Kinetic Text Automation
Unleashing Creativity and Efficiency at Amazon Music
The Challenge:
Amazon Music's brand refresh was in full swing, and "kinetic text" was poised to become a star player. But there was a major hurdle. Manually animating each character, each transition, and each font weight variation was a daunting task. With 97 characters on the keyboard, each available in 6 different font weights, the possibilities were dizzying.
Creating kinetic text for "Outkast" was one thing, but what about "Justin Timberlake" or "November 11th"? The sheer number of potential combinations and the need for flexibility to experiment with different transitions made the task seem almost insurmountable.
For instance, imagine animating the word "Music." Each letter would need to transition seamlessly between six different font weights, from hairline thin to bold and powerful. That's 36 individual animations for just one word! Now, picture scaling this across all marketing assets, from social media posts to video ads. The time investment quickly spirals into an abyss of tedious keyframing and repetitive adjustments.
TThe Solution: A Custom-Built Efficiency Enginehe Challenge:
The Solution: A Custom-Built Efficiency Engine
Recognizing this bottleneck, I took it upon myself to develop a solution. With my background in After Effects scripting, I set out to automate the creation of kinetic text, freeing up designers to focus on what they do best: crafting compelling visuals.
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The result? A custom-built After Effects tool that transformed this:
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Into this:
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From Hours to Seconds: A Revolution in Efficiency
This tool drastically reduced the time required to create kinetic text animations. What once took hours could now be achieved in a fraction of the time, allowing motion designers to iterate more freely, explore new creative avenues, and meet tight deadlines without breaking a sweat.
The Process: Collaboration and Technical Prowess
The development process had its hurdles. Early versions, while functional, still required manual adjustments for kerning and character selection. To streamline further, I turned to the Adobe After Effects forum for advice. Unexpectedly, my post caught the eye of Dan Ebberts, an After Effects scripting guru. We joined forces, and with Dan's expertise, the tool reached new heights of automation and sophistication.
The Impact: A Ripple Effect of Productivity and Creativity
The impact of the tool was undeniable. It streamlined workflows, boosted productivity, and sparked a wave of creativity across the Amazon Music design team. The project even caught the eye of senior leadership, including the VP of Design and the Head of Amazon Entertainment, who were impressed by its potential to transform creative workflows across the organization.
The tool's success led to me being invited to present it at Amazon's annual design conference, Conflux, where I shared my insights on automation and its potential to empower creative teams.
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The Future: Adapting to the Ever-Evolving Design Landscape
About two years later, a company-wide rebrand led to the discontinuation of kinetic text at Amazon Music. However, the tool's underlying principles remain relevant. It serves as a testament to the power of custom-built solutions in addressing unique design challenges and adapting to the ever-changing needs of a dynamic industry.
The Takeaway: A Problem-Solver at Heart
This project exemplifies my ability to identify and solve real-world problems through design, streamline workflows, and empower creative teams. If you're seeking a designer who can not only create beautiful visuals but also optimize processes and drive innovation, let's connect!