Animation Portfolio Reflection

5 Layers Animation

The 5 layers animation was one of the easiest animations we did this semester. Since i still had no idea what i was doing, i learned a lot from this one. I learned how you could use multiple different layers to make your animation look more realistic. I also learned how you're supposed to move the back layer down the furthest and the front layer the least because by doing this, you are making the animation seem like it is really moving. Although it took me a while to figure it our, i learned by watching Mr.Netterville and asking for help when i got stuck. I chose to talk about this project, because i really like the way this one turned out and i think it was actually kind of fun to make. I don't really think i would change much from this project just because for it being still early in the year, i think its pretty good. But i would add a few more minor things like more birds or creatures. I think I'm good at doing layer animations and would like to do more next semester. But overall this project was one of the easier ones and one of my favorites

Worm Animation

The worm animation was either the first or one of the first projects that we did in animation this year. I think it was a decently easy animation to make compared to what we are doing now, although since it was one of the firsts i was still really confused on what do to. But i learned how to use the puppet tool in after effects and how to use key frames to make it move across the screen. Like most of the projects i do, i tried to do them based on the examples my teacher gives us, although i usually have to ask for help at one point. I like this animation because it was like the first but i would probably go back and make it look a little cleaner or more like an actual worm if i had to change it. I really like using after effects and i think after all the projects we created in after effects, i actually got pretty good in it. But although its not the best, i still really like this project.

Walk Cycle Animation

In the walk cycle animation, i learned a lot of important things. First of all, i learned how to create a character from paper and sharpie and import it into the computer. Then, i learned how to take that character and move all its parts around. I think that was one of the harder parts of the whole animation. The next important thing i learned was how to make my character walk. Learning and understanding how creating a walk cycle worked, was pretty important because i ended up needing to  use it again in a later project so I'm glad i remembered how to do it. The animation for me, was one of the harder after effects ones through this semester. But when i had to use the walk cycle again later, it was much easier. My technical skills in after effects defiantly improved after this project. I think I'm actually not that bad at using after effects. If i ever get to use after effects again through this next semester i know i can be confident that i will know what I'm doing. This project was pretty fun once i gt the hang of it and i liked that i could be creative with my background.

Ice Cream Animation

The ice cream animation was, with no doubt, the hardest project i had to do this semester. We had to do so much to this project and then animate it, which was just a lot of work. But even though it was so hard, i chose to talk about this one because i think it actually turned out really well. I learned how to do so much in maya from this project. I learned how to make different parts and put them all together and put different textures on them to make them way more realistic. I also learned how to animate it and make the plate thing spin, using maya, which we hadn't done yet until this one. I really done think i have many strengths in using maya, but if we keep using maya next semester, hopefully i will get a little better. I honestly did not like making this cause it was pretty hard for me but i am actually petty happy with how it turned out in the end, thanks to the help of my teacher. I probably remember most of what i learned from this project which will help me in the next maya project we do. So, this was a pretty successful project. 

Revolve Cup

The revolve cup was another maya project we did this semester. It was one of the last projects we did actually. I really liked creating this cup because it was simple, and i understood how to make it. I learned how to use the revolve tool and it was really cool to be able to make a 3d cup just by drawing half of an outline and then pressing a button and watching it become a cup. This was a pretty easy project and i liked being able to design it how i wanted to. I also filled it with "grape juice" to make it look like a more realistic or even just a less empty looking cup. I liked learning to use the revolve tool because its almost like using an easier shortcut. I don't think maya is my stong-suit but i liked making this and i wasn't that bad at it. If i could change anything about this project, it would really just be that i would add more decorations like jewels or something, and i would have it sitting on a table with a wall behind it so that i would have a background and it wouldn't look so empty. Overall, this was a pretty easy project and i am happy with he outcome of it.

  Conclusion

This semester has been very busy and maybe even a little stressful in animation but in the end it has gone pretty well. I have developed some friendships in this class and have gotten to know the teacher better as well as my peers. I have defiantly learned a ton of stuff compared to when i first started this year. I have really grown in collaboration, technical, and project management skills so far and i know i will continue to grow and progress. I have had a lot of fun using my creative skills to make things and animate them and i am ready for whatever next semester brings. 

Video Semester Final Blog

Semester Final

1st Feature Story

This project we did in video was a feature story. This was the 1st feature story we have done through the semester. I chose to do my video on sophomore, Gabby Chapa, and there singing abilities. This feature story probably took about 2 weeks all together. It was mostly easy but i did run into a few challenges. The first time i set the interview up and interviewed her, I looked at the clips later and realized the there was absolutely no sound. because the mics just weren't on while i filmed, this wasn't an east fix. I had to learn how to make sure the mics were always on so that it wouldn't happen to me again, and then set the interview up again and re-film it. So really sound was the only problem i faced through this project, and when i was given feedback from my classmates and teacher, it was all just about making sure my volume was even and steady through the interview. So after i fixed all the sound problems, i would say it was a successful video and i wouldn't change anything else about it.

ONW Now/3rd Feature Story

For this project, as a sophomore class, we created our own ONW Now. This project took about a week i would say. I think out of all of the projects that we have done this semester, this was one of the easiest. The reason i feel as though this was one of the easiest is because i volunteered to do a feature story, with a partner, and to be a News Anchor. At this point, i have already done 2 other feature stories so i kind of had it down what i was supposed to do, and i had a partner so i wasn't doing all of the work by myself. The feature story we created for ONW Now was over some girls from the JV ravens dance team. I had a lot of fun shooting this video because we interviewed some of my close friends and i got to go to morning practice with them and watch them dance. I also wrote the voiceover for this feature story, and maybe because i really already knew what to do, it just came right to me. Through filming i didn't really have any problems at all it happened very smoothly. Being a news Anchor for ONW Now wasn't too hard either. All i had to do was write a short script for me and my partner, which he also helped with. While we were shooting live for ONW Now i did get confused a few times so i kept looking around while talking because i wasn't sure if it was even filming or not. But i think we just all needed more communication and then it would have gone smoother. But besides those things, this was probably my favorite project and i wouldn't really change anything.

Class Time

When we were working on projects in class, i think i would usually do a pretty good job at staying on task and being focused on my work. Even though at some times it could be a little challenging if my friends wanted to talk, but overall i got things done on time and with my best effort. If their were ever a time when i would finish my work early in class and had nothing else to work on for that class, i would try to go back and look at my work to see if i could fix anything that could be critiqued or that could even just be better. Outside of class, i will take more time to work on my voiceovers to make sure they are clear and strong or even make time to film better b-roll, interviews, etc. 

Strengths/Improvements

As a video student, i have grown/progressed in many ways which have become my strengths. Some of my strengths are Collaboration and Leadership. I really like to work with other people, hear their ideas and help each other. To me, collaboration is a really great thing because there are 2 people working on something and sharing ideas and i think that is really great and helpful. I also think a strength of mine is Leadership. I love to feel like a leader and to be in charge. i am good at organizing things and times to meet for interviews and talking to teachers, or whoever i need to, to make sure that it happens and goes as smoothly as possible. I have named my strengths, but there are definitely things i could improve in. A couple improvements i need to work on are writing voiceovers and time management. I honestly don't like writing voiceovers at all, and when you don't like something it can be hard to do it fast but good. So although i get them done, they aren't always the best and i will work on making them better. I also could improve in time management. I always get my videos done, but a lot of the time they are a little late. I just need to get things done a little quicker and for sure work on getting the editing done faster.

Summary

Overall, i have really enjoyed this semester. I really like convergents and i have learned so much. From learning to use the cameras, to using premier pro, to writing a voiceover, i have learned a crazy amount of things this year. I have really enjoyed working with others to interview them for feature stories and learn more about their lives and interests through it. In the end, i really don't think i would change anything from how this semester went because it went pretty well. I really hope that i enjoy entertainment next semester like i have this semester. So i can say it has been a very successful semester.

Professional article review

For my professional article review blog post, i read an article called "The 28 principles of animation" (http://www.animationarena.com/principles-of-animation.html). In this article, it just talked about important things that you need to keep in mind while animating to make sure your animation looks clean, realistic, and professional. I will just summarize some of the principles, what they mean, and why they're important. One of the first principles it talks about is to consider weight. What this means, is when you are animating a character of some kind, you need to pay attention to the weight of the character and the pull of gravity. Everything has a certain amount of weight and each about of weight will "act and react accordingly". I think this is an important factor because you will easily lose the audiences attention if you have feathers falling like brinks or bricks falling like feathers. Another important principle of animation is to always include details. Details are super important to include in an animation because they make the animation look way more realistic, which in turn makes it look more professional. Also, people like to look at something, like your character, and see details which gives your character more.. character. Another good principle is Simplification. although detail is great and you want details, you defiantly do not want to overdo it with details because then it is just too over powering for the audience and takes away from the rest of the animation. And same with the background, you don't want to have to much going on in the background because just like the details, it will over power the rest of it and distract the watchers from whats important. Those were just a few of the main principles of animation that this article talked about. I think this article in general was helpful and important because for people who are just starting in animation, after reading that article, now know what to look for and make sure of when you are animating to make it look the best it can.

Professional Project Blog

For my professional project blog post, i watch and will analyze the Disney short film called "Piper". In this short film, a mother bird is trying to get her baby bird, Piper, to learn how to get clams from the sand, to eat, by herself. But when Piper tries to do what her mother is teaching her, she fails over and over again. So, after her mothers method not working for her, she got back out there and tried once again, and by accident, she picked up a method of getting clams that no one else used, but it worked for her and she was catching even more than the other birds were. I think this short film actually does have a really good story line to it. To be more relatable to us, it is showing us that even if conventional methods don't work for us or if we just can't get something to work how we want it to, you just need to keep trying and be creative with it and figure out something else that works! There really wasn't anything to say about the animation part exact for that it was obviously very good and very clearly professional. thee were no scene changes that didn't make sense or didn't fit or anything, it all flowed very nicely and the animation was just amazing throughout all of it. I think this story was told very good because its one of those things that really touches peoples emotions and really draws people into watching it and it was just very good. I like the way it involved the audiences emotions and will defiantly try to use that aspect next time i make a short story or anything i can apply that to. I think that since it was Disney that create bitand they are extremely professional in animation, there really is nothing they could have done any better or anything i could critique. It was a great short film and i love the way it was all put together.

Technical Tutorial Blog

For this blog post, I am supposed to teach something that I learned how to animate, without the help of Mr.Netterville. So I learned how to animate text in Adobe After effects. So basically it is a pretty simple process of steps.

1. So to start with, you want to get whatever background you want behind your words and import it into after effect
2. Then you go to the tools panel and select the Horizontal Type tool
3. Next, click anywhere in the Composition panel, and type whatever you want it to say and then press Enter on the keyboard to select the text layer in the Composition panel.
4. Now if you go in the Character panel, you can chose whichever font you want and set font size to whatever you want
5. So next you will want to go to the Paragraph panel, and click the Center Text button so it will align the text in the middle and be centered.
6. Once everything is how you want it to look, you're ready to animate your text! So now you want to make sure your text layer is selected and then in the Timeline panel, move the time button to 3:00 and press the S key for scale
7. Then you want to press the little stopwatch button and add a key frame
8. Then, Move the time indicator thing to a different time, for example 5:00, and then press the scale value and reduce it about 50% or however much you want it to shrink. So by animating your text this way, you can make it grow and shrink!

After you do all of that, you can use things that we have learned in the passed, like ease in and ease out for example, to make it look more clean, or you can change the color of the text or anything else. This is just one of the many ways you can animate text while using after effects, which I learned on my own.

Feature story #2

In video, we created a 2nd feature story. The concept for my feature story was The life of an ONW football player. So i really just got into what its like to be a football player, what the pros and cons are and how it affects his life.  The whole theme for this feature story, was to get a better understanding of what its like to be a football player at Olathe Northwest High School. I combined the narrative lead and nut graph into one statement, but it helped make my feature story better because it really started it off right and made everything else flow easier. I interviewed ONW football player Jon Bowman and his football coach, Coach Sherman. These two really complimented each other and i think just went perfectly. Jon shared how much football has impacted him and what he loved about it, and then his coach would share how Jon has impacted the team and what he was really good at and what his strong suits are. Im glad i chose Jon and coach Sherman because it really flowed nicely and went great. Throughout the filming process, i did run into a few bumps. For example, the camera had a blue tint to it when i tried to shoot and i asked how to fix it but we couldn't figure it out so it just had to stay like that. Also it was a little hard to come up with a good voice over and script but that is more so just something i have to learn to do better. Besides those things, both of my interviewees were super easy and fun to work with. When we watched my video in class, i didn't get too much feedback for things i needed to fix except to fix the blue tint. Overall it was a great video and experience.