Passing Time
Point to Pixel
I found Point to Pixel the most challenging of all three projects.
I had a clear vision of what I wanted to achieve from quite early on in the project. Like the last, I again wanted to create a moving image outcome. From reading the brief I understood that we needed to use typography within our work.
However I didn't realise we also had to use Typographic principles. Consequently I began to develop my video idea.
I wanted to create a short moving image around the subject of oxygen. Almost like a short documentary. I chose to use the forest as my main location for filming. I wanted the video to consist of steady beautiful shots of the forest, close up and far away. Then begin to introduce powder paint as smoke. One of the final shots would be of the O2, which I would hang from a tree and throw powder paint at to make it visible.
I planned and storyboarded everything. I decided to use red powder paint as in chemistry when creating stick and ball models red represents oxygen, also because of the link between blood and oxygen.
I went to see one of the tutors after planning everything to see if I could start filming. Although (without knowing) I hadn't met the brief the tutor told me everything was fine and that I should begin creating my final outcome.
It wasn't until I had filmed my outcome that another tutor informed me that my project did not fit the brief. Only having two weeks till hand in I had to think of a way to make my project fit the brief. I really struggled with making my existing film fit the brief. I researched into poster design and even created my own type but I never felt very passionate about these.
Since I had already created the film I really wanted to be able to use it as part of my final piece. I finally came up with the concept of burning my video onto a DVD and creating packing for this which did fit the brief.
I am happy with my outcome. Within the video I show blur (distorted text) and tracking with the title, but the majority of the brief fits the packaging.
I wanted to packaging to look more like a book then a normal DVD case. I thought this would work well as I needed to show type.
Although I was also unsure whether we needed to teach an audience about Typographic Principles or if we just needed to use them within our outcome. I decided to show information about Oxygen using different principles.
If I could take anything away from this project it would be to make sure I read and understand the Brief before beginning a project.
Overall I am happy with what I have achieved considering I had to develop a new concept two weeks before deadline. Although I am disappointed with myself for making this mistake and not reading the brief correctly. I will make sure I do this for future projects.
Organic Kingdom
Passing Time was the first project we were given for BA4, I
feel that I enjoyed this project the most as I made it quite personal.
I wanted to produce an outcome which would allow me to be as creative as possible. In the brief we were told to show 'Passing Time' through a broken narrative. As soon as I heard the brief I thought of my own passing time, my past, my childhood.
I wanted to push the boundaries of the brief and develop the project in my own way. I wanted to create an outcome which was moving image, such as a film or gif although the brief told us our outcome had to be Image alone. After much thought and going to other ideas I decided to challenge this and create a moving image outcome, but one which is in theory image, a Stop Motion Animation.
I wanted to produce an outcome which would allow me to be as creative as possible. In the brief we were told to show 'Passing Time' through a broken narrative. As soon as I heard the brief I thought of my own passing time, my past, my childhood.
I wanted to push the boundaries of the brief and develop the project in my own way. I wanted to create an outcome which was moving image, such as a film or gif although the brief told us our outcome had to be Image alone. After much thought and going to other ideas I decided to challenge this and create a moving image outcome, but one which is in theory image, a Stop Motion Animation.
A Stop motion film is a collection of 'images'. This may not
be strictly image alone but I decided to go ahead and develop it nevertheless.
In my final outcome I took over 400 photographs which I then had to edit together. I made each frame around 0.4 of a second long which made the whole film only slightly longer than a minute. I used Vegas Movie Studio to edit the clips together. This was by far the most frustrating part of the process as It took many attempts to get the correct speed.
I really enjoyed researching into existing stop motion videos to inspire my own.
One of the video I was inspired by 'Ballpoint Barber' by Peter Simon. Where a series of photographs have already been taken. They are then shot again to give the appearance that they are changing due to the new footage. Set up on a desk a hand appears with a pen, the photographs then change and give the impression that the pen is changing his appearance. If I could I would have really liked to develop my project to this level. I don't think I would of had anywhere enough time to produce anything like this.
Another video I was inspired by was 'The Pen Story' which the company Olympus actually produced. It follows the life of a man though images, although this is much more complex it gave me the initial idea to use my childhood photographs.
In my final outcome I took over 400 photographs which I then had to edit together. I made each frame around 0.4 of a second long which made the whole film only slightly longer than a minute. I used Vegas Movie Studio to edit the clips together. This was by far the most frustrating part of the process as It took many attempts to get the correct speed.
I really enjoyed researching into existing stop motion videos to inspire my own.
One of the video I was inspired by 'Ballpoint Barber' by Peter Simon. Where a series of photographs have already been taken. They are then shot again to give the appearance that they are changing due to the new footage. Set up on a desk a hand appears with a pen, the photographs then change and give the impression that the pen is changing his appearance. If I could I would have really liked to develop my project to this level. I don't think I would of had anywhere enough time to produce anything like this.
Another video I was inspired by was 'The Pen Story' which the company Olympus actually produced. It follows the life of a man though images, although this is much more complex it gave me the initial idea to use my childhood photographs.
One of my main aims for my outcome was to have fun with it.
I really want to have fun developing ideas and concepts for my stop motion. So
I would enjoy making it as much as I would enjoy watching it back.
When it came to actually making my final outcome I did everything myself. Even when I needed to have more than one hand in shot I would continuously put the camera on timer and wait for it to go off which made the process extremely time consuming.
One of the challenges I came across in the project was showing type.
Type is quite an important aspect of my video, showing my age throughout to help illustrate the narrative. However we couldn't just use type in our outcome, but we could use 'Type as Image'.
Attempting to follow the brief as closely as I could I began to experiment with ways that I could use type within and around the photographs.
When it came to actually making my final outcome I did everything myself. Even when I needed to have more than one hand in shot I would continuously put the camera on timer and wait for it to go off which made the process extremely time consuming.
One of the challenges I came across in the project was showing type.
Type is quite an important aspect of my video, showing my age throughout to help illustrate the narrative. However we couldn't just use type in our outcome, but we could use 'Type as Image'.
Attempting to follow the brief as closely as I could I began to experiment with ways that I could use type within and around the photographs.
I also decided to create a small flipbook as a running
development from my video. As a whole the book doesn't work as well as I would
have hoped. I think the film is stronger but I'm glad I created I created the
book as development.
Overall I am happy with my outcome. I made the project quite personal so I would be more engaged with it. I feel that I met the brief and broke it at the same time. My outcome is Image, just in a different form. It does show type, but in a creative way.
I challenged what we were asked off but I do believe my outcome fits the brief.
Looking back on my project I don't think that I experimented very much with other ideas. I feel that I should have tested out other concepts more before just focusing on developing my stop motion.
Overall I am happy with my outcome. I made the project quite personal so I would be more engaged with it. I feel that I met the brief and broke it at the same time. My outcome is Image, just in a different form. It does show type, but in a creative way.
I challenged what we were asked off but I do believe my outcome fits the brief.
Looking back on my project I don't think that I experimented very much with other ideas. I feel that I should have tested out other concepts more before just focusing on developing my stop motion.
Point to Pixel
I found Point to Pixel the most challenging of all three projects.
I had a clear vision of what I wanted to achieve from quite early on in the project. Like the last, I again wanted to create a moving image outcome. From reading the brief I understood that we needed to use typography within our work.
However I didn't realise we also had to use Typographic principles. Consequently I began to develop my video idea.
I wanted to create a short moving image around the subject of oxygen. Almost like a short documentary. I chose to use the forest as my main location for filming. I wanted the video to consist of steady beautiful shots of the forest, close up and far away. Then begin to introduce powder paint as smoke. One of the final shots would be of the O2, which I would hang from a tree and throw powder paint at to make it visible.
I planned and storyboarded everything. I decided to use red powder paint as in chemistry when creating stick and ball models red represents oxygen, also because of the link between blood and oxygen.
I went to see one of the tutors after planning everything to see if I could start filming. Although (without knowing) I hadn't met the brief the tutor told me everything was fine and that I should begin creating my final outcome.
It wasn't until I had filmed my outcome that another tutor informed me that my project did not fit the brief. Only having two weeks till hand in I had to think of a way to make my project fit the brief. I really struggled with making my existing film fit the brief. I researched into poster design and even created my own type but I never felt very passionate about these.
Since I had already created the film I really wanted to be able to use it as part of my final piece. I finally came up with the concept of burning my video onto a DVD and creating packing for this which did fit the brief.
I am happy with my outcome. Within the video I show blur (distorted text) and tracking with the title, but the majority of the brief fits the packaging.
I wanted to packaging to look more like a book then a normal DVD case. I thought this would work well as I needed to show type.
Although I was also unsure whether we needed to teach an audience about Typographic Principles or if we just needed to use them within our outcome. I decided to show information about Oxygen using different principles.
If I could take anything away from this project it would be to make sure I read and understand the Brief before beginning a project.
Overall I am happy with what I have achieved considering I had to develop a new concept two weeks before deadline. Although I am disappointed with myself for making this mistake and not reading the brief correctly. I will make sure I do this for future projects.
Organic Kingdom
Since the Organic
Kingdom project was that last project we were brief on I do feel that I left it
to late and carried on concentrating on my other projects rather than focusing
on Organic Kingdom. Because of this I haven't achieve as much as what I would have
liked to for this project. In the future I need to make sure I spend the same
amount of time on each project.
Although I was quite excited about this brief as our outcome out be moving image (rather than me having to struggle to fit the brief). On from early on I knew what I wanted to achieve.
I had the idea of demonstrating how we are losing touch with natural through a video. By simply filming the everyday morning of an everyday man, but replacing all the man made sounds with natural ones. For example, rather than hearing his alarm he would hear birds singing, as he would in a natural environment. The video would continue like this throughout. Then when he finally leaves for work the screen will blank and all you can hear are real time natural sounds. 'Stop ignoring nature will then appear on the screen'.
I filmed and edited this but I still wasn't happy with it. I just didn't feel it worked well. I then began to develop an idea from this. I felt that if I could make the outcome inactive it would make the message even stronger. Again like the video I wanted the message to be quite subtle, so that the audience had to think about what the meaning is.
I came across the pointless website 'Breakglasstosoundalarm.com'. When you enter the website all you can see is a 'break here' fire alarm. By simply clicking the glass will smash and an alarm will start playing. I thought this was extremely simple but very effective.
Inspired by this I began to design my own pointless website.
An empty website with nothing but a radio. When you turn the radio on all you can hear are natural sounds. The user can change the channel - Birds singing, rainforest, all natural. To make the message more clear the message on the radio would read 'Listen to the real world' or 'Go Outside'.
Although because I didn't have enough time or know how to use the software I wasn't able to actually create the website.
I don't think I handled this project as well as I could have. I had poor time management and was unable to actually create my final outcome. I am disappointed with this project since I didn't spend as much time on it. I think this was mainly due to having to redirect my Point to Pixel project to fit the brief.
Although I was quite excited about this brief as our outcome out be moving image (rather than me having to struggle to fit the brief). On from early on I knew what I wanted to achieve.
I had the idea of demonstrating how we are losing touch with natural through a video. By simply filming the everyday morning of an everyday man, but replacing all the man made sounds with natural ones. For example, rather than hearing his alarm he would hear birds singing, as he would in a natural environment. The video would continue like this throughout. Then when he finally leaves for work the screen will blank and all you can hear are real time natural sounds. 'Stop ignoring nature will then appear on the screen'.
I filmed and edited this but I still wasn't happy with it. I just didn't feel it worked well. I then began to develop an idea from this. I felt that if I could make the outcome inactive it would make the message even stronger. Again like the video I wanted the message to be quite subtle, so that the audience had to think about what the meaning is.
I came across the pointless website 'Breakglasstosoundalarm.com'. When you enter the website all you can see is a 'break here' fire alarm. By simply clicking the glass will smash and an alarm will start playing. I thought this was extremely simple but very effective.
Inspired by this I began to design my own pointless website.
An empty website with nothing but a radio. When you turn the radio on all you can hear are natural sounds. The user can change the channel - Birds singing, rainforest, all natural. To make the message more clear the message on the radio would read 'Listen to the real world' or 'Go Outside'.
Although because I didn't have enough time or know how to use the software I wasn't able to actually create the website.
I don't think I handled this project as well as I could have. I had poor time management and was unable to actually create my final outcome. I am disappointed with this project since I didn't spend as much time on it. I think this was mainly due to having to redirect my Point to Pixel project to fit the brief.
Overall Evaluation
Overall I feel that I have learnt a lot from this term. I
challenged the briefs, had fun developing my ideas and learnt valuable lessons
for next term.
The main two things I will take away from BA4 are Time Management and Reading the Brief.
My time management for this project was very poor. When I was on Graphic Design we were always given a time limit to create an outcome for each project (usually two weeks). Now on Communication and being given all three projects at once with our only time limit being deadline day I did struggle.
I worked on all three projects are once. I think this was one of the reasons I didn't spend an equal amount of time on each. Next term I feel it would be better if I slip my time up and concentrated on one project at a time. So that I can achieve the same for each and not juggle between them all.
Another problem I came across for the term was understanding the briefs completely. Although I was unsure I decided to go head and create my outcome for Point to Pixel, before then being told that my outcome did not fit the brief. I then had only two weeks to develop my outcome to fit the brief. This is also one of the reasons I wasn't able to spend as much time on the Organic Kingdom project.
I feel that I didn't do as well as I would have wanted to for this term and did really struggle. I was also ill at the beginning of the term when we were briefed on Point to Pixel which I think really affected my work.
I found Passing Time the most enjoyable of all the projects I think this is because I made it quite personal and knew my outcome would fit the brief (although I did still challenge it).
I struggled the most with Point to Pixel. I think this would have been my favourite project if it wasn't for the fact that it didn't met the brief. Although considering I didn't have long to develop my original ideas and create an additional outcome I am happy with what I achieved.
I feel I let myself down for the Organic Kingdom project. Having to change my outcome for Point to Pixel meant I wasn't able to spend as much time on the last project. Although I did create a short film I would have loved to actually create my interactive website.
BA4 has been challenging and rewarding. I've learnt a lot and made mistakes.
The main two things I will take away from BA4 are Time Management and Reading the Brief.
My time management for this project was very poor. When I was on Graphic Design we were always given a time limit to create an outcome for each project (usually two weeks). Now on Communication and being given all three projects at once with our only time limit being deadline day I did struggle.
I worked on all three projects are once. I think this was one of the reasons I didn't spend an equal amount of time on each. Next term I feel it would be better if I slip my time up and concentrated on one project at a time. So that I can achieve the same for each and not juggle between them all.
Another problem I came across for the term was understanding the briefs completely. Although I was unsure I decided to go head and create my outcome for Point to Pixel, before then being told that my outcome did not fit the brief. I then had only two weeks to develop my outcome to fit the brief. This is also one of the reasons I wasn't able to spend as much time on the Organic Kingdom project.
I feel that I didn't do as well as I would have wanted to for this term and did really struggle. I was also ill at the beginning of the term when we were briefed on Point to Pixel which I think really affected my work.
I found Passing Time the most enjoyable of all the projects I think this is because I made it quite personal and knew my outcome would fit the brief (although I did still challenge it).
I struggled the most with Point to Pixel. I think this would have been my favourite project if it wasn't for the fact that it didn't met the brief. Although considering I didn't have long to develop my original ideas and create an additional outcome I am happy with what I achieved.
I feel I let myself down for the Organic Kingdom project. Having to change my outcome for Point to Pixel meant I wasn't able to spend as much time on the last project. Although I did create a short film I would have loved to actually create my interactive website.
BA4 has been challenging and rewarding. I've learnt a lot and made mistakes.