I have always had a fascination with zippo lighters ever since I saw the third Indiana Jones. I loved how cool they look when they are opened and closed. That was something I really wanted to emphasize in my animation. At first, this animation was supposed to be a simple open and close function with a strike in between. When I got into After Effects, I found that while looked cool, I wanted to do something that was a little more complicated.

The most helpful piece of advice I received was to watch what happens when sparks lands on something that was soaked in oil. That advice helped me animate what happens when fire ignites and the motions that follow after that. I also was told to exaggerate the motion of the lighter being flipped open and closed.

My animation meets the objective I set out when I started this project because I made something tied to racing history. This animation loops well, has exaggerated motions, and is intentionally designed.