Top 10 FYM Articles of 2010

Posted January 5th, 2011 / By John Kostrzewski in Editorials, Opinion, Resources, Roundups

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 , 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, 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, 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 *, 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

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!

John Kostrzewski is the Editor of Fuel Your Motionography and a freelance motion graphics and visual effects artist, videographer and writer living in Minnesota. He is awesome. Follow him on Twitter at and .