OUGD603. Extended Practice. Brief 8: KINETIC TYPE ANIMATION.

this brief was developed off the back of a self initiated project i started over the summer. since the end of last year my interest in typography has developed considerably. i practice hand rendered type on a daily basis and enjoy the formal, mechanical side too. i have also developed an interested in language and communication which has evolved into amateur lyric writing and lingual word play. i feel as though my understanding of the use of metaphors and similes has influenced me. i wrote a spoken word piece about typography over the summer and am quite proud of it. having performed it to some friends i realised that only those with an understanding of type and design got the references and word play and so considered how it could me more easily understood. since all the typography i know about is static, something new i want to learn about is moving (kinetic) animated type. since animation is not a practice i know about, i thought this project would be a perfect way for me to learn. a kinetic type animation to accompany the spoken word would give the audience a visual explanation of what the piece means.

i went on to write the brief in word:

BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN	Level	6
Module Code: OUGD603	Module Title: Extended Practice	Learning Outcomes:

BRIEF TITLE: KINETIC TYPE ANIMATION.

Brief: There is a need for the accompaniment of a typographic animation to an existing spoken word piece about typography. The piece contains technical references and metaphors to typography and is difficult to understand if not familiar with the study and practice of typography. In order for a wider audience to understand the piece you must design and create an animation that uses kinetic/visual type to explain and extend the written word element. This will involve the use of storyboards in the consideration of the typographic sequence in line with the lyrics. You must consider how to appropriately and entertainingly animate type and its components in order to explain and assist the spoken word recording provided.

Background: Kinetic Typography (moving text) can be seen to have existed as long ago as 1899, however, it wasn’t until the 1960’s that kinetic type was fully established as a tool featured in films, advertising, and other creative practices. Since the emergence of the digital age, kinetic type has become commonplace in many forms of visual communication and, with the capabilities of modern animators, quite spectacular. Kinetic type, however, is not just making words and text look pretty and cool and fitting them to a soundtrack. It involves the understanding of the many typographic considerations a type setter would make, combined with thought about animated movement, timing, communicative message, and audience.

Considerations: What is kinetic type? What typographic elements should be involved? What animation elements should be involved? What do the lyrics mean and what does the piece communicate? How could this be visually communicated using type? How will the text fit the spoken recording?

Mandatory Requirements: Visual storyboard plan of animation. Final video of kinetic type animation to accompany sound track.

Target Audience: Those interested in typography, animation, kinetic type and the three combined. Those interested in spoken word, poetry, word play and rhyming. Those with little or no understanding of the study of typography because these are the people you will need to explain the contents of the piece to through kinetic type.

Tone of Voice: The tone of voice will be appropriate to the tone of voice used by the artist performing the spoken word piece in the sound track provided. The tone of voice will consider the audience who doesn’t know about typography and be delivered in a simple and explanatory manor.

Deliverables: Research into kinetic type and typographic considerations evidenced on your blog. Breakdown of the piece with reference to the explanation of each line. Visual exploration of potential typographic and animation elements involved. Exploration of fonts useable. Mandatory requirements.

this brief is very appealing to me because it will allow me to practice the progression of the animation by hand (which will help develop my hand rendered type skills) and then develop and finalise it on the computer, which is something i dont currently know how to do. i am excited to be inspired by existing pieces and hope to gain a more focussed understanding through research. i will allow me to extend my knowledge of type which will then be applicable elsewhere. i will also gain an understanding of animation and its production components. finally i will be able to accompany my written words with my own visual explanation.