Simulation

In this lecture we discussed immersion and simulation> I personally found this subject rather challenging, I therefore did a lot more research on this topic and came across this video. This youtube clip explains exactly what simulation is and it has been extremely helpful.

Autobiographical Narratives and Body Art in Digital Media

Today in this lecture we discussed autobiographical narratives and body art in digtial media. I found this lecture particularly intriguing because it consisted of outrageous examples that inspired me. The one example that was introduced to us was a narrative that  utilized the IKEA home store to create a home set for their story. This appeared to be extremely challenging as customers were still walking in and out of the ship looking at the different furniture while this act was happening. I personally found this to be extremely creative, stepping out of ones comfort zone to create a rather mainstream narrative. This does not only shock the audience and tend to entertain them, this also gives the chance to advertise the stock that IKEA have, therefore there are two benefits of creating a narrative in this type of environment. Having a chance to watch this video opened up my mind to more ideas for future narratives as it appears to be more interesting to shoot a story in an open space rather than a set up space.

Documentaries

‘It is perhaps more generous and worthwhile to simply accept that documentary can never be the real world, that the camera can never capture life as it would have unraveled had it not interfered, and the results of this collision between apparatus and subject are what constitutes a documentary’. (Bruzzi 2000, p. 6-7) 

This quote was introduced to the class today as it reveals exactly what a documentary is. Although it's aim is to demonstrate the reality of a subject or a person it still does not capture the real truth. I found this lecture extremely interesting because I tended to propose the frequent question- what is the actual truth? If news events and even documentaries appear to always be somewhat framed it always makes me question reality. 

Interactive Technology

Today in this lecture we focused on intertextual/interactive narratives. This basically relies on tabs which link you to a different destination on the internet. Not only that but one could use these links on with a video or pictures off the internet. I personally found this very useful to know because I have always been curious about how links work on and off the internet. Although my final product would not be utilizing these tools- it is still beneficial for the future to have an idea about intertextual/interactive narratives. The reason for this being that it grasps the audiences' attention and this causes the audience to show more interest in the video/website/image.

Technology used for the Project

I have been trying to finalize what I am going to use for my final product and the different types of technology that is needed. I therefore thought it would be effective to post it so I can always refer to it. The following Technical apppliances I will use is:

• A macbook pro
• Photoshop
• Adobe Premier pro
• A camera (from the university)
• Instagram

Problems with our final piece.

The different ideas that we ahve come up with as a group have been creative and interesting although we have overcome some issues that need a solution for it still to be a successful video. One of the issues that we ahev overcome is not meeting up reguarly and this has an extremely negative aspect on our final piece. Although there are ways to overcome this issue, when we all come up back from our break we should meet up on a set time every week and discuss ideas for our project. Not only that but there should be specific subjects that we should discuss every week so it would not be repetitive. Secondly I have overcome an issue that I have thought of on my own and that is how I will make the other sweets int the scene look realistic. I have come up with a method to overcome this problem and that is to use sticky stuff to connect the different shaped sweets to make one  object.

Motivations

There have been a great deal of different motivations that have aspired me to commence on a successful stop motion animation video. One motivation includes my group mates as they remind me of the excitement of the end product. Secondly, our workshop adviser, Elisavet Kalpaxi has constantly demonstrated interest in our idea. From the very beginning she believed that this video would illustrate a vast amount of entertainment for different age groups and this  is our aim. Thirdly, entertaining videos on youtube tends to motivate me a great deal as I see myself as an extremely competitive person therefore I would be extremely impressed if I create something similar to the video I have posted on this link. This video conveys non realistic objects to create a realistic theme which is exactly our aim (using a variety of sweets).

Influences

Although I have already researched different stop motion animation videos. I still feel the urge to absaloutely make sure I am satisfied with the decisions I have made for my final product. The ideas that I have for my product has slowly expanded becasue of the amount of different videos I have watched. As I have come to a conclusion that this most definetly helps me think of more creative ideas. Although I still believe that my idea is rather interesting I still tend to aspire to many different videos because of their excellence. The video that I have just posted is a perfect example of what inspires me because of their pure excellence.

Sketches

I have been thinking about creating the storyboards quite a lot the past few weeks, this is because of past experience. When I was handling with videos during my academic career I always completetd a detailed storyboard as this would be very helpful for the final piece. I therefore have realized that I need to practice my sketches. As I do not have a lot of experience with drawing. Although if the sketches are detailed then it would be easier to follow.

Focusing on Storyboards

A few weeks ago a proposal and a storyboard was in need to demonstrate our ideologies on our final piece. Our proposal was successful as the workshop leader gave us positive feedback. Although our storyboard lacked images and it needed to be a lot more precise. I agreed that our storyboard needed a lot more work and I am going to work on one over the Christmas holidays. The reason for this being that I can commence with the project as soon as I get back to University. Majority of successful videos are very well planned and this can be done by completing a very descriptive storyboard to follow. I therefore researched how to create n effective storyboard. The youtube video that I have posted has been the most helpful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvE5qufcDNY

Variety of sweets used for the final production

As mentioned on the different posts our production is going to convey the life of a starburst, in a  rather realistic aspect. For this to happen effectively- we are going to utilize a variety of different sweets for the objects around the starburst and to set the scene. For an example we would need to use laces to create a car for the starburst to drive in. This image consists of the sweets we are going to purchase for this video to be successful.

Reflection on our production

These past few weeks, our focus has been on finalizing our blogs due to the last week of this term. Therefore we have not (as a group) met up with each other and discussed different ideas for our final production. The work that we have been doing is individual rather than working in a group together. Since this ahs been occuring the past weeks we ahve come to an agreement that we should gather our ideas up after the Christmas holiday. Therefore we can conjeal different idealogies together to make the video a lot more creative and interesting. I would prefer that the next term we start our digital media foundations class again we will show a lot more initiative to work on it. I personally think this will be succsessful as it would be getting closer to the deadline by then.

Stop motion scene changes research

Following onto the last post. There have been a few methods with signs utilized to demonstrate the scene change although after researching a great deal I have come up with a different conclusion. This video that has been posted on this blog illistrates random stop motion animation clips without a black out or a sign demonstrating a scene change. To convey the different ideas in this video they just switch to the next scene without any symbols or black outs. I have realized that this method is a lot more effective than the other ideas that I thought of. The reason for this is because it looks a lot more fluid.

Ideas for the final stop motion animation video

I have been frequently contemplating what I want to do for my final stop motion animation video. Therefore there have been a few ideas that would be appropriate for the final piece. As mentioned before in the previous posts there are a great deal of different scenes that we want to convey. If there werent so many scenes, it would not illistrate an accurate video of the life of a person (demonstrateed as a sweet). Hence this, there have to be ways in which the scenes need to be changed. I personally thought having signs to convey the scene changes would be a lot more ffective than a black out as it is already an animation. If it is already conveyed as an animation the signs could be created in an animated aspect to keep the theme of the actual video.

Easter egg stop motion animation

Today in the digital media foundations workshop the students presented their blogs for critical feedback. The blogs that were presented appeared to have a variety of different sources to convey the lead up of their project. I came to a realisation that it would be more professional if I demonstrated the videos that inspired my idea on the storyboard of my stop motion video. Hence posting this video, consisting of a variety of sweets to present a story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmzPdwEFBb8

Skittles Commercial

My group and I presented our ideas about our project to the students that attended the digital media foundations workshop. We received constructive feedback from majority of the group. It appeared that the idea of the project (the life of a starburst) was creative and could be very entertaining. Although we were advised to convey a purpose to the video. For an example transforming it from being just entertainment to an advertisement. I personally thought that would be a lot more interesting. I therefore researched a wide variety of stop motion animation advertisements. I happened to come across this advertisement of skittles and concluded that this was the most effective video. This was helpful as it inspired me to come up with different ideas for my stop motion animation project.

 

Storyboard

This is a post of the Project Storyboard.
The life of a Starburst.

1. 1. The start of education.
Going to Primary school.
Camera shot/angle: Point of view.
Sound: baby’s voice. Sound of a car.
Materials needed: Big Starburst. Small Starburst. Laces for the shape of the car. Wine gums for the wheels. Signs- primary school.

2. Making friends.
Playing in the playground with friends.
Camera shot/angle: Point of view.
Sound: Happy children voices. Sound of swings. Sound of kids going down a slide.
Materials needed: laves. Green fruit pastels. Egg for the sun. Candy canes. Jelly babies, starbursts.

3. 3. Making enemies.
Fighting with kids.
Camera shot/angle: point of view.
Sounds: Shouting. Crying. Sound of a punch.
Materials needed: Starbursts. Jelly babies. Skittles for the scenery (rainy)

4. Growing up.
Going to University.
Camera shot/angle: Point of view.
Sound: Loads of voices. Sound of a car. Bells.
Materials needed: laces. Fruit pastels. Liquirce for the luggage. Sign of the University. Starburst (grown up).

5. Romance.
Falling in love.
Camera shot/angle: Point of view.
Sounds: kissing. Bubble sounds.
Materials needed: Pink starburst. Love hearts. Laces.

6. Career
Starting a new job.
Camera shot/ angle: Point of view.
Sounds: Typing. Photo copying.
Materials needed: Liquorice. Mnms. Jelly babies. Two starbursts.

7. Getting married to the starburst that he fell in love with.
Camera shot/angle: Point of view.
Sounds: Getting married. Kissing.
Materials needed: jelly babies. Starbursts. Mnms. Skittles.

8. Starting a new family.
A family photo.
Camera shot/angle: Point of view.
Sounds: camera shot.
Materials needed. Skittles for the background. Different sized starbursts.

9. Getting old.
A grandpa sitting and reading the paper.
Camera shot/ angle: Point of view.
Sounds: Flipping through the paper.
Materials needed: Liquorice. Starburst.

10. Death.
Getting eaten by a human being.
Camera shot/angle: Point of view.
Sound: Screams. Munching
Materials needed: Starburst. Humans hand.

Proposal

The following text consists of my contribution to the group- writing the proposal of the product description:

This proposal has congealed all of the information that is necessary for a clear understanding of what the final piece should look like. As mentioned, this stop motion animation utilizes a variety of different sweets to convey the ‘norm’ of the stages of life a person would go through. The Starburst is going to be the sweet that demonstrates these phases. The general idea is to illustrate a person experiencing primary school, making friends as well as enemies, growing up, falling in love, starting a stable job, starting a family and eventually dying. All of these features being exhibited with a wide range of different sweets. These aspects tend to have a grasping effect on a general audience. As everyone can relate to at least one of the phases in life been shown, therefore it provides entertainment to a wide range of ages. Yet it does not exactly relate to every culture, religion or social group because it illustrates a generalised ‘perfect’ lifestyle that people dream of. Hence this product will establish a ‘fantasy lifestyle’, not only will the content of the storyline reveal this but the use of the objects being utilised (sweets). Nonetheless there will still be a sense of reality in this project as it will be experimenting with realistic sounds that will be generated using technology as well as being physically created without the use of technology by our group. Overall the combination of realism and dream like aspects will tend to create an amusing animation for a wide range of ages

Instagram

This image consists of all the people in my digital media group. These pictures were utilized for our Kingston University Narrative. Although we decided to utilize 'filters' on 'Instagram'. We all came to an agreement that the different textures complemented the image in a positive aspect. Which is why I would utilize this program for my future projects as it conveys different uses of technology which would broaden my horizons.

Prezzi

This week I was grouped with three other girls to present a narrative on our new experiences in University. We were advised to utilize Prezi as our application to create the piece, we therefore chose a theme on Prezi to complement the aim of the project. There were a great variety of ideas that were thrown across the group which encouraged us to combine all of them in a creative way. It consisted of a personal touch to the project (the slides of a background of the individuals) as well as general events that occurs in a daily routine at Kingston University. There was also a logical reason to why we chose the background music, "nobody cares about us" by Michael Jackson because if no one cared we have now presented our new lives in a way that people should care. This project was an interesting insight on how we work as a group.We did come across some problems such as not being able to create new slides but we did overcome this problem as we just grouped the four images on one slide. In all, we successfully helped each other and completed this project, therefore it can be concluded that we can work in a group four our future project.

Today, 10/10/13, 9:00-10:00 am

Today we actually got the chance to try and use the tools to create a stop motion video. Personally, I found these tasks extremely difficult as there are a great deal of steps to complete the final product. We utilised our lecturers images to practice and I fell behind. I therefore have to go in and get help on certain aspects such as adjusting the duration of the video as well as adding subtitles to it. Although I did successfully create the piece with the different lighting and sizes. My aim is to perfect my skills on this aspect of this subject as we will most definitely need it for our future projects.

Our project that is due in March is going to consist of a method of stop motion videos. Therefore we have been researching a range of them. Animation stop motion appears to be my preferred technique. The reason for this being that I find it very intriguing how one can combine both realistic and non realistic features in one setting. Hence my choice on adding this dull yet entertaining video. The producer has successfully utilised non realistic aspects such as cubes or clay to exchange it for water while using actual realistic things such as actual people and the environment (tables, taps, hammers). It is not only creative but clever by combining realistic and non realistic objects with the use of sound, lighting and angles to create one video. I have come to a conclusion that I am very likely to use this technique for my final stop motion project. 

As I had so many problems following the discussion with learning how to create a stop motion video I researched different ways in which I could use it without problems. I came across this informal yet informative video of a teenager explaining how to utilise photoshop pro to enhance your stop motion video. I personally found this very helpful and recommend it to other students who are finding difficulties when using it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncmA6tEccDo#t=30