Logo Design
and Animation

I designed the Logo in Illustrator

I decided to create a VHS logo because it’s a thematically appropriate visual companion to succinctly represent clabproductions. A VHS tape indicates ‘video’, but not cinematic film making. It evokes more of a homemade, hands on, rough-around-the-edges feel. I think that pairs nicely with what clab is about.

Using an actual VHS tape as a visual guide, I drew the logo in Illustrator. I drew each part of the logo separately, using the previous part to scale the next,  then brought them together.

I created the animation in After Effects

I liked the concept of the VHS tape being gradually built – the case coming together, the tape being inserted, the lid coming on, and the VHS filling in with colour. Finally, the label would be stuck on and c-lab would be handwritten across it.

I thought this would be a creative reflection of what I’m doing with clab, starting from scratch and building something cool and fun, while progressively improving.

I designed this animation in After Effects

Alternate version created in Premiere Pro

I will be using this short brand introduction clip to either open or close some of my projects. I like the simplicity of the animation appearing on a white background. It works well as a standard version.

However, I like the idea of having different versions of the branding clip for different projects. Sometimes, the simplicity of the white background is too boring, and I would want to see something more funky or creative.

I made one of these alternatives, which can be seen in the video.

I shot some stock footage of a relatively clear sky showing minimal cloud coverage and an afternoon moon.  I thought this would be a visually appealing background that wouldn’t detract focus from the logo animation.

I put it together in Premiere Pro. To differentiate it more from the standard version, I made some slight changes. The ‘clabproductions’ lettering is ‘typed’ rather than appearing all at once. Then at the end I have a bird fly accross the screen, and as it passes over the lettering, the ‘lab’ turns red.