The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

Using Photoshop and Apple Motion for Animation

By Kraig Kirchem     Posted: April 4, 2019

Working in video production takes a special kind of person.  Sure, there is working with all types of clients and those ever-demanding deadlines. But you have to be prepared for (and embrace) the unexpected. With experience comes the ability to handle those curve balls when they come across the plate.

A client called me to film an internal video for his staff. He didn’t have much more info on what we’d be shooting. 

On-Location

On filming day, I drove up and and saw a large, wooden cutout of a bus in the parking lot. I didn’t know at the time the prominence that prop would play in the final production. My client wanted me to create an effect showing the wooden bus come to life, driving down the road with real passengers.  That was a tall order considering we had limited filming time. The wheels in my head started moving and I decided to create the illusion in post-production. 

RAW FOOTAGE

FINAL ANIMATION

Here is a behind-the-scenes look at how I created the animation:

Kraig Kirchem is a Dallas/Fort Worth based director, producer, videographer, writer, and consultant who operates Kirchem Creative, a full-service media production company. He previously worked in broadcast journalism at TV stations across the country earning industry recognition including multiple Peabodys and duPont Awards. Full Bio