience being provided tote bags containing leaflets, stickers, sweets and
Chris Cook’s business cards. The café worked well as an area for people to take a break from
the exhibit, which in turn helped to control the number of people walking around the gallery.
 We had set up two monitors in the main room. The first one was positioned facing the
entrance, and featured Jack’s video introducing the audience to the exhibition, providing
details about what to expect. Behind it was a second monitor displaying the documentary
created about the paintings and their creators. This worked well to give people some context
to what they were seeing. We also had a photo booth in this main room where people could
dress-up in time-period relevant clothing that we had rented. I believe that this worked well to
make the exhibition more fun, which not only appealed more to the young-adult
demographic, but also made the exhibition more enjoyable as a whole through the less
serious atmosphere it helped to create.
 We pushed for people to sign up for the gallery’s email service so that we could acquire
additional feedback whilst trying to promote guests to return to the gallery at later dates. We
were able to get a good number of results from our audience, with feedback detailing what
people did and didn’t enjoy about the event provide us with he opportunity to improve for
future work.

21. THE EXHIBITION
 During the exhibition, we had the opportunity to work with Olivia, who created
her own artwork inspired by the works present in the gallery. She had been
provided with her own room to display said paintings, which worked well to
expand the ways of which we could present the idea of what a masterpiece is.
Furthermore, we also worked with artist Chris Cook, who was able to hold a talk
about his own interpretations of the gallery work. This contrasted well with the
work we presented, as Cook talking directly to the audience led to a more
personal experience, whilst our works were tailored more to addressing multiple
people and grabbing their attention.
 Overall, I feel that the event was a success. We were able to successfully
complete our work to fit the brief set, whilst also presenting it in an organised
and appealing fashion. Our collaborations with others greatly expanded our
means of interpreting, and therefore presenting, the many pieces in the exhibit.
One thing I wasn’t too keen on was the lack representation my animation work
had, as only a very small proportion of what I created was shown. Furthermore,
to improve on the event I would have created business cards with myself and
the other students information to put in the tote bags so that we could be
contacted should people want to further discuss our roles in the project.