redesigning GFX package…

[Joseph W. bourke]

While I don’t necessarily agree with it, our corporation did a large study which showed that viewers want simpler, more easy to read designs, with less distracting motion.

The corporate design package for our News got “dumbed down”, and I find it much less interesting than the previous one. Luckily our station falls within the same DMA as our larger sister station, and I was able to create an on-air look which added more motion (although somewhat subtle, especially in areas where the is CG that is meant to be read and comprehended).

The package included, Opens, Talent Rejoins, Rejoins, Franchise Opens (Weather, Sports, Money, Health, etc. – segments which are regularly used in the Newscast, and must be branded), OTS in several versions, Lower Thirds in several versions, Live chip, and more which don’t come to mind at the moment. It has been a great opportunity to test my skills, and develope them at the same time. I have used Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, and 3D Studio Max for the project, and am pretty satisfied with the results.

As usual with Television graphics, stay away from serifed fonts (which tend to buzz), logos which are long and horizontal (try to stick with designs that can work as a bug in a lower third), and motion backgrounds which compete with the information (CG) area. As you’ve probably noticed, everyone is using the flying swashes (3D Stroke) for backgrounds and transitions, photo-real looking 3D is in for Opens and Logos, and the hard 3D look seems to have given way to the softer, glowing 3D look. Good luck, and have fun doing it.

Joe Bourke
Art Director / WMUR-TV

[Scott Novasic]

I would agree with Joe and understand his good advice. The OVER simplification of station ‘looks’ including CBS here in LA was 90% of the reason I chose to get out of working at a TV station. Thank goodness for promos and show opens etc, where I could flex my creativity a little, but most of what I see reflects Joes comments. I have only 2 comments that differ just slightly, in my opinion. 1- I think art directors everywhere should BAN 3d stroke and Shine from their designers computers. Those looks and effects are fastly becoming overused eyesores
and lazy excuses for good design. (if you must use them, think outside the box some, combine them with other effects and distortions to get your own unique take on them, imho) 2 – I understand Joes comment about a bug friendly logo. But in my experience, you dont want your ‘franchise’ logo too small in the screen when used. Logos that are more horizontal have worked fine for me, and “bug down” to size just fine.
Its in the design and text mainly, where you need to be bolder. TV screens are more horizontal obviously than vertical, so find, a nice mix on your work. I dont disagree with Joe, just add that properly designed logos with A horizontal look CAN work, and in some instances
be more impactful. (My old VP of Creative in Chicago at FOX, emphasized the impact, and need for boldness in the logo design. The bug was only a far off consideration. We needed it to work as a bug, it was just #3 or 4 on the list of goals with the design.)

Ironically, as a small business owner, designing clean and simpler design packages is fun and great work to get as my own company. I get to avoid having to do it ALL the time, which was my issue AT the station(s).

SuperNova
Animation & Visual Effects
Scott Novasic
Los Angeles Ca
web:https://web.mac.com/finaleffects

[Joseph W. bourke]

Scott –

I’m with you on 3D Stroke and Shine – they are now the “chestnuts” of motion graphic design. But amazingly, they look so striking that everyone is still using them (ABC comes to mind immediately, be they’re also using the “splash” particle effect as the main one. I’m hoping something comes up soon that will replace them, but I’m not holding my breath. I’ve been hoping for almost 10 years that the “lifestyle” commercials, with their slomo and soft focus would go away. Oh well…I guess the people that create the clutter are more critical of it (and tire of it faster).

My Promotions Mananger often reminds me that by the time we’re tired of the spot (or look, or effect), about 20 percent of the viewing audience are realizing it even exists!

Joe Bourke
Art Director / WMUR-TV

[Bryant Vander weerd]

Thanks to all who have responded so far. I will take you guys’ posts into consideration next semester. Right now I plan on making the show open in After Effects 7.0 (because that is the AE version that has Zaxwerks on it). I have AE CS3 on my laptop, which is what I am using to create the OTS and full screen animations.

I am not too sure about the 3D stroke and shine – I will look into getting my hands on a copy of those plugins. What is the best company for those? Trapcode? I could perhaps see using a 3D stroke sparingly for the open. I would like to utilize Zax to the fullest ability; I have already created looping 3D spinning logos to use in the full screen and OTS animations, with good results.

I’d like to use the logo that is linked below. It is our copyrighted graphic for the news program here on campus. Any suggestions on how I can best utilize the dots, or maybe the design of the letters? As designers with previous experience, what would you all do? I have a few ideas of my own…

Thanks a lot, everyone
Bryant VW

LINK: https://bjvanderweer.iweb.bsu.edu/nlilogo.jpg

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“I’ve always found it’s better to shoot something than it is to troubleshoot it…”