Research Proposal

I have completed the introduction to my proposal today, It's taking longer than I thought it would to word and structure this, but I'm getting there. I'm continuing to gather references for the literature review part. I'm very concered that the weather is still really bad, I'm still hoping it will calm down by next week... hopefully! :/

Learning Contact

got some feedback by email(due to the weather) from Robin regarding my learning contract. I have to refine my objectives further... perhaps cutting down on what I have, and implement my activities into 4 or 5 objectives, rather than the 8 I have formed. I also need a seperate set of objectives and activities for my dissertation, and consider 2-3 areas of specific study relevant to my research question.

I will have a meeting with him as soon as possible to discuss this further when the weather decides to calm down :/

Project Proposal/Ethics Form

I have just completed the abstract for my project proposal. I have also managed to complete my ethics form, which I will show to my supervisor, and gain the signature needed. I'm hoping to submit as soon as possible, and wait for feedback of approval.

I have sent an email to my supervisors to make them aware that because of all the snow I may not get into uni this week, just in case the meetings have to be rescheduled.

Project Update

So far I'm on schedule, completing my learning contract and production document. I will now work on my proposal document. (28th & 29th) I can then continue my sketchbook work while I wait for feedback from Colin and Jim. :D

Log Update 3:

Due to changes with my script and refinement of my aims and objective, I am a little behind schedule in terms of the sketchbook work... I'm aiming to have my developed characters by the middle of december, before choosing one concept to develop further. What I want to tackle before anything else, is to finish the learning contract, production document, and the proposal to get them off my back, and gain feedback before the final submission in January. I had my meeting with Robin yesterday, and suggested an alternative ending of having Jamie sit with a bottle of pills beside him, which would add the mystery of whether or not he kills himself. I'm going to experiment with this idea. Robin also suggested to follow the process of stop staring for making rigging controls for the head. I think by following this process, it will also provide good reference for my production document. He thinks I should aim to start animating by the middle of febuary. I have another meeting next tuesday to discuss the dissertation.


26/11/10 - After changes made to aims and objectives - Finish 1st draft of learning contract - submit for Jims feedback next tuesday

27/11/10 - Finish Production document

28/11/10 - Continue Work on Project Proposal

29/11/10 - Finish 1st Draft of proposal - Forward to Colin

30/11/10 - Meeting with John(Technical Supervisor)/Continue with sketchbook work/Meeting with Robin(Academic Supervisor)

01/12/10 - Continue with concept one(Sketchbook #2)(Bully Character)

02/12/10 - Meeting with Jim/Continue with Concept one(Victim Character)

03/12/10 - Finish Concept one(Bully and Victim Characters)

Pre - Production Process

While gathering research for my production document, I came across this video which explains the production process quite well... and is very amusing! :D

Updated Gnatt Chart

Final Aims, Objectives, and Activities:

Aims, Objectives, and Activities:

1. Objective:
To research all appropriate formats for my project;

Activities:
1.1: Investigate existing and future technologies that would enhance the emotional response.
1.2: Look at virtual reality technology, and how this can enhance emotional engagement.
1.3: Investigate my project idea considering Project Natal, Game, and Animation formats.


2. Objective:
Determine what facial and body rigs to use for my characters.

Activities:
2.1: Investigate all resources available to me.
2.2: Identify the different types of body and facial rigs.
2.3: Investigate the type of facial rig I can have. (Blend Shape or Bones)
2.4: Compare what body rigs would be best to use.
2.5: Edit the rig in preparation of attaching it to my character(s).

3. Objective:
Investigate various Styles that would be suitable for my characters appropriate to my chosen genre/theme, before developing my characters.

Activities:
3.1: Identify historical and contemporary influences from different areas of design. (Sketchbook #1)
3.2: Perform Experiments with different mediums using my influences as reference to help decide on my visual style. (Sketchbook #1)
3.3: Break my visual style research into 3 Concepts. (Sketchbook #2)
3.4: Work in series considering basic shape, line, tone, and texture.
3.5: Choose One Concept to develop further. (Sketchbook #2)
3.6: Create a model and expression sheet.

4. Objective:
Produce a script and record narration that will help to communicate the characters emotions.

Activities:
4.1: Identify Narration and Narrative within existing animation and advertisement messages.
4.2: Investigate how Narration and Narrative can drive the characters emotions.
4.3: Create a Narrated Narrative and gain feedback on it.
4.4: Make any changes needed.
4.5: Record the narration.

5. Objective:
Produce Character Models from development for use within the animation.

Activities:
5.1: Create a Character Model
5.2: Texture the model
5.3: Attach the pre sourced rig
5.3 Skin, and paint weights

6. Objective:
Investigate advertisement messages and relevant literature that support how to get the best emotional response from my characters;

Activities:
6.1: Research into past and current advertisement messages along with game and animation focusing on character emotion for use within my dissertation.
6.2: Compare these findings, discuss in online forums
6.3: Start drafting up my dissertation.

7. Objective:
Produce a 2-3 min 3D animation which focuses on character emotion and narrated narrative;

Activities:
7.1: Pre Production – sketchbook work (character Development) the script, record narration, Storyboards, and animatic.
7.2: Production of the animation
7.3: Rendering of the animation
7.4: Post – Production: Exporting the movie, after effects, and importing the sound and recorded narration.

8. Objective:
Present my project to a professional standard

Activities:
8.1: Make CD Cover
8.2: Mount up key development and Animation Screenshots
8.3: Bind Dissertation
8.4: Get mounted boards and the animation ready for degree show

Show and Tell session

I got some good feedback from today... and it was good to get a taste of other peoples projects... I'm feeling much better now talking about my project... and have some things to think about. I have changed my gnatt chart.. breaking down the time scales more rather than timing a couple of objectives in one full block... other advice given was to watch Pixars UP ( which I have finaly!) and it really gave me some good inspiration and reference in terms of the narrative and age progression of the main character. I'm also thinking about keeping the ending of my narrative as I first thought... but changing the wording slightly... it may be a grim ending.. but in this case I feel it will make more of an impact on the advertisement message. I'm going to submit my ethics form, and if given back to me I will make sure I have another ending ready that I'm happy with... I wont know if I don't try... :D

Gnatt Chart

This is my gnatt chart which shows my expected deliverables and set deadlines for semester 2... each box represents 2 weeks. It means that I can include this with my draft learning contract for feedback before submission.

Sketchbook Images Continued

This is the point where I'm starting the first concept sketches for the bully character... considering influence Tim Burton and Alberto Giacometti. I'm wondering whether the bully character had such an effect on Jamie as a child... that everything he see's is the bully in his head... maybe an exaggerated and anxious vision or representation of the bully... so considering long and skinny versions... playing with mixed media, and will begin working in series.

Supervisor Meetings/Project Update

I have found out who my academic and technical supervisors are, and have arranged meetings for this week and next week... I'm working on my presentation for show and tell, and working on my script from the feedback given. I have also been trying to work on concept one for the bully character... Here are some photos of some inspiration, and concept experiments. I'm hoping to have finished my new script by the end of this week, along with my draft of the learning contract to be forwarded to Jim. I'm receiving feedback on the online forum on polycount which I'm pleased about, as it shows people are interested in my project idea.

Meeting with Gregor

I had a disscusion with Gregor regarding my script, and other possible avenues I could take it down... at the moment the ending for the story is very grim, I may stick to this, but will think of other ways I could portray the subject of bullying, and decide what journey I want to take the bully and victim down. Gregor suggested looking into where storys and characters come from, and the relationship between characters. while i'm trying to firm the ideas for my script, and the research areas of the project in terms of my research question, I'm going to start taking experimentation of inspiration to my character development, and starting to think of the emotions I want to portray. I will show what I have so far at my show and tell session. I have a meeting with Belinda on thursday to discuss my sketchbook work, and will be meeting up with Robin as soon as I can to discuss facial animation and emotion.

Updated Log 2

14th November:
Gather further visual research/Continue character development

15th November:
Apointment with Gregor/Continue character development

16th November:
Draft up proposal document/Experiment with Sculptris

17th November:
continue draft of proposal document/Start Draft of production document

18th November:
Continue Draft of Production document/finish learning contract/Gnatt Chart

19th November:
Continue character development

20th November:
Experiment more in Sculptris and Maya/finish Concept one (Visual Style)

21st & 22nd November:
Continue Concept Development(Concept 2)Finish Script

23rd November:
Show and Tell Session

Sculptris Test1

While playing around with this software, I've managed to produce something, by trying out all the tools available. This is just a simple test to see how I got on with using it for the first time, and i'm quite pleased with it considering it only took me about an hour... I'm now going to try exporting this into Maya and try a texture test.



Exporting for Maya was fine. I am finding it a bit slow.. I will need to work out how to bring the file size down from within sculptris I think.

Sculptris

I came across a software that I really think will help with my concept development for my characters.(http://www.sculptris.com) I've been playing around with it, and you can inport and export to maya. Here is a video which shows what it can help you create.



Apart from my sketchbook work, I want to finish off my script which is nearly there, make my animatics, ahowing my idea in 2 possible formats, and start typing up my learning contract, and production document. I am still looking at possible processes to go through when working on the facial emotion for my characters. I will be talking to Gregor soon about where I'm at with the project so far. I hope to have all my documentation complete before christmas, and forward a 1st draft of my learning contract to Jim, and my proposal document to Colin by the 5th of december. So far I feel like I'm on schedule. :D

Initial Research; Facial Rigging Processes

La Maison en Petits Cubes ( The House of Small Cubes ) Kunio Kato

I really like this animation. The style is interesting, I like the fact it is driven by narrative.. it keeps you guessing what is going on with the main character.. anyway here it is... enjoy :)

Acting in Animation: 3D Discussion forums

I've now joined up with a 3D modeling, and animation discussion forum, and posted up a reply to an acting in animation forum, I'm hoping to get some feedback from this to use within my research.

http://www.3dmd.net/forum/3d-discussion-6879.html

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78363&highlight=character+emotion

I'm very happy that I now have a copy of the facial modeling and animation book, Stop Staring, this will be a very useful resource for my project. Im also looking at traditional 2D methods for portraying emotion, and various expression poses.

I feel like by the end of the week, I will be well on my way to starting my character development. But at the moment, I'm still experimenting with mixed media, and inspiration research. I'm also looking at various research areas relevent to my new research question. :)

Research Question (Refined)

From the feedback received from Jim in todays class, I have thought of a new research question. It relates more on the procceses of portraying character emotion.

While investigating virtual reality technology, animation, games, and narrative;

'What are the effective translation processes that portray character emotion within narrative for advertisement messages?'

I feel that this question will allow me to look at a broad range of research, which also allows me to talk about the bigger vision of my idea within my dissertation, and produce a suitable end output that relates well to my animation idea.

Updated Aims, Objectives & Activities/Final Project Aim

From the list I made earlier, I have produced an aim, objective, and will eventualy have an activity explaining how I will achieve each aim and objective.

1. Aim: To research all appropriate formats for my project;

objective: Investigate existing and future technologies that would enhance the emotional response.

Activity:

2. Aim: To determine what facial and body rigs to use for my characters;

Objective: Investigate all resources available to me.

Activity:

3. Aim: Investigate various Styles that would be suitable for my characters appropriate to my chosen genre/theme;

Objective: Explore historical and contemporary influences which will help form ideas.

Activity:

4. Aim: Produce a script that will help to communicate the characters emotions;

Objective: Investigate Narration and Narrative within existing animation and advertisement messages.

Activity:

5. Aim: Investigate advertisement messages and relevent literature that support how to get the best emotional response from my characters;

Objective: Research into past and current advertisement messages along with game and animation focusing on character emotion.

Activity:

6. Aim: Produce a 3-4 min 3D animation which focuses on character emotion and narrated narrative;

Objective: Using all my inspiration, research, concept development, and animatic to produce a finished piece of animation.

Activity:

My main Project aim:

To produce a 3D animation which will focus on character emotion within an advertisement message... Are YOU a BULLY?

Purpose: to explore character emotions within an anti-bullying campaign.

Research Question/ Aims & Objectives (Refined)

Thought of another research question which is slightly different to what I had, but still connected to the same project.


While investigating virtual reality technology, animation, and narrative;

'Can 3D character emotion techniques make an impact within advertisement messages?'

I felt this question is more relevent to my project, and what I want to achieve from it with the time I have.

Aims & Objectives:

Refined:

Concept Development:

-Rough Concept Ideas from research
-characterisation
-Record Narration
-Working in Series
-Model Sheets
-3D models
-Rigs(pre sourced)
-Storyboards
Rough Animatic(this will explain in some visual form of how I think my animation could also be used within the format of project Natal technology)

3-4 min Animation: (The Victim)
-Animatic(rough animation shots/key poses/narration/sound)
-Animate
-Render(maya software)
-Place the images into editing software (Final Cut Pro or Premire Pro)
-Export to a movie File (avi or mov)

Present Final Project:
-make CD Cover
-mount up key concept development work
-Mount up 3D models

Dissertation
-Structure
-Project Introduction
-Compare opinions
-Evaluation of project

Now that I have a list of aims and objectives, I will now work on producing the activities to go along with these in more detail.

Update (log)

Research Topics:

Facial Animation/modeling/rigging/facial structures

Cognative Processes/ understanding human emotion

Plan for today:

Continue with inspiration sketchbook/start concept development sketchbook

3/11/10:
Continue experimenting with ideas/gather more visual research

4/11/10:
Start drafting up my learning contract/talk to Colin about my research question.

5/11/10:
Continue drafting up my learning contract/more concept development

6/11/10:
Gather further research for proposal document/Gather more visual research

7/11/10:
Start powerpoint for crit week

8/11/10:
Continue with Concept development

9/11/10:
crit group/ futher concept development