Final Showcase Spot

2011 Showreel updated

Here is the link to my updated showreel for 2011. If you have any questions about my work, please get in touch via my email address. gemz_design@yahoo.co.uk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdQVQa1Jme0

The Final Curtain... but it's not over till it's over...

wow... what a feeling to have submitted everything... apart from one final deadline.. The showcase launch was a real success, and have had a lot of interest in my work already! :) - having my display in the background on the showcase feature on STV news was a nice surprise, and hopefully a small taste of whats to come in the future. From now till the 3rd of June I will be based in HMC as much as I can... and getting my CV out to as many companies as I can - you never know :)

I'm going to work on updating my showreel for the final deadline, along with examples of my press pack and showcase display for the professional practice deadline.

22/05/2011 23/ 05/2011: Work on updating my showreel

24/05/2011: 25/05/2011: Written Work

26/05/2011: Compile CD for submission

27/05/2011: Sumbit all work for the deadline

28/05/2011: The end of honours year... :O

End of year presentation

The presentation went ok today.. I just hope I covered all the key points I needed to cover... I wish I didn't get so nervous.

Now it's down to the dissertation, and I'm awaiting final feedback on it. I still have the referencing and bibliography to sort and finish. I now have the computer in my spot for the showcase, and it's starting to look really nice. I'll be a lot happier when I get my boards and lettering up on thursday. I plan to submit my dissertation on thursday night/friday morning.

I think that the showcase will be a success despite some of the debates that have been going on regarding some things.

After I have a "relaxing" weekend, I'll get to work on the submission for professional practice. :)

Showcase Spot

I've spent 2 full days working on this, but I think it has been worth it. The text does show impact. I intitialy wanted to use spray paint, but after a few tests it just wasn't going to work.

I'm glad this is just about finished, as I will need all my time left to get my dissertation up to scratch.

Showcase Update

Preperations for the showcase are coming along nicely. Here is my promotional "merchandise" presspack :) - Which includes:

T-shirt
Cap
Business cards
Postcards showng project info
A mug
Mouse mat
Pen
Keyrings
Poster

Project Submission

All the work needed for the project submission is complete. :D - I've mounted my boards, and burnt the DVD's needed... so by tomorrow 4th year is almost over! :O

I've recieved feedback on my dissertation, and there are still quite a few changes to make, but at least after tomorrow I can sit down and focus on what needs to be inproved.

Tomorrow I'm going to see my spot for the showcase, as the table is now in place. I've got some areas to finish and touch up. Go to our final showreel meeting, and the showcase meeting at 1.

I'm going to start my powerpoint presentation on thursday, consider the structure of it and what I'm going to say. I know I'm going to be nervous because most people always are.. but I also want to enjoy it, as it will be the last presentation of the year! :O

Dissertation and project Update

My final dissertation draft is now complete. All I need to write up now is the extended analysis for the animation and place in my appendixes. I will email the complete dissertation and analysis to Robin tonight for feedback.

I have half of my boards for the showcase mounted, and will finish the rest on thursday, along with finishing touches to sketchbook #2. I'm going to photograph the boards for my project submission as advised by Robin, so I can also use these for the showcase. I will submit my sketchbooks, but Robin says it will be ok to pick these up from him the day before the showcase to use on launch day.

I'm also pleased with feedback I've recieved on the animation. I'm excited at the fact I got an email from Ed Hooks! I wasn't expecting a response back, and it's full of positive and constructive feedback. :)

Log Update Continued: Final 2 weeks

just so I no what I need to be doing, I have made a schedule which will cover rough times of what I'll be aiming for over the final 2 weeks before the showcase.

To Do List: Last couple of weeks:

 Saturday/Sunday: Finish final dissertation draft for feedback
 Monday: Mount up development work
 Tuesday: Finish Table and MDF board decoration
 Wednesday: Showcase Class/ Make changes to final script and print x 2
 Thursday: Finish off touching up sketchbook work/ Take photos of boards
 Friday: Project submission/ work on dissertation references
 Saturday : Sunday: End of year presentation powerpoint/Dissertation references
 Monday: Put together little prototype book
 Tuesday: End of year presentation/ make sure spot for showcase is ok
 Wednesday: Showcase meeting Class/ Make final changes to dissertation
 Thursday: Submit Dissertation: Bind Dissertation/ final prep for the showcase
Friday: Dissertation Deadline/Showcase :0

The Beginning of the End...

My meeting today with Robin was quite brief, just discussing current progress, and the dissertation. He is pleased with my progress.. and as such there wasn't a lot to talk about. I got my learning contracts signed. Agreed action points for our last meeting is to work on the dissertation, and work on mounting for the showcase. I can't get my head around the amount of time left. It takes the edge off knowing that the dissertation is only needed to be submitted through the blackboard. I am however going to bind a copy for myself, and one copy to Robin just in case the marker would like to take a look at it in hard copy.

I explained to Robin that I'm going to submit my complete draft by the end of monday, as I don't want to rush it for the sake of sending it tomorrow.

I also got on well with painting my table for the showcase. which has taken most of today to do, but I'm almost finished, and should be ready by the end of next tuesday. (I will psot a pic soon.) I think it's turned out well despite the fact I initially wanted to use spray paint.. but after a few trials it just wasn't working.

Anyway I will post my schedule for next week at the weekend...

Feedback from Sherry Adhami (Beat Bullying)

I had a call from Sherry to discuss feedback of my animation. She thinks the idea of using animation to try and allow an audience to empathise with the character is great, and the story content relates to a wide audience. She has advised me that on order for this to be suitable for TV advertising, it would need to be cut down to around 30 seconds. She still thinks the animation I have now is good, but perhaps making a shorter version of it aswell in the future. The one thing she think would enhance the story more, is providing Jaime with some sort of solution at the end, or a positive spin on the narrative. I do understand why this could add to it, but ultimatly I want this animation to be dark, and depressing for the very reason that this can be how people live their lives as the result of bullying.

The message intends to show an audience that this could happen, not 'will' happen as a result of bulliyng. Overall though Sherry had some postive feedback, which does make me happy, that the character of Jaime could be cared for. The most challenging aspect of the practical project, was to create empathy for a character which you do see sitting in a chair, there is no action as such, just emotion. I think the fact Sherry wants something good to happen to Jaime means that there is sympathy for Jaime, and Sherry agrees that the narrative content is hard hitting, and cover a lot of areas, so there is potential for character empthay.

I'm also pleased that she asked if she could contact me to talk about it, when the most I was hoping for was an emailed response. This is a good sign that all the hard work is paying off.

The Victim: Final Animation Updated

I have updated the sound levels and it's much louder than it was, so I'm happier. just means I have to cut it down for the main showreel clip, and will give this to Dave tomorrow.

I've had feedback from John, and he thinks there is not a lot more I can do to it than make the sound levels louder, which is done.. so I will now send it the beat bullying and Respect me organisations, and have a look for any more for final feedback to place in the results section of my dissertation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5azsBWhHnc

Final Animation: The Victim

This is the final animation. I'm just waiting for feedback on it now. I'm pleased with the result overall. If there is anything I can tweak in the run up to the submission then I will try my best to do so. I need to spend the next week focused on my dissertation, but will wait and see what feedback I get.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwECrb0VSvE

Advertisement Poster

I'm going to be using this poster (A3) to advertise my animation... It's simple, but works well.

Project Log Continued

Schedule for week 16:

02/05/2011: Continue with the dissertation: Chapter 0.4/ send final animation to John for feedback

03/05/2011: Dissertation Chapter 0.5/ Work on animation intro for the main showreel

04/05/2011: Showreel meeting/showcase class meeting

05/05/2011: Meeting with Keith/ paint table/meeting with Robin

06/05/2011: Work on disseration/send final draft to Robin