After Effects Kinetic Type Animation, 2023
In my first semester of 2023, I undertook a new challenge: creating a kinetic-type animation using After Effects, based on a designated speech. Although unfamiliar territory, it presented an excellent opportunity to enhance my design skills and learn the basics of animation with After Effects.
The speech assigned to me was an excerpt from Jacinda Ardern's Christchurch Memorial Speech on March 28, 2019. Given its solemn and heartfelt nature, I aimed to keep my animation straightforward, ensuring it effectively conveyed the gravity and emotion embedded within Ardern's words. I opted to incorporate subtle and minimal imagery, prioritizing typography as the primary focus to aptly convey the speech's essence, using the illustrations to enhance rather than distract from the importance of the words.
I decided on a simple yet impactful duo of colours: cream and rich navy blue. Despite their contrasting light and dark hues, they harmonized effectively, infusing the animation with sophistication and resonating with the speech's tone. These colours collectively conveyed an earnest atmosphere, aligning with the speech's content.
My font choice is a combination of two contrasting fonts; being the sans serif font Helvetica, and more ornate serif, Freightbig Pro Book. Freightbig Pro Book is a timeless font evoking a sense of formality, tradition and respectability that echoes the speeches sentiment. The use of Helvetica is due to its simplicity and practicality. It seamlessly complements Freightbig Pro Book, and it is a font the coheres well to nearly any sort of manner.
My animations are simple and effective, with a focus on emphasizing the words themselves. I maintain consistency in style by repeating techniques throughout. The style of animation is used to reflect the serious tone of Jacinda Ardern's speech, while also balancing the rapid pace of her delivery. Certain words and phrases are in all caps to denote severity, while point size variations highlight key terms and convey emotion effectively.