April 23, 2022 : Zoom Blur Transition
I mentioned Match Cuts in a previous post. Another transition I’ve been trying to incorporate more is the Zoom Blur (note: turning these into Gif’s did degrade their quality).
While Match Cuts can be used in animation as well as live action, Zoom Blur is more intended for live footage; but I think they are powerful since there our multiple variations – it’s just a matter of being creative.
posted by Pi Visuals at 12:36 am
Tags: After Effects , Animation , TransitionsComment
April 2, 2022 : April Fools’ Flashback
I’m not one to partake in April Fools’ foolery, but here’s a post from back in the day talking about others who did. I still chuckle at the reaction Taco Bell got. It’s also crazy to think this post was from 13 years ago (?!).
In the event you want to feel mistreated during this time “Holiday”, here’s a clip of one of my least favorite commercials of all time… which happens to be by Taco Bell. It was so bad, I boycotted them at a time when I would actually eat there. This apparently was also a time when I had a bigger budget for Toilet Paper.
Awful… just awful.
posted by Pi Visuals at 12:37 am
Tags: Taco BellComment
March 14, 2022 : Happy Pi Day!
Well if it isn’t that glorious time of year… where we get to celebrate the incredible mathematical symbol that is Pi. Plus, we also get to enjoy Illinois back in the Big Dance (I haven’t watched a game of theirs this year, but that’s on me). Rather than show a pic, I figured I would re-post a video I made a few years back in Cinema 4D – since I’ve been meaning to get more into C4D:
Unlike Pi, it’s not perfect; but I still like it! While you enjoy the day, feel free to reflect on where we’d be without this constant. If that doesn’t make you appreciate life, then I don’t know what will. Happy Pi Day!
posted by Pi Visuals at 8:57 am
Tags: Cinema 4D , PiComment
February 19, 2022 : Some General C4D Practice
Unsurprisingly, I haven’t been able to spend as much time in C4D as I’d like the last few months. Fortunately, a few weeks ago, I challenged myself to due a little work in it. I was asked to do a quick Visualization Test for a company’s logo, and I saw it as an opportunity to stretch some of those C4D muscles:
There are several things I would have improved, but overall I enjoyed the exercise of extruded splines, general animation, and twist deformers. At the very least, it reminded me of how much fun C4D can be – not to mention how powerful. Here’s hoping I get more time to dive into the software.
posted by Pi Visuals at 12:44 am
Tags: Cinema 4DComment
January 27, 2022 : Scott Pilgrim The Anime?!
I was a fan of Scott Pilgrim (the film… I haven’t checked out the graphic novel yet). There was tons to like: the story, the cast, and of course the visuals. With its Japanese influences, I guess it’s not a shock I enjoyed it; and that’s also why I was stoked to hear Netflix is developing it into an Anime series.
While the creator’s involved, it’s worth noting there isn’t a series order yet so it’s not a sure thing. I suppose either way I should temper my expectations. After all… Bebop 🙁
posted by Pi Visuals at 3:51 pm
Tags: Anime , Cowboy Bebop , Scott PilgrimComment
December 30, 2021 : Akira Animator’s Secret Message
Akira’s attention to detail has been lauded by anime fans and movie critics alike – and was even the subject for a brief post here. However, it turns out that didn’t always go over well with the crew.
A Twitter user recently discovered a message around the 38 minute mark from one of the animators who didn’t seem to appreciate the work required to provide such detail:
In English, the text translates to: Why do we have to draw this far! Knock it off! Enough
The movie came out in 1988, which seems crazy that the internet took so long to find this gem of a jab. Bravo unknown animator… hats off to you!
posted by Pi Visuals at 11:22 pm
Tags: Akira , AnimeComment
December 10, 2021 : Tis’ the Season – For A Simple, Yet Quaint Holiday Card
In addition to the normal Holiday hubbub, I also took on a side project. Even with things being so hectic, I still made time to create this year’s Holiday card:
This marks the fifth straight year of making the card, which I’m proud of. Although, I must say this year was light on design. In fact, I had a more detailed background in earlier versions but pulled it back to the more simplified one seen above.
That said, I still like the overall aesthetic and its message. I suppose the people in the photos aren’t bad either.
posted by Pi Visuals at 11:54 pm
Tags: HolidaysComment
November 19, 2021 : Anime’s Global Popularity
With today’s release of the live-action Cowboy Bebop, it seems fitting to celebrate the popularity of anime.
Earlier this month, the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA) released its annual Animation Industry Report. It’s in Japanese, but the Anime News Network has a great analysis article, highlighting the key points.
It’s an interesting read, but one of the big takeaways for me was the fact that 2020 marked the first time that the overseas market size surpassed the domestic market. Moving into 2022 and beyond, the article anticipates a growing global demand for anime. All in all, great news for fans of the genre.
posted by Pi Visuals at 9:13 am
Tags: Anime , Cowboy BebopComment
October 31, 2021 : Remembering Some Halloween Fun
In tribute to the day, here’s a Halloween Throwback:
It’s crazy to think this was 5 years ago! The costume required the most amount of planning and work compared to any of the others I’ve done, but it was also the most well received and recognized.
Sadly, Halloween costumes has been sparse for me since this bad boy. Hopefully a trend that will be reversed in the near future.
posted by Pi Visuals at 12:50 am
Tags: DBZ , HalloweenComment
October 8, 2021 : The Saiyan Saga In A Nutshell
I wholeheartedly approve of this (obviously):
The video is by an animator from Spain, and apparently he is working on a video for the Frieza saga. His Twitter page has some stills and gifs from that project.Â
Being about DBZ pretty much had me hooked, but I found it really funny and enjoyed the character design. I think the sound effects really pushed it over the top for me, though.
posted by Pi Visuals at 10:45 pm
Tags: DBZComment