End of Year Reflection

eCommunication 2016-2017

This year in animation i experienced many growths. I knew going into this year that my Animation career would be coming to an end, already committing myself to video. But regardless on what my future hold, i've accepted the skills being learned in animation would be ones that would make the rest of my eComm experience easier.  In the Areas of Technology, collaboration, Communication, Project Management, and Leadership.

Technology

This past year Animation has opened my experience of new softwares, that not create animations, but are useful in each area of study. Modeling In maya is helpful for all types of modeling whether it comes to characters or logos. after effects is a good editor for 2D animations and interwinding photoshop files, it also can create special effects in video files.  In success regarding technology, again, it has been trial and error. In every project, however, I've gained comfort and familiarity with the programs and skills.

Collaboration

In other Areas of eComm, collaboration is much more common. For Animation, a group project wasn't done until quite recently. Thankfully it contained enough separate focus and skill that each member had an opportunity to play to their strengths a contribute equally to the project. In the end, The project Combined each individual project, and i was impressed by the quantities accomplished when it was organized and intricate. 

Communication

Communication is important in a class expanding into so many technical and creative advances. I personally gained plenty from those around me, whether it being their understanding, failures, or me explaining processes to them.  I will continue to use the students around me to learn and listen.

Project Management

Sometimes projects in Animation takes a few days, more ambitious pieces may last over a week. Project Management is the first way to succeed in this class. When I would be struggling with the tech side it was easy to set aside the project and waste some time. I took the time i needed, to rest the senses, a brain that's at ease is better at animation. most days , projects stay on track.

Leadership

I believe that i'm a good natural leader, so when it comes to group projects I'm comfortable with giving people their jobs in order to complete the idea. I've become a better leader in the last year mostly because of eComm  . I need some improvement when it comes to directing, me not wanting to come off as bossy or be wrong altogether. Overall, i feel my presence in a group is helpful and efficient.

George of the Jungle

       For our first collaborative Animation project we teamed up to make a short containing elements of video and animation. We filmed, modeled, edited, and used special effects.

Our video's general concept followed a recreation of the iconic George of the jungle movie. It showed George swinging through jungle. inevitabley, George crashes into a tree and the forrest reacts violently. George and the trees erupt into a flame. the title sequence flashes once more and it's over.

For this project we had selective focuses. One member worked primarily on green screen. I was in charge of inserting the flames in special effects. we had the editor, actor, and 3D modeler. putting our files together, we created our George of The Jungle.

Proffessional Project Reveiw

Piper

      The Disney animated short film " Piper"  follows a young ocean bird leaving the nest for the first time and find food herself.  She struggles at first, But eventually tries something original from how the birds usually find their food, and Piper discovers a motherload of delicious shells. 

     Despite it's simplistic story, "Piper" displays impressive concepts of animation. It captures the distinct mannerisms of birds, the movement being crisp and mechanical, but also accurate behavior of these animals are represented. 

     Disney also did a great job of creating an environment. On the ocean side, it was hazy and damp, and very easy to believe. The sound and coloring coordinating to the setting made the senses come together as if it were real. It successfully mimicked water in it's calmer state and in it's more furious. 

Overall a beautiful execution and an adorable short story.

Professional Article reveiw

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/10/movies/animating-life-of-vincent-van-gogh-in-loving-vincent.html?_r=0

Loving Vincent 

         A revolutionary biopic of the great artist Vincent van Gogh is in the works. Not only is it an animated film, But every frame is painted, paying tribute to the artist. The film contains 62,450 oil paintings, using the talents of 95 artists, over the time span of four years. 

        It will be a Full feature length film, nearly 87 minutes long. The creators did not take this project lightly, they knew the endless effort it would need and the time span it deserved. 

      besides the breath taking art and amazing embellishments, the story also cover the controversial elements of Van Gogh's life. It speculates his sanity, his relationships, and most famous; the mystery of his death.  

      I am very excited for the grand reveal of this animated film, not only for it's compelling story of a great artist, but the visible determination shown as each masterpiece of a frame passes by in a split second. 

portfolios reflection

My Projects

Second semester in Exploring animation has exposed the class to softwares we've used for some time now, but in the different ways we have done before.  After Effects has been a vital part of animation this year, for creating 2D, Multiplanes, a bounce cycle, This semester we've used it for special effects and 3D video related files. Maya has been used as a 3D modeler, but now we use it for 3D logos, mimicking real life objects,  and creating things that move.

Explosion

In After effects, with the experience of past 2D works and compositions, students were able to pice together the basics for special effects. It used areas such as audio, Color correction, and camera movement to create a believable blast from a clip of a calm city street.

Lighting

Lighting important in any application of field , in the maya software there is full control over the demension's exposure and mood. This file was to convey the lighting on a sunset. to achieve this look, i back lit the subject and colored the lights in yellow and warm tones.

3D And The Real World

For the first time, Animation bridged the gap between physical video and playblast made as animation. Crating the wooden toy in maya, and importing a picture , setting keyframes and cameras the toy is able to roll across the school floor as if it existed in the physical world. With the final steps in after effect to help with look and timing, it was a finished product. 

Moving Models

In maya the most we've done to move our created models were a 360 spin. this project we set a track for our flying figure to follow. It went through hoops, did tricks and avoided obsticals. 

Technical Tutorial

George Is On Fire

       Our most recent project focused on the interaction between animation and video. More specifically, How to use a green screen in your video to make a new and different setting. although it was not my job to insert the background over the green screen, I still had to make the setting believable and give it the extra boost of action our video wanted to convey.

Taking the clip already inserted with the jungle background, using after effects, I imported effects from "Action essentials" . Incorporating Fire, smoke, and dust, I added them to the jungle's composition 

I used minor color correction to achieve a consistent look from the files all together, and for one shot I key framed the fire to follow the subject.