http://badger.ac.brocku.ca/~gt04lq/animation.html
Working on this flash animation was a bit of a struggle initially, however, once you get the hang of the tools, it begins to get a lot easier.
After working with the tools, I decided to update my storyboard and include close ups, and added different scenes. I think that really improved the flow of the story.
Here's the finished product!
-gina
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
Ice Scream, Ice Scream We all scream for ice scream...Storyboard for Flash project
Here is my storyboard for my flash animation project...It is entitled "I Scream for Ice Cream"
Basically a girl is eating ice cream on a HOT summer day, as she eats her ice scream, the sun begins to disappear and she doesn't really notice that the clouds have moved in and the sun is gone...She's done her ice cream, and the fact that she's out of the ice scream, she screams which coincides with the rain...The End...
I want too add in a soundtrack perhaps... "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream"
My Flash skills are very limited and basic, so I think playing around with the program I'll be able to add more things to my animation afterwards.
This is a very cool animation that I found on Ebaums world. It's not something that I think I can execute because it seems pretty complex. But the interaction between the music and the man is pretty interesting. It also adds some interactivity with the play button on the front prage.
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/flash/play/3596
Basically a girl is eating ice cream on a HOT summer day, as she eats her ice scream, the sun begins to disappear and she doesn't really notice that the clouds have moved in and the sun is gone...She's done her ice cream, and the fact that she's out of the ice scream, she screams which coincides with the rain...The End...
I want too add in a soundtrack perhaps... "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream"
My Flash skills are very limited and basic, so I think playing around with the program I'll be able to add more things to my animation afterwards.
This is a very cool animation that I found on Ebaums world. It's not something that I think I can execute because it seems pretty complex. But the interaction between the music and the man is pretty interesting. It also adds some interactivity with the play button on the front prage.
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/flash/play/3596
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Assignment 4 - Inspirations/Research
Hello.
Before starting the audio assignment, I wasn't really sure what me and my partner was going to come up with. I think for both of us, the whole project was a new experience and it was more about experimenting with the technology and working with the technology rather than coming up with a specific concept for our project.
Specifically for our project we decided to create a composition that represented our week. We did this through collecting songs that represented each day of the week. We recorded these songs and started experimenting with the sound effects and the tools in Soundstudio. We created delays and added effects to each section of the week. We also experimented with the recording our own voices and distorting our vocals and mixing it to the week long loop. Our own vocal tracks were distorted to represent feelings or emotions that we feel during that day. It sort of turned out into the soundtrack of our week, but we put our own spin on it and tried adding our thoughts and emotions that represented each day of the week through our vocal tracks and mixing.
I was really interested in the sound walk project that Duncan McDonald talked about in class. It was very interesting and it sort of reminded me of an audiobook, but with more sounds incorporated into it. I find it interesting how the narrative worked so well with the descriptive sounds. It gave a lot of details, but not in terms of visual details, but in terms of evoking visual details. It's interesting how different senses can evoke different images in your head.
This is what personally gave me inspiration for our project. To try and evoke emotion through emphasizing different sounds, and through creating distortion through our own vocal recordings.
Audio Clip
Rainy Days and Mondays By The Carpenters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPmbT5XC-q0
As well, I drew inspiration from what I really love as well, and that is music. I worked at a music label for 8 months prior to coming back to school. So everyday I went into the office, it was like I had a personal music soundtrack constantly playing. So in order to reinforce what we were focusing on, which was our week. We found songs that mention each day of the week.
Before starting the audio assignment, I wasn't really sure what me and my partner was going to come up with. I think for both of us, the whole project was a new experience and it was more about experimenting with the technology and working with the technology rather than coming up with a specific concept for our project.
Specifically for our project we decided to create a composition that represented our week. We did this through collecting songs that represented each day of the week. We recorded these songs and started experimenting with the sound effects and the tools in Soundstudio. We created delays and added effects to each section of the week. We also experimented with the recording our own voices and distorting our vocals and mixing it to the week long loop. Our own vocal tracks were distorted to represent feelings or emotions that we feel during that day. It sort of turned out into the soundtrack of our week, but we put our own spin on it and tried adding our thoughts and emotions that represented each day of the week through our vocal tracks and mixing.
I was really interested in the sound walk project that Duncan McDonald talked about in class. It was very interesting and it sort of reminded me of an audiobook, but with more sounds incorporated into it. I find it interesting how the narrative worked so well with the descriptive sounds. It gave a lot of details, but not in terms of visual details, but in terms of evoking visual details. It's interesting how different senses can evoke different images in your head.
This is what personally gave me inspiration for our project. To try and evoke emotion through emphasizing different sounds, and through creating distortion through our own vocal recordings.
Audio Clip
Rainy Days and Mondays By The Carpenters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPmbT5XC-q0
As well, I drew inspiration from what I really love as well, and that is music. I worked at a music label for 8 months prior to coming back to school. So everyday I went into the office, it was like I had a personal music soundtrack constantly playing. So in order to reinforce what we were focusing on, which was our week. We found songs that mention each day of the week.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Assignment 4: Storyboard
Hello...
It seems like it's been awhile. But here's my storyboard...
The Process:
Well, as you can probably tell, I did most of this on paper and scanned it in, and then used photoshop to add images and elements to the storyboard. In the first six frames, I tried adding different layers of images, and using the actual drawing tools to create each frame. I found it hard to actually draw using the pen/pencil tools with photoshop. Maybe because my mouse is a little wonky. As well, it took me awhile to get used to dealing with all the layers that accumulated while I was trying to add more "outside" images to my storyboard.
In the last three frames, I played around more with the colour and the saturation tools. I really like the aesthtic look of the colours in the last three frames because the colouring is more subtle, and certain colours convey certain meanings better than others. I really liked using the photo altering tools, because you can preview the effects you choose to add to your images.
The idea:
The weather has just been so unpredictable lately, so I definately had some similar experiences. One day it's boiling hot and sunny, the next day it's cloudy an freezing cold. So I thought this would be a timely idea to use for my assignment.
Well, that's about it!
-gina
Sidenote: I hate Web CT with a passion.
The end.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Assignment 3: Web Interfaces
Hello...
Homepage (left), individual entry page (right)
1. Homepage
2. Best Story Ever Page
3. Photo Gallery Page
Lifehacker is a collective blog from about a group of 5-6 contributors. They deal with a lot of different topics on a daily basis. However, the majority of posts do deal with technology, DIY projects, or just random facts and advice to improve ones' life. Their layout and design is pretty basic. There are no sounds or a lot of moving graphics/animations. Their simple design and layout makes it easy for users to navigate through the website.
There are numerous entries on different topics on the front page. As you click on the individual entries, they will pop up in another screen where the entry goes more in-depth and it provides more links and description to the related entry. There is also room for comments as well.
There are numerous entries on different topics on the front page. As you click on the individual entries, they will pop up in another screen where the entry goes more in-depth and it provides more links and description to the related entry. There is also room for comments as well.
The website is updated constantly, so there are a lot of entries on lifehacker. The website has a lot of sorting tools, and search dialogues if you want to find a certain entry.
Homepage (left); Entry Page (Right)
NotCot is a community website that brings together mostly links to sites that are design based or interesting products. It is a collaborative site which users are encouraged to submit their own links to products and things that they find enjoyable. The website is very simple in its design. The layout is simple, and it relies heavily on the pictures that are submitted to draw users in. This is a very important element to the layout and theme of the website because the site is designed in a way to draw attention to the featured links, and not necessarily the website itself. It makes it easier to scan the rows of pictures and links and it is more attention grabbing with little amount of text and larger pictures filling the screen. The navigation to the previous page is located at the bottom of the page, which makes it very easier to view and use. The pages are numbered, and are linked to whichever page number it was. As well, there is an arrow that points you to the next page. Again, there are no videos or animations that rule the page. Most page elements are static, which really works for Notcot because it is essentially a compilation of links to other sites, so their intent is not to keep their users by coming back because of animations, but the links that they provide.
Homepage (left), individual entry page (right)
The Hour is the website of the CBC show The Hour With George Stroumboulopoulos. It features many links to video clips featured on his show, information about his show, upcoming guests and other information. The website is a little more interactive in terms of having moving animations as the header and the upcoming guests portion of the frontpage. These two moving animations provide a visual cue that alerts the viewers of who will be featured on the show in the upcoming week. As well, the website provides lots of active links to related sites to George Stroumboulopoulos like his own myspace, facebook, and blog sites. As well, there are links to clips that were featured on his show, as well as links to other CBC sites such as newslinks of the day. As well, the site features a blog section as well. Since the show always encourages feedback, the blog is an addition that encourages feedback and opinions. The colours chosen for the site are very reflective of the image the show is intented to create, a edgy look with the host being Stroumboulopoulos. He is one of the more non-traditional hosts of CBC, so it makes sense that the colours chosen for the site are of a darker clour scheme of black and red.
1. Homepage
2. Best Story Ever Page
3. Photo Gallery Page
Observations:
Both lifehacker and notcot are two very similar sites in which their main focus is on the content. I think that is why their sites do not have sound or many animations. They want to keep the information as succinct and clear as possible for their users to navigate easily. Their main concern is to put quality links and content to ensure users will come back to the site on a daily basis. On the otherhand, there is The Hour site which it's main content is not through the website, but is through the television show. The Hour website is the supplementary source of information for the television show. It does however, provide a lot of links to the clips and information that is archived for the show.
It doesn't make a website bad or not as good when it does not have a lot of animation or sounds, but it really depends on the content and the purpose of the website.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Assignment Two
Media Tools That I Use...
I use quite a bit of media tools on a daily basis, I'm pretty sure I neglected a couple on this list. I use Google services a lot. Quite frankly, I don't know how I survived without it before it became so large. As well, my Mp3 player is one of my most prized processions. It holds pictures, contacts, emails, tasks, extra storage and it most importantly provides the soundtrack of the bus ride home after classes. Here are some other media tools I use:
Hardware:
PC - mouse, keyboard, monitor
Mac
Digital Camera
CD Player
Mic
Web Cam
Speakers
Super Nintendo
Printers
My (Beloved) MP3 Player
USB Key
Scanner
CD Burner
TV
DVD Player
Telephone
Alarm Clock
Software:
Email - Brock Mail and Gmail
Web CT
I know it's school time when I begin to log on to Web CT more than I log on to check my own email. I believe Web CT is intended to be a very useful, multi-faceted tool for students and profs to communicate and organize course materials. However, I find it to be one of the more frustrating things in my student life to deal with.
So over the course of the week I have been on Web CT constantly. I signed in at all different times of the day, at different computers either at home or at school. I rely on mostly hand eye-coordination and my cognitive skills to help me navigate through Web CT. It's a pretty interactive tool in terms of students being able to contribute ideas and to discussions, as well, it is a very visual medium because it does have hyper links and is text-based. Web CT has the potential to involve other senses such as hearing through the posting of videos, sound clips and other things that involve the other senses as well.
The Bad:
Layout/Navigation:
The layout of Web CT is hard to navigate. The icons on the side are a good idea, but the amount of icons on the side of page is overwhelming. It also takes a lot of time trying to guess where the things I need are located, and which icon it would be under.
Availability of Web CT:
I find Web CT to be unreliable during peak hours and when you need it in the most urgent times. The system almost always seems to be down during the evening and afternoons when most other students are doing their assignments and readings, as well that's when I'm on it as well. It's frustrating when I need to access something on Web CT and I can't even log on. It's even worse during exam time and when assignments are due and I'm trying to get that assignment uploaded before class starts.
As well, the majority of my courses are available on Web CT, so I have to check about 4 Web CT pages each time I sign in. By the time I get to the second or third Web CT page, it signs out and asks me to sign in again. Yes, I know this is for security reasons, but it is time consuming to log back in and having to look for the one time you were looking at before I was signed out (refer back to layout and navigation).
Some Improvements:
It would be very helpful if Web CT was actually linked to our Student Self Service pages, instead of logging into a separate account each time. It would make things more efficient, like a one-stop place to get information instead of logging on to two different areas to access important information.
As well, it would also be convenient to be able to check our Brock Badger email through the Web CT site as well. Or even better, to have our Web CT mail be linked to the Brock Badger Email or vice versa.
Web CT isn't like a Facebook page or a a Myspace page where you can customize your layout or profile pages. But it would be nice to be able to change up the appearance or to personalize my Web CT page not just by choosing the courses I am taking. I think it would not necessarily make me want to check Web CT more often, but it would make it look nicer and make it into something that I would be better able to navigate.
The Good:
Web CT isn't all bad. It is a very useful tool for organization and communication for students and profs. So here are some of the things that I like about Web CT.
It's a good tool for communication, there's a discussion area/forum where students can ask questions to their fellow classmates. It's good during exam time and you're stuck on a definition or a theory and have no other resources. As well, it's something that everyone in the class has access to because everyone registered in the class is on it. As well, you can contact whoever in the class via Web CT email.
In addition, Web CT is a great organizer, it lists the due dates of major assignments on the calender portion of student page. Every time I log in, there is a reminder that I have things due and I should get on it.
As well, the Web CT site is constantly being updated, and allows for extra content to be viewed by students. Extra links and tools can be added to make Web CT a more interactive tool for students. As well, it is a great archival resource as well. If you loose your syllabus, guess what? It probably is on Web CT.
I use quite a bit of media tools on a daily basis, I'm pretty sure I neglected a couple on this list. I use Google services a lot. Quite frankly, I don't know how I survived without it before it became so large. As well, my Mp3 player is one of my most prized processions. It holds pictures, contacts, emails, tasks, extra storage and it most importantly provides the soundtrack of the bus ride home after classes. Here are some other media tools I use:
Hardware:
PC - mouse, keyboard, monitor
Mac
Digital Camera
CD Player
Mic
Web Cam
Speakers
Super Nintendo
Printers
My (Beloved) MP3 Player
USB Key
Scanner
CD Burner
TV
DVD Player
Telephone
Alarm Clock
Software:
Email - Brock Mail and Gmail
Search Engines: Google, Yahoo
Google: Google Maps, Google Images, Google Maps, Blogger, Picasa
Adobe Photoshop
Firefox Web Browser
Realplayer
Windows Office: Word, Excel, Outlook, Media Maker, Power Point
Youtube
Tom From My Space...will you be my friend?
Online Communities/Social Networking Sites: Livejournal, Facebook, Myspace, etc
Brock Website: Library homepage, student self service, registrar, etc
Web CT
Technology AssessmentGoogle: Google Maps, Google Images, Google Maps, Blogger, Picasa
Adobe Photoshop
Firefox Web Browser
Realplayer
Windows Office: Word, Excel, Outlook, Media Maker, Power Point
Youtube
Tom From My Space...will you be my friend?
Online Communities/Social Networking Sites: Livejournal, Facebook, Myspace, etc
Brock Website: Library homepage, student self service, registrar, etc
Web CT
Web CT
I know it's school time when I begin to log on to Web CT more than I log on to check my own email. I believe Web CT is intended to be a very useful, multi-faceted tool for students and profs to communicate and organize course materials. However, I find it to be one of the more frustrating things in my student life to deal with.
So over the course of the week I have been on Web CT constantly. I signed in at all different times of the day, at different computers either at home or at school. I rely on mostly hand eye-coordination and my cognitive skills to help me navigate through Web CT. It's a pretty interactive tool in terms of students being able to contribute ideas and to discussions, as well, it is a very visual medium because it does have hyper links and is text-based. Web CT has the potential to involve other senses such as hearing through the posting of videos, sound clips and other things that involve the other senses as well.
The Bad:
Layout/Navigation:
The layout of Web CT is hard to navigate. The icons on the side are a good idea, but the amount of icons on the side of page is overwhelming. It also takes a lot of time trying to guess where the things I need are located, and which icon it would be under.
Availability of Web CT:
I find Web CT to be unreliable during peak hours and when you need it in the most urgent times. The system almost always seems to be down during the evening and afternoons when most other students are doing their assignments and readings, as well that's when I'm on it as well. It's frustrating when I need to access something on Web CT and I can't even log on. It's even worse during exam time and when assignments are due and I'm trying to get that assignment uploaded before class starts.
As well, the majority of my courses are available on Web CT, so I have to check about 4 Web CT pages each time I sign in. By the time I get to the second or third Web CT page, it signs out and asks me to sign in again. Yes, I know this is for security reasons, but it is time consuming to log back in and having to look for the one time you were looking at before I was signed out (refer back to layout and navigation).
Some Improvements:
It would be very helpful if Web CT was actually linked to our Student Self Service pages, instead of logging into a separate account each time. It would make things more efficient, like a one-stop place to get information instead of logging on to two different areas to access important information.
As well, it would also be convenient to be able to check our Brock Badger email through the Web CT site as well. Or even better, to have our Web CT mail be linked to the Brock Badger Email or vice versa.
Web CT isn't like a Facebook page or a a Myspace page where you can customize your layout or profile pages. But it would be nice to be able to change up the appearance or to personalize my Web CT page not just by choosing the courses I am taking. I think it would not necessarily make me want to check Web CT more often, but it would make it look nicer and make it into something that I would be better able to navigate.
The Good:
Web CT isn't all bad. It is a very useful tool for organization and communication for students and profs. So here are some of the things that I like about Web CT.
It's a good tool for communication, there's a discussion area/forum where students can ask questions to their fellow classmates. It's good during exam time and you're stuck on a definition or a theory and have no other resources. As well, it's something that everyone in the class has access to because everyone registered in the class is on it. As well, you can contact whoever in the class via Web CT email.
In addition, Web CT is a great organizer, it lists the due dates of major assignments on the calender portion of student page. Every time I log in, there is a reminder that I have things due and I should get on it.
As well, the Web CT site is constantly being updated, and allows for extra content to be viewed by students. Extra links and tools can be added to make Web CT a more interactive tool for students. As well, it is a great archival resource as well. If you loose your syllabus, guess what? It probably is on Web CT.
Hey...
I never know how to start one of these things so I guess I'll start off by saying Hey! But I do have to admit, I have tried starting a blog before I never got around to posting because I never knew how to start. So, what better time than now to start this blog up again now that it's a requirement for Intro to Media Tools.
Intro to Media Tools seems like it'll be an awesome class and I'm not just saying that to try and get extra bonus marks or whatnot (sorry, that was my attempt at a joke). But this is a course that is totally different from the courses I usually take - the courses with an insane amount of essay writing and long readings. It'll be a good change of pace and something new to try.
I'm sure I'll be blogging some more in the very near future...This is one more thing I can do to procrastinate when I'm trying to write a long essay or skim through dull readings.
Guilty Pleasures:
I've recently discovered the great cheesiness that is Baywatch. My roommate and I had a Baywatch marathon and finished watching season 3 on DVD recently. And now I'm sort of embarrassed to admit I'm going through some Baywatch withdrawal. But I think some youtube action of David Hasselhoff will tie me over until we can get our hands on the next season of Baywatch...so here it is...I hope you enjoy this diddy from the "Hoff" himself.
Have a good one.
Assignment two will be up soon...
Intro to Media Tools seems like it'll be an awesome class and I'm not just saying that to try and get extra bonus marks or whatnot (sorry, that was my attempt at a joke). But this is a course that is totally different from the courses I usually take - the courses with an insane amount of essay writing and long readings. It'll be a good change of pace and something new to try.
I'm sure I'll be blogging some more in the very near future...This is one more thing I can do to procrastinate when I'm trying to write a long essay or skim through dull readings.
Guilty Pleasures:
I've recently discovered the great cheesiness that is Baywatch. My roommate and I had a Baywatch marathon and finished watching season 3 on DVD recently. And now I'm sort of embarrassed to admit I'm going through some Baywatch withdrawal. But I think some youtube action of David Hasselhoff will tie me over until we can get our hands on the next season of Baywatch...so here it is...I hope you enjoy this diddy from the "Hoff" himself.
Have a good one.
Assignment two will be up soon...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)