Stop Motion Animation

blog 4.2

blog 4.3

I liked the concept and story line of our game. Even though it had similar characteristics, our idea was different from any of the RTS games on the market today. It used plant/ animal hybrids, which I think would probably be the most interesting aspect of the game. I think our presentation went decently. I think the mechanics of the game could have been explained better. I think our presentation of the mechanics was too vague. If we made them more specific it would be easier to understand. I also think the objectives were not explained enough. If we had more visual elements, I think the class would have had a better picture of our game. I think the goals were well explained. In RTS games the goals are very simple; you start off with a set amount of resources, you build a base/army, and then you invade your opponents to obtain more resources. The more resources your faction has, the more powerful they will be. I think the most difficult aspect to describe were the objectives of the game. Our game was very detailed and the objectives just were not explained as well as they should have been. There were some aspects to the game, like the characters, that made sense to us but did not make sense to the class. But despite that, I think our presentation went fairly well.

blog 4.1

http://artistmdia.blogspot.com/2011/07/mdia-203-project-3-animation.html?showComment=1311314756300#c7265824071223900161

http://mediarox203.blogspot.com/2011/07/stop-motion-good-vs-evil.html?showComment=1311317210490#c1231931104098743719

http://sh269608.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-stop-motion.html?showComment=1311322434419#c2558340892596150885

blog 3.3

blog 3.2

blog 3.1

          I was first drawn to this image by the eerie feeling it provoked. I love horror movies and creepy things so this image was perfect.  I framed the image with slightly blurred edges and I brightened, making it more blown out. Both images are ambiguous. They are both of a tree and a wall, but you are still unsure of what is going on in your surroundings. I framed the image this way so it would be a little more ambiguous than the original. The brighter white color increases the visual intensity of the image. The original image has a darker tone, making it less intense. They are both of a tree and a wall, but you are still unsure of what is going on in your surroundings. There is both contrast and affinity in the images. There is contrast between the light and dark colors. The affinity occurs with the lines in the image. The tree and the wall are both vertical, linear lines. Although the tree and the wall create vertical lines, the horizon line creates a horizontal line, creating contrast between the lines.  The original image has more depth cues.  The reframed image is blown out and makes the small tree on the horizon barely visible. The fog is also more visible in the original image. The fog creates texture and adds more dimensions to the image. The dark colors are more foreboding in the original. I changed the color in the image slightly; it has a blue tinge. The colors blend better in the original.  I think the artist framed up this shot this way to give the picture more depth. The artists wanted the audience to question the picture. The ambiguous nature of the shot keeps it mysterious and people are allowed to develop their own conclusions about the image. 

blog 2.2

blog 2.4

blog 2.3: comments

http://gamebrewer-brewer.blogspot.com/2011/07/blog-post-23.html?showComment=1310175957973#c7449624278921147506

http://kevin-mdiablog.blogspot.com/2011/07/23-audio-reflection.html?showComment=1310176478270#c8395461240610034776

http://vividmedia203.blogspot.com/2011/07/media203-song.html?showComment=1310177210264#c8277102853425601760

MDIA 203 song

blog 2.1: videos

I chose to compare a cover, done by Seether, of Heart-Shaped Box; originally performed by Nirvana. This is one of my favorite songs performed by two of my favorite bands. The first difference I noticed was the timbre. The lyrics sung by Seether are softer and smoother than those sung by Nirvana.  Their singer also articulates the lyrics more than in the Nirvana version. Nirvana’s tone tends to be slightly harsher than Seether’s, however Nirvana’s vocalist has a broader vocal range. At the very end of the Nirvana version, Nirvana’s pitch is slightly higher, but for the most part, they are very similar. The organizations of both versions are similar. However, the Nirvana version is more chaotic. The vocals cover a much broader range creating a stressful feeling in the song. The Seether version has a longer intro than the other version. The intro builds up to the beginning of the song slowly and the guitar sounds mellow. Nirvana’s guitar has a more “metallic” sound at the beginning and there seems to be more bass. The intro is straightforward and more pronounced. The guitar solo played by Seether is more dramatic than the Nirvana solo. The solo begins at a medium volume and then gradually grows, building tension. The solo progresses to the climax of the song, followed by the release, which is established with a slight diminuendo. The Nirvana version also has an intense guitar solo, but the timbre of the guitar is different. They might have used a different type of guitar. The overall tonality of the Nirvana version is brighter and raspier. The Nirvana version of Heart-Shaped Box had less improved sections than the one performed by Seether. Seether adds a few guitar swells throughout the arrangement. Seether emphasizes the “hey wait” section of the song a little differently than Nirvana. Nirvana emphasizes the lyrics more making them more dramatic. Seether’s lyrics keep the mellow mood for most of the song. Seether adds an intense scream to the lyrics, making the song suit the bands personality. I like the guitar lines in both of the copies of the song, but in my opinion, Nirvana’s guitar layer suites the song slightly better than Seether’s. The “metallic” sound of the strings helps implement the emotions the band is hoping the audience is getting from the music. Like I said before, Seether’s sound is much more mellow. The guitar sound is darker and the pitch is lower. The lower pitch automatically makes the song sound laid back. This creates darker emotions while listening to the song. I love the different timbre of both versions of Heart-Shaped Box. I think the different timbre Seether uses pairs well with the vocals. It is much calmer than the original song.  Nirvana builds up more tension using a different type of timbre. The higher pitch makes the song sound more intense. They also use more dynamic contrast than Seether, helping create a contrast in emotions. The more emotions there are in a piece, the more engaged the listener will be. 

blog 1.3

links to my comments:

http://mdiastudentou.blogspot.com/2011/06/soundscape.html#comments

http://mdia203blog.blogspot.com/2011/06/soundscape-project_27.html#comments

http://kirbykilwalski.blogspot.com/2011/06/soundscape-vid.html#comments

Soundscape

Response to ways to get ideas

Article Link: http://changethis.com/

Mitch Ditkoff’s “14 Ways to get Breakthrough Ideas” is very worthwhile to read. It gives people suggestions for nurturing their creativity. It often seem overwhelming to develop an amazing idea. This article breaks it down and makes developing "breakthroughs" less overwhelming. A major aspect revolves around channeling different thoughts.

1st tip: People have many thoughts everyday, but if you have one that becomes a fascination, investigate it further. If you have an interest, do not over look it, nurture it along because it might develop into something great. 

2nd tip: Immerse yourself in an interest. He compares this to a mother hen sitting on her eggs. If you "sit on" your idea and let it "incubate" then eventually a "breakthrough" will hatch. Set out time in your busy schedule to just immerse yourself in a project. The longer you think, or "incubate" your project, the more great ideas will come to mind. Even though not all of your ideas will be fantastic, keep track of them because they could possibly be used later. Each new idea is one step closer to a breakthrough. 

      3rd tip: Not everyone succeeds on his or her first try. Be persistent and do not get discouraged. It takes multiple tries to develop a worthwhile idea. Become comfortable with discomfort.

            4th tip: While pondering your ideas, try to make new connections. You might be able to develop new things based off of old ones, an example being the wine press and the coin press, or the drive through teller machine.

            5th tip: fantasizing is how many breakthrough ideas occur. Most adults do not feel comfortable fantasizing because it is associated with children or perverts. As people grow up, they learn to subdue their imagination. It might take some time but get reacquainted with your imagination. The sooner this happens, the sooner you can get busy with your next breakthrough.

            6th tip: Define the right challenge, which basically means to develop a breakthrough question. Having the right question is half the part to developing a breakthrough answer.

            7th tip: Listen to your subconscious. Many awesome breakthroughs come after hours of thought and contemplation. The subconscious mind works overtime in an attempt to solve a problem. It is not uncommon for people to have a breakthrough come to them in a dream, or during another random time.

            8th tip: take a break from your project when you hit a block. Leave it alone for a while and the answer may come to you.

            9th tip: notice and challenge existing patterns and trends. Inventors often get their big break when they challenge things and arrange them in different ways.

            10th tip: know diverse groups of people. Hanging out with different people increases your chance of developing a breakthrough.

            11th tip: Brainstorm. Breakthrough thinkers often hate group thinking because they like to think for themselves. However, a group setting could be very helpful if you have the right question and share it with the right people.

            12th tip: look for happy accidents. Many great discoveries happen by accident, such as the discovery of penicillin. “Breakthroughs” are about the intervention required to notice something new, unexpected, or intriguing.

            13th tip: Creative thinking techniques. These are related to jumper cables and jumpstarting. Choose something to get your brain going and run with it.

            14th tip: Suspend Logic. Most people “live” in their left-brain. In order to be creative, we must seek a state of suspension. Once we are in this state, we are free to let our creativity develop.

            This article gave me helpful information to escape from a creativity block. I found three of them to be more helpful than the others just because they would be a quick and beneficial addition to an everyday schedule.

·       Immerse yourself: This allows for you to become knowledgeable about the topic and goes hand-in-hand with fascination. If someone is knowledgeable, then they will likely be able to gather support for their idea. This is a good suggestion as long as the individual does not get overwhelmed with information. When gathering information just be sure to know the limits.  

·      Suspend Logic: Watching movies, reading books, etc. helps get the creativity flowing. As people grow up, we are taught to subdue the creative part of our brain. We are taught to think logically, often making creative breakthroughs difficult. I like this tip because it helps people interact with their creative side, helping manifest fantastic, original ideas.

·      Fantasizing: This tip can be related to suspending logic. This is an important tip because breakthroughs often begin with fantasizing and the imagination. Often thinking about the near impossible will result in a very successful breakthrough.

Prompt put into action:

  

What new idea is fascinating you? What new possibility has captured your attention? In what ways can you honor this inspiration today?

1.     What new idea is fascinating you?

·      I have been interested in photography ever since my friend began her own amateur photography business. I enjoy taking photos and I would like to purse this hobby.

2.     What new possibility has captured your attention?

·      If I improve my photography skills I could possibly sell pictures or do photo shoots to earn extra money for school.

3.     In what ways can you honor this inspiration today?

·      I am looking for a better camera on the internet and I have been looking into starting a website. I have also consulted my friend about her photography business.

Blog Assignment 1: Creative Influence

    I decided during my high school career I decided I wanted to pursue music as a career option. When I started college, I decided to take on a corollary in video production... Which I have been called crazy for numerous times. Throughout my life as a musician, I have been asked who inspires me to do what I do...Or why did I choose music as a career? Without much thought, I came to my conclusion. I have one of the most influential mentors.
    I began taking bassoon lessons with Dr.  Matthew Morris during my junior year of high school and I am continuing to study with him in college. He is not only a fantastic teacher, but an amazing musician as well. He plays with spectacular tone and uses emotional contrast in is playing to create tension to keep the listener engaged. He makes the musical colors darker or lighter to represent a particular emotion in an orchestral excerpt or solo work. If the emotions in the work are similar, he uses musical affinity. This creates a more mellow mood, resulting in a relaxing atmosphere.
    The pieces Dr. Morris chooses to perform are often subjective and are open for the listeners' interpretation. He puts his own twist on the music, but each individual is affected differently. Music can be objective as well. For example, the structure of the piece is objective, referring to the "true reality" of the piece. This is what the listener knows about the work, such as being composed in a minor key during the 21st century.
     Dr. Morris keeps the audience's attention by reflecting different emotions in his playing. He uses dynamics and different articulations on the bassoon to build tension until the climax of the piece; which is followed by the release, or when the piece begins to wind down. During the release, there could be softer dynamics, ritardandos, or a repeat of a previous section. There can be more ways for the music to wind down, but those are just three examples.
     Dr. Morris is a fantastic teacher. He has great bassoon technique and shares this knowledge with his students in a laid back environment. Prior to studying with Morris, I was always nervous to play for my instructor. However, playing for Dr. Morris was different. When he was teaching me, I felt like he was actually trying to help me improve, rather than judge my musical abilities. He will go out of his way to help his students. He gives his honest advice about school and jobs. It is very unlikely that I would be able to find a stable job in music, which is why he encouraged me to double major in something else. This way I would have another career option if music does not work out. I could also combine my music degree with video production. This is when I joined AVW Productions and fell in love with the Ohio University School of Media Arts and Studies. Dr. Morris has helped make decisions about my college career, nurtured my creativity, and help me improve my musical technique.