Video Reflection

Basics 

In this video class communication is key. I found that I used communication well during this semester, getting other peoples opinion and also giving my opinion to others. Communication and collaboration skills are very similar. With out communication then you wouldn't have any collaboration skills. My project this semester  was defiantly all over the place due to a concussion lasting a couple months. I got very behind in video and animation because of all of the set backs and effects concussions give you. My technical skills were good. I used the 6 shot system in all the videos that I made. Extreme wide shot, wide shot, extreme close up, close up, over the shoulder, and medium shot are the 6 different shots that I used in video. The sound was an easy fix when editing. Before editing you have to film and if your audio is not on then you have to restart your whole project. I only had the problem once. Lesson learned. Once in editing I could turn my sound up or down to match my voice over so that it would flow better. Lighting wasn't a problem for me. Lighting is a good key for filming because you want to be able to see your interview person with no shadows or glares on them. Editing in premier pro was different then it was last year. It was quick to learn and most of the tools are the same. My overall experience with feature stories and news stories was okay. I still liked to o it but for sure I want to go into entertainment to get the audience more involved and to feel. By doing video it made me be more experienced for the years yet to come.

This semester in video (final video)

The project that I was working on was a video about a student made movie. It took 3 class days to work on this. Some challenges that I faced were creating voice overs. It took me a while to figure out what exactly to say in my video. Along the way I learned how to edit faster and make my b roll volume quieter so it wouldn't over power my actual interview. Feedback that I was given was to make more voice overs because it seemed like one person was talking for to long and the viewers would lose interest. I would add more voice overs if I could. My overall thought about this project was that I put in the best work that I could in the last final project.

Time management 

Due to my concussion I was held back and was not able to complete most projects. I couldn't work on my projects because most days my headaches got so bad I would have to leave school early. When I was able to stay after school I had to work on animation because of the fact my teacher was failing me because I wasn't able to complete most of his projects and it took me a lot longer to do than it would if I didn't have a concussion. I also had my parents by a new laptop and get all the programs that I would need for animation and video,  so I could work on them over the weekends. I even had a doctor note and an athletic trainer note to extend work times and other restrictions that was given for me. Overall, this semester was a mess, but I was lucky to finally be concussion free recently so I got my final project done on time because I now could. I know that next semester all of my work will be turned in on time with no exceptions. 

Strengths 

In video my strengths were the technical side. This is having to do with the different lighting, 6 shot system, sound, and camera work. I'm also good at editing fast. I maximize my strengths by running into problems and then asking others around me for their input to help me and then I now have a new strength. 

Weaknesses 

My weakness in video is time management for sure right now and also voice overs. I just don't know how to make my voice sound up beat and preppy so it would be interesting to the viewers. I definitely would need to improve, which  I will next semester, project management. 

Overall

I loved being able to relax and do video because after a long day of learning I want to do something I'm interested in doing. If I could change anything like I said I would finish my project on time and good quality of work. This semester I was able to learn new tools premier pro, sound (getting the audio levels to match), and also how to create a feature story and what to say and what not to say. For instances not to say "I'm here sitting with (name) and likes photography, but instead say (name)shares his passions about photography. I've probably said this a million times, but to get all my projects in on time because I have no excuse. My final thoughts would be that I'm very excited to learn about entertainment and just start out fresh once we come back from break. 

Communication Portfolio Reflection

Ice Cream Model

  
In the ice cream animation we used a program called maya. I learned a lot of new things. I learned how to bullion, cut tools, short cut keys, how to make objects bigger and smaller, how to move the objects up and down, and to move them side to side. I also was able to figure out how to change the colors of objects. I could also download a picture and put it on an object, which that was really cool. I learned how to do this project by following the directions of the teacher and experimenting with new things. I picked this project because I liked how it turned out and it looked normal. I think this one was my best projects I have done this year. My strengths in this project was having an idea in my head and being creative. My weakness were making the ice cream scoop, but I got it figured out. I improved by asking people for their help and then helping other people with the information that I learned. I'm going to use what I learned for future projects in maya. If I could change anything I would make more things in my ice cream shop to make it look legit. Overall, this was the most fun out of all the projects that we did this year. 

Hammer Time

  I created the Hammer faster than I thought I would. I also created the hammer in Maya. I learned to make a hammer head. I learned to do a cutting object which was really cool for the hammer head. I learned to do this by experimenting all the different tools. I picked this project because even though it didn't look the best I tried to make the hammer head look perfect. My weakness for the hammer was the handle. Somehow it looked curvy. I didn't know how to fix it without restarting the whole thing. My strength were the hammer head to line up all the vertices to look the same on both sids. I improved by learning to take less time to make things. I'm going to use what I learned for the next thing I do in maya. If I could change anything, I would change my hammer so it would be straight. Overall, this was a good learning experience.

Pen Final

  For my final before the christmas break we created a pen. I learned how to make all the different edges and different tools to use to make it look identical to an actual pen. I learned how to do this by also messing around with a bunch of different tools. I picked to do this project because I chose to take it a step further and add a picture of my idol and have it look as if he was holding the pen in his hand. The project was to just create a one with a floor and a couple side walls, so there wouldn't be any black when we render out the project. My strengths were creating the pen cap and my weakness was the pen, but I got it done and it looks great. I improved by doing my own thing and testing up tools. I'm going to use what I have learned with other things I do in Maya or anything like Maya. I would probably have a video of the pen instead of screen shots. Overall, I got this project done with very few mistakes. 

Polything

To create the polything I used Maya. This was the very first project I did in maya besides making random shapes. I learned about different lightings to use to create the best shadow of the polything.  I followed step by step instructions provided by my teacher to create the polything. I picked this project because it was the easiest to create in maya. It took me 10 minutes or less to create this. My strengths was being able to turn this project in on time. My weakness was figuring out how the lights worked. I improved by mastering how to do lighting. I'm going to use the lighting with other projects even outside of maya. Lighting can be used with almost everything. I wouldn't change a single thing about this project. Overall, this was quick and easy and a fun way to learn about lighting. 

Glass 

Recently I created a glass. I really like how it turned out because it looked almost real. I learned a new thing where we had to use a stenciling type of tool to create this. I learned this by following some directions, but mostly I did it on my own with the help of a couple people. I picked this project because it didn't completely look all that bad. I mean... I'd drink out of that glass if it were real. My strengths were making the bottom of the glass look skinny as a glass would look like. My weakness would probably be the color I chose it looks too blue for a glass. I improved by learning new tools. With the things I learned I also made a salt shake. I would change the color and make it look like there is liquid in the glass. Overall, It was a cool concept to learn. 

Polything

The scope of this project was to create a cube and bullion it out to make a polything in Maya. I looked up the directions on google classroom. I followed step by step and ended up getting this project done really fast. I would have never thought to use the cylinder shape to complete this project. What I did was first create a sphere and made sure all the measurements were exact. I put the cylinders inside the sphere and made them pop out in the middle, back,front, and both sides. Using bullion, I basically cut out the shapes from the inside and ended up with the final product. I had to put some lights to get the polything to have shadows. I then created the texture of my polything and I picked the color purple. My final thing to do was move the lights around each time to then take a screen shot of the polything.


  Along the way, I learned the principles of how to bullion shapes into other shapes. I was able to help out a few people around me also create this project because they couldn't quite get it. Instead of telling them to look back at their directions...

Overall this project was fun and really easy. I learned new things and better tools to use in maya. 

Multi-Layer Project

  The scope of this project was to create three different parts to then make it look as it would go into one. I first decided to make mine an ocean multi-layer because I figured that no one else in my class would have thought about doing that. Once I got started on making the water, I looked around and saw that other people had the same idea. I had to figure out how to make each of my layers move and the different speeds I wanted them to move in. I wanted my background layer to move a lot slower than I wanted my front layer. The back layer made it look as if it was far away, so it made since the farther away then the slower it would move and visa-verse. I started to create on my front (beginning) layer sand at the bottom and make the whole project look at the bottom of the ocean. I added some fish and other creatures to make it look a part of the ocean. Some of the fish really didn't make sense that it was at the bottom of the ocean. For example, a Dolphin wouldn't really be at the bottom of the ocean depending on how deep the ocean waters got. Now I am nowhere near as skilled as I would like to be. I could have gone all out on this, but we were on a bunch time limit and I really didn't know how to do a lot of things on Photoshop to make my project look kind of more real meaning it looks like I drew everything (which I did), but it would be cool if the dolphin looked better. 
   
   My project editing was spot on. All I had to do was move each scene all the way down and then set a keyframe. While creating the Multi-layer project I got to learn new things. I mainly learned all the new things in photoshop. I learned a bunch of little shortcuts that helped me get my project done faster compared to if I didn't know the shortcuts. Technically I had no problems in the hardware or software. It all worked out smoothly. 

  My collaboration with other classmates worked out well for me. I asked others around me to help me out to create my project. That leads into teamwork. I also helped a couple people around me with ideas on what to draw and I also even drew a turtle for someone else's project (even though it wasn't good.. I still helped her out). My deadlines are probably the weakest for me as long with some of my other classmates. It takes me a little longer to figure out all the different buttons and to plan out what I want to be able to do. I do come in every now and then before and after school to try and work on it outside of school hours. 

  If I had to do this project again I would probably figure out a way to make my project come alive so it wouldn't look plain. I would still have the idea of doing the bottom of the ocean. My experiences for my next project will help me out because I learned a bunch new shortcut keys to make my project go faster. My general thoughts about this project were that it was okay. I didn't love what we had to do, but I didn't hate it. Personally, animation is not one of my strong suits and I'm trying to do my best.