What makes a superhero?
Kinetic Typography
Use kinetic text and graphical elements to help convey the main message being presented in an audio clip.
Date: February, 2019
Tools Used: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe After Effects
Areas of Focus: Visual design, video editing & animating
Ideation
The first step in this project was to pick an audio clip that had some sort of meaning behind it. After finding some TED Talks on various subjects, the one that stood out above the others was a talk by Stan Lee called "What Makes A Superhero". The comic book writer talked about the creation of superheros and how to create a story behind them to create a memorable hero. The section of the talk used in the final project was when he talks about how superhero stories are just fairy tales but for grown-ups. This part of the talk was meaningful as some people who are not fans of superheros might be able to understand and realize how similar they are to fairy tales after listening to it.
Typeface Selection
Since the projects focus was kinetic text, the typeface selection was very important as it sets the tone of the video for the audience. The two final typefaces that were used in the project are Raleway and Berkshire Swash.
Raleway: The primary typeface that was used was Raleway as it is a more neo-grotesque sans-serif typeface with multiple styles from thin to black, including italic styles. This typeface makes it easier for the audience to read the fast moving text yet it is still playful with its very subtly stylized characters.
Berkshire Swash: The other font used was Berkshire Swash. It slightly resembles a casual script typeface, appearing to look more like handwriting with slight swirls on the font. This typeface gives off the feeling from a fantasy world with fictional ideas, but is not over stylized to the point where it is hard for the audience to read. It was used for words that needed to be more stylized such as when Stan Lee talks about fairy tails.
Colour Study
The main colour used for the background of the project was yellow as it is a warm colour that catches the audiences attention. At the same time it provides the feeling of happiness and energy. Other colours that were used were red for caution or danger, and black served as a neutral background that allowed for the visual elements to be placed on.
Visual Elements
The first iteration of the kinetic text video included the use of these visuals to try to enhance the meaning behind the audio and text, as well as give the audience a visual of what is being said. The giants legs, witches hat, wizards hat, and monster were used when Stan Lee said "just remember stories of giants, and witches, and wizards, and monsters..." while the ruler visualizes "outgrow", the heart for "your love" and the book to stylize the last word in the clip "story".
Learnings & Takeaways
Currently this project is still considered to be a work in progress. As of now there is too much emphasis on the visual elements and the use of more kinetic typography could be implemented. However, it is evident that with the use of kinetic text, messages are able to be delivered in a creative way and keeps the audience engaged by following the text and visuals present. This allows for the message to leave a deeper impression on the audience and can be useful when used to inform or advertise a product.
Link to video: https://vimeo.com/315143005