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2010 was an interesting and busy year for everyone all around the world, and it was no different here at FYM. We managed to put out 47 articles full of news, interviews, tips, tutorials and other great information, and gained a total of five skilled writers with unique knowledge and experience in different areas of the motion industry. All of that amounted to us quadrupling our readership, and we thank you all for showing up to the party. However, 2010 is behind us and 2011 is now fast in motion. In this time of change, I thought it would be a good time to look back at the year to see what you found the most interesting on Fuel Your Motionography.

10. Principles of Animation for Motionographers, Part 1 of 3

A great series of articles by Jamie Peterson, the Principles of Animation for Motionographers trilogy were the first tutorials to be featured on Fuel Your Motionography, and they set the bar high. These are a must read for those looking for not only the how animation is done, but the why as well. When you’re done with Part 1, finish it up with Part 2 and Part 3.

9. Great Typography in Video

In his first post for FYM, Matthew Carlin proved that everybody loves to see beautiful typography used well in video. Just looking at some of the amazing work he picked out for this article, you come to realize you don’t have to be a fan of typography in order to actually enjoy it in motion.

8. Tips For Making An Awesome Showreel

Inching in just above his first post, Matt pulls in the number eight spot with some great tips for anyone trying to put out a new reel or tighten up their existing reel. These are some excellent tips that everyone should keep in the back of their mind when putting together their portfolio.

7. Know Your Camera, Part I: Shot Lengths and Angles

Learning how to use a camera is one thing. Learning how to effectively use a camera within Cinema 4d and After Effects is another, and it all comes down to the basics which is proven with the number seven spot. Being the first part of a trilogy written by me, your fearless editor *, you really should finish them up with Part II: Movement and Part III: Settings.

* Fuel Your Motionography and the Fuel Brand Network make no claims at the validity of this statement.

6. Quick Tip – After Effects Flowchart

One of the fist Quick Tips published, the After Effects Flowchart was surprisingly one of the most unknown and/or unused by many using After Effects. Hopefully, after reading this article, many will find a place in their workflow for this useful tool.

5. Express Yourself With After Effects Expressions

Right in the middle of the road, almost like it’s waiting for someone to make a love/hate comparison, is my article on Expressions within After Effects. Love them or hate them (okay, I gave in), you sure were interested in them, and they sure can be useful if you use them correctly.

4. 25 Great Podcasts You Should Download

Proving you like to learn, above everything else, this article pointing out 25 of the best podcasts to do just that quickly shot up to the number four spot on the list. Of course, there were some excellent podcasts ranging from Red Giant TV to Down In Front, so that didn’t hurt.

3. Best of the Motion Industry 2009

Michael John picked out the best of the best in the motion industry for the previous year and you all loved it! Videos showing the tilt shift effect, shot on DSLR cameras such as the Canon 7D and, of course, excellent motion graphics work are only the tip of this great list. Definitely check this one out.

2. Are Business Cards Dead?

One of the most talked about articles on FYM (both commented on and spread across the web) came in the form of an article that asked the simple question, are business cards dead? Heavy hitters in the industry weighed in with their thoughts along with many others on both sides of the fence. In this digital age, the question still remains, are business cards dead?

1. Fonts Motion Designers Will Love

I remember sending a DM over Twitter to Matt when, in under two days of being up and from StumbleUpon alone, his article on fonts had brought in over 7,000 readers. I knew, at that point, his article would be at the top of the list, and here it is. You all want to find some cool fonts to use in your project? Here’s an excellent list full of them.

There you go, party people! Those were the top 10 Fuel Your Motionography articles for 2010 as voted on by you, whether you knew it or not. Thanks for visiting the website and continually coming back for more great articles! All of us here at FYM have a ball putting them together for you, and we are looking forward to 2011 so we can put out more excellent content for all of you! Once again, thank you for your continued support, and gear up for a wild ride in 2011!

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Hello, and welcome to my first post here on Fuel Your Motionography! We all like looking at great typography in motion, and we all need some inspiration every now and then when working on our own projects. So here I am to preset a round up of great typography in video, whether it’s totally created in After Effects or a 3D programme or combined with live action video, i’m sure each piece will get you inspired and wanting to make your own!

Little Bites

A great video showing some nice simple type goodness combined with some 2D, 3D and pictures.

Space and Air

A nice little video here which combines live action footage, 2D typographic animation with a dash of 3D.

10:10 Climate Change

Some typographic goodness here, this time pure 2D animation.

Hello Brooklyn

This great video which uses ‘Hello Brooklyn’ by Jay Z uses still images and typography to great effect, showing what great stuff can be done just using those simple elements.

Inch by Inch

A great video using Al Pacino’s Inch By Inch speech from Any Given Sunday, done entirely in After Effects and Cinema 4D.

1 A.M.

This is a great video combining live footage with 3D and 2D work in Cinema 4D and After Effects.

NBC Rebrand

A nice video showing what can be done with typography in a more corporate setting in this NBC rebrand, also show a nice combination of stills,video and typography.

t3st urbanMotion

A great video from anibal Carnego, showcasing excellent use of still images and typography.

Ok It’s Alright With Me

This is a great music video with a great style and good combination of live action and typography.

MasterCard PayPass

A great video for Mastercard Paypass with a good combination of simple typography

Justice – D.A.N.C.E

This is a great example of a good combination of motion tracking, live action footage and some great examples of typographic animation.

Cyperaudio

A great example of very delicate and simple typography combined with what look like real footage or at least super realistic 3D.

How We Built Britain

Another nice example here of a combination of 3D, footage and typography.

New York Times: Turkish Edition

This is a great video with a whole typographic city on show, shows some great 2D animation and typography.

Flash on the Beach 08

We’re going back to the old school on this typographic goodness, this video by The Ronin features some type built entirely by hand and videoed, all build by hand.

Zombieland

Zombieland has some great typography both during the intro and through the main movie, definitely worth checking out.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this round up of some great typography in video and i hope it gives you some great inspiration to go away and make your own typographic pieces.  Let us know if you think we’ve missed any great videos that you think should have been included. Enjoy!

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In my last article, 25 Great Podcasts You Should Download, I let you in on twenty five of the best podcasts you can download directly to iTunes to get tutorials, news, software and hardware reviews, discussions on movies and so much more; however, podcasts aren’t the only place to go to get all of that knowledge.

With the internet becoming a major player in the media market, video is becoming more easily accessible by even those with relatively slow connections and there are companies that are pushing the limitations of what can be done when it comes to video. Ustream.tv and Livestream.tv are two of those websites and some big players in the motion graphics and visual effects industry are using them to their advantage offering live tutorials, reviews, Q and A sessions and just about anything else you can think of. The best part about it is it’s all completely interactive and in realtime, and it allows you a great way to network with like-minded creatives such as yourself and will give you a way to get an answer to those hard hitting questions you’ve always had.

Here are five live stream channels you should be watching.

GreyScaleGorilla Live

Nick Campbell’s synopsis of the channel says it best, “Question and Answer session on Design, 3D, Motion Graphics, Photography, and After Effects. All things creative really. I want to help you MAKE COOL SHIT!” All of this plus he does live tutorials as well.

http://www.greyscalegorilla.com/blog/
http://twitter.com/nickvegas

Happy AfterEffecting with Maltaannon

Jerzy Drozda, aka Maltaannon, holds excellent live tutorials in which he shows you some excellent techniques and tips for improving your work. He will also answer as many questions as he can as he works his way through.

http://www.maltaannon.com/
http://twitter.com/maltaannon

Cineversity

The official live stream of Cineversity.com, a great resource for tutorials on all aspects of Cinema 4D, contains great in depth tutorials that you can follow live.

http://www.cineversity.com
http://twitter.com/cineversity

Church Media Design

Brad is a busy guy. You may recognize ChurchMediaDesign.tv from my previous article, 25 Podcasts You Should Download. Well, he also offers a great extension of that giving viewers a behind the scenes look at how he creates his podcasts and answers as many questions as he can.

http://www.churchmediadesign.tv
http://twitter.com/cmdtv

SignalNoise

James White hosts the Signal Noise Broadcast which is an open forum for all to come and ask questions about art and all things creative as well as anything else that might be on their minds. You will also get a good dose of humor here as well.

http://www.signalnoise.com
http://twitter.com/signalnoiseart

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If you’re looking to push your knowledge of a certain subject further or are just looking for a little inspiration for your work then look no further. Here are 25 excellent podcasts containing tutorials for software including After Effects, Cinema 4D, Final Cut, Motion, Illustrator and many more; interviews with industry leaders and rising stars; and industry news that can’t be missed.

If you’re a fan of Maxon’s Cinema 4D, then there’s no reason you won’t enjoy their podcast Maxon Video Quick Tip. These tiny morsels of knowledge, running anywhere from under a minute to a little over two minutes in length, will fill you in on all aspects of how to use Cinema 4D to its fullest.

Seems to be defunct as their last podcast was 05/04/09 but the episodes they do have are still good to watch.
As the title suggests, Real World Footage Effects is brought to us by the great people at Artbeats.com, and we should be thanking them for it. Bringing together the latest plugins and effects with great footage from Artbeats.com, the hosts show us how to make gorgeous projects in After Effects.

The FxFactory podcasts are excellent tutorials that show you how to create amazing projects for After Effects, Final Cut Pro and Express and Motion using the FxFactory plugin by Noise Industries. If you have the plugin, download this podcast now. If you don’t own the plugin, watch the podcast to see what you’re missing. Even if you decide not to get the plugin, the podcast has a lot of great tips and tricks that will keep you on the top of your game.

Don’t let the presentation fool you, ChurchMediaDesign.tv covers everything from video editing to background extensions to match moving for all of us. Brad Zimmerman, the host, makes it all easy to follow and fun to do.

Film Riot is an excellent show that explains how to create the effects seen in big budget feature films for cheap at home as well as reviews of the equipment you’ll need to accomplish all those feats. The tutorials are aimed at the beginner level, but don’t let that scare you. You’ll learn something along the way, and you’ll laugh until you cry along the way.

All those wonderful tutorials you see on CreativeCow.net are delivered to your iTunes library on a regular basis and instructed by some of the top motion graphics and visual effects artists in the industry. Definitely do not miss this podcast.

Richard Harrington and a few guest instructors teach you everything you need to know about the entire Final Cut Studio: Final Cut, Motion, DVD Studio, Soundtrack Pro and Compressor. A must watch for Final Cut videographers.

Anyone using Boris Continuum Complete needs to watch these podcasts in order to get the most out the plugin. Like the other Creative Cow podcasts, this is instructed by industry professionals and contains a lot of great knowledge

If you’re looking for some great tutorials covering 3D software and effects, this podcast is for you. 3D Studio Max, Maya and Cinema 4D are all included for your viewing pleasure.

You say you love 3D but you use Blender. Well, there’s a podcast for that. Creative Cow has some excellent podcasts on everything that is Blender.

One of the best ways to stay on top of the industry is to study what’s currently being produced and FXGuide.tv does just that. Covering the latest motion graphics and visual effects in film and television plus current news and software developments, this is a must-have for anyone in the industry.

Using one of Red Giant Software’s products along with the built in tools in After Effects, Final Cut and Premiere Pro; Red Giant Television brings you the greatest tutorials by industry leaders such as Aharon Rabinowitz, Harry Frank and many more.

John Dickinson from Motionworks brings us some excellent, in depth one-on-one interviews with the current greats and the newest rising stars in the motion graphics industry along with inside knowledge you can’t afford to miss.

John Dickinson and his brother Robin Dickinson team up in this great podcast that brings you interviews and discussions on the business side of things. The podcast mainly focuses on the graphic design industry, but the information is great for everyone.

An excellent podcast, Down in Front is hosted by Teague Chrystie, Michael “Dorkman” Scott, Brian Finifter, Trey Stokes and sometimes other guest hosts and provides great commentary on movies that you should see. The awesome thing is that they don’t care if it’s popular opinion, they’ll tell you the truth ,but don’t let that scare you away. You’ll have a great time listening to this podcast.

/Filmcast comes to us from the great people over at SlashFilm.com and contains some great interviews with the directors and visionaries behind some of the greatest films of today and all time. If you want to pick someones brain, this is the place to do it.

A must have for anyone in the VFX industry, The VFX Show is a discussion show among industry veterans on the latest and greatest in the world of visual effects.

Terry White and other guest hosts instruct the Adobe Creative Suite podcast that comes to us directly from Adobe. Containing knowledge on everything from editing DSLR video to creating ePUB documents to dodging and burning in Photoshop, this podcast has a little bit for everyone.

Seems to be defunct as the last podcast aired 12/19/09
If you’re just starting out with any of the Adobe products, this is the podcast for you. Dennis Radeke will walk you through step-by-step each of their products giving you valuable knowledge along the way.

Lynda.com is an invaluable resource in your quest for knowledge, and this podcast delivers it right to you. All of the latest and greatest free tutorials instructed by industry veterans and released by Lynda.com will help you push your skills to the limit in multiple categories.

Another great podcast to do with, as the title suggests, everything Adobe, Layers.tv has some solid knowledge on all Adobe software. Though it may not be as in depth as the others, it still has some good tips and tricks up it’s sleeve.

Though this instance of freelance radio is six feet under, you can still catch a different version of Freelance Radio by going here.
One of the greatest websites on freelance work also produces one of the best podcasts as well. Freelance radio gives you great advice to get your freelance business running smoothly and interviews that will inspire.

Dead in the water as of 11/02/08
Interviews, news plus tips and tricks are all commonplace on Plugged-in, an excellent podcast brought to you by Toolfarm.com.

Deceased as of 05/05/09
Workflow junkies was created for the video editor in all of us. They have great tips and tricks on how to improve your workflow in all your work as well as excellent interviews and news on the latest software developments in the industry.

Design Chat is hosted by Ryan McGovern and holds interviews once a week with those heavy hitters in the design industry, and even though it’s more focused on design, it’s still an excellent podcast for everyone.

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Introduction

The ’70s might have been the heyday of the maverick filmmaker, but the ’80s still remains a creative decade in my opinion. Mega hits dominated the theaters, but beneath the surface, there were several lesser known but equally praised films and filmmakers whose techniques and qualities were simply too strange, odd, dreamy, morbid or beautiful to fit in with the mainstream. Call them art cinema, independent, cult or arthouse. I call them required viewing. Here are five noteworthy arthouse films:

1. WINGS OF DESIRE

1987. Germany/U.S.A. Dir: Wim Wenders (Paris Texas, The Million Dollar Hotel). Netflix, Wikipedia.

Why you need to see it: Simply one of the most beautiful films I’ve ever seen. Wenders employs a wide variety of fresh ideas onto the screen, getting outstanding performances from his actors. Peter Falk playing himself and being the only character to sense the angels that roam the city will always impress me. Shot in black & white and color, its euphoric feel is further emphasized by the haunting soundtrack and source music.

2. BLUE VELVET

1986. U.S.A. Dir: David Lynch (Eraserhead, Mulholland Drive). Netflix, Wikipedia.

Why you need to see it: Just about everyone knows about Blue Velvet, but for some reason I keep meeting people who have never actually seen Blue Velvet. It’s quintessential ’80s arthouse and everyone really should see it at least once. Lynch works some of the most twisted ideas, characters and images into a lucid and compelling mystery. Visually stunning, well acted and another prime example of Lynch’s meticulous attention to sound design.

3. A ZED AND TWO NOUGHTS

1985. Britain. Dir: Peter Greenaway (The Cook The Thief His Wife & Her Lover, Drowning by Numbers). Netflix, Wikipedia.

Why you need to see it: Greenaway has this thing for flamboyant sets, heavy themes and even heavier imagery. His films are often as disturbing as they are beautiful; as shocking as they are pretentious. Zed is no exception. Between time-lapse footage of prawns decaying and pacing (sometimes legless) animals, we watch as two zoologists go mad after the death of their wives.

4. TALES FROM THE GIMLI HOSPITAL

1988. Canada. Dir: Guy Maddin (Twilight of the Ice Nymphs, Careful).  Netflix, Wikipedia.

Why you need to see it: Maddin’s use of altered film and sound are quite impressive to say the least. He can take us to just about anywhere in time and achieve any look with his technique. In his first feature length film, Gimli Hospital, he takes us to a rather odd and low budget place. Shot in black & white, the film plays like an 1940s horror movie without the horror.

5. VIDEODROME

1983. Canadian. Dir: David Cronenberg (Naked Lunch, Existenz). Netflix, Wikipedia.

Why you need to see it: Cronengerg’s nightmare visions defy category; dark enough to be horror, futuristic enough to be sci-fi. I think of his films as being smart enough and certainly surreal enough to be considered arthouse fare. Videodrome is one his more twisted films and like his earlier work, relies heavily on themes of mind control, secret organizations and humans with guns growing out of their hands. Disturbing but worth every minute.

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Rediscovering most of these music videos was like opening a time capsule for me. In 1989, I had first seen Michael Jackson’s Bad in my cousin’s basement, switching between clips of Soul Man and A Nightmare on Elm Street, and finally landing on my introduction to MTV. Busta Rhymes equaled high school house parties, and Madonna was a girl’s sleepover staple (and perhaps still is). And if you were a product of the 80’s like me, I’m quite sure MC Hammer’s Too Legit To Quit set an indelible bookmark in your childhood. Thankfully, I never gave in to the Hammer pants trend, but likely wore attire equally as unfortunate. Some things are easy to forget.

It’s still quite staggering to see the numbers all these years later. It’s not certain whether another music video will top the production costs of MJ’s Scream during this decade or the years after, but it’d be interesting to see the results, especially considering how the advancements of modern technology have allowed us to achieve comparable techniques with a thousand dollar camera and home computer.

10. Michael Jackson – Bad: $2,200,000+

Director: Martin Scorsese / Original Air Date: June 1987

9. Celine Dion – It’s All Coming Back To Me Now: $2,300,000+

Director: Nigel Dick / Original Air Date: July 29, 1996

8. Busta Rhymes – What’s It Gonna Be?!: $2,400,000+

Director: Busta Rhymes & Hype Williams / Original Air Date: March 12, 1999

7. Mariah Carey – Heartbreaker: $2,500,000

Director: Brett Ratner / Original Air Date: August 16, 1999

6. MC Hammer – Too Legit To Quit: $2,500,000+

Director/Producer: MC Hammer / Original Air Date: November, 1991

5. Puff Daddy – Victory: $2,700,000+

Director: Marcus Nispel / Original Air Date: March 31, 1998

4. Madonna – Bedtime Story: $5,000,000+

Director: Mark Romanek / Original Air Date: 1995

3. Madonna – Express Yourself: $5,000,000+

Director: David Fincher / Original Air Date: May 17, 1989

2. Madonna – Die Another Day: $6,000,000+

Director: Traktor / Original Air Date: October 22, 2002

1. Michael & Janet Jackon – Scream: $7,000,000

Director: Mark Romanek / Original Air Date: June 13, 1995

Further Reading

• See the rest of the Most Expensive Music Videos at Wikipedia