Caslon

For this mini project. we were given a script with 13 sections, in which we were to each choose one and animate to that particular section. I choose the section 11. We firstly were asked to design a storyboard for which we would show to the class at the end. Unfortunately at the time i had a partner, who has the stroyboard, but this doesnt matter as whilst showing the class we realised that we had not really done what the tutor had intended us to do. Having just done a project on info-graphics, i was still in that mind frame, and so create a storyboard using motion graphics and kinetic typography. I then went away and re-examined the script to create a new storyboard. I though that it be wise to do a little research into William Caslon.
This is what i found:

- He was an engraver, type founder, type designer
- The original printing of the American Declaration of Independence was set with Caslon type

and more on these sites.


http://www.cradleylinks.com/william_caslon.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Caslon
http://www.nndb.com/people/271/000095983/
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/98016/William-Caslon

I also gained an insight into him from reading the script that we were given.

My storyboard was section 11:

"Caslons Influence

Caslon was the most notable and successful English typefounder of the the 18th Century who lived to see the results of his genius and industry in the regeneration of the art of printing in England"

I thought this was quite vague for an animation in the way that. there didnt seem to be anything set that you had to show, its not like, Caslon working, to which i would show Caslon engraving for an example. I decided to dissect the paragraph and by doing so pulled out the words. "notable and successful" "genius" and "regeneration" these were the 4 words that i felt i would have to focus on more when creating my storyboard as i felt that these were the bones of the paragraph. Having learnt from my previous storyboard which was not quite right. I knew i couldnt just use something like kinetic typography to show the word and its meaning to the audience, and so instead i would have to find another way to visually represent it. Our tutors showed us this as an example, this is an animation about John Baskerville another typeface designer like Caslon.

One of the scenes i was particularly interested in is from 1:40 to 2:09 in the video. What i like about it is the animation style. It is very simple and quirky, and also brings an element of comedy into it. I wanted to use this kind of style in my own animation. I also took inspiration from Monty Pythons Flying Circus, as this effects is similar to that of the clip in the Baskerville video, with its paper cut out style of animation.















Planning:  As there was no target  audience I set a task to try and create an animation that generally interested everyone. One of the main problems i saw with this however was that an animation about a type founder didnt really seem like something that would appeal to children, and so i decided that i could bring something desirable to them by my choice in style of animation, and that is why i chose to do the particular style that i did, as i find it to be quirky and fun.  I look at things like the horrible history books, and i see that they turn something that possible would bore a lot of younger viewers, and turn it into something interesting by using comedy, and childlike animations. I however wanted to appeal to all ages and genders, so i did not want to use a style too immature like a child's cartoon (not that theres anything wrong with this), but instead something fun for both kids and adults, i believe this style does achieve my aim as for the adults, at least for me, the style appears to be something you would see in a satirical animation i could see this going well with political satire, imposing a well known face onto a body and animating it. As well as this i knew from seeing how popular Monty Pythons Flying Circus was, that this particular style Is enjoyed by adults.

(Horrible Histories Animation)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et5yvdyqAXI

I did a little research as i was not entirely sure on how exactly printing in the 18th century was performed, in doing so i found a video of a man printing in action, something which i could use to mimic the actions and copy when creating my own scene of a man printing.

http://www.theoldprintingshop.com/history/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B46HwJBJHoI


Tutorial on turning a still picture into 3D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMhjZnI-qNU&feature=related

I decided to do a test animation. just to see if i could create the 3d effect, and also the style in which we have seen in the Baskerville animation. Here are some screenshots for preparing my animation. I have edited these pictures using adobe photoshop, cutting out different sections of the picture and then placing what i wanted onto different layers to which i would then edit into 3D.

I then edited in a picture of Caslons head onto someone elses body ad there is only one picture i could find of him. and i need his arm to animate.

This is a basic test for the first scene of the animation, i focused alot on making the image appear to look 3D by using after effects. As you can see i edited in a picture of William Caslons head, super imposed onto someone elses body on the the stage. The aim of this was to show that Caslon was very much in the limelight and a respected man. I did not edit the picture to appear as if Caslon was actual on the stage, as i wanted it to feel more like it is at the cinema, and that you are watching a projection, as after, this whole story is about his life. Aswell as this i wanted to shift the picture of Caslon, and pan it across to a scene of a man printing, to show how Caslon helped regenerate the art of printing. I feel like this would give a good effect, and also i get to keep the 3D theatre as a nice backdrop, to basically border the animation. 

This animation is not yet finished, the videos shown are merely detailed plans of what i am going to be animating.