https://www.tiktok.com/@7lowercasee/video/7525147286020607254 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tPkfsR7XtjQ # Recreating the UI ![[bts_vote_10.jpg|800]] I first had to recreate the entire UI (here in Figma) since I couldn't use in-game footage. To do that I took a screenshot of the game, then I used the Difference alpha-blending mode to get it right. The darker it is the closest to the original. ![[bts_vote_11.jpg]] # Video decomposition frame-by-frame > [!info] The time here is display in the following format: Second:Millisecond > [!info] I'll also be using the 1:1 format for this demonstration ## 00:0 to 01:0 ![[bts_vote_1 1.gif]] As you must know by now, it's important the first 1-3 seconds of a video gives enough interest for the viewer to keep watching. Although on that note, I would even stretch it to the ==very first second==, because people might sometimes be in a mood where they scroll through videos very rapidly, and they don't even give your video the usual 3 seconds of attention. - Very first thing you see is the animation, I can't take credit for it since the animation is from Overwatch, but it has the right colors to catch your eye, as well as the movement from left to right. - The text is the correct size, not too small so it's hard to read, and bigger than this it start to feels like a billboard in your face. - There is also the announcer saying "Vote for a map" is another way to grab attention, just like the text, it's loud enough for the viewer to hear and comprehend. - I added blur behind the text (not present in the game) to increase text visibility and retain focus on the center (text) ## 01:2 to 02:3 ![[bts_vote_2.gif]] Since we're still under 3 seconds, we need to give the viewer more interest: - The "Vote for a map" text transitions to the card at 01:5, I believe this is the right amount of time for the viewer to read the text but also keep it short enough. Time is valuable here. For the transition we have: 1. Removal of the text, still using the actual game animations 2. The blur is removed 3. The cards, texts and button come forward 4. The cards slowly pivot, revealing themselves. 5. These transitions all use an [easeOutCirc](https://easings.net/#easeOutCirc) easing function, more movement at the beginning then slows down smoothly. One small detail is the description "Maps with less votes have a higher chance to be picked", compared to "Maps with more votes" in the actual game, it's a joke that the viewer might not notice at first, but if they watch the video again and they then notice it, it feels to them like a "reward" and hopefully a laugh too. ## 02:0 to 03:3 ![[bts_vote_3.gif]] Transition happens at **02:3**, so we're still under 3 seconds The letterbox appears (smoothly) to give an (ironic) cinematic effect. The card (King's row) is now at the very center, and it behaves just like it does in the game: - The border becomes white, as it's selected by the player - The vote goes from 0 Votes to 1 Vote - Pushed backward then comes back forwards when selected The card moves in 3D space it coming towards the camera, pivots on itself and moves a bit to the left (like a camera pan). ## 02:3 to 06:3 ![[bts_vote_4.gif]] I added motion blur ONLY on the card being pushed backwards then forward. The background behind is given the same 3D motion as the card (i.e it follows the card) Card goes over the letterbox, feels like you're watching with 3D glasses on (can't hide where i got [the inspiration from](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGJBUauU-CE)) ![[bts_vote_5.jpg]] The card here takes almost all of the screen, almost pushed into the viewer's face ("Witness its magnificence!") ## KIN-KI-KI-KING'S RO-Echeinwalde. ![[bts_vote_6.mp4]] The spamming "KING'S ROW" overlapping the epic Overwatch theme gets cut by the boring Einchenwalde Card, this makes a huge contrast between the two. ## 06:3 to 08:4 Just Echeinwalde The silence is a entire second long, a second is short but it feels like an eternity after hearing epic music. This effect is "enriched" by not having have have any animation/movement in the scene, everything being flat and the colors being desaturated. Also no more letterbox. Then comes the last "KING'S ROW" that almost feels like a jumpscare or a scream in your ear, this is done to achieve a comedic effect, the card is now extremely close to the camera and you can literally not look at anything else but the card. *It insists upon itself*. ![[bts_vote_7.gif]] Here I increased the brightness of the card so I could transition directly to the bright light of the voting selection thingy ## How the animation was done ![[mapWho Reddit_CUT.mp4]] > [!info] Use the Playback speed to slow everything down I decided to make the animation in blender, because I wanted a realistic render and good control of the camera, but really I'm just more comfortable with blender. ![[bts_vote_8.gif]] > [!info] I left the composition guides & safe areas (blue dotted lines) on since this is what I used to make sure I can later render the video in the format 9:16, 1:1 and 16:9. Many different things happen here: 1. The camera (2) following the path (1) while focusing on the target (4) 2. The cards moving upward 3. The light (4) following the target (3) 4. The border of each card lighting up when the vote thingy is on them 5. The vote thingy shines every time it lands on a new vote 6. A background is placed behind the cards following the camera but that's just to fix some alpha related issues I had ![[bts_vote_9.jpg]] ### 1. The camera (2) following the path The animation begins with the camera looking straight at the vote thingy, it then moves away from it smoothly, while panning across the many different cards and ends in a fixed point. Notice that the camera doesn't aim directly at the vote thingy, otherwise it would get very shaky, instead I created a target (3) (it's just and empty) that kind of follows the speed (and acceleration!) of the vote thingy, all of that to keep that smooth camera movement. You will also notice that at the end, the camera doesn't target the last card immediately even though the vote thing is on top of it. That was done to give an organic impression (like the camera is controlled by a person) and the camera operator wasn't expecting the vote to land on Echeinwalde, giving the impression that it was unscripted ### 2. The cards moving upward I wanted the card to appear like they would on a game show or something, so I gave them this upwards motion, that slows down in the end. You can't really see it in the final render though ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ### 3. The light (4) following the target (3) I placed a large square light (like a neon light) above the cards, I then made the cards reflective to you see it clearly. This adds to the realism. ### 4. The border of each card lighting up This doesn't happen in game, but it adds to the theatricality of the scene. Again, it feels like a game show. ### 5. The vote thingy shines It's hard to notice, but every time it lands on a new vote the light shines very bright, then the power of the light decreases. ## 14:2 to 15:6 ![[bts_vote_12.jpg|500]] The music builds up, the announcer says "WINNER" as if he's really excited about the outcome without realising it wasn't what most people wanted and are disappointed/sad/angry about. This would make them more angry, so it adds to the comedic effect. ## Ending ![[bts_vote_13.jpg|500]] I decided to use the characters voicelines to say the "who" in chat. Makes it more dramatic. I chose specificaly characters that sounded angry about it. The Junkrat voicelines is actually "Who the bot?", I cut it so it sounds like he's about to say "Who the hell"