Assignment Write Up/Self Critique: Daphne and Andrew Revised Edit

From the first time I showed my project in class I have edited more sound, more video, color correction, and title and end credits.

With the sound, I tweaked the high spots of the audio where needed. I added background party noise and presence sound. I did my best to find music that was free to use but nothing fit, and since I haven't been in the sound class I couldn't make my own. So in the end I used the music from that night and put it in for right now. I know I can't really show it in things as is, but it will have to do for now.

Another problem I had in class was the spill scene. I had too many shots for that one  instant so I cut out the  flower falling out of her hair. I believe it works better without it because Andrew notices the flower on the ground after she leaves so the audience can figure out easily that it fell during the spill.

The yellow and blue scenes just needed to be brought down, so I used the color correction 3-way and changed them a bit but not much. I did make some of the darks darker and color richer but only by a little for fear of over doing it.

In all I think it can stand as a single piece, but once I take the sound class I feel I will be better equipped with making sound and working with it.

Three Artists, Demo Reel Research

Seagulls Fly

Is a animation studio whose demo reel stood out to me. They have a combination of 3D, live action, and some mixed media videos. Their reel uses a 3D animated plant to show and move between the different clips of the demo reel. Another important part of their reel is the syncing to the music and how nicely everything flows together.

Waldemar Bartkowiak
He is a modeling and texture artist. Throughout his reel he starts with stills with camera movements of his models and his textures going along with his fast pace music. Then the music slows and he shows four of his best pieces of work he has done. With each piece he shows different angles and shows before and after he has done the texture.





Shaun Escayg
Most of what I know from his demo reel he strictly does the animation. He noted all animation from his reel was done by himself. I think this video is not as successful as the first two, but I wanted to have an example of a least successful reel. He had only one shot that showed which character he animated, the rest of the shots were obscure.




From what I gather from these demo reels one must show nothing but their best work. Make it easy for the person trying to hire you to tell what you did specifically if working in a group project. If you did everything in the shot describe or show in some way that you did all of it besides just putting "all animation done by..."

Self Critique: Assignment Write Up

With this project we were to take a myth and adapt to be set in modern times. I chose the myth Apollo and Daphne. With my adaptation Daphne is the one who chases after Apollo. Daphne is at a toga party, she and Andrew meet from the help of her friend Erin. They try to get to know each other but each time this drunk girl interrupts them. Finally the drunk girl spills a drink on Daphne (Daphne's flower also falls to the ground) and she gets frustrated and heads toward the restroom. Daphne comes out and looks for Andrew but can't find him so she asks Erin. She tells her that he had left with a girl. Daphne then leaves the party. As she walks back home, Andrew appears and presents her with a flower to replace the one that was crushed and they walk away together in the night.

This was my first large project in digital cinema. It has taught me a lot about the composition in the frame, lighting, technical camera work, and scheduling people and places to shoot.

I think for the most part the story is coherent. In some spots my lighting could have been better. Some of my shots still need editing done. I still need to gather sound for background music and noise. My biggest problem is editing and remembering certain aspects of the shots that I needed to work out while I was shooting.

I intend for my next project to work more on my three point lighting and editing footage.

Final Project Idea: Band of Theives

 Final Project Title: Band of Theives

For my final project I want it to be mainly a technical shoot using three point lighting and filling the frame with an interesting composition.

The content of this piece will be one to three people telling of the times the have stolen objects from other people. They will tell why they wanted it, what the difficulties of obtaining the object, and did they get caught stealing it. While the interview is taking place each person will be dressed in different burglar/theif attire.

Traveling Fellowship

I want to tell stories, share experiences, and bring people closer together through animation. When I was younger, and still some times today, I couldn’t tell a decent story to save my life. I would get tongue-tied and leave important details out. I could see the images in my mind, but couldn’t explain well what they were or how to tell what they were doing. It wasn’t until I came to Memphis College of Art that I learned to tell a story visually, through animation. With the Travel Fellowship Program I want to experience new places that will inspire me to share more stories and to further my education in animation.

I would like to visit the United Kingdom.  During my stay I will be keeping a sketchbook and a camera. I plan to gather information and document the landscapes, cities, and people to help inspire old and new stories to show with my knowledge of animation. During my stay abroad, I have narrowed down three animation studios to tour that would help educate me on how animation studios are run. The first studio on my list is Aardman Animation in Bristol. This Aardman began in 1972 and since then has had seven Oscar nominations and has won four. Aardman are known for their reputation in model animation and are the creators of Wallace and Gromet shorts. Axis Animation is an animation studio in Glasgow and founded in 2000. Axis creates animations for some of the worlds leading names in commercials, games, and film. Axis is one of the UK’s fastest growing animation studios and has recently been awarded Imagina Grand Jury Prize and a Best Animation BAFTA. The third animation studio is 12Foot6. This studio works primarily with 2d, stop-motion animation, and mixed media. 12Foot6 mostly works in broadcasting, other commercials, and ads.

This time in the United Kingdom would be a great experience and help me grow as an animator. I would spend about a month to gather and document information; then once a week tour one of the animation studios I have mentioned. As of now I do not have a number of the amount that this would cost.