Motion graphics are video animations consisting of moving designs, illustrations, and images used in multimedia projects. They are usually created using software and combined with audio. Saul Bass was a pioneer in motion graphics who created title sequences for films. His 1959 sequence for the film Anatomy of a Murder featured a dismembered body that was revealed piece by piece with crew members' names, symbolizing the mystery of the murder plot. Matte paintings, CGI, chroma key, and other visual effects techniques help create realistic backgrounds and environments not present on set.

1. Motion Graphics and
Compositing:
Case Study
name
1

2. 2
Critical Discussion

3. Motion Graphics
Motion graphics are video animations consisting of moving
designs, illustration and images to create a video sequence and
are usually combined with audio for use in multimedia projects.
Motion graphics is usually created using electronic technology
and different programs/software's. Motion graphics extend
beyond the most commonly used methods of frame-by-frame
footage and animation. Motion graphics can be distinguished
from typical animation in that they are not strictly character
driven or story based and often represent animated abstract
shapes and forms such as logos or logo elements for example in
movie openings like some of the james bond movies. For the
software, motion graphics can be created in multiple programs,
they can be created in illustrator or Photoshop, and then later
exported to after effects to animate, they call also be created in
after effects if you are experienced enough. In contemporary
use, many businesses rely on motion graphics to create
interesting videos to sell or give information about a service or
product. In addition, many YouTube channels utilize motion
graphics to create fact driven videos to deliver meaning
information in visually entertaining way. A good example of this
is the YouTube channel “Tech Insider”, their channel usually
focuses on fact related videos which share information on
commonly thought of questions throughout daily life. They use
motion graphics in a simple way which is visually pleasing when
it’s on the subject of matter. Here is a good video example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwV8yvrAQdM , it’s a video
about what would have if humans disappeared.
These are two examples show motion graphics
used in the “Tech Insider” YouTube video. You
can clearly see that they have designed all of
the graphics themselves using one of the main
programs (illustrator) and have kept it simple
and easy to see. The animation itself in the
video is very smooth and eye catching which
makes it work well. They have done this to
make the video more entertaining and to help
share the information they are giving out.

4. Motion Graphics
The History of Motion Graphics, Saul Bass
Saul Bass was a graphic designer/filmmaker born May 8th, 1920. He is
best know for his design of film posters and title sequences. On the right
you can see a few screenshots from the title sequence of the movie
Anatomy of a murder, the movie was one of the first mainstream
Hollywood films to address sex and rape. The title sequence presents
the name of each member of the crew next to disassembled body parts.
He first starts by showing the entire body presenting the director Otto
Preminger. Then each piece of the body is disassembled and presented
like it is part of a puzzle. Using simple elements like cutouts of paper on
a uniform grey background, this intro sequence has traversed decades
by keeping it’s cutting-edge quality. Keep in mind that no high
technology was needed. Only a playground in which a graphic designer
could think of a simple idea to introduce the film. In my opinion this is
one of the best ways to introduce a film as you can be extremely
creative in how it’s shown.
The history of motion graphics goes back further than adobe after
effects. One of the first uses of the term “motion graphics” was by
animator John Whitney, who co-founded Motion Graphics, Inc. Motion
graphics dates back to before electronic media, sometime back in the
1800’s with presentation flipbooks. Early animation devices like flip
books were created to produce movement through sequential drawings.
But animation didn’t really take off until the start of cinematography.
The first credits of starting motion graphics and animation can’t be given
to any one person in particular, as there were so may different kinds of
animation projects being produced at the same time at the beginnings.
Although there is no originator in motion graphics, there were many
people who were considered pioneers in the field such as Saul Bass,
Pablo Ferro and John Whitney, (a few names).

5. Visual Effects
A matte painting is a painted representation of a landscape, set, or distant location that allows filmmakers to create the illusion of an
environment that is not present at the filming location. Matte painting is one of the oldest techniques in the visual effects industry and one of
the most widely applied techniques as well. The technique of matte painting is quite skillful and artistically demanding because the paintings
used to replace backgrounds have to be realistic enough and support the film style so the audiences can think it’s a real background. The best
way to get good VFX shots is to shoot your actor in front of the green or blue screen, then apply a single painting to the background. With this
technique, you can make your film look like it was filmed anywhere around the world.
There is on major problem you can encounter when using matte paintings and this is when the camera is moving. Because the matte painting is
only 2D when the camera starts moving, it will reveal that the environment is just a flat 2D painting. Even before VFX turned digital, there was a
way to solve this problem. The artist will paint a layered glass in the back, this will provide a parallax when the camera starts to move, making it
feel 3D. Of course you still can’t rotate or move the camera too much. But for most shots that need environments, this is enough.
History of matte paintings: matte paintings have ben around since the dawn of filmmaking. It’s been continuously used since the first example
debuted in 1907. The history of matte painting begins with one man, a camera, and a sheet of glass. Norman dawn was born in 1884 and was
the first person to use a glass shot in a motion picture. Dawn was taught this technique while employed as a still photographer in Los Angeles
in 1905. Glass shots were used to avoid costly retouching of Photographic images.
Matte Painting

6. Visual Effects
CGI stands for computer-generated imagery and is special visual effects created using computer software. CGI is the creation of still or
animated visual content with imaging software. CGI is used t produce images for many purposes including visual art, advertising, anatomical
modeling, architectural design, engineering, television shows, video games art and film special effects, as well as augmented reality (AR) and
virtual reality (VR) applications. CGI can be produced using different methods. The use of algorithms to generate fractals. Other methods
include painting in a 2 dimensional pixel-based image editor and creating shapes to make images, as in a vector-based image editor. CGI can
also be made from 3D graphics.
History of CGI (computer generated imagery): The history of CGI goes hand in hand with the history of the computer itself. Especially the
arrival of the third generation of digital computers in the late 1960s helped pave the way for what later became known as CGI or special
effects. In 1968 a group of Russian mathematicians model that allowed them to move a cat across a screen.
CGI

7. Chroma Key
7
Chroma-key is a digital technique by a block of a particular colour
(usually blue or green depending on what its used for) in a film or
video image can be replaced by another colour or image, enabling,
for example, a weather forecaster to appear against a background of
a computer-generated weather. If the weather “person” was wearing
anything blue or green then that part of their body would be invisible
as the block of colour displaying the image is blue or green which is
why you don’t see anyone presenting the weather wear blue or
green clothing and usually sticks to black white and red.
History of Chroma key/green or blue screens: Green Screen or
Chroma key technology was known and became favored many years
ago. In addition, Chroma key technology was also recognized to be
one of the most inventive as well as imaginative techniques of
creating effects when it came to filmmaking and photo modifying.
The green screen made its debut in the 1930’s RKO radio pictures, an
once famous production outfit. Back then, the background colour of
choice was blue. CRO was first used and developed to give way for
special effects in films. The first film to benefit from this is The Thief
of Bagdad. Larry servant is credited for this film methodology. He
even won an Academy Award for his work in the film. After this the
green screen technology pushed new bounds and announced new
improvements in the visible effects arena. As time went by and the
“blue” green screen involved film makers discovered that green was
really a better colour to use. In this year green screen became
famous when it came to video editing as well as photography. There
are many reasons why the colour of the screens were changed from
blue to green. Blue was a more common clothing colour and blue
was also found in some skin tones where as green was not and it was
also a less common clothing colour.

8. 8
Analysis

9. Motion Graphics Sequence
Saul Bass title sequence - Anatomy of a murder
(1959)
The title sequence for the 1959 Anatomy of a murder is a motion
graphics sequence created by Saul Bass, one of the original motion
graphics creators and developers.
The motion sequence consists of a human body shape that is
dismembered into different pieces, Head, arms, legs etc.
Throughout the sequence parts of the body are displayed with a
film crew members name (editor etc.). As the sequence goes on the
body parts split into smaller shapes. I think they have done this to
stick with the fact that the movie is about a murder and mystery
and that it’s like a puzzle that creates more pieces as you find out
more (as you find more clues there is more revealed). They have
kept the sequence to black white and grey colours to keep it simple
but mysterious. I feels that by doing so it doesn’t reveal much about
the movie but just enough to make the view watch. This title
sequence wasn’t created using high end modern technology which
is why it’s so good. They basically gave Saul bass a grey background
with he could use as a playground to create his masterpiece. He
used paper cut outs and positioned them to form a human body
shape and then cut them into broken body parts to resemble a
puzzle which ties nicely with the movies theme.
MovieTitles. (Feb 22, 2011). Saul Bass title sequence
- Anatomy of a murder (1959). Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sA1en26sgM.
Last accessed 1st Oct 2017.

10. Motion Graphics Sequence
reklamtuning. (2010). Casino (1995) opening
title. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMva0
0IO0zA . Last accessed 17th Oct 2017.
Saul bass title sequenced - Casino
Saul bass has a similar style throughout his title
sequences. He makes them very simple and
sticks to the same theme throughout. You can
see this in both Casino and Anatomy Of a
Murder (AOAM) as Aoam sticks to using black
cut-outs on a plain background to create a
human body and in casino they stick to using
neon lights to give a Vegas feel. I believe Saul
Bass has used neon lights in casino’s sequence
because most casino’s have neon lights outside
or inside. They tend to be colourful and
standout which relates to the fact the movie is
in Las Vegas, he also has a body flying across
the screen inside the fire at the beginning and
end of the sequence, I believe this shows what
Las Vegas can do to someone when they spend
time there and that bad stuff can happen. This
is similar to Aoam as Bass uses a cut-out body
which links to someone being murdered and a
puzzle being solved.

11. Motion Graphics Sequence
Bassir Caravan. "Casino Royale title sequence
in 720p HD" YouTube. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzX14t4d
CQ0. YouTube, Feb 12, 2009. Web. 1 Oct 2017.
Daniel Kleinman - Casino Royale title sequence 2006
The title sequence of 2006 Casino Royale was created by
Daniel Kleinman who has designed every title sequence for
the James Bond series of films since Goldeneye, with the
exception of Quantum of Solace.
The motion sequence consists the 4 card symbols, a card
Jack, card Queen and James Bond the main actor versus
enemies. The sequence itself focuses upon representing the
Casino feel and uses the cards to enhance that. It also uses
the cards pictures for example the Jack to show royalty and
luxury. Inside the sequence they have shown a face of a
women which is left a mystery at the start of the film. There
are a lot of guns and bullets in the sequence which
resembles that there is lots of action, violence and murder in
the film. The sequence itself is colourful and uses the colours
to display certain things for example, James Bond is
Black/White where as his enemies are Red which is usually
associated with evil, blood and death which is persistent
throughout the movie. Within the film there is lots of luxury,
wealth and gambling. This is clearly shown in the title
sequence with the playing cards and roulette tables which
appear throughout.

12. Motion Graphics Sequence
JayDubVidz. (2015). Adele - SKYFALL Complete
Opening Sequence 1080p HD Official Movie James
Bond 007. Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uto3lp-ewkU .
Last accessed 17th Oct 2017.
Skyfall title sequence
The Skyfall title sequence is another one of Daniel Kleinmans
masterpieces, there are lots of similarities between the Skyfall
and Casino Royale sequences. For example, in the Casino Royale
sequence Kleinman focuses on using playing cards as his way of
representing what the movie is about and also what's in the
movie because Casino Royale contains lots of poker where as, in
the Skyfall sequence Kleinman focuses upon the locations and
similar visuals that will be shown throughout the movie for
example the church and it’s graveyard, this links with a crucial
scene in Skyfall where people are killed. All these visuals help set
the tone for the rest of the movie at gets the viewer prepared for
what they are about to watch.
Over the years as technology has developed the quality of the
title sequences has developed because the creators have much
larger playground to play in. You can see this if you compare the
visuals between the two James bond films Casino Royale and
Skyfall.
Another technique that Kleinman likes to implement is the
showing of the characters throughout the title sequences, if you
are watching closely you can make out the characters which I
believe helps get the audience familiar with them whether they
have seen them or not. This is done in both title sequences.

13. Visual Effects
Ozan Çaglargil. (Mar 15, 2016). “Deadpool”
Visual Effects Breakdown.Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8D_o
8bOeOc. Last accessed 1st Oct 2017.
2016 Deadpool sequence.
Some people might not realise is but, the title
sequence for the film Deadpool is fully CGI. There are a
few reasons this has been done. The main reason is
that it’s much cheaper then travelling to the location
then it is creating CGI. As seen in the pictures on the
right, firstly they use a green screen if they need
someone in the foreground like the back of Deadpool’s
head then they create the CGI in front of them. Since
the whole sequence is CGI they have used it to create
special effects like explosions, martial arts and
impossible human movement. Since CGI is basically
limitless you can use it to create the coolest action for
example in the sequence Deadpool kicks one of the
passengers out of his vehicle causing the passengers
body to fly into a motorist that is trying to kill
Deadpool. This is effective because it adds a visually
pleasing affect to a way someone is killed in a scene.
You don’t want to see someone fall out of the car and
roll on the road, you want to see them used to cause
more trouble instead.

14. Visual Effects
Official Avatar. (2010). Avatar Featurette: Performance
Capture.Available:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ1JzYPjcj0 . Last
accessed 17th Oct 2017.
2009 Avatar sequence.
Deadpool and avatar are both film created using a huge amount of visual
effects, but they are both created using different techniques. For
Deadpool they have used matte paintings and green screens to create
the environment around the character where as in avatar they have
created their environment and characters totally different. To create the
characters, the actors playing the roles are placed in a contraption with
cameras a lights which are used to capture the shape of their body
which can further be used to create the characters in the film. After
doing this they are required to wear a special suit which will correspond
with their virtual character mirroring whatever movement the actor
does. The main difference between Deadpool and Avatar is that the
world of Avatar is already virtually created but Deadpools is not as they
create this in post production after filming. So as the avatar actors are
moving around in their suites there are cameras that are already linked
to the Avatar world which will show the virtual world instead of the
production area when looking through the camera, making the camera
movement far better as it’s not computer generated but done by
physical people. A good benefit from using Performance Capture
technology to shoot a film is the deeper emotions and body language of
the actors. Because there is a camera directly facing their face to capture
their facial expressions the actors can completely become their giving
better facial expressions creating better quality everything.

15. Screen Ratios
Screen ratios highly depend on what type of screen/monitor you are using to display your computer. Thee is a large number if screen ratios which can also be customized if you use the graphics card drivers
from your computer to create a custom ratio. The main ratio used in most monitors is 16:9. This is mainly used as the screen will be wide and tall making it visually pleasing to the eye. 4:3 ratio is considered the
old day ratio which is used on square Televisions from back in the day. If you own a monitor which can ratio up to 16:9 you will be able to change to any ratio under each number. The monitor will default and
add black bars to make the ratio look perfect. You are also able to stretch the ratio using the resolutions but it’s very complicated to explain. Most films ratios are 1.85:1 and 2.40:1 depending on the size of the
screen (most anamorphic showings). The televisions ratio is 1.77:1 which is equivalent to 16:9. For the internet/web – YouTube and vimeo primarily uses 16:9. This ratio can change if the video uploaded does
not meet the ratio requirements.
Resolution
The resolution is how many pixels your screen is. The higher the number of pixels the better quality the video will be. Since screen ratios decide the
general shape of the screen this usually tends to affect the resolution. Resolution is LengthxHeight so and SD is 720x576 which isn’t HD, HD is 1280x720
which is considered the old standard high definition resolution. 1920x1080p is the new standard full HD resolution, it’s used for nearly all YouTube
videos uploaded and is nearly always an option when changing the resolution. 4K, 3840x2160 is the new best resolution which is super high quality.
Frame Rate
A frame rate is how fast frames in a television picture, film or video sequence are displayed. For film the usual frame rate the film is displayed at is 24 frames per second
(Fps). The lower the frame rate the worse the picture looks. The main frame rate for television in the UK is 25 frames per second (Fps). For the Internet/web usage the
average frame rate that most footage is displayed at is 60fps but this can vary per video, some are displayed at a lower frame rate for people with slower internet
speeds. Anything above 60 fps is supposed to unnoticeable from the human eye, but if you put a 60hz monitor (60fps cap) next to a 144hz monitor (144fps cap) you can
see a clear difference in smoothness as the 144hz monitor is executing more frames per second making the sequence smoother.
Video Format
Video format is what kind of file the video is formatted as. Video is almost always compressed due to it’s size. Mpeg4 is a file format method that compresses a file. As of 2014 it is on of the most commonly used
formats for the recording, compression, and distribution of video content. It supports up to 4096x2304. It is designed to transmit video and images over a narrower bandwidth and can mix video with text,
graphics and 2-D and 3-D animation layers.
Mpeg2: is an encoding and compression system for digital multimedia content defined by Motion Pictures Expert Group (MPEG). Mpeg-2 extends the basic mpeg system to provide compression support for TV
quality transmission of digital video. To understand why video compression is so important, one has to consider the vast bandwidth required to transmit/upload uncompressed digital TV pictures.
MOV is an mpeg 4 video container file format used in Apple’s QuickTime program. MOV files use Apple’s proprietary compression algorithm. Apple introduced the MOV file format in 1998.
Compression
When completing work and getting ready to export and upload your work, if your file size is too large you can always use compression to lower the size of the
file. You can choose what playback method it’s compressed into but it will decrease the quality of the video the more you compress the video. At college we
only upload videos to YouTube which allows us to keep the files uncompressed because the broadband connect upload speed is over 50mbps. This involves
using format: H.264 and present “Vimeo” or “YouTube” at 1080p 24/25fps. The higher the bitrate, the better quality, but also larger the file size.