Create and justify planned animation (M3, D2)

M3: Optimise the content for use in the final animation

Exporting files correctly is essential for distribution across various forms of media. The type of device the video is consumed on will impact the way it must be exported, for example, if the file is too large for a phone then this will cause negative impacts such as eating up memory and taking long periods to load. Ultimately, the file will be too big for this device. Additionally, if the file is exported as a compressed file then this will appear as a lower quality for audiences so showing the animation on a larger screen such as in a cinema this will look unprofessional if the file is too small as it will appear pixelated.
Interestingly, a .mov file type will produce a higher quality video than .mp4 as it doesn't compress the file so all elements of the animation will remain of a good standard. However, this is difficult to share across the internet as the file is too large to be processed on smaller devices such as smartphones. On the other hand, the .mp4 file will allow sharing across these platforms but be of reduced quality due to file compression. 
Furthermore, image files work similarly using bitmap or vector image files which are different sizes and qualities. Bitmap image files include; png, jpeg, and tiff images which are a lower quality and therefore easily shared across platforms. Whereas, the vector image files are harder to distribute but great for large screens such as billboards as they use co-ordinates instead of pixels so when blown up to large sizes they remain high quality.

low resolution: export .mp4

The screenshot above shows me exporting my final animation as an .mp4 file, which allows it to be compressed and thereby viewed on a variety of devices that cannot support a larger file, such as smartphones and websites. The image files used for this animation's backdrop were JPEG file types; this bitmap image took up less space due to the smaller file type, increasing optimisation across smartphone devices, which, as stated in the brief, will be the primary viewing platform for audiences. This will prove beneficial for audiences as they will be able to stream the promotional animation easily from their smartphone devices therefore sharing the video with friends and family, increasing awareness for the overall brand. Interestingly, the low resolution (.mp4) version was massively reduced in size and dropped to '67' MB which is overall beneficial for sharing the video file. However, I can appreciate that this would reduce the quality of the video and might take away from the viewer experience. The high resolution version allows audiences to clearly see all the details in the best quality while this version might appear more pixelated as well as having a reduced sound quality due to the compression of the file. This could therefore lose some meaning of the overall message and make the audio more difficult for audiences to hear and understand. 
I used a h.264 video codec for the animation export as this will ensure the file is compressed without compromising the quality too much.

high resolution: export .mov

In the file screenshot above I have exported the created animation as a .mov file type to increase quality. A .mov file is one which enables the file to remain of the highest quality, incorporating all the elements added during the editing process and allowing them to appear clearer for viewers. I chose the .mov file type as it was the best file format to improve the quality of the animation and therefore provide a better display for audiences. The .mov file will be able to be distributed and viewed on computers and in cinemas for audience consumption which is why this file type is beneficial, keeping the quality high for larger screen devices such as these. However, this disadvantages audiences who wish to consume the promotional video on smartphone devices as they will not be able to due to the massive files memory space required, if they are able to view it here, it will be very time and memory-consuming due to the pro-res compression. For this final exportation, I made sure to use vector image files as these are high quality and use co-ordinates instead of pixels which means expanding the video to a larger screen will not impact the quality. Additionally, I was able to use moving image backgrounds for one scene backdrop as this added to the level of engagement we'd see from audiences due to the more interesting setting context. The size of this file was '824' MB as there is higher quality footage included within the final edit and therefore will require more memory for the device it is viewed on. 

final low res:

final high res:

D2: Justify the choice of animation technique for the frame rate and duration

For the created zombie animation I used a stop-motion style to aid audience engagement as well as bring characters to life. The selected animation style allows intricate details to be included within the storyline, while some animation styles will limit the detail in which the story is told, my chosen style didn't and therefore allowed the message to be better communicated.
The frame rate used for the final animation was 24fps which is the industry standard and allows the final video to move smoothly in 'real time' instead of appearing choppy to viewers. The 24fps standard made it clear to me and my team how many shots we would need for the animation to fit the brief which states a short promotional animation of about a minute. Interestingly, the common industry standard is 24fps but in videos such as sport, this could be increased to 60fps to get a clearer image at a faster speed due to the fast-paced movements within this industry. However, for my animation 24fps was appropriate due to the slower moving pace of the video, more detail and narrative is included here and the slower movement allows audiences to better understand the message. My final animation was 54 seconds in length which fits the client's requirements however this could be made slightly longer to further the storyline and make it more memorable for audiences. While the duration of the animation is short this was appropriate for the purpose which is to promote the zombie march to the audience, and this will therefore capture attention and ensure all the details given are easily remembered. The audience of adult horror enthusiasts would remain engaged throughout the duration of my animation but would likely be able to remain engaged for a longer period and therefore in the future I could improve the animation by making it longer. To improve the current animation I will add in a scene as this will ensure audiences can better understand the storyline and allow it to remain memorable.

Debug chart:

Below I have created a debug chart in order to identify and understand the faults within my final animation. This chart has been able to help be understand what improvements should be made for future versions as well as other projects I carry out. 

test element	expected outcome	actual outcome	improvements/ comments
Did the sound and movements coincide	Yes	Yes	The sound added to the overall blend of comedy and horror
Did any frames drop the greenscreen background	No	Yes	A minimal number of frames could be seen without the greenscreen inputted image but this was not obvious. The green screen used was not large enough which is the cause of this technical issue as well as pre sets which altered the colour in editing. However, this was not ideal and therefore in future projects I will ensure each screen is properly edited.
Is the duration suitable?	Yes	No	The length of the animation could have been extended to provide additional scenes or details regarding the event. The target audience would remain engaged throughout but could have been further informed and we could have held their attention longer in order to remain memorable. However, for the purpose of promoting the march I believe the current duration is suitable.
Is the subject of promotion clear?	Yes	No	The march was clearly stated but some elements involved with the event were unclear through the animation. For instance the other activities within the event such as food stalls were not mentioned. Also the details of how to join the march could have been made clearer in order to guide our target audience.
Does the animation follow the storyboard?	Yes	Yes	The animation uses the same scenes as depicted within the storyboard to ensure it fit the client brief.
Were the transitions appropriate?	Yes	Yes	I would add a transition at the start to better introduce the animation in future, but the transitions used helped the flow of narrative.

User testing 

Test 1: Scott Silver (age 18- primary audience) 

Test elements	Expected outcome	Actual outcome	Improvements/ comments	Rating (/5)
Are you aware of the promotion’s genre?	Yes	Yes	It's promoting a horror genre	4/5
Did it appeal to you?	Yes	Yes		4/5
Did the narrative make sense?	Yes	Yes		4/5
Was the storyline engaging?	Yes	Yes	Yes because the story starts on a road and finishes in a different location.	5/5
Was the image clear?	Yes	Yes	Yes the moving of the Lego allowed the narrative to move forward.	3/5
Did the music relate well to the story?	Yes	Yes	Yes the zombie sounds follows the horror genre and engages me	4/5
Were all details of the event clear?	Yes	No	Could have showcased the background of London more to link to the brief. Additionally, a mention of the food stalls and autograph stations would have helped me to better understand the event in its entirety.	3/5

Test 2: My sister (age 15- secondary audience)

Test elements	Expected outcome	Actual outcome	Improvements/ comments	Rating (/5)
Are you aware of the promotion’s genre?	Yes	Yes	The change in colourings and music made it clear to me what the genre was portraying.	3/5
Did it appeal to you?	Yes	Yes	Include more details about the march to entice me to go. For example, state the locations and factors of the event.	5/5
Did the narrative make sense?	Yes	Yes	The storyline was clear to me due to the use of consistent flowing shots which helped progress the plot.	5/5
Was the storyline engaging?	Yes	Yes	Add more dialogue to maintain engagement	4/5
Was the image clear?	Yes	Yes	I was clearly able to see the zombie characters throughout the animation and the background images looked of a good quality.	5/5
Did the music relate well to the story?	Yes	Yes	The music had an unease to it which helped me understand the genre more.	5/5
Were all details of the event clear?	Yes	No	Maybe add in some extra text shots to provide details. This would help audiences to understand what the march is/ the location.	3/5

Test 3: Miss Crader (primary audience)

Test elements	Expected outcome	Actual outcome	Improvements/ comments	Rating (/5)
Are you aware of the promotion’s genre?	Yes	Yes	very clear throughout	4/5
Did it appeal to you?	Yes	Yes		5/5
Did the narrative make sense?	Yes	Yes	the humans who became zombies were traveling to the march.	4/5
Was the storyline engaging?	Yes	Yes	very creative, I liked the music switch. Maybe add more zombie sounds.	5/5
Was the image clear?	Yes	Yes		5/5
Did the music relate well to the story?	Yes	Yes		5/5
Were all details of the event clear?	Yes	No	there could have been more info so people were aware of what to expect. This could be done through a longer voice over or a more explanatory text shot at the end.	3/5

Final evaluation:

The intended audience for my final zombie animation was an adult audience of horror enthusiasts as stated explicitly in the brief. This means anyone 18+ will be the primary audience to target for the animation, the horror genre can be inferred throughout the animation through the use of characters and music which allows this demographic to enjoy the animation further. There are no details stated within the brief referring to race or ethnicity so the animation will be appealing to all, the zombie characters appear a green-ish colour which means no specific race will relate more than another to the final product. Additionally, the gender of my characters are both intended male due to the style of animation which used Lego men, this would therefore likely appeal more toward a male target audience. The male demographic is more stereotypically interested in the horror genre and therefore can be targeted in this way however the animation will also appeal to females as the genre appeals to them as well. Finally, as discussed in 'task two' we will be aiming to entice the middle class as we believe they have a vested interest in the storyline and further events under promotion. Furthermore, the event will take place in Leicester Square with food vendors and autograph signings meaning audiences must have a high disposable income to spend on these things which might be considered a luxury to some.
Additionally, the secondary target audience might be those who are siblings or children of the primary audience who wish to view the animation as they are influenced by those around them. Teenagers are likely to view this despite age restrictions due to the typically rebellious streak they may have during these years.

The final animation appeals to the target audience through the genre, the audience are horror enthusiasts and the animation resembles this genre along with a slightly comedic theme as well. In the animation, the storyline which takes place is one with some comedic elements including the sound effects featured and the movements of characters on screen. This comedic effect allows audiences to laugh and further enjoy the animation, lightening the mood of the horror themes to an extent through comic relief throughout the story. Interestingly, the adult audience would be enticed by this as they are able to experience a sense of escapism through the genre and clearly paralleled universe in which zombies exist, therefore making the promotion a success.

The style used for my final animation was stop motion, here I was able to use Lego characters and props in order to generate a narrative and communicate this effectively to audiences. This would appeal to the audience as the Lego characters might be reminiscent of their individual childhoods, therefore allowing audiences to experience a look back on happy memories by watching this promotional animation. The connection between happy memories and our animation would be beneficial for the BrainGoo event as audiences will be more likely to attend the event due to the positive associations. In addition, the characters are clearly shown to be zombies through the use of filters and brains outside the skull which would appeal to horror enthusiasts who enjoy the gore element of the genre. Interestingly, the zombie characters might be able to provide audiences with a level of relation. For instance, the use of setting backdrops in combination with characters will allow audiences to see themselves and therefore relate to the character and overall animation. Moreover, the use of stop motion allowed the characters to be moved as I wished and therefore ensured the storyline was presented in the best way possible in order to guarantee audience engagement overall.

Finally, the music used within the animation would appeal well to our target audience. The first song used within the animation was 'Riptide' this was a very popular song when it came out in 2013 and therefore I believed it would capture our viewers' attention in the beginning and encourage them to continue watching. Interestingly, the lyric "all my friends are turning green" is used within the first verse of the song and can be heard in the last segment used in the video which heavily suggests the zombie theme to our audience. The song is catchy and upbeat which acts as a perfect contrast for when the music shifts as the humans transform into zombies. Significantly, the record-scratching sound effect was used to bridge the gap between the two songs and would highly appeal to the target audience who likely grew up during the age of records and therefore instantly recognise this sound. The music used for the remainder of the animation was an upbeat and somewhat spooky track which furthered the horror/ uneasy genre of the animation. This beat was catchy and was consequently able to remain memorable to viewers after their initial viewing- proving the success of the promotion.

Overall I received positive feedback from the target audiences, primary and secondary. The desired response was achieved for the animation and this was confirmed during user testing seen above. One common piece of feedback I received was to include more details about the event so audiences were aware of stuff happening at the march such as the food stalls and autograph signings. Additionally, I was told to include more zombie sound effects in order to further portray the theme to viewers. Furthermore, the user tests allowed me to identify strengths within the project, for example, the music used was a good fit for the genre of the animation. The colour changes seen in the animation were well received by the audience and they provided good feedback for this element as it helped them to understand the storyline overall.

The final animation was ultimately fit for purpose as indicated by the responses received through user testing. The overall animation was created with the intention of promoting BrainGoo's zombie fest march to take place in January and this was well met through the use of narrative and text shots detailing the details of the event. Interestingly, it is very clearly seen to be taking place in Leicester Square due to the green screen backdrop and this overall helps the audience to understand the location of the zombie march. Another purpose of the promotion was entertainment and this was achieved through the use of the animated style which indicated a sense of fun to audiences. The music paired with video elements and graphics helped it to remain interesting to viewers and was therefore successful overall.

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