This is Our Final Goodbyes

1. Why did you take the class?

Back in 2013, I was more interested in the animation portion of the Digital Media class. I wanted to draw and make things move and that was really it. Some time during the middle of the 2013-2014 school year, I came to realize that there was much more to animating than simply drawing and making things move. There had to be a cinematic element to my visual performances, an element that I could learn in Video Production. I learned about lighting elements, video techniques, and in a lot of ways, teamwork. I learned that I could ask for help making films. I learned that it's okay to work with friends. Even after the year is over, I can take this lesson with me wherever I go.

2. In general, what did you like most about the class?

I liked the community element that came with the class in addition to the deadline driven curriculum. Everything and everyone feels like they matter. I credit that to the small class size though. The deadlines really helped me stay on task and even though it was stressful sometimes, it prepared me for the future of my desired field.

3. In general, what did you like least about the class?

If anything, I disliked the stress of the course, but that couldn't be helped. In this field, deadlines are the be all end all (in my opinion).

4. What was your most favorite project and why?

My favorite project was probably the final project. Not only was it fun to shoot, it also lead to a gold mine of jokes and puns that I will likely remember for a long time i.e. Count Swagula, "he pooped himself" (when Brian exploded in my film), the skeleton hand sticking out from under the sheet, accidental/purposeful butt touches (Derek, I'm looking at you. What did Brian do to deserve that?), and the infamous swag walk.

5. What was your least favorite project and way?

Without a doubt, it was the documentary project. In my opinion, I didn't really feel prepared for that large of a project. I think I would have done so much better if it was saved for later in the year. To date, I think it was my worst project of the year.

6. Discuss the overall effectiveness of the instructor (for example: preparation, availability, interest, content, knowledge, expectations, ect.).

Just like last year, I thought that the instructor did a fine job of teaching us what we needed to know. Whenever I had a question, I was able to contact them and work out my issue. In addition to a teacher, they were also a mentor, defined by Dictionary.com as "an influential senior sponsor or supporter" and "a wise and trusted teacher."

7. What are the most valuable things you learned in this class?

The most valuable things I learned this year were probably teamwork, lighting elements, and the importance of audio (even if I'm not the best with audio work yet).

8. Do you feel that this class will help you achieve your future academic or career goals? How or why (or why not)?

This class will definitely help me achieve my academic goals and likely my future career goals as well. In college I will have a head start because I already have experience animating and that will probably help me into the workforce as well.

9. How could this class be improved?

As stated below question number five, I think that the documentary project was too big of a project too soon. I think that something of shorter length would be a better fit for that spot instead.

10: Additional comments:

I'm truly going to miss this class when I have to leave. I've made a lot of positive memories here and I'm proud to have represented the Digital Media class both years at New York State competition. I hope that some day I will get to return as a guest speaker or something just to share my knowledge and experiences with the "next generation" of this class. I wish only the best for everyone's futures and I want to thank each one of you for making this experience so worthwhile. I'll never forget you guys.

One Week at BOCES

• Learned

Since I had an unexpected senior class field trip on Friday, I really saw how devastating it can be to have to ride a short deadline and rely on classmates for help. Sometimes it's worth the risk, sometimes it isn't. When it doesn't work, you have to make last minute improvises and hope they work.

• Want to learn

I want to learn the best way to manage your human resources. I can imagine that it will be easier once we are all able to drive, but for now, getting from one person's house to the next is a hassle.

• Frustrated you

The surprise field trip on Friday was unexpected and unnecessary. I was told that because I had BOCES, I would be allowed to not go (that and the fact that I'm not going to prom). That turned out to be a big lie. There were no buses sent to my school that were going to NCTEC. When I talked to my homeroom teacher about it, she scolded me for "not valuing the lesson they were going to give me." In the end, I learned nothing new, spend hours of time doing little to nothing, and heard countless depressing stories from people who have suffered a loss or suffered from an injury. They have my sympathy, but I don't think their stories sunk in as well as they were intended to (sorry).

• Made you happy

I don't know, summer is closing in and I look forward to my trip to Maryland and my graduation party.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCt_kq0gFw0

 Remember when Avatar: The Last Airbender was popular? Remember the angry owl spirit that tried to sink his secret library in the middle of the desert? Remember when he broke out into some sick beats? No? Well check out the video! It's a neat animatic about the owl spirit doing just that, putting on some headphones and doing some DJing.

Film makers on Film making

There is no doubt that film has expanded far beyond basic storytelling. Now, film making is like "a glance into what it really means to be human."

In a brief interview with a group of esteemed filmmakers, they each share a bit of wisdom from their years of directing and shooting films. A recurring theme between each of the directors was about the stress of the process. Budgeting, actors, and how well the film is received in theaters were only a few of their worries. Not only that, but there was also the doubts about where to begin. There's the thought that only natural born Californians can ever be successful filmmakers. In addition, some people worry about the equipment that they started out with. While having Hollywood connections and the latest and greatest equipment is certainly nice, it is not the be all end all in the business. Make the most out of what you have.

At the end of the day, it comes down to a certain degree of luck. There is no magic formula that will make a film a box office success. The filmmaker can make a movie that they personally would watch and hope that others will agree to pay for a ticket to see it too.

• The video felt very redundant, even when it wasn't. The video was long and not engaging at all. I feel like I would have learned more if I could focus better on what the directors were all saying.
• Is film making really as much of a gamble as it looks? You go in with a large sum of money that you will ultimately have to pay back, not knowing if you will be able to or not.
• This field is without a doubt a stressful field, not for the faint of heart. To do well in this field, you have to have a certain level of ambition, be able to take risks, and you have to be lucky.

Good luck.

Demo Reel Do's and Don'ts

The end of the school year is coming faster than we can all keep track of and many of us are on our way to college. Anyone going for animation is going to have to learn how to assemble an effective demo reels to present to future employers. Far too often, students make the mistake of adding some of their mediocre work, making it too long, and ruin the experience with far too many titles and transitions. These can make the reviewer loose interest very fast and will definitely hurt your chances of landing a job or whatever else you're trying to do. Don Kim, a director and animation supervisor, offers some helpful tips to all the up and coming animators of today and tomorrow.

First, always include only your best work in a demo reel. Just because a particular clip has sentimental value doesn't necessarily mean that it is your best work. Don suggests having a peer review your work so they can give you an objective point of view on the work.

Next, keep it short, 1-2 minutes tops. Start strong, keep interest, end strong. Reviewer time is limited, so if you can get them hooked within that brief time frame, then you're golden. It's also important to maintain a sense of rhythm with the highs and lows. Overall, keep it engaging and interesting.

Lastly, a lot of studios will also want to see a portfolio which should include some of your other creative work. Perhaps an animatic, some life drawings, a short film, etc. Only present what you're most proud of and be sure to make a good impression.

• I think this article is very useful for someone who wants to join the animation field in the future. Not only does it provide a list, it also provides visual examples of effective reels.
• I feel like I knew most of the information already, but a refresher is never a bad thing, especially when it's about a demo reel.
• Is there ever too much to put in a portfolio? As long as it's all relevant, does it matter how much work is fitted into a portfolio?
• Demo reels and portfolios are super important in the animation field or any other digital visual arts field. These tips should always be kept in the back of your mind wherever you go.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's day everybody. I hope you all had a wonderful (or at least tolerable) day with your mothers. The weather was pretty good, the sun was shining, and the temperature remained pretty cool, at least where I am.

•  Learned

I suppose while this isn't so much an academic thing,  I did learn just how difficult it is to pick between candidates for the 2016 animation seats. With just 14 seats, you really have to make sure you're picking the best and most capable students you can. Kinda reminds me of way back when I was in the hot seat. Fond memories.

• Want to learn

 Nothing I'm too curious about this week. I'm not getting into too many new things with my final project. A few special effects, but that's really it. Nothing I don't already know.

• Frustrated you

Deadlines are approaching fast. It really puts you on edge. I hope I can make it on time.

Also I tried wearing one of my new skirts yesterday and I broke the (already broken) zipper. It's a really cute skirt, but I will have to replace the zipper if I ever want to wear it again (which I do).

• Made you happy

 Summer is just around the corner and while I'm a little upset that I will have to say goodbye to some very close people, I'm also one step closer to going to my college of choice. I still have some time, but I must say that it's been a pleasure working with all of you.

Warning: Innuendo made at 1:21

https://youtu.be/v2IqiOWbDsE

Have a rather humorous Five Nights at Freddy's animation. I've grown quite fond of them recently and this one is pretty entertaining. It's by Piemations on YouTube. The video is pretty much about how Foxy is the only animatronic in FNAF2 that can see through your disguise.

Raising Dragons with Florian Friedmann

Friedmann is an animator on the television show "Game of Thrones." He's been put in charge of animating the ferocious dragons we see running across the screen. Florian Friedmann has gotten to see the progression of the mythical beasts since they were "little." Now that they're all grown up, Friedmann goes into some of the processes of growing dragons.

With each new season, the rigs for the dragons get heavier. The little babies are growing up and not only getting bigger, but also bulkier. The little reptiles are developing thicker muscles, specifically on their chests. New pivot points need to be added around their chests for flying to help accommodate their newly increased sizes. Accompanying their increased sizes, their level of detail and amount of controllers increase as well. Each scale on the dragon's back has its own controller and even the faces have controllers to give off the appearance of having emotions.

Since the dragon rigs have to be redone with each season, the animators have to be constantly looking for references. Videos of bats are used to help nail down the motion of the dragons' wings while walking gorillas are referenced for the motions of the legs, though they still give the animators problems. To deal with the issue of the dragons walking, the team behind them chooses to cover them up with the dragons' large leathery wings. They're hardly seen anyway, so if it works then it works.

Animators aren't the only ones that get the responsibility honor to work on the dragons. Animators and the simulation crew split up different sections of the work. For example, the animation crew might build the rig and get all the basic motions down, but the simulation crew might refine it and add subtle folding in the skin of the wings. The work is broken up to create the most realistic product they can.

Lastly, Friedmann comments on his emotional attachment to the creatures he's been tasked to animate. He has seen the dragons "grow up" and says that he would be devastated if he didn't get to work on the dragons next season.

I think it's neat to get a bit of a peek on the inside of Game of Thrones, especially in the dragon/animating department. I love seeing examples of how animation can be integrated into live action filming

Do the animators also work with the textures? If so, then how are all the different textures mapped to the dragons' bodies and how are they given the appearance of realism despite being CG?

Animation is becoming much more realistic and considerably more relevant. In the past we saw comedy bits like "Who Framed Rodger Rabbit" that had both live action and animation, but now we have serious shows and films like "Game of Thrones" to really show how great animation has become.

The Science of Science Fiction (In Marvel)

There's no doubt that when we look at the Avengers on the big screen, we see a group of people who are larger than life with extraordinary abilities. Tony Stark with his intellect and iron suit, Thor and his magical lightning hammer, Captain America with his shield and heightened physical capabilities, Black Widow and her stamina and healing, etc. They all sound unreal, right? Surprisingly, there's more science to them than you may think.

Starting with Tony Stark, a.k.a Iron Man, we can figure out that his suit isn't actually made of iron. Since iron is dense and heavy, that metal would make flying quite difficult. In the movies, he says his suit is made from a gold titanium alloy, but even that would be too heavy. If his suit isn't made of iron or a gold titanium alloy, then what could it possibly be made of? Nitinol. Nitinol is a nickle titanium alloy that's durable and light weight, perfect for flying around and taking a few hits. There could also be some carbon fiber and graphite in his suit for the extra hot areas like his rocket boots and his laser gloves. Speaking of different elements, Stark's power source comes to mind. Originally it relied on palladium to function, but since that was slowly poisoning him, he decided to create a whole new element. Sounds like a work of fiction, but actually this has been done before. Humankind has already created 20 synthetic elements and more could be in the making even now.

Next, we can take a look at the hyper-regenerative abilities of Black Widow and Captain America. The two super humans could possibly have super macrophages, special white blood cells tasked with fighting infection and healing wounds. Their macrophages could be hard at work, rapidly producing growth factors to rapidly heal wounds.

While it isn't a super power, Captain America's shield is definitely a work of fiction, right? Well we can assume the shield contains steel, a light weight and sturdy metal that would be able to take quite a bit of roughing up. But steel alone probably wouldn't make the perfect shield. Steel is a poor shock absorber, so picking up the slack is the imaginary mineral called "vibranium." Vibranium can absorb any amount of shock dealt to it without any problem. It gets the job done, but all that energy has to go somewhere. In a fight with Thor, we see something interesting going on when the hammer hits the steel and vibranium shield, it gives off sparks of light! This implies that vibranium turns shock into light energy. Now that's some science!
 

I always think it's interesting when people are able to back science fiction with actual facts. It adds a feeling of realism to the larger than life films we see on the big screen.

I feel like I got a bit of a chemistry lesson when the video was talking about Iron Man (or rather "Nitinol Man")

What science could back up the Hulk or Thor, the two most unreal characters in the Avengers (in my personal opinion)

Backing up your sci-fi with facts gives your film a sense of possibility. It takes a larger than life and brings it down to Earth, making it more relatable (and in my opinion, more enjoyable).

Weekly thoughts

• Learned

 This week was mostly a work week, so I don't think we learned too much in class. Outside of class however, I am finally organizing a film shoot with some classmates for my final project. With any luck, I'll make a good film with an adequate amount of time to edit and such.

• Want to learn

I want to learn all the different reasons why one might want to shoot handheld. Handheld shots feel like they're a bit more high action and personal, making it great for something like a fight scene, but I want to know all the other ways handheld could be used.

• Frustrated you

I'm not so much frustrated, so much as I am anxious. I'm worried that one or more of my actors won't be able to show up at the time and place that I will need them. I'm also worried that I won't have some of the props I'll need in time for the filming.

• Made you happy

I've been getting progressively happier with each of my films that I make. I'm a little late, but I think I'm starting to get a hang of the whole filmmaking process and such. 

• https://youtu.be/xfTxkg-wB9Y

Here's a little animation test from Wreck-it-Ralph. Supposedly it was supposed to be a 2D animated film in the beginning, but somewhere along the lines it was made into a 3D movie instead. Definitely an interesting watch if you're into that kind of thing!

3D Printing Dolls

In the old days of stop motion puppetry, you used to have to hand-sculpt each individual puppet and all of its duplicates and each expression, etc. LAIKA, the studio behind films like "The Nightmare Before Christmas," "Coraline," and "ParaNorman," has started using 3D printing technology to print their own dolls with a wider range of hues and expressions. In addition to this, the characters even have their own wardrobes! This new innovation in stop-motion animation could lead to a future with greater detailed stop-motion puppets.

I feel like I've read this before. It didn't really come as a surprise to me, but I suppose I'm glad that this new and improved puppet making process is being utilized.

How are the puppets molded around the wire frame skeleton (that I assume they have to help hold them steady)? I really don't understand much about 3D printing or stop motion.

This could be a very positive thing for stop motion companies that have the cash to spend on a 3D printer. More and more audiences can now be spoiled with gorgeous looking puppets.