Turn the Lights Off

• Learned

 Uh, I learned that I don't use spare time that effectively? I don't know. I haven't really experimented with anything new in After Effects this week. It's just been a lazy week. But I'm alright with that.

• Want to learn

 Hm, I guess I wouldn't mind learning more about the cameras in After Effects.

• Frustrated you

 I hate writing essays. I've been working on my final project for my Participation In Government class and I hate it. That and I've been busier than normal lately since I've started talking to more and more people. It's getting to be a bit much. Why do I do this to myself?

• Made you happy

 I really enjoy talking to the people I talk to, even when it can get a bit much at times. We've been organizing Cards Against Humanity games and it's been a riot! We all enter a big skype call and we crack up whenever we get funny calls (black cards) and responses (white cards). It is even better since we've added a buttload of custom card packs like LoZ cards, FNAF cards, MSG cards, Bioshock cards, etc. So much fun... ;w;

Also, a friend introduced me to a 8tracks and I've been listening to the same playlist for roughly 4 days so far. Thanks. (It's great music though).

• Link of interest

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzJR98fzt6Y

It's a fan made video using some of the characters from Mystery Skulls Animated Ghost.  It's really funny and I love the silly nature of it all. Lewis the ghost only wants his tasty snack and Mystery has what he needs to get it. Check it out! You won't regret it!

BONUS:

In the spirit of introverts, here is an easy guide to dealing with introverts

http://fav.me/d4tfoyo

It's actually been a bit of a help for me personally...

Adventure Trip

In his interview with The RollingStone, Pendleton Ward, the creator of the hit television show Adventure Time, shares his experiences running the show and tells tales of an awkward childhood, awkward adulthood, and his awkward modern life. Being the head of a largely popular television show has taken its tole on the introverted Pendleton Ward. It opens him up to unwanted social interactions and excessive mental and physical fatigue. Some time during the fifth season of the show, Ward resigned from his position to take on a simpler role of writer and storyboard artist. His former position was taking too much out of him and he longed for a simpler life of isolation and pizza. The down side of having created one of the most diverse and unifying cartoons on television is that children, teens, and adults could all watch and appreciate the show and add to the immense burden of a growing fan base. Tom Kenny, voice actor of the show's antagonist, says that he can see a lot of Ward in the character. Slowly loosing their sanity, loosing control of the world around them, and craving social interactions despite lacking social skills. When Pen was younger, he took notes on others and calculated the best ways to interact with each person, including girls. He was sensitive and caring like Finn the Human. He did not like when his siblings swore and he tried raising money for saving the rainforest. He also lived with his visual artist mother who encouraged his creativity. He later went on to CalArts where he finally discovered a place where he belonged. There, his films were recognized by a producer at Frederator and he got a job making shorts for Nickelodeon where he created a short called Adventure Time. Nickelodeon rejected Ward's pitch to turn it into a full-length show, but later Cartoon Network would give him the green light. To deal with living with four roommates and his introvertedness, Penn does some of his work in coffee shops so he can avoid contact with people as he works. During meals, he prefers to draw rather than talk. In the future, he plans on writing an Adventure Time movie, working on a game, and having a fun and relaxing time when he does them.

I never realized just how much of a burden it was to run a show, especially when you're an introvert. It's a shame that the tole has been so great on Pendleton Ward. Being an introvert and running an insanely popular show is extremely taxing. Not for the feint of heart. Did Ward know what he was getting into when he started the show? And when did it start becoming too much? This sounds like a problem that any show could have. It's something we should be wary of, but it shouldn't deter us from doing what we love.

FX Debate

Since the emergence of CGI, some practical special effects fans and artists have protested the use of the new method, claiming that it is not only killing their trade, but also that it does not compare in quality to practical effects. The same is true with some CGI fans and artists. Both sides of the same coin are arguing over which method is better, but effective use of both is key to a great movie. CGI certainly makes things easier when it comes to bringing the script to life. With CGI, cool creatures and special effects can be thrown in to make a great movie, but it has its limitations. The method is only as good as the artist behind it, so that has to be taken into consideration. Also, mimicking the lights in the room can be a challenge, where puppets and practical effects have a physical form and can be lit accordingly. Sadly though, practical effects can also be flawed. While they may look good from one angle, they may not from another. Together, practical effects and CGI can be a powerful combination and can be used to create a spectacular film.

Good to know, I guess. I feel as though I already knew that, but I suppose part of me did assume that CGI was killing practical effects. I learned that practical effects are still used in modern films. I agree that both CGI and practical effects are extremely useful in creating a believable movie. How much of what we see is practical anymore? How widely is it being used and where? Practical effects artists are still in demand and effective films utilize both types of special effects.

The Story Continues

• Learned

I've learned to do quite a few little neat tricks in Adobe After Effects! I haven't quite mastered them yet, but that will come with time.

• Want to learn

 I need to find some new fonts for my Kinetic Type project, so I guess I wouldn't mind figuring that out. I'll have to do that on my own time, though.

• Frustrated you

 Family stuff as usual. I guess I'm also having some issues keeping up with my Participation in Government final project... It's been a bit rough... and the holidays certainly aren't helping.

And it certainly doesn't help that I've been horribly distracted as of late. Ultimately, I know it's my own damn fault, but that doesn't mean I like it any more.

Also, I was told around the beginning of the Fall season that I would be getting a new work laptop and when I asked yesterday, I was told that I wouldn't be. It was a little upsetting, but all I can do is just continue dealing with my current laptop. I can manage until graduation... I think ^^;

• Made you happy

 Close friends. They tolerate me, and that is more than I can possibly ask for.

I've been joining a lot of online art livestreams online. I have met so many amazingly wonderful people and I've had so much fun but I've also lost a whole butt-load of sleep as a result. These people are often 3 hours behind me and when they are livestreaming at 10 pm, it's already 1 am here, but I don't regret coming and watching the artists work. And everyone is so kind and supportive! And I've even met a few people that I never would have guessed I'd ever meet, like two of my favorite Mystery Skulls Animated Ghost voice actors "Chi-Chi" Bowyer (Vivi) and P.W. Gerkman (Lewis). They are both wonderful ladies and words could not describe how I felt when I got to talk to them. Even Helios, one of the "Ghost Masters" came to the livestream! It was amazing! Later into the stream, Gerkman started posting audio clips and the entire chat box started freaking out (with love) and we all kinda started posting our own audio clips in response. It was amazing... Thank you Emily and Kait for introducing me to Tumblr (and subsequently ruining my life lol).

• Link of interest 

 Actually, I have a few links of interest (WARNING: Second link contains illustrated nudity. Click at own risk)

http://surikitsuna.tumblr.com/post/104532303739

http://surikitsuna.tumblr.com/post/104488955979/dianekraus-so-my-hips-tutorial-has-gone-over-4k

http://mysterybensmysteryblog.tumblr.com/post/104134537163/i-know-this-might-be-an-occurring-question-but

• Comments on the link(s) of interest

The first two links are images, the first one being a bit of a comedy bit and the second one being a leg drawing tutorial (Warning: Nudity). I thought it would be nice to share. I've been finding a lot of tutorials on Tumblr and it's really nice because they just kind of show up out of nowhere and they become easy to find. Learn a little something every day!

The last one is another tip from Mystery Ben on Tumblr. It mainly deals with Adobe Flash, but I'm sure it can apply SOMEHOW to Toon Boom Animate Pro 3. Ben is always giving out little tips and tricks for Flash animation. This one deals mainly with audio syncing (and using a metronome-like graphic). I like to keep up with his blog and I hope that one day I will get to try these tips out for myself.

Bright Future of the Animation Industry

Thankfully for many of us in the Digital Media class, the animation industry is still growing at a steady pace (about 7% a year). New jobs are being created and the demand for animators is slowly increasing. Before Dreamwork's Shrek came along, there was no such category for "Best Animated Feature" in the Academy Awards, but with animations slowly becoming more and more prevalent, that slowly changed. With the rise of Disney, Dreamworks, and Pixar, this new media form simply could not be ignored any longer. In theaters, animated films were literally fun for the whole family, young and old. They appealed to children and adults alike and brought in quite a bit of money to the box office. The industry is worth approximately $222 Billion USD and had about 67 thousand multimedia artists employed in 2012 and it is estimated that that number will rise to about 73 thousand in 2022. The median pay for these artists was $61,370 in 2012 and the job growth outlook was about 6%. This is good news to us animators in the Digital Media class because these statistics tell us that jobs are still out there for the taking in the animation field, locally in the United States or abroad. It is a growing media outlet and the demand for artists is high.

This article gave me a bit of hope, but I would still have to go back and re-read the article to fully and completely grasp exactly what those numbers mean to me as an individual. There is still hope for my animation career. Are there any local animation jobs, or are they all the way in California and such? Animation is not a dieing medium. I have a dear friend who has been getting picked on because she wants a career in art but this article proves that not all artists and animators are "starving artists".

Median pay in 2012 was $61,370 a year and the job growth outlook is 6% - See more at: http://blog.animationmentor.com/why-animation-continues-to-thrive-as-an-art-form-and-an-industry/#sthash.qYc4hSMK.dpuf

Median pay in 2012 was $61,370 a year and the job growth outlook is 6% - See more at: http://blog.animationmentor.com/why-animation-continues-to-thrive-as-an-art-form-and-an-industry/#sthash.qYc4hSMK.dpuf

Dynamic Depth

Creating the illusion of depth is an important part of cinematography, despite being one of the last things you learn when in school. It requires skill, creativity, and ingenuity. To create the illusion of depth in a 2D medium, Mathew Rosen shared his top 5 favorite methods of achieving such a feat. He begins with the lighting. Skillful lighting is an important factor in any film and can help to create the illusion of depth. Harsh contrast between the darks and the lights with a fast falloff can make your 2D film pop off of the screen. Next, skillful manipulation of the depth of field should be used. Shallow depth of field is typically the safest bet for new filmmakers, but with experience, deeper depths of field can achieve the same effect. Moving cameras, also called "parallax", serve to add additional kinetic energy to your shots in addition to depth. Still shots seldom add much to the scene and don't give much for the audience to grab onto. Moving cameras give the scene a more dynamic feel and typically create more interest for viewers. Lastly, overlapping subjects on top of one another help to sell the idea of depth. It occurs in the natural world all around us, though it might be difficult to wrap your head around at first.

Useful article. Short and easy to understand tips. I learned of the different techniques to create depth. I actually had not thought that shading would play much of a role, but surprisingly enough, it did. How much is too much? Can these tricks be overdone and how? What would be the result? Overall good cinema tricks that we should all keep in mind for better quality videos.

Busy or Just Lazy

• Learned

 After effects seems pretty neat so far. I'm glad to have some basic knowledge of the program.

• Want to learn

 More about After Effects and how it can be used for animations (because I have a pretty good feeling that it can)

• Frustrated you

 Kinetic Typography storyboards are hard... *whines*

• Made you happy

 Chats with friends >w< You know who you are

• Link of interest (and a boot to the head)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFldBVWFgWo

• BOOT TO THE HEAD!!

Just a funny video in general. I thought that the sprite manipulation was pretty good and everything went pretty well with the audio. I would love some context, but I don't even care. This video is just plain funny. So many boots to the head!

Foley-ing Around

News flash: rarely are sound effects and foley shot during the film recording. It was added after the video was captured and recorded in a separate location by a specific person in charge of recording them (audio mixer, music mixer, and sound effects mixer). This kind of audio can be broken up into a few different categories: Ambience (background noise), library effects (sound effects that can't be recorded on the set for one reason or another), and foley (sound effects of character actions/props). Foley originated from Vaudeville which was a series of theatrical performances that used drums and other instruments to add emphasis to movements. Later, Vaudeville was replaced by radio and moving pictures which used similar methods to help tell a story. Sound effects in moving pictures were revolutionized during the transition from silent film to talking film. Audiences began demanding sound from movies when Warner Bros. released the talking film Jazz Singer. There were issues however. Timing and synchronization were an issue. Jack Foley had a solution. He watched the films and recorded live sound effects to go along with them on a single track, since multiple tracks were unheard of at the time. Foley's process was called Direct-to-Picture before it was later renamed Foley in 1962. Now, the people in charge of the sound effects and foley meet with the director and discuss what needs to go where and when. This is done through cue sheets. Foley artists often record in special offices that contain various different types of surfaces to walk on and shoes and props, etc. Foley artists even use a variety of tricks to simulate the sounds that they can't (or shouldn't) make such as celery for breaking bones and coconuts for horse hooves (how did they get it? Birds?). Remember, sound is an important part of any production. You could have the best footage in the world but if the sound is crud, then the film will be crud too. Remember, effective use of audio can separate an amateur home movie from a piece of cinema.

 The article was informative and useful. I learned about the history of sound effects/foley and how to create such things. How difficult is it to sync up audio when it is clearly off sync? Audio is everywhere and it is hella important. Take just as much care of you audio as you do your video.

References and Planning

References and smart planning are very important important when it comes to animation. References can help you find just the right pose you are looking for. A wide variety of media can be used for reference such as personal recordings, photography, comic books, film, and animation. Reference is NOT A BAD THING. In fact, it is a very practical and very wise practice. It is not "cheating" or "wrong" to use references. If utilized correctly, proper referencing can greatly enhance your work. Books of references created by Eadweard Muybridge (for run/walk cycles) and Dr. Harold Edgerton (slow motion photography) are amazingly useful to any animator and show how the principals of animation apply even to reality. Comic books are also particularly useful for referencing because not only do some of the artist who made the comic books have animation experience, comic books are chock-full of dynamic and super rad poses to reference. Also studying video and animated references is a good idea. Not only do they provide for some great poses, the people who took the shots knew what they were doing. Learn from those who have the knowledge you seek. Good references can be found all over these sources of media. Even if you can't find a reference for a person throwing a spear, you can probably find a good reference of a person throwing a javelin. And home recorded references can be a godsent. You know what you're looking for and after recording it a million and one times, it can yield a result pretty similar if not perfectly matching  reference you were looking for.

Knowing how to use the references is just as important as having the references. Copying the references often leads to a less appealing and less lifelike product. Integrating the ideas into your work and studying them and learning what makes them good references is key. Results may vary however. Animation isn't a "one method fits all" thing, but planning is an absolute must. The basics and the fundamentals and proper planning can not be ignored if you want your animation to be the very best that no animation ever was.

Makes complete sense. Don't have much of an opinion on it. I guess the tips were pretty cool. References are good. Without a doubt. I completely agree with what the article is saying and I appreciate the resource suggestions. How do you properly use a reference? Like, do you just look at it, or is there more to it? Everyone should use resources. Nobody is an exception.

Eadweard Muybridge

Photography, comic-books, live-action movie reference, animated reference - See more at: http://blog.animationmentor.com/how-to-create-character-animation-poses/#sthash.cjknVIPe.dpuf

Photography, comic-books, live-action movie reference, animated reference, and footage of yourself and your friends acting out a scene - See more at: http://blog.animationmentor.com/how-to-create-character-animation-poses/#sthash.cjknVIPe.dpuf

Photography, comic-books, live-action movie reference, animated reference, and footage of yourself and your friends acting out a scene - See more at: http://blog.animationmentor.com/how-to-create-character-animation-poses/#sthash.cjknVIPe.dpuf

Photography, comic-books, live-action movie reference, animated reference, and footage of yourself and your friends acting out a scene - See more at: http://blog.animationmentor.com/how-to-create-character-animation-poses/#sthash.cjknVIPe.dpuf

Life goes on

• Learned

 I've been doing more working than learning this week, so I don't really have much to put here. I messed with some screen cap programs and I got a feel for those. I also learned that exporting can take not forever, Five-ever

• Want to learn

 I wouldn't mind getting some knowledge on After Effects and I really wish I could learn some of the animation techniques that are being taught this year in the animation class. I miss that class...

• Frustrated you

 I've been frustrated for a lot of reasons. First off, I kept messing up with my documentary. It has been a living HELL. And as a result, I nearly lost all hope. I don't like how I get so intimidated by large projects and how I always fear that I will never get them done despite how well I may or may not actually be doing. I second guess myself too much.

• Made you happy

Ghost. Enough said.

Well, my close friends have been quite a pleasure to talk with to and work with.

Behold... a tumblr post by Mystery Ben on tweening a turning head
http://mysterybensmysteryblog.tumblr.com/post/102155743148/hrm-this-is-a-tricky-question-as-the-exact-answer

Oh my god, I love this blog so much >w< It's been so great. Ghost was an amazingly AWESOME 2D animation done in freaking ADOBE FLASH! Ugh, I love it so much

As for the article itself, I like how Ben kind of breaks down his method of tweening a head turn. It's simple yet practical and I'm 100% positive that this reference could even apply to the new animation program being used by the animation class.

"Cuz' the world might do me in
It's alright cuz' I'm with friends
Cuz' I'm giving up again
It doesn't matter..."

Cuddly Warm Marsmallow 6

When you think of the word "robot", what is the first thing that pops into your mind? Perhaps a big clunky and sharp tin can beast powered by diesel and pistons? Do you think of Baymax? He is a robot. But his appearance might throw you for a loop. He is indeed a robot, but he is not designed like the average film robot. He is soft and squishy and full of hot air (well, some kind of gas at least). One might take one look at adorable little Baymax and think, "that kind of robot is completely unrealistic! Robots can't be soft!" Much to everyone's surprise, Baymax is backed up by scientific research in the real world. Don Hall was inspired by his trip to Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute where he saw inflatable robotics. He saw that this type of robotics would be more beneficial in a home setting where things are more easily breakable and require a much softer touch. Baymax however is still very much a work of fiction, since soft robotics is still under development and no full-sized humanoid soft robots have been built yet. This technology is still under investigation around the world and could one day inhabit our homes, becoming our new caretakers in weakened or frail states.

I thought this article was pretty cool. I had no idea that soft robotics was even a thing. Uh, I learned that soft robotics was a thing... How long will it take for me to get my hands on a Baymax of my own? Haha. Keep your eyes to the future and don't be content with the same old, same old. Disney has proven their creativity time and time again by taking inspiration from the world around them and new technologies. We could all learn a lesson or two from Disney on inspiration alone.

Let's Build a Black Hole

Today we will be discussing the science behind the film Interstellar. Interstellar takes place on a failing planet, Earth. After years of crop failures and the final generation of humans born on Earth, it is painfully clear that mankind has to expand onto other planets. At first glance, a viewer might shrug this movie off as just another misinformed bit of media to cash in on the "space epic" genre, but there is a surprising amount of factual information packed into the 169 minute film. First off, the dusts and fungi that are shown to be ravaging the Earth's crops are actually based on real-life events and substances. These helped to keep that part of the story in check. Next, Executive Producer and and Science Adviser, Kip Thorne, made sure to keep the film as scientifically accurate as possible. He studied the science of black holes using equations from Eienstine's Theories of Relativity and his research was reflected in the recreation of a black hole in the film. The black hole in the film used the mathematical data found by Thorne to represent how light from a star swirls around a black hole multiple times before ultimately being sucked into its massive gravitational pull. A model of a black hole was made but still, aesthetics and appeal had to be taken into consideration. After all, it is still a movie. Kip Thorne and Christopher Nolan examined the recreated black hole and concluded that, as long as the black hole wasn't viewed at too many different angles, it would look just fine. Back to the science behind black holes now. Nolan used the trope that getting too close to a black hole would cause weird things to happen to time, causing time to essentially slow down or stop for the unfortunate astronauts who managed to venture too close. This idea furthers the conflict of the heart-wrenching separation between one of the astronauts and his daughter. Finally, the topic of Interstellar space travel was also scientifically backed. Since logically we can't move faster than the speed of light, nor can we survive the thousands of years it would take to reach distant planets, the film depicts an intergalactic "short cut", worm holes. Worm holes are hypothetical "tunnels" through space and time that were originally predicted by Einstein. Human beings are still many years away from actually traveling through a worm hole, but modern scientists can theorize how to make a worm hole big enough to send a message or even a starship.

I thought that the article was very fascinating and I'm glad that movies are starting to use this level of scientific research when writing/designing their movies. I learned quite a bit about the appearance of a black hole and that actual teams of scientists help to create better films for our viewing pleasure. How do we know so much about black holes? Other aspiring filmmakers can take inspiration from this article and use science to benefit their films as well

Another Day, Another Week, Another Month, Another Year

• Learned

Digital Media class gets a whole heck of a lot busier in the second year. Also I learned that checking the focus before every shot is very important.

• Want to learn

Better time management? Pol-focus? Working better in a group? Leadership skills?

• Frustrated you

I understand that working in groups is unavoidable and cooperation skills are very useful to have, but sometimes I just prefer to work alone. I don't like having groups chosen for me, but I also understand that sometimes you can't choose your groups and if you always could, you would have the same groups of people working together every single time (meaning that there would be a lack of variety). Still, I like doing things by myself (even though I must admit that groups can sometimes help to carry the burden of a big project and provide support during rough patches, but this is the "frustrated" section of my blog, so... eh...).

• Made you happy

I like candy and playing video games and I got to do both on Halloween. Happy belated spooky day everyone!

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6gPkMsmEdI

• A brief video on the origins of "zombies". Strangely enough, it has real life roots and "uses". It had nothing to do with actual death and it was more of an illusion than anything. Narrated by Game Theory's favorite talking Goomba. I'd recommend checking it out if you're into "zambies"

Getting to Know Storyboards

Storyboards are used to roughly illustrate what a film will look like. It describes the film's layout, composition, and various actions preformed by the characters. In short, storyboards are good. Regardless of rather you hire someone to do your storyboarding or if you have to do it yourself, there are some little tips to keep in mind given by DreamWorks. First, avoid flat staging. Flat staging lacks a feeling of 3D space and depth. It feels uninteresting and not very engaging, so it should be avoided in most situations. Next, lay down a grid to help keep your character's feet on the ground. It helps to better understand where a character is in a scene. Third, use objects in the foreground and background to help sell the idea of depth and distances, but beware of objects parallel to the frame. When dealing with groups of people, put the multiple characters into groups to make cutting back and forth been them during a conversation easier. Another trick for helping with dialogue is over the shoulder shots. Over the shoulder shots help to deliver dialogue and provide for some interesting shots. Be sure not to break the 180 rule! Don't squeeze your characters into a tight space. Provide a bit of wiggle room so the frame doesn't feel so crowded. When dealing with a single character looking into the camera, don't have them looking directly into it. Have the character looking slightly off center to provide for a less awkward shot. Use more diverse character heights to establish or re-establish your shots. Different angles can give the audience a feeling of an imbalance of power or authority. Lastly, give your character motivation. This can be done by providing a reason that a character might be doing something, like a character turning because a noise or a character getting up to make food because their stomach is growling. Find their motivations and make them clear.

 I think that we did this article last year. I don't have a problem with this, I just felt like saying. Ahh, memories of Animation... I learned some useful tips for storyboarding. I agree that all of these elements are useful to keep in mind and I feel like I could have utilized some of these during my time in Digital Media 1. I actually don't have any questions. I think that all of this is self-explanatory. A good storyboard is always needed for a good film. Don't skimp out on these elements kiddos.

The Psychology of Horror Films

Fear is a natural human reaction as a result of evolutionary adaptation. We fear certain things because those things used to be big threat. Predators, poisonous insects, etc. Even children as young as 3 years old have an easier time spotting snakes on a computer screen than they do finding flowers. The right amygydala, the part of the brain tasked with fear learning, responds more intensely to these "instinctual" fears than more rational, modern day fears such as people, landmarks, or objects. Perhaps this is why the "monsters" in our monster movies resemble the very beasts we have evolved to fear.

Though, oddly enough, horror films don't trigger reactions in the right amygydala at all. It actually triggers reactions in the visual cortex, the insular cortex, the thalamus, and the dorsal-medial prefrontal cortex. None of these parts were designed to process fear. In a way, we're not really being scared at all.

Psychologist Dr. Glenn D. Walters describes the three factors that describe allure of horror as the tension, the relevance, and the unrealism. The tension is caused by the mystery, the gore, the terror, or shock. Secondly, the horror has to be relevant in some way to the viewer. Universal fears such as death or the fears of societies can draw viewers in. Lastly, the viewer can take comfort in the knowledge that what we are viewing is not real. No vampires will swoop out in the dead of night to bite an innocent dame and use her as his slave. No scientist will stitch a man together and bring his creation to life. We all know that this goes beyond the absurd.

Many theories exist trying to explain the human attraction to horror. Aristotle believed that the attraction to horror films was a method of relief from negative thoughts. Sadly, this theory was debunked. Studies show that the viewing of violence actually increases aggression. Another theory is the Excitation Theory developed by Dr. Dolf Zillmann that states that the negative emotions that increase while watching horror films actually amplifies the positive feelings that we experience. This theory was also disproved because studies show that the movie is most enjoyed when the horror is occurring rather than after. When a "norm breaker" gets punished or killed off in a film, the Dispositional Alignment Theory suggests that we enjoy watching those people suffer or perish. Marvin Zuckerman theorized that people who enjoy thrills such as rollercoasters also enjoy horror films, but that is not always the case.

In a 1995 study of High School students watching Slasher films, the motivations for watching typically fell into 4 categories.

• Gore watching – characterized by low empathy, high sensation seeking, and in males a strong identification with the killer
• Thrill watching – high empathy and high sensation seeking – motivated by the suspense of the film and more identification with the victims.
• Independent Watching – high empathy for the victim with a high positive effect of overcoming fear
• Problem Watching – high empathy for the victim but characterized by negative effect – sense of helplessness.

 A person's motivation, however, can change from day to day and does not offer much a definite attraction to horror movies.

Another theory is that horror movies teach us how to deal with our problems and allows us to explore the unknown. The study of the human brain may be fairly new, but scary stories are timeless and will always remain so long as imagination exists.

*takes a deep breath* Whew, that was a long one... Time to finally move on

I think that this article was insightful and interesting. It is really amazing what science can reveal to those who search for it. I learned about the science of fear and scary movies! I don't think that the contents of the article can necessarily be argued with. Almost all of the topics covered were backed up with facts. Why is it that scary movies are not processed through the right amygydala where learned fears are developed? Is it because we know that what we see is not real and we do not need to fear what lies solely in the imagination? This article teaches a young film maker the basic structure of a scary movie from the design of the monster to what makes that movie scary rather than funny (or something like that)

Five More Days At School

• Learned

I learned a lot of Premiere stuff this week. Premiere is fun, but I don't quite know yet if I look forward to using the program or dread it.
I also learned how to write a shot list. Well, sorta...

• Want to learn

 I want to learn more about this thing called a "shot list", like how to write the best possible list.
I also want to learn how to write scripts and how to assemble a documentary...

• Frustrated you

Shot list.
Also, I'm really nervous about (perhaps not frustrated by) assembling my documentary pieces. I have doubts about my abilities and I fear that I may not get the hang of it in time...
I'm also nervous about (again, not necessarily frustrated by) college applications and scholarships. I know I am going to have to do it all alone, and I'm worried I will mess everything up.

• Made you happy

 Support from friends, support from teachers, support from everyone. It makes it a lot easier.

(WARNING: the video posted below contains swearing! Viewer discretion is advised.)

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz8MCVJb0_k

 Markiplier's animated playthough of Five Nights at Freddy's. The animation is nice, the audio is funny, and the video itself is entertaining. I don't like the game, but Markiplier knows how to make even the scariest things funny.

Looking Down Versus Looking Up

Examining a scene from Silence of the Lambs, we can clearly pick out what strategies are being used to convey the power struggle between the two characters Starling and Lecter. First off, the two are portrayed as equals by having the camera at their eye levels but slowly the shift in power changes. Starling sits down and suddenly the camera is now looking down on her as though she has less power. Meanwhile, Lecter is now viewed from a different perspective. The camera is looking up at him as though he has greater power. In addition to this, more subtle changes are made to express who is getting into the others' head. One character might be looking slightly off screen that is our first clue. For example, when Starling does this, the camera also cuts to see what she sees, but then it returns to Lecter. Later, when Lecter asks, "Do you know why he's called 'Buffalo Bill'?", we shift to his point of view. The power struggle appears to be tipping in Starling's favor, but Lecter snatches control again. They converse further and the camera dollies to make Starling appear short sided, making it very clear that she has lost the struggle. To finalize his victory, he now appears higher on the camera than Starling to prove that they are no longer seeing eye to eye. He then turns away form her and walks away, and she does the same. Ultimately, Lector wins the confrontation, but gives up his victory. Starling won the confrontation because she got Lecter to look at the survey, but the win felt more like a humiliation than a victory.

Excellent example of a visual power struggle. These techniques would be good for anybody planning on working in the industry. Camera angles are very important and can reveal more emotion and power than one might expect. I agree that the camera holds great power and has the ability to express a power struggle without the use of words. What are all the ways that cameras can express emotions and power struggles. Anyone can benefit from learning these techniques.

Bubble Science

In the animation industry, it isn't uncommon to see animators with advanced Physics books and equations scattered around their work areas. People like Ron Henderson, who could easily be working at Caltech, instead works at DreamWorks doing his part to make sure that the films created by this company look more realistic and are more efficiently produced. When creating bubbles, Henderson and his team begin studying drawings and photographs of soap and bubbles. One time, he even invited a colleague of his to give a lecture that he accurately titled Bubble Science. During his demonstration, Alejandro Garcia used bubble soap and plastic bubble wands to blow big bubbles in an amphitheater. He even set fire to a bubble made of hydrogen. Scientists like Henderson are in high demand in the animation industry. The transition from hand drawn animation to CGI caused a great need for scientists to create algorithms to simulate realistic looking elements such as water, fire, dust, snow, etc. The animation industry needs people that know what they are doing. People that could be writing science papers for Physics Today, but instead choose to work on Hollywood Blockbuster Films. Despite the risk on their reputation, the allure of the media industry draws scientists in still. It isn't necessarily the money or the recognition, but the personal challenge and the personal achievement of fixing a technical problem. The artists and the scientists work closely together, side by side, to get the work done. Mathematicians, physicists, astrophysicists, and biologists, often former workers for NASA, work together with sculptors, painters, and animators. There is a beautiful balance of art and science going on at DreamWorks. Henderson has received numerous prestigious awards for his works and is very proud of his achievements. He grew up near Nashville and dreamed of becoming a rocket scientists. Later he received a doctorate for aerospace engineering. His research landed him a job at Caltech, but he then moved to the commercial software ArsDigita. When that company got sold, he moved to DreamWorks. After seeing the movie Shrek, Henderson became interested in CGI. Part of his job now is to ensure that the artists and the engineers are communicating. He tries to focus on efficiency and improving the tools his team uses to produce their special effects. His most recent challenge has been to produce realistic looking bubbles for the movie Home. It has been a very tricky problem of both math and physics. Using a version of a weather-prediction model and his knowledge of fluid physics, he has devised a new way to simulate flow on a sphere. And the fact that most movie goers will likely never appreciate his work does not bother him. He gets gratification from the fact that he knows that he can see the results of his work and that he is providing a unique benefit to a team of artists.

I think that it is interesting how animation is not just a field of artists, but a team of scientists and artists working together to create the best movie experience possible. I learned that DreamWorks hires scientists in addition to artists. How does one create a program for fluid physics? Science is just as important as art, but when they work together, the results shine through.

Weekly Synopsis

• Learned

I learned Premiere stuff, like how to edit video footage and add filters and stuff. Yay.

• Want to learn

 After Effects stuff?

• Frustrated you

It's just been a crazy week. I've been dealing with spending a lot more time being alone at home and it still sucks, but it's gotten easier. I need to find better ways of occupying my time so I don't get as bored or as lonely.

• Made you happy

I'm glad when I do get to spend time with my boyfriend for more than just an hour or two. And I've been getting to play my newest game, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. Also I got to visit Villa Maria college on Friday and I really enjoyed that.

(Warning: The video below contains violence, minor use of alcohol, and potential swearing. Watch at own risk)

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgD0roMPcmw

 It's a really cool animation that crosses the first American moon landing with Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. It's really funny and I like the animation style of the video. It's a bit loud and the minor use of alcohol, violence, and potential swearing make it for mature audiences, but otherwise it's a very entertaining thing to watch

Ninja Lavalier

Izzy Hyman shares various tricks to hide Lav microphones. He stresses that if it isn't necessary, you shouldn't hide it, but when it is necessary, there are a wide variety of ways to do it. Articles of clothing such as ties, T-Shirts, polos, bras, and even bare chests can be used to conceal the miniature microphones. Using two triangles of tape, one can stick the mic to fabric and reduce the amount of noise it will pick up from rubbing against clothing and other materials. This trick is useful when sticking the mic under ties, between buttons, under collars, and onto the chest. The mic can also be hidden under the knot of a tie by tucking it through the not and only revealing the little microphone grill. In an attempt to reduce vibrations picked up by the wire attached to the microphone, a very loose knot can be tied in the wire to provide for strain relief. The same method can be used to attach the microphone almost everywhere else.

Very useful to know for the situations where the mic needs to be hidden. I learned how to hide lav microphones. I think that his methods are effective at concealing the lavalier microphone. Why would a lav mic need to be hidden? These tips can be used to effectively hide the mic and still retain a certain level of audio quality.

Guardians of the Thrones Creatures

Miss Nicole Herr is an animator from Los Angeles who has worked on projects such as Guardians of the Galaxy and Game of Thrones. When asked by the Creature Animation: Locomotion group, she shares some of her thoughts, opinions, and tips with them. She shares the tale of her beginnings first, describing her first animating job for a movie called Sphere, then she explains that her desire to animate came from when she saw The Little Mermaid in High School. After writing to Disney for advise and receiving a phone call from an employee, she knew that animation would be the career for her. Next she was asked some of her favorite shots and she gave a list of various shots she's liked, but ultimately says that she enjoyed one of the shots from Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, when all of the owls were having a tender moment as a family. Then Nicole Herr was asked the differences between character animation versus realistic animation. She narrows it down to references and the level of fine detail required. For more realistic animations, you need more realistic details. And when animating a character, she uses herself for reference. She does her best to reenact what her character will be doing and study any footage she took of herself. For creatures, she studies the animals who most closely resemble the behavior and body structure of the creature in question. For example: When animating a large dragon, she used a condor and a pelican for body structure and movement patterns, but for smaller dragons she uses humming birds and bats. It varies depending on the nature of the creature and the physical design of it too. She details the joys of animating creatures and she describes how she has to look into their little personality quirks to help give them depth. She wraps up her interview with some common mistakes she sees when mentoring and gives her advise on how to fix those mistakes. Problem 1: Overcomplicating things,  Solution 1: Don't overcomplecate things. Problem 2: The student doesn't understand WHO they are animating, so the characters aren't well developed, Solution 2: Learn who your character is and why they do what they do. Problem 3: Neglecting to study references for the creatures they are animating, Solution 3: Learn your character's body mechanics. Problem 4: Not acting out the character's motions, Solution 4: Act out the character's motions to get a better understanding on how they will move. Problem 5: Not understanding the weight of the character. Problem 6: Using bad references. Lastly problem 7: Not asking for critiques. Solution 7: Ask people to look over your work and take critiques, but don't take it personally. It's a team effort.

I enjoyed the article. It was very useful and I'm glad that I read it. I learned some of the common mistakes made made by students. Now I know what to watch out for when I animate creatures and characters. I agree with what Nicole Herr said in this article. How do you know what references are "good" and what references are "bad"? And how can you tell if a bad reference was used? Character and creature animation is everywhere. Her tips should be kept in mind at all times.

Mi Thrones and Guardians of the Galaxy Creature Animator

By: Animation Mentor

Aug

06

2014

Nicole Herr

- See more at: http://blog.animationmentor.com/10-insights-from-a-game-of-thrones-and-guardians-of-the-galaxy-creature-animator/#sthash.M59l1xry.dpu

Late Night Story Telling

This week I learned video stuff! Oh... wait... you all wanted specifics...? Uh... I learned a lot about some of the tech we will be using in the future. Different microphones and terms and stuff like that. It's good stuff to know though. I also learned that finding a good place to record audio is hard... ;A;

In the near future I would like to learn how to find good places to record a documentary and good questions to ask. I'm dreading the documentary project because I've always been bad with interviews and stuff.

 Frustrated me? Uh... I suppose I've been having a bit of a problem dealing with some of the people around me. I don't think ignoring them is the best option, but I don't want to be mean either. I've tried asking politely, but I don't think that quite got the message across. I'll figure something out faithful readers I hope.

This class makes me happy. It's the highlight of my day and I simply love it! Also, my waifu Emily and I got to talking on skype and we used a random scenario generator and wrote a crap ton of Borderlands oneshots. It was great! And I've been hanging out with my boyfriend a lot lately. He will be starting his new job soon, so I'm a bit worried that I won't get to see him that much, but for now I'm just enjoying the time we spend together.

Pixar Theory

• A theory video connecting a lot of the Pixar movies together. It seems like a relatively sound theory, but I feel like it has a few holes in it. Could this be the case? I'll leave that up to you to decide.

Rockstar Tips

Mr. Ian Bowden, former art director at Rockstar Games, leaves his current job for another one, but he leaves behind some useful tips for new and old artists alike. Firstly, he reminds us all that his job was still a job. Yes, he did have some fun doing it, but ultimately it was still a job and there was still work to be done. When it comes to the actual art, one should pay attention to what others are doing and what's "in" at the moment, but they should never aspire to be unoriginal or to follow the crowd. Keep in mind the little things that are grabbing people's attention but also aspire to be different. The whole world is changing and becoming different, so your art should change with it. Be unique. Next, when one is working on a mobile game, give it the best visual qualities it can have. Don't skimp out on the details just because it's smaller. It needs to grab attention and have charming visual qualities that keep people coming back for more. Little details are what sell, not always high polygon counts and or ultra-realism. Even little icons that appear on the phone's app screen need to be attractive. They need to make people want to touch that app and play the game. Heck, even the icon for the store where the game can be purchased needs to be visually appealing. Spare no details. Also, one should always keep a sketch book on hand so they can catch the little artistic thought bunnies that would otherwise get away. Practice practice practice. Keep your art skills up to par by practicing with your sketch book on the go. Sidewalks, faces, fabric, etc can all be practiced while out with your sketch book. Lastly, an artist needs to experiment and try new things. Expand your knowledge and don't be stuck down on one singular method or style. Find inspiration from other peoples' works and learn from the people who may or may not be better than you. There will always be someone who knows something you don't.

Very useful article. These tips are good for any artist to know and keep in mind, as intended by the author of this article. I can't honestly say that I didn't know any of this stuff, but it's always good to have a referesher (even though this kind of stuff comes at us from all directions. But if it wasn't important, then fewer people would say it). I agree with this article completely and whole heartedly. How would one get their start in this field and what exactly does one with this occupation do? Anyone in the digital media field should keep this in mind. They might as well be fundamental principles of media. This information might be everywhere, but that just means that it's important and we should know it.

Brain Puppeteering

• Film makers, neuroscientists and cognitive psychologists have teamed up to figure out just how movies effect their audiences. Their studies show that the human eye often follows most closely to the action occurring during a scene in a movie. As a result, movie makers have to be cautious about how much CGI they are adding and where. Too much CGI in obvious places looks unreal and takes attention away from what needs to be focused on. The audience's brain is the best visual effects tool for the movie makers to use since it stitches the scenes together so they make sense. Also, faces and physics should be given special attention. Faces are hard to accurately replicate even with motion capture technology and the human brain is hard wired to recognize the human face. The more believable the face, the better the brain can recognize the face and relate to the character. Secondly, the audience can tell when a fall doesn't look or feel right, so the movie maker has to be extra careful to make sure that if a car is going to be tumbling and rolling, it can't look like a light weight tumble weed blowing in the wind. It has to look like a real car with real weight to create a sense of reality in the mind of the viewer. Further research is going into exactly how the brain stitches scenes together, but so far they know that our eyes take a bit of information from different sources and puts them together in a seamless stream of stimuli., even though that is not the case in reality.

• I thought this was a very useful article. These are things that all film makers, animators, or even novices should know. I learned that the brain draws little bits of information from all over the scene and it puts them together as though it was a single continuous stream. I definitely agree with what was said in the article. All of this is scientifically backed and makes a lot of sense if you really thing about it. How was a heat map generated for this experiment? If an aspiring film maker or someone else of a similar field can keep this in mind and uses it skillfully whenever they are working on a project, their films will always keep the viewers' eyes on track and never loose their attention from the main focus. This is definitely a useful skill to have and remember.

Weekly Doldrums

• What I Learned This Week

 This week was mostly a work week, but I did get a referesher on different photo editing techniques. I used a lot of the clone stamp tool and a bit of masks. I also used a bit of layer adjustments to change the color of the scene, which made some cool effects too (like a green octopus).

• What I Want to Learn

 How to edit the colors of videos rather than still pictures.

• What Frustrated you

 I don't like the new format for blogs. I understand why they were changed, but I disagree with it. The change was supposed to make it easier, but instead it made it harder.

• What Made Me Happy

 I donated blood on Thursday this week. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. It didn't hurt too bad and when it did, it went away pretty quickly.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pomc3DunY8c

•  Little commentary with the Gearbox at Pax Prime 2014. They're talking about the newest Borderlands installment, Borderlands the Pre-Sequel. It's pretty cool. I personally find it entertaining to listen to.

Color Harmony

• Colorists are vital to a successful film. They fix color mistakes and make scenes generally better by adding colors and gradients. Effective use of color can be seen in not only movies with actors, but also animated films. Pixar skillfully uses colors to make the viewer feel the desired emotional response for the actions playing out on the screen. The colors can be subtle or they can be bold, but one must make sure that they do not overdo it. Find the most important scenes or most intense moments and saturate those with the necessary colors. Colors can vastly change the meaning of a scene. A darker scene might express fear or danger where a brighter or warmer scene might express joy or love. Colorists are just as important as sound editors and a good (or at least decent) colorist should be taken into mind before starting a good film.

• Useful article. Always good to keep the fundamentals of color in the back of your mind. I learned that no matter where you go in the animation/film industry, color will never stop being important. It will always loom over your head and will always play an important roll in whatever you make. I agree that colors are important and will always be important. How does one become a good colorist? Color is important no matter where you go in digital media. Always good to have a little refresher.

Boxtrolling

• Travis Knight is not only one of the animators behind the recent stop-motion film The Boxtrolls, but he is also the president and CEO of Laika where the animation happens. There, all of the skills and tricks learned from its previous movies are not only maintained but utilized in future films because there is a single core staff that sticks with the studio from film to film. Though Laika has made a group of movies with similar settings and themes, Boxtrolls is determined to be different. Boxtrolls is taking a more absurd and fantastical route, involving new creatures. To Laika, animation is more than just a genre, it's a method of conveying ideas and stories to viewers who watch it, regardless of genre. Travis Knight states that his transition from animator to CEO was challenging. He had to go from focusing on the small details to the big picture. He also had to deal with a variety of different people and a variety of different problems and the initial transition was uncomfortable and uneasy. The team seized the opportunity to try something new by rigging the Mecha-Drill with motion controls that have never been used before on anything other than cameras. Doing this was a step towards making a more sophisticated movie that people could watch and feel as though the characters were more than just dolls, but real living beings. With stop motion films such as The Boxtrolls, redoing shots is tricky and difficult. Laika relies on its careful cast of animator/actors to get the job done right the first time. For a successful film such as The Boxtrolls, the team needs to be made up of those who are good with their hands and crafting things and those who are good with technology and keep up to date with the newest gadgets. They might occasionally but heads, but in the midst of the tensions, some of the best ideas can form.

•  Personally, I don't like The Boxtrolls. That just isn't my cup of tea. Most of the information in the article does not pertain to my interests or my ideal field of animation, but I suppose the article would be useful to someone who did want to go to the stop-motion field. I learned a lot about stop motion stuff and Laika stuff: What makes up a good team, how innovations can change the feel of a movie, and how Laika doesn't want to be put into a box, so to speak. They want to be known by just one type of movie they did, but by the movies themselves. Everything in the article was pretty agreeable. It was all factual and based on the personal experiences of Travis Knight. This article is huge for those who not only plan on going into this field, but also those who enjoy animation altogether. It gives a brief insight into the Laika animation studio and what makes them tick.

Dawn of the Third Week

• Learned

I learned a lot this week. From retouching to masks to color theories and much more. I also got a brief refresher on notebook organization. Always a good thing to do

• Want to learn

I have a bit of trouble understanding the difference between saturation and hue. This is something I really need to know but right now I can't understand it.

• Frustrated you

 Sometimes the clone stamp tool can be annoying to use. You have to be really careful when using it.

• Made you happy

My Urban Evolution project is pretty funny in my opinion, even though everyone else says it's terrifying. The Italian Chef statue looks so goofy and happy and the moth is just kinda like "Hey everybody! I am a mustache!" and I crack up a little each time.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQVXOdjGQ5s

• The newest episode of Did You Know Gaming about Rayman. It has a lot of interesting facts that I did not know and it talks about various animation/game elements such as concept art, game engines, etc. It was an entertaining video to watch and I would highly recommend to anyone interested in gaming history.

Documentary Obsession

Mister Michael Moore gave the world a little insight into how he makes his successful documentaries successful in a relatively easy to follow list necessary pointers. He asserts that documentaries should be treated like movies that make us laugh, cry, feel good about ourselves, or teach us something new. The audience should leave the theater with a sense of personal discovery and wonder that can not be achieved through a lecture style documentary. Be bold and make the documentary personal. Don't be afraid to appear in your own documentary or simply add a your own voice to the mix. Trust your audience and yourself because if you don't like your work or if you don't smile or crack up over it, how can you expect anyone else to do the same? Finally, give a bit of extra respect to your sound worker. The work that they do could make or break your film. The sounds that they produce can carry the story a long way.

This list has a lot of useful pointers contained within it. I felt as though some of the pointers were not explained too well, but for the most part, I understood what was being said. These pointers will be useful for when I will eventually have to make a documentary myself. It feels as though some of these pointers will be hard to implement, but having the general knowledge just helps in general.

Causing a Hullabaloo

Veteran Disney animators are attempting to bring back 2D animation with the creation of Hullabaloo, a movie about a steampunk universe following our two female protagonists Veronica Daring and Jules who share an interest in engineering. Together they must rescue Veronica's father who has mysteriously gone missing. But before Hullabaloo can be come a reality, the animators have to raise money through donations. Depending on how much money is donated by an individual, that person can receive a special gift such as web content, e-books, an art book, and concept art material. Real signs of appreciation by the animators for the generous donors who are helping to make the dream of resurrecting 2D animation a reality. If this movie is a success, then there will potentially be more Hullabaloo content released such as a web series, TV series or even feature-length animated film.


I personally believe that this is AMAZING! 2D animation has had an amazing impact on my life. I wanted to get a career in 2D animation but I've always been told that 2D is dead and I would only be able to find a job in 3D. Hullabaloo could potentially prove those people wrong and I am so excited. I am curious about the actual animation process is going to work for the movie though. Is it going to be the traditional Disney style of Cell animation or is it going to involve some computer animating programs? Only time will tell.

Winging It

• Learned

This week I learned a bit about Photoshop and different video production stuff. It was really cool. I didn't think I would like Photoshop that much but so far I'm loving it! I also think I'm not doing to bad at it :D

• Want to learn

More Photoshop stuff! I also kind of want to learn actual video production stuff, but that will come later.

• Frustrated you

I don't like a lot of the little printed out assignments we have to do. I mean, I will still do them, but I'm not happy about it.

• Made you happy

I'm happy to have my loving boyfriend by my side and I'm glad for all of the good friends I have. I'm glad that I am able to do what I love every day and I'm glad for those who are helping to make it happen for me.

• Link of interest 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIPlQpjrpVk

• Comments on the above link

I found this video over the summer and I've been itching to put it into one of these posts. I get it, not everybody like My Little Pony, but if you can bear to watch the video for the first 2 minutes and 33 seconds or so, you could learn a very valuable lesson. I won't spoil it for you, but it could benefit just about ANY young animator. The rest of the video is also really useful for someone who likes animating wings or winged beings. Could be a really useful video to watch altogether! Give it a peep!

Keeping it Reel

• What I learned

You have about 30 seconds to show potential employers what you're made of. Choose about 3 of your best works and try not to fall into any trends or cliches. Show them that you have something new and fresh to add to the table. Take the time to learn the character you are trying to make. Characters that look and feel more realistic are much easier to relate to than a character who looks and feels fake. Taking an acting class can help you to create better characters. Don't be offensive. If your potential employers market to women, don't make a reel that would be offensive to women. Lastly (and probably most importantly), make sure that your reel is accessible to your potential employers. If they can't access your reel, then it's highly unlikely that you will get the job.

• Opinions

Extremely useful article. This will certainly help when I get out of college and start searching for an animating job. All of the tips are things we should of known but didn't even consider until now. And, since we're probably not going to be getting a job in the animation field any time soon and we haven't started assembling a demo reel yet, we have a bit of an advantage and a heads up. I'm very glad to have read this article.

• Question

How soon should someone start assembling an demo reel? Where can demo reels be used? Just for potential jobs or are there more places where a demo reel can be used?

Cutscene Cinematogrophy

• What I learned

Films have had over a hundred years to develop and video games have only had around forty, yet games are catching up fast. Using what we have learned from movies (camera angles, lighting, choreography, etc) we are able to utilize this knowledge to build a better game. Our most important stride lately has been in the area of cinematography. We learned from Lev Kuleshov’s famous experiments with the “cutaway” that lighting can effect the emotion of the viewer. Even if no real emotion is being portrayed, the lighting can give the illusion of a desired emotion through cinematography.

Still, there are people who are skeptical of the usage of Hollywood aesthetics in games. They fear that it will make games (an interactive art form) feel more like movies (a non interactive art form). The cutscenes would feel unnatural and confining and the difference in quality of the game itself and its cutscenes would be distracting and unappealing. Game developers however are doing their best to put these worries to rest by creating smooth cutscene flow and equally visually appealing gameplay.

• Opinions

I think that it is absolutely wonderful that we are making strides towards more visually appealing games by using knowledge we already have. Using these techniques will make games even more enjoyable than they already are. If a game can make you feel real human emotions just by changing up the lighting or using simple camera angles, then shouldn't this be praised rather than feared. We should be able to get as immersed in video games as we get in movies. I sincerely hope that more games will use these techniques in the future

• Question

Why has this not been done sooner? Have we just recently developed the technology to make this possible or have we recently found the courage to try something so bold and daring?

Summer Is Over

May the fun begin

Well, This Is Goodbye

 It's been a great year at NCTEC. I've learned so much and gained many useful skills for the road ahead. Here are my final comments:

1. Why did you take this class?
I took this class because I was always fascinated in the animation and cartooning process. I wanted to explore this field and gain new experiences. I never thought I'd have this much fun working with such amazing people.

2. In general, what did you like most about this class?
My fellow classmates and the projects were pretty fun too. I also enjoyed learning a new skill, that's always fun (it isn't work if you enjoy what you do).

3. In general, what did you like least about this class?
Deadlines, but those are a part of life, so I dealt with it

4. What was your most favorite project and why?
I have to pick just one? Aw man! I liked quite a few of them. I liked the 3D short because it was my first chance to explore 3D film and create and animate my original character, Goo. I also liked the 11 second club simply because it was fun to work on. I also liked the final project because we had complete freedom to interpret an ambiguous script (despite its massive length) and I got to reintroduce Goo as a 2D animated character.

5. What was your least favorite project and why?
2D Short without a doubt. I feel like I did so poorly on it and I had the most stress and a few panic attacks while working on it. I guess it was a good learning experience though.

6. Discuss the overall effectiveness of the instructor (for example: preparation, availability, interest, content knowledge, expectations, etc.).
Ms. Licata was an effective instructor who was willing and able to take the time to explain something we were unsure of. She did not have much knowledge of Maya, but that wasn't her fault since she had been given the program so late in the summer. I am happy to have had her as a teacher and I look forward to having her next year.

7. What are the most valuable things you learned in the class?
Teamwork, time management, etc.

8. Do you feel that this class will help you achieve your future academic or career goals? How or why (or why not)?
Yes. It gave me a head start in the animation field (at least as far as education goes). I also think that my achievements in this class will help me get accepted into colleges and careers alike.

9. How could this class be improved?
Get to know Maya a bit better? I'm not really sure of anything else...

10. Additional comments:
I am grateful of all of the things I experienced during my time in class.  The thing I am most happy about is the connections I've made with those around me. You have all taught me a very valuable lesson. Working together and tolerance (well, it's still a work in progress...). We may not be friends forever because hey, forever is a really long time, but for now I'm just glad to have had you all in my life. I wish you all the best of luck in this cruel world and hope you find exactly what you were looking for and more.

Yesterday brought the beginning
Tomorrow brought the end
And somewhere in the middle
We became the best of friends...

File Corrputed

• Learned

 Karma can be a jerk? Also AP exams can be jerks too (specifically AP Physics B)

• Want to learn

 How to speed up the process of lip syncing. That would be nice :)

• Frustrated you

 My final project got corrupted and it can't be recovered. I guess I didn't loose to much, but it still stinks. Thank goodness I had backup files, but they were several hours older than the file I had lost, so I still lost a bunch of work that I will have to make up for today. I don't think there's any way I'll be able to finish be Wednesday :( Guess I'll just have to finish what I can and hope for the best...
  

• Made you happy

 I didn't loose all of my work at least. And I got a bunch of compliments on my work from my older sister (who usually doesn't care about anything I do), which was nice I guess. Yesterday my boyfriend got us lunch and got me chocolate, which was thoughtful and kind of him.

Update: I made up my lost work with ease and am progressing with my animation :) Poor Goo looks so sad xD Which he's supposed to. It's funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aiBSNumx0A

A beautiful documentary on the art of game. It details the progress of games and how video games are an interactive art form that does all that good art should do. It also goes over the Borderlands 2 Cooperative project with the Academy of Art University. I liked it :D It's a long video, 1:05:00

Puppies and Plots

• Throwing in a little pooch or kitty can make an old character type feel new and fresh again. Seems simple enough.
• Cat people are stereotyped to be crazy and moody but dog people are thought of as social and cooperative. Utilizing this concept and manipulating it to surprise people can be a useful strategy.
• Even if the characters don't have a pat currently, implying or stating that they may have once had a pet or currently want a pet can do just as much for a story.

 Thoughts:

• I don't think that it is this simple. The pets need to have a purpose and if they can be easily replaced or removed without much change to the story, then they shouldn't be included. The closest example to this I can think of would be Mia's pet cat, Fat Louie, from The Princess Diaries. He doesn't serve much of a purpose in the movie other than act as a companion to Mia (which is arguably an important role, but probably not as important as Toto from The Wizard of Oz) 
• The "dog person" "cat person" stereotype isn't completely false, but it isn't completely true either. Cats are good pets for people who can't get up and out as easily where a dog is a pet that needs a person who has enough energy to get up and take them out every now and again. However, a person could be very social and have a little friend back at home who doesn't require to much maintenance and someone who is introverted and antisocial could have a dog to keep them company or provide a sense of safety. It all depends on the person.

Question:
 In what situation would a pet be detrimental to a film? Perhaps it wouldn't make sense to have one or it would take away from the plot.

Theaters Desensitising Audiences

• Innovation and originality are rare in the movie industry, and this is spoiling the experience for movie goers. If there is anything less than perfection, it is stamped with the seal of disapproval by audiences.
• Impressive CGI and stunning special effects aren't seen as special because we are bombarded by them in every direction. We have grown sick of seeing the same thing over and over again and no amount of special effects can change this.
• Although not every filmmaker can be a James Cameron, audiences still expect the filmmakers to actually give a care about their work. Audiences want an engaging and original narrative that doesn't rely solely on blinding special effects. CGI should be in balance with the narrative, if one is good, the other should be just as good.

Thoughts:

•  I agree that movies have been given much less thought in modern times. It has gotten to the point where whenever I see a movie trailer on the television, I always say "that looks like a bad movie." I may know nothing about the movie, but if it looks like it has the same dusty and overused storyline as every other movie of its genre, I will immediately assume it to be a bad movie. Often I am wrong. And it isn't necessarily fair of me to judge a book by its cover, but when each book you look at has the same cover, it's hard not to judge one story by the content of another.
•  To much money is being spent on CG and not enough thought is being spent on an engaging plot.

 Question:

•  When did it all start to go wrong? When did filmmakers start to grow lazy?

Weekly Struggles

• Learned

 I... uh.... still haven't really learned much...

I guess I learned a thing about Flash audio. Matching the frequencies and stuffs.

• Want to learn

 I don't know, more complex and realistic tweens?

• Frustrated you

 I feel like I'm making little to no progress no matter how hard I work. It's really discouraging...

• Made you happy

 D&D this week was absolutely amazing. My boyfriend and I went off on our own separate quest to search for 8 legendary keys (weapons). I have no idea what they will be used for, but they're still super awesome. First, we fought a vampire spawn (I broke my Rapier), then we found a pair of boots that let the wearer walk on water (which I now call Jesus Boots), then we fought and killed a butcher who wanted to eat us (he smelled horrendous), and then we encountered a vampire lord who chastised us at first for breaking into his home, killing his butcher, and stealing his precious dagger. We tried reasoning with him, and it got to the point where he was willing to give us the map to the next key and he was going to let us leave alive, so the DM had to throw in a random warewolf because we completely bypassed the boss fight by becoming buddies with him. We all killed the warewolf and as thanks, the vampire gave us the dagger (which steals 1 constitution per hit) and a room for the night if we left by morning. The next morning we went into town and I spent several thousand gold on an enchanted Rapier that does acid damage and The Bane of Humanoids dagger which gives me a chance to instantly kill a target (they have to roll 3 saves to not instantly die). It was an amazing day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5L1YdFcw0A

Things to do when you're depressed :D It's a catchy little song with some cute animation to go along with it :P Some of these ideas could actually help someone feel better if they are feeling blue (like building a pillow fort or watching cat .Gifs on reddit). I recommend watching :D

Animated Characters Evolved

• It is important to create a character that the player can recognize and connect with. To do this, it is good to pay close attention to the human form, with a few minor alterations.
• The simplest conglomeration of shapes in the right place can be identified as a human form. Use this to your advantage
• Do your best to make sure that form meets function. This will create a more believable character

 Thoughts

• Fairly useful article. It might come in handy if I am ever designing a humanoid character (though it seems more useful in 3D than 2D)
• Though this article raises some good points, I'm not entirely sure that the player can only relate to a character if it has a fairly accurate humanoid shape. I think that the player has considerably more to grab onto and connect with other than physical appearance. I'm sure it helps though.

Question
How far might be to far? At what point does a character start looking unbelievable? Are there any exceptions to this concept (where unbelievable might be more believable)?

YouTube Cartooning and You

• YouTube gives the everyday animator a chance to prove their worth. When a good idea is a good idea, but a big time network believes otherwise, an animator can still put it up on the internet  for the world to see. And who knows, maybe it will be a multimillion view hit?
• "Niche cartoons can remain niche and not cause problems for executives, as there is no competition over time slots. For larger networks like Frederator, that peaceful coexistence all but eliminates the challenges of visibility." I think this pretty much speaks for itself
• The internet gives cartoonists almost complete freedom. Length, content, style, etc. Sure, if a video is more adult oriented, it will get less advertisement from YouTube, but if it is good, someone will still find it and are likely to tell two friends who each tell two friends, etc.

Thanks Ms. Licata

• This article is pretty encouraging for me, since myself and a group of friends were (hopefully) going to post our own little series on YouTube.
•  A lot of it is common knowledge (but that isn't a bad thing. It's still encouraging). Sometimes we need to be reminded of things we already knew

Question
What should one keep in mind before booting up a YouTube series? Any tips or advise for people just starting out?

It's Been a While

Wow... it's certainly been a while, hasn't it?

• Learned

 I can't say I've really learned anything lately. Unless you consider "learning what it's like to go out on competition" to fit in this category, that is. Other than that, I haven't really done much learning recently.

• Want to learn

 I guess I'd like to learn how to effectively divide up the work of an animation (which will not only be useful for future competitions, but also for a group of young animators who want to form an animation studio over the summer).

• Frustrated you

 Changing the audio compression from MP3 to ADCPM (or whatever it is). I changed all of my audio files to ADCPM individually and also in my publish settings, but I know there is at least one more left for me to change (that I fear I might miss).

Also I fear that I might be clashing with those closest to me. Our different opinions and comfort zones aren't mixing well and I don't know what to do about it. My sense of humor is different but I don't want that to hurt our friendship. I've been trying to grit my teeth and keep my mouth shut, but that doesn't always help and it can't last forever...

• Made you happy

 Going to competition was a blast! I loved the whole experience! I was terrified and so stressed out I wanted to rip my hair out, but I loved every second of it. I sincerely hope that I will get to participate in many other animation competitions in the future (and other competitions in similar areas).

•  https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_239531&feature=iv&index=1&list=PL84DB158CAABE4E07&src_vid=8Q2P4LjuVA8&v=zs_4NI7wjno

This is a behind the scenes for a hilarious video called "The Glitch".  The video was well put together and it was pretty informative (through showing rather than telling). It's mostly just for giggles but it could also be a decent reference point for anyone who wants to make a little video like The Glitch.

Pixar Developing a New Way to Animate

• Pixar is developing a new way to help add more "texture" to the textures of their animated characters by putting a layer of paint over-top of the animation. This helps to convey the lighting and the roughness of skin and cloth. It makes it look a bit more realistic.
• Temporal coherence is apparently the fluidness of images from frame to frame. Would have been nice to know before watching the video a million times and not understanding every little detail.
• It is uncertain if this is a step forward or backwards. On one hand, it is still 3D animating (modern) but it is also hand drawn which is time consuming and "outdated". It really depends on who is being asked.

•  I thought this article was very confusing. I didn't understand a lot of what was going on. I noticed that it was turning 3D into a pseudo-2D style that is nostalgic and pleasing to the eye, but that's about it.
• I think this new style is a step forward. It's paying homage to traditional animation while still utilizing modern modes of animation. Personally, I like it.

 Can someone simplify what was being said in the video? I understand that it is explaining the right and wrong ways of using this new technique, but it was so complicated that I didn't understand it.

Film Clichés

• Post-Apocalyptic short films are horrifyingly overdone. It has gotten to the point where this terrifying theme becomes laughable. Please, stop spamming a ruined landscape overrun by the zombie horde.
• Dysfunctional-families are a cruel fact of life. No matter how many times they are used, it never becomes a cliché because it happens so often in reality. The actual problem is that it is not used effectively. If it doesn't have a purpose or meaning, then it shouldn't be added to the film.
• When did short films get so long? When a film is 40-45 minutes long, I don't consider that to be much shorter than a regular film which may only last about 20 minutes longer. I agree that a short film to be considered a true short film, it shouldn't be much longer than 30 minutes (preferably 10 minutes or so).

•  I don't think this list was entirely clear on what makes these "clichés" clichés. Yes, by definition a cliché is something that has been used beyond effectiveness, but an example of some sort might be nice.
• How is cannibalism a cliché? I have never once seen a short film about cannibalism. And why would anyone want to make a film about that?

 How can these clichés be made fresh again? What steps can one take to possibly avoid these over-used ideas?

Untitled

• Learned

 Sometimes, some people will be better than you. I can't be jealous, because it won't do me any good. All I can do is my best.

• Want to learn

 How to draw human beings more effectively.

• Frustrated you

 As deadlines approach I can't help but feel a sense of dread.

That and I've been fighting with some close friends of mine :(

• Made you happy

 My boyfriend
Borderlands 2 for the PC

• Link of interest

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M9ONL6BcbU

 You're going to die

Dark Sauce (Dark Souls)

A funny parody. I've kind of been into Dark Souls recently. This video has lip syncing and stuff. It's pretty funny too. Check it out and beware, we wouldn't want you to go hollow.

Inexpensive Garage Studio Tricks

Fast Facts:

• Protect your external hard drives. They are your best friends. Invest in fireproof safes to keep them safe from harm.
• Use ankle weights to keep your stuff in place. This is a pretty creative and useful idea actually.
• Utilize the thrift store for cords. Search for cords that can be used such as bendable or right angle end cords

Cool bits:

• Useful. Cost effective. Makes the most use out of every asset.
•  Great for anyone starting out or anyone who wants to keep their space small

 Question:

• Where does one come up with these tricks? Is it something one learns from experience?

Another Tips Blog

yay...

Fast facts:

• Break down your rigs to make them easier to work with. Dividing each leg or appendage into separate colors can be used to make animating much easier.
• Show off your goods while they are still works in progress. Don't let your pride get the best of you. And besides, if there is a major error, it will be easier to catch and correct in its earlier stages that near completion.
• Animators are only actors with pencils. Go out and live life so that you can take that life and shove it into an animation to make it feel more real. So basically, live life for your character.

Cool Bits:

• Another tip blog. Not that they aren't useful, but they're getting a little repetitive...
• Useful tips that I hadn't really thought of before. Color coding is genius

Question:

•  I think tip number 8 is a little unclear. What does "block" mean in this situation?

Normal Human!!

I apologize in advance for my lack of things to say today. I'm in a bit of a funk, or perhaps a slow period where not much is happening. It's pretty much work work work from this point on.

• Learned

 Ponytail equation? Well, I guess I learned the equation and what variables need to be found to solve the ponytail equation, but it's all calculus and I'm only in pre-calculus, so I don't entirely understand the equation as a whole. I'm working on it though.

• Want to learn

 I want to figure out the ponytail equation mostly

• Frustrated you

 Ponytail equation... It's so dang difficult. Even my friends who are in calculus told me that it is crazy that I even considered trying to figure it out. In a way, it is, but I don't care. Maybe I'm just crazy like that.

Also, when I was trying to make arrangements to get to my oldest sister's honor society induction ceremony, I kind of re-sparked an ongoing feud between my two older sisters. It got to the point where my older sister absolutely refused to go to her induction ceremony because she was so angry with our oldest sister and I feel terrible because I kind of feel like it was my fault. Everyone says it wasn't my fault, but I can't help but feel at least a little guilty.

• Made you happy

 Octodad- Dadliest Catch. It's hilarious! And of course my boyfriend. It will be our 4 year anniversary on Friday, April 4th. I don't have anything planned though. :( Hopefully we will figure something out.... but probably not...

• Link of interest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aErI0pTCUoU

Another lip syncing tutorial! Because we haven't had enough of lip syncing... yay.... (Well, I personally enjoy lip syncing, but in my own way. I redraw my phonemes and sometimes copy and paste, but I don't have a library filled with specific phonemes)

I love the work of this animator and I was thrilled that they had a lip syncing tutorial for their work. Hopefully they will be of use to anyone who happens to stumble upon this blog entry.

Human Eyes and Cameras

Fast Facts:

•  Eyes can't really be compared to video cameras (or at least, they make for a poor comparison). They function in different ways and process images differently and store data by different means, making them difficult to compare.
• Eyes make for extremely crappy cameras. So many flaws and obstructions of view, blind spots and blurs, and all that jazz. If our eyes were cameras, we would return them.
• To many frames per second can actually give you a headache. This is why, when something is moving to fast for your eyes to see, your eyes add in a motion blur. Without this motion blur, the eyes would get confused and your noggin will start aching.

Thoughts and Opinions:

•  I never realized that eyes produced such a crappy quality "image"
• Another point for technology for surpassing human limitations

Question:
Why is it that, at the point of optimal vision, fewer "megapixels" can be perceived than outside of that point? If the optimal point is compared to 7 megapixels, shouldn't the points outside of this be compared to 6 or less, since it isn't quite as clear? And does that take into consideration the blind spot where no visual data can be drawn from?

Miyazaki's Tips For Better Movies

Just thought you should know:

• Make movies that don't distract from humanity or everyday life, but create movies that inspire thought. For example, Princess Mononoke made us think about our use and abuse of power against the forces of nature. It really makes you think.
• Teamwork is incredibly important. Your associates are there to help and to share or relieve the burdens of film making tasks. Don't try to do it all on your own.
• Don't rely to heavily on one type of media. Try to find the happy medium between old and new to produce the best quality film that you can.

 My thoughts:

• I think these are tips that we all should know, but oddly don't. None of this is all that shocking or unexpected, but it reminds us of what was right in front of us all along. Everybody needs a refresher every now and again.
• Exactly the kind of tips one might expect from Hayao Miyazaki (not that this is a bad thing, but all of these are clearly put on display in his movies). He is a man who can take his own advise and it shows, which is something that can be appreciated and respected.

Question:
 How does one mix old and new media? One might assume that all (or perhaps most) of the art is hand drawn on paper (or some material), but where does the "new" technology come into play?

Weekly Journal Blawg Thingy

• Learned

Hm, this week has mostly been a work week, though I did learn how to make titles in Premiere.  Not so sure I've learned any personal lessons or anything. I don't know.

• Want to learn

Credits in Premiere. I don't think I really learned how to do that. Also, I want to learn how to make my own sound effects. I have been wanting to make a sound of a ball of Playdough  hitting a baseball to simulate Goo smacking into a baseball. Also, I wanted the sound of a baseball rolling though the grass.

• Frustrated you

Sound effects always grind my gears. I can never find any that I am happy with and usually end up sticking in anything I can find that may or may not fit.

• Made you happy

 Getting to spend some quality time with my boyfriend is always nice. Yesterday we played Cards Against Humanity. Though our senses of humor clashed, we had a good time.
Also, I've been keeping a journal. I figured I should keep track of my thoughts, because... REASONS!!!

• Link of interest

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmiCMZ9uFiQ

 A Game Theory episode on sound which covers a topic we have heard before: Infrasound. Warning: Blood, Mortal Combat characters (so there are some pretty "interestingly" dressed ladies.