Animation in Canvas

This semester I took a class called Multimedia Programming, where I did a lot of work animating in HTML 5 Canvas. This was my first semester working with canvas, so my skills are at a very beginner level and all of my animations were really simple (e.g. moving an image across the screen).

However, I'm always amazed to see how beautiful and complex animations can be made in canvas. The link below leads to a really cool cycle made by Mark Ferrari and Joseph Huckaby. While you're viewing it you have the option to click through different animated landscapes, change the cycle speed, and view the color palate.

I was really impressed by this when I first saw it, and honestly it's still my favorite thing I've ever seen done in canvas. I'd really like to be able to produce work like this eventually!

http://www.effectgames.com/demos/canvascycle/

Retro 8 bit video game title screens

Came across this video and I think it would be pretty simple to recreate some of these ideas.
From what I've learned thus far I can see that TheStrangermedia on YouTube uses 3D texts shadows/reflections. The moving sky with clouds at 0:22 seconds could've been done with loops. The final game title shown looks like it was a still image first and with some masking it was manipulated to move in a simple fashion.




This is another cool video with some finger tracking/tracing done in after effects. I have an idea of how this can be done but I'm not 100% confident that I can recreate this. All the different shapes, particles and beams would probably need their own layer, thus making this a huge file with a long list of layers. This commercial is very smooth and visually appealing. The cool thing is that with the raw footage of the finger movements, so many different effects can be thrown on to this.

EXIT 73 Studios: Coin

     Recently I was scrolling along our blog page and stumbled upon the link to the site Motionographer. I found a short little animation called "Coin" created by a small animation and motion graphics company in James-port, NY that specializes in animation production and graphic design. "Coin" was directed and animated by Chris Burns with music, sound design and composition by Bob Fox. "Coin" is a 2D 8-bit animation that plays homage to games from the past. The animation takes the viewer on  a nostalgic journey through many environments such as underwater and outer space that include references to many of the games in our early childhood which inevitably faded out due to better technology. While only a team of two EXIT 73 Studios stands tall among its peers with its precise animation, overwhelming creativity and lastly experience to keep the company moving in the right direction. Chris Burns has been an animator for over 10 years working for prestigious clients such as Disney, Fox, Adult Swim, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon. Additionally Bob Fox partner of Burns has worked for such clients as Disney, Nickelodeon, MTV and IFC. Enjoy as "Coin" takes you through some of the most memorable video games of all time.

Exit 73 Studios

                 


A few other examples of EXIT 73 Studios notable works: