My Experience

I could of put this in any other of my posts but I felt as if I need to give this one it's own. 

I have choosen this specific song for this project due to a moving movement I had whilst listening to the song during my period of depression. Now I must admit that my depression was not severe as it could have been, but depression is depression and should all be seen the same way not matter severe. Anyway, after class I was leaving campus and walked down a small pathway that was covered with a thin layer of trees shading me from the  sunlight, it felt almost disney like, a gentle breeze sweeped through as I listened to the song.
Now it doesn't seem all that important, put for the small amount of time I was in this moment moved me to point of tears as I felt as if I was back home. This was a major thing to me back then as I had been missing the endless fields and peaceful nature, on top of that due to my mother moving to another place I wouldn't be able to experience it again and this moment brought to a normal state of mind, everything was back to normal for a second. 
This is the reason I picked the song, and the idea quickly flowed from the song. Looking at the lyrics they don't seem to fit the situation of mental health but in some ways it can which is why the idea came to me. And I want to share that cheerished moment with, even if its not in the same way I experienced it, everyone and give people who are suffering a little piece of hope. 
To this day I am still suffering from anxiety which can be an issue at times but I mostly bite the bullet and continue on with my life. 
Apologise for the soopy post but I felt I needed to explain the true explanation for this project. 

Animal Designs

Once I decide how many animals I wish to draw (max 10, min 5) I shall take inspiration from this beautiful game called Entwined. Using a similar idea of having blocky shapes make up the form of an animal. And of course like Entwined Each animal will have its own colour relating to a specific emotion.

At some point in the video I want the to main emotions (Depression and Anxiety) to combine and make a new colour and animal altogether similar to Entwined. I shan't be copying their exact animal and colours as I wish to use others, I simply love these concepts and wish to use them in my own way. Also the way they are designed feels like glass, with shape edges and vibrant colours making them seem fragile.

Also, the design of the animals reminds me a lot origami, I then looked into it and noticed that there is a massive simlarity. I have thought that if I use the shapes of animals done in origami and then seperate the pieces were the paper is creased to create the similar design of Entwined.

New image to use for references, also use I might use the same animal as pictured but use different colours. 

Development

Developing my Idea
My original idea for the this project was going to be a performance piece where the video was projected over either myself or a performer and then interact with the video that is projected on to them. 

However I realised that I, myself, do not want to perform in front of people even if I wish to express myself in that way, I also would find myself struggling to choreograph someone else so I decided to change to film and have a silhouette act the performance instead. But having this project just be a film for people to watch, I felt that it wouldn't be that affective and would rather have it interactive.

I then came up with the idea to put the audience into the performance themselves, as it makes them experience it in a deeper way. Having a marker for the person to stand and have the projection shine from behind and they see their silhouette in front of them, they then become one with the art and have a deeper connection to it. That's how I want people to see it.

I also wasn't sure how to create the animals for the project, of course they can't be real so I'd have to create them from scratch. However my knowledge of creating something in 3D in a programme like Maya is modiocor but getting then making the models animated, thats where I'd begin to really stuggle. 

So I thought if I drew the animals in 2D and animate them in that format, to me sounded a lot easier in my head. And to help on the animating I would add a zooprixscope effect so I could draw less frames... but wait, I'd have to animate, in 2D. I needed to re-think this.

I then went back to my original idea, instead I am going to draw concepts for the animals, still not sure how many I'll be doing, and then give those too rob so he can model them in Maya as he wishes to advance his skills, the same with animating them. 

I have flipped flopped around again, bringing back the idea to 2D animate all the animals as in photoshop or flash. Again in this zoopraxiscope style. 

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Issues:
The issues that will eccur throughout this project are ones that I can't really avoid unless I stop doing the project altogether. 
The first issue is getting a hold of how to show the video, as I want the audience to interact with it, see Final Layout, and the way I have it may mean that the audience will stand in the way of most of the video. 
I also have the issue of getting the animals modelled and animated in the time needed and how well it we look, luckily I have some help so not all hope is lost. I thought this would be an issue however I'm not modeling them in Maya anymore, using 2D animation will simplify the work load as I'll be using tools I already know, however I will be doing full on animating which is a new world for me.

These things can be sorted out, eventually, however at the moment I am struggling to figure things out, after some tutorials with my tutor we should iron out all the creases.

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Relating:
I have been told that having a link between this project and my disseration subject would be a great bonus. After thinking about it I thought I didn't have a connection however I do. In my dissertation I am writing about animals in film and more specifically how they are represented and treated in movies. In my movie I wish to portray animals in respectable way, portraying their true behaviour.

Innovation and Interference - Rough Ideas

Idea

1.       Something to do with lights and music, possibly connected in some way and connected to digital film

2.       Something to do with weather (any as long as it doable) wind, water, clouds, etc. and music to go with it as well.

Things to think about:

·         How I could present/interpret it (mind map or diagram of multiple forms)

·         How to relate it to film

·         How to present it or make it interactive

·         Message behind it (aka bullshit)

·         If putting music to the pieces, what music and why

·         Would I make the music/get help with it 

3. Effects of natural disasters on humans/humanity (possibly sculptures( if not allowed use projections))

• Lightning patterns left on the skin (Lichtenberg figure (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichtenberg_figure))
• Earth quakes, cracks in the skin tearing 
• wind effects to represent tornadoes 
• fire effects on skin to represent volcanoes

4. Extinction of animals (eg. tigers, rhinos, etc(maybe do past animals like the dodo))

5. Geography + art

Skype call 2

In this skype call we had a new addition the group, Nicholas, or nick, as his original idea was similar to ours. So combining yet another idea into the soup of delicious ideas we adapted the new preferred scavenger idea so we had more of a project or idea to stand behind and get nick up to speed with what was going on.

We started off with a small scavenger hunt based in or around Farnham for students and families to join and complete the tasks when they please. When challenges are completed we send them a QR code, linking them to a hint for the next task in their path. The QR code hints will historical as well as mystery hints. When a challenge is complete the people or groups taking part will Hashtag their progress on twitter so it is possible for us to track how well they are doing. Some groups can be given cameras to document their journeys if they are up for it. We tried possible themes, whilst trying to avoid cliché ones. We came up with Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie. Of course this would all be free to take part in as too encourage large families and students to take part, this could also help first year students get out and about, helping them get used to their new surrounds as well as possibly learn more about Farnham (without knowing).

Then after more talking our idea evolved again, this time aiming at just students and to be completed within a month (before deadlines) which would lead up to a final prize. Each challenge would be based around struggles or common experiences with being a first year student. Keeping the Hash tags to keep eye on progress and for evidence at the end of the event which will also help with tallying each group’s points to see who has won. Again groups will be given cameras or be able to use their phones to record the events that took place. And this time we'll have posters that will link to a countdown to hopefully intrigued people to into seeing what this mysterious event will be and get them too sign up.

Here are the reference links that we shared to each other for some inspiration:

The Compound (password: RECON) :

http://www.hhncompound.com/recon-missions/

http://34cnwa8tset14zelr18yqnok.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/9.20.Survival.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaC40HPXkUU&list=UUoocMG5lMACNKgpvqKay2lg

https://www.urbanquest.com/

Skype call 1 (with group)

A couple of days ago our group, consisting of Charlie, Katherine and I, has a Skype meeting to discuss our ideas for this project. Once altogether and talking we started the lengthy process of deciding what we were going to make. Putting our ideas together and developing them further we had the idea to make a small room which contained a little platform for someone to stand on, which had controls (we weren't sure on what kind) and the walls would be were the story adventure would be viewed around the subject in the centre.

The discussion continued, linking each other with different interactive internet adventures for references and to help with the possibilities of interactive technology, such as:

http://www.survivetheoutbreak.com/ - Story based

https://interlude.fm/tutorial/tutorial-three - click game

http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2010/11/04/131065426/360-degree-documentaries

http://highrise.nfb.ca/

http://www.ro.me/relauncher

http://video.bobdylan.com/desktop.html

http://interlude.fm/

We also added a small idea of a scavenger hunt, nothing big to go on just the brief idea of having a sort of interactive scavenger hunt to do with the history of Farnham which could lead in multiple endings, as this encapsulated all of ideas into a unique way.

Rough bullet points:

• QR codes
• Countdown - Mystery
• Posters - Advertisement
• Hints/Videos
• Possible fake QR codes
• Twitter live feed
• Possible themes?
• Held in the SU?

Maps and journey's development 2

Before our meeting with Rosie we sat down together to come up with ideas about what to do with all our projects and how to theme them as well as have a good piece of installation art that includes each aspect of our previous idea. Below are the list of themes that we came across when looking into maps and journeys with hopes of inspiring us.

Studio Shoot - Ideas and Roles

Starting off with studio ideas, after a couple of group meetings we have defined the groups idea with all round help and putting smaller ideas together. Eventually we came up with a brief synopsis of what will be happening in the final piece:

We open in a prison cell type room resembling that of a mental asylum. There is a distinct lack of colour in the room everything being grey or the colour is toned down. The décor of the room hints at this being an unforgiving no creative place heavy. There is no sense of personality or flare around the furniture is basic with textbooks and a few old VHS tapes placed around the room. 

You hear a door being opened and the character being thrown into the cell and the door shuts behind them. The character is wearing a straight jacket. You hear a voice stating “you can’t come out come out until you learn to be less creative”

Not liking the cell in the few seconds they have been in there the character brakes out of the straight jacket and begins to peel away at the wallpaper. As they do this they see a glimpse of light coming through the torn paper. It provokes them to break through the wall where they fall into room full of boxes witch are displaying work from digital film and screen arts. The camera pans up and you see the whole thing is just a set to advertise the course.

After our gathering of initial ideas with discussed roles that everyone wanted to take on. Sadly the people who didn't arrive at the meeting didn't get to choose what they wanted but hey, that's life. Once we had all put our names down for selected roles the producer, Laura, assigned tasks to people so we all had a part in completing the preproduction pack. 

PRE PREP DATES

11/10/14 - Treatment ( To be done by Laura) DONE
13/10/14 - First draft of script ( To be done by nick )
15/10/14 - final draft of script ( To be done by nick )
17/10/14 - Story boards, shot list and floor plans ( To be done by chloe)

21/10/14 - shooting schedule ( To be done by Kat )
21/10/14 - Prop list and Budget ( to be done by Leanna)
21 /10 / 14 - Risk assessment ( to be done by charlie )
21/10/14 - Set design ( to be done by Leanna)
21/10/14 - call sheet/release forms ( to be done by Laura )
22/10/14 - All pre production work from all members emailed to me so i can print it out and put it in a folder
23/10/14 - Pre production pack handed into Rosie for shoot approval

Photography Presentation!

Wish presenting my Photography project i was suggested to use a book or a book to show my work however thinking on the subject of memories and how my project sees them as faded and old, I thought about stringing them together with string. Barely holding on, so easy to forget, yet all on the same string piece of string as they're all bundled to be forgotten.

With the sizes of the image, I shall be keeping them the original film size but I shall add white card to boarder it, which will make it easier for me to string them up without ruining the film more. However I'm thinking of crumpling and discolouring the white card to fit the theme of the photos. 

(Pictures of presentation will be added later)

Photography Development!

Final Idea!

I will gather old family photos that include me in an important or memorable situation however i will burn out certain things or people that I don't remember.

To give it authenticity I will burn the edges as well to give it a more decaying memory look.

Experimental Sound!

For my experimental sound project I have been given an image, which I had no input in choosing, in which I have to sound to. 

Now that sound can be in the form of a journey, a passage of time, a narrative theme or the place. 

I have been given Tracey Emins, My Bed (1998) as shown below.

There has been a lot of thinking around this and at how/what I'm do. 

Maybe I could combine them all together. Somehow mange to tell a story or the life of someone as I describe the place they are located in, the bed. 

Of course these are just some rough ideas which I hope I can piece together well. 

Photography Ideas!

Remembering Places
Going back to places or landscapes that I remember from my childhood, yet are too fuzzy to really remember every little detail.
Have the photos blurred too to recreate my memory failing to capture everything.

Burning photographs
burn peoples faces of things out of the photograph
capture the decay of memory, physically and mentally

Faded memories/shattered memories: burnt photos

Putting myself into child hood photos
I say myself when I can use other family members to give the series variety
Gather some old pictures, either with one person or multiple already in it, then place the same people in that photo but their present day selves.

Film me making a collage out of my old school pieces  <- different peoples(friends) school work being made into collages (look into collages of previous works or photographs)
then photography it

Recreate old childhood photographs
just something funny to do.