feb 29th

To try and make the slot machine animation more space themed I have been looking for a clip from a movie to use. The curtains would separate and then it would reveal we were in space. But after going through countless scenes I do not think it is a good idea anymore. In theory it seemed good but in practice it did not hold up.

I have been assigned to do the Video Race Animation now too. I was given a 5 day deadline to come up with one but Grace helped me out and had it pushed back a week. For the design I was thinking of going with a different assortment of cameras each with their own wheels to race. Then there would be like Ready, Set, BoldyGo and the cars skid out. Out of the cloud of smoke the tires make appears the information for the video race, then logo and then we have a wrap.

I also think I came up with another good idea for animation tied to anything. It would be the universe but it would be set up in the way of the characteristic curve. So like at the Toe would be a black hole, 18% would be like Saturn, and the shoulder would be the sun. A light streak would appear revealing the characteristic curve which would inevitably transition into the "S" of Visions as the rest of the title appears. It could come out pretty good plus it has a tie to filmmaking which is always a plus.

(feb. 22nd) Slot Machine and Geofilters

I believe I finally found the perfect machine to use in the bumpers while also promoting pertinent information. The answer is a slot machine. A slot machine is perfect because it is highly recognizable, there is plenty of Billboard space to name the slot machine anything you want like Visions6 Film Festival & Conference Jackpot. Also, slot machines are normally very colorful and always active. This allows me to add small looping animations to make it feel like a real slot machine. But the best part is the act of a Slot Machine. As it reveals new information with every spin. So the way I have this one worked out is that on the first try there is no match as the Visions6 logo comes up, a UFO and either an a conventional Alien or Cosmo. The jackpot though is 04.15.16, the date of Visions which sparks the machine to go nuts with lights and fireworks as you win the Grand Prize.

I have also been working on Geofilters. Since the acceptance rate of Geofilters is only 20% I have been working on up to 10 designs that promote Visions and the Date and some that are only Visions and some that are only the date. I am going to submit 3 today, one with only the date, one with only the V6 logo and one with V6 and the date. Hopefully they are approved by class tomorrow so the class and the rest of UNCW can play with them.

feb 15th

This week I worked on my smart goals, geofilters, and a new bumper. Following one of my smart goals I dedicated 5 hours to the Visions GeoFilters. I first started with reading Devons presentation she gave last semester. Following some of her links I discovered a couple of things. This was a good site https://www.reddit.com/r/snapchatgeofilters/comments/3b3h0h/how_to_design_a_good_geofilter/. IT told me that only 20% of his submissions were approved which means I will have to make a variety of designs. The article stressed the importance of following SnapChat's guidelines, keeping the design simple, and keep it local. Since the skyline I made for the VDAY animation was liked I figured we could use that, Devon's design if she allows us, and whatever else we can think of. I am still trying to find a way to upload an animation/gif as a geofilter. I feel an animation has a better chance to be uploaded.

As for the new bumper, I came to fun realization last class that BoldlyGo, Visions6, and 04.15.16 are all 8 digits. So we could do a fun, quick animation with the letters spinning revealing new information and even add a #.

The new chancellor also donated 10 dollars to Visions at the bake sale for one of my brownies. It was so good that he actually took a second.

VDAY animation Feb. 8th

This week I finished the Valentines Day Party animation. It came out pretty well I think. The color theme was pink and red for Valentines Day. The time was tough especially with the song. I used David Bowies "A Space Oddity" and if the animation could have been like 20 secs we could of had the him sing the whole chorus. But I was lucky to stretch it from 15 to 16, and I guess you just have to make compromises.

Finding a space shuttle launch sound effect was harder to find than I expected. There were a bunch but they all had audio and people cheering in the background. It was difficult to find just a space shuttle lunch. But good old YouTube pulled through. I still need to add the date April 15th to the animation. I keep forgetting good things Grace and Michelle point it out.

The viewings this week were a lot better than the rest. I could of them really stood out and I expect them to make the final screening. There were also a couple of interesting ones which will be interesting when the class begins to debate again. We will see but until then.

Helvetica

The film was really good. I was not expecting a film about typefaces to be exciting, engaging, and intellectual but I was wrong. The film was all of that and more. It covered and interviewed such a wide variety of characters from the industry that the protagonist, Helvetica, as one point Helvetica hailed as the saving hero and the next it is a villain because it wants everything to be the same. It is a really interesting film, at one you love Helvetica, then you hate it, then you kind of love it again because it really is a great font. They have experts that speak with so much love for the font then another that feels the font represents which the companies that support the Vietnam war. 

Basically what this film taught me is that never take your typeface for granted. It can either be an anchor or a sail. If you have to incorporate text incorporate it into the art or design the art around the typeface. Do not just think of the words as something you need to place on the canvas but use each letter as a different color to use. 

Post #3 Feb. 2

Since the class as a whole have evolved and improved, we are beginning to realize that some of our earlier designs could be better. October seems like a century ago and we have learned new things that we believe can update our look. Improvements are never bad it just means that we have all grown as students and want to improve our previous naive work. So from now on I need to forget Cosmo and try to make the animations seem more realistic and tell more information about the festival. Cosmo was a good idea at first but I feel that he has gotten in the way of the Visions Film Festival & Conference. So from now on all of our animations are going to end with the date of the festival and our website.

As for the animations, this week I worked on the rough draft for the Valentines Day Animation. All is going well the animation part, now I just need to design the animation better. Clean it up, add buildings, trees, grass, stars, and the works. The animation in itself I believe should work our quite well. It has a good feel for Valentines Day. I am still working on the soundscape. I already have most of the sounds for the rocket ship taking off and that sort. However, I am still up in the air of what I want the soundscape to be when the ship leaves the atmosphere and enters space? I am sure I will come up something.