603: Statement of Intent

Extended Practice Statement of Intent

The main job I'm after within this module is Project Manager/Producer. I love to plan, and I have excellent time management and organisational skills, which I'm hoping to put to the test by managing several projects throughout this year. I've already nominated myself for this role within a few student's projects, as I'm not looking to create my own film this year, but rather lend a helping hand over several projects so that my portfolio exhibits a wide range of examples and styles.

As this is a difficult skill to exhibit, unlike a character designer creating a portfolio or animator creating a showreel, I need to consider how I will evidence my work. I'm currently planning on making a Production Book, similar to an 'Art Of' Book however rather than concept art and character/background designs, it will instead showcase my schedules, timetables and Gantt charts. 

Another skill I want to gain experience in throughout this module is character animation. When it comes to animating, in the past I've preferred key framing however, now I have access to better software, I'm also happy to in-between and colour too!

In COP3, I'm looking at character design. While I initially intended on just creating a turn-around, I've now started animating my characters in a scene together as I found their interactions both with one another and the setting they're in, was much more valuable. I'm hoping to continue to animate these characters together, and really develop my skills in animating subtle mannerisms and gestures to really capture the character. Whatever I learn during COP3, I will apply to my Extended Practice module. Once again, I've already discussed my role within a few teams and expressed my interest in animation.

I'm also planning to design some characters for a few projects. I've currently been working on some concept art for two classmates. While we don't have to start pre-production until January, I still feel it's better to be prepared so I've been working on these concepts whenever I hit a wall with my essay for the other module.

From now until the deadline, I will:

- Produce an appealing and simple production book, demonstrating my development and understanding of the role and what it requires.

- Create a series of refined and polished concept art sheets, that each meet the different criteria set by the directors for their individual project's themes.

- If my concepts are chosen, go on to refine them further by creating a turn-around sheet and making the characters suitable for animation purposes.

- Experiment and explore character animation by entering competitions and working on my classmate's final films.

- Try to ensure that every film I'm producing is finished by the deadline.

- Remain calm!

601 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 19/10/20)

Link to Weekly Update (19/10)

At the start of the week, I focused on my own character designs. Throughout the rest of the week, I worked on both my essay and my visual journal simultaneously as they both need to inspire each other, so I feel this is the best way to go about making the project symbiotic, rather than prioritising one and neglecting another.

Link to Triangulation Exercise

Once again, I tried to triangulate a few sources I came across during my research. Each week, I'm hoping to write about five-hundred words as this way, I should have roughly five-thousand words by the end of the module.

Link to Introduction

I also attempted to write the introduction as I had a tutorial with my lecturer which inspired me. I'm hoping to get the first draft of my essay put together over the next few weeks. 

Link to Turn-Arounds

I struggled at first to really visualise the full turn-around as for previous projects, I have only ever focused on the front, 3/4 and side views. These turn-arounds however, also feature the back, and back-facing 3/4 views which meant I really needed to make sure every line was consistent.

11 Second Club - October Entry (603 - Live Brief)

Below is my team's submission for the 11 Second Club (October) brief. I'm responsible for the character designs, the key-framing throughout, and the colouring for shot 1. I also acted as producer for this challenge. 

Link to Final Outcome

We completed this animation in roughly three weeks and the three of us worked really well together throughout the project. When it came to submitting the entry, we had to compress the file quite a bit, which unfortunately, ruined the quality of the piece.

Proof of Submission:

603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 19/10/20)

I sent the colour tests to the director and she picked out the best ones. Below, are the colours we are going for, showcased in the finalised turn-arounds.

Alisha finished inbetweening the scenes which meant I could start colouring. I have a couple weeks to get this task finished so there's no rush at the moment. However, the sooner I get it done the better I will feel.

Link to Scene 1 (Colour Only)

All three of us got to work colouring the scenes and surprisingly, by the end of the week, the animation was finished and I was able to submit it. There were a few issues when it came to submission however, as we were asked to compress the file size. This resulted in a significant loss in quality.

Link to Pitch

The main focus of this week was my pitch PowerPoint. While I had discussed my plans within this module with a few students, I asked our lecturer whether or not we would have a chance to pitch ourselves to the whole class as that way, we could potentially expand the amount of people to work with. I also suggested we each make a presentation either discussing the job roles we were after, or any ideas for an animation, depending on which angle we wanted to approach this module.

What Went Well?

- I was passionate about the jobs I wanted and by showing enthusiasm towards different directors, I'm now provisionally a part of several projects.

Which Teams Am I Interested In?

- Khoa's Game Trailer (Producer, Concept Character Artist)

- Alisha's Animal Mockumentary (Producer, Animator - if needed)

- Stacey's Salon Commission (Producer, Concept Character Artist, Animator)

- Rhys' Western (Concept Character Artist, Animator, Voice Actor - if needed)

- Axel's Proof of Concept (Animator, Voice Actor - if needed)

- Sarah's Music Video (Animator - if needed)

Where to Improve?

- I need to remember to keep a level head. If the workload does become too overwhelming, I will make sure to communicate this to the team and therefore, not bite off more than I can chew.

603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 12/10/20)

At the start of the week, I made some colour tests. As mentioned in the previous update, I came across some issues with saturation. So, I made some slight adjustments to the saturation and vibrancy of the tones to see which works better.

Link to Saturation Tests 

On Monday, I began key framing scene 3, as this is the most complicated shot. I started with the Spider, and then moved onto the Fly. I struggled animating the spider at first. As I was only responsible for the key-framing and not inbetweening also, I was struggling to picture what a walk cycle would look like, especially at a 3/4 angle.

The eight legs were also frustrating as in Photoshop, the onion skins are quite dark so very quickly, eight legs became twenty-four. The fact the character isn't walking on the ground either, however is suspended mid-air using it's webs to move about, also didn't make matters easier. Below is my first failed attempt. Wow, he's flying. He shouldn't be.

I continued working on it and eventually, found a way to animate it. I watched some videos of spiders walking as a reference and decided the best way to go about it would be to animate each leg separately, as the body needed to be grounded somehow, otherwise it looks odd.

Link to Scene 3 (Keyframes)

On Tuesday, I attended a seminar on time management and planning. We discussed how to go about forming a team for Extended Practice. I've already talked to some people about working together so from here, I will make a presentation and pitch my skills to the class next week.

On Wednesday as I had both: a tutorial and a lecture on self employment booked, I decided to animate the scene I believed to be the easiest, as I didn't want to choose a more difficult scene and then get stressed if I couldn't complete it in the time I had spare.

Link to Scene 2 (Keyframes)

Thursday was the deadline I set for myself to get all three scenes key-framed. I met this target.

Link to Scene 1 (Keyframes)

What Went Well?

- I managed to complete every shot by the end of the week, meaning I can now focus my attention on the other module until I'm needed again for colouring.

- In the seminar, it was suggested that we focus on the competition briefs now, so that we have longer to work on our finals films at the end of the year. This made me feel more confident that my decision to message my classmates this early and form a team was the right move.

Where to Improve?

- On the first scene, I struggled to key frame the Spider. Despite seeing where I went wrong and making a plan of action on how to better approach it, I still allowed myself to panic over the time I felt I had wasted. Obviously it wasn't wasted time as I was able to learn from my mistakes. Yet, because I am on a tight schedule and had other members of the team relying on me, I became incredibly upset and stressed as I felt I wouldn't be able to complete the work in the time I had left. Once again, I was wrong. I continued working on it from scratch, fixed the mistakes and met the deadline.

Next week I shall start colouring; that is, if the inbetweening has been finished by then. If not, we still have the next couple weeks so I'm not worried. I will also make a PowerPoint showcasing the skills I possess and the jobs I'm after so that I can start finding teams to work on for the final films.

601 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 12/10/20)

Link to Weekly Update (12/10)

This week, I continued to work in my visual journal. I also booked a slot at the library to look for some different books that could help me, as the others I had listed in my presentation weren't available at the University library. Once I had some, I began triangulating. However, I had to cut these sessions short as I suffer from migraines and unfortunately got one at the end of the week.

Link to Triangulation Exercise

601 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 05/10/20)

Link to Weekly Update (05/10)

According to my schedule, I am on track, if not slightly ahead of schedule.

During the presentation, we covered how to manage our time better. Luckily, over half of the points the lecturer made are techniques I already use. For instance, we were advised to create a production schedule and make weekly targets which, I've already done. However, I made mine in the form of a slide show; we were advised to make a Gantt chart. Part of me wants to update my own schedule so it looks more professional however, I don't want to waste time on this, particularly as another segment of the presentation was on procrastination. I feel that if what I've made already is doing the job, there's no need to overcomplicate it.

603 Weekly Update (Week Commencing: 05/10/20)

On Monday, I messaged two classmates separately about working together on a competition brief. I have worked with both Alisha and Joseph before on previous projects for University and found we usually get on really well together, as we all seem to be very focused and hard-working. Both teammates were up for working on a project together, so I created a group chat and once we had each shared our interests and the jobs we were after, we began brainstorming some ideas for the 11 Second Club (October) brief. 

On Tuesday, I created a schedule so that from now until the deadline, each member of the team has a job to focus on. One of the roles I elected myself into was the role of producer, so as well as this timetable, I have also created a shared folder on Google Drive, so that each member of the team has access and can see what everyone else is working on.

Link to the Timetable

I will refer back to this table each week to make sure I stay on target. We have also been messaging each other daily, as to maintain that standard of communication throughout the project.

At end of the week I focused on the character designs. I began by making two mood boards for each character. Then, I worked on some rough concepts for the Fly and the Spider, and began refining them once the director was happy. Below, I have put together an art development book that shows my initial designs, some colour tests, and the final turn-arounds.

Link to Character Development Book

What Went Well?

- Despite not having much experience designing non-human characters, I feel both outcomes are refined and each portray the character's personalities, despite the clip being so short.

- I worked hard throughout the whole week in order to hit the deadline, ready to start animating on Monday.

What Could be Improved?

- We were after lineless designs however, as the spider has so many legs, this complicated the silhouette which didn't make the design very appealing.

- The colours on my laptop screen look very different to those on my phone screen. On my laptop, I had been selecting what I thought were greyish, lighter tones however on my phone, the images were incredibly saturated and dark. Luckily, I had been using the backgrounds Joseph designed as a reference point so my team assured me the colours worked together either way however, this is something to remember in the future.

At the start of next week, I will test more colour combinations for each character so that my team is able to refer back to it during production, which we will also be starting on the 12th.

601: Statement Of Intent

COP3 Statement of Intent

Throughout the history of animation, there has arguably been a stigma surrounding the inclusion of minorities. Often in western countries, influenced by the societal and cultural standards of the time, and the ill-informed stereotype that cartoons are inherently childish, parents are often in uproar when creators make a quote-on-quote controversial decision to include, and highlight, members of an underrepresented group, particularly introducing characters that identify as LGBTQ+.

Over the next eleven weeks, I'm aiming to explore the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in animated productions, by looking through the history of these characters (in both my essay and my visual journal).

In order to fully understand the weight of the themes in my essay, I plan to research the history in depth by looking through a variety of both primary and secondary resources. I have already searched for a number of published books and journals that may help to develop my understanding of the topic, so the next step from here would be to see whether the library owns them, or if I will need to look elsewhere. I have also explored online; looking at articles, journals, interviews and blogs for guidance.

In my essay, I need to try and stay as unbiased as possible. However, the themes I am covering are very sensitive so I need to also make sure I'm careful with how I go about writing the arguments. I need to review each source carefully as not everything found over the internet is true. I need to be aware of trolls looking to get a rise out of an already targeted community.

I'm aiming to gather a wide range of reactions, so while most articles so far have shown lots of praise for these creative decisions (usually voiced by the younger generations), I will also be considering the negative responses, such as complaints and the controversy surrounding the inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters, particularly in kids shows. I aim to see whether or not the stereotype that all cartoons are aimed at children is what makes parents react so poorly to this representation, and whether or not more kids shows should include members of this community, as young minds are the most tolerant. 

From now until December, I will:

- Continue to work in my physical sketchbook; studying a range of character designs, experimenting with colour, shape and appearance, and I will eventually design my own characters.

- Create at least one refined turn-around.

- Read through some of the books I have found and see if I can find any useful quotes or references that will aid me throughout my writing process.

- Watch as many cartoons with examples that I can to see if there are certain reoccurring themes such as mannerisms or body language that could help me when designing my own characters.

- Remain calm!

- Continue to update my blog with my progress and critically analyse my outcomes in order to push myself further and improve.

Extended Practice Briefing

Last week, I was briefed on a new module: Extended Practice (603). We were advised to link this module to COP3 if it applies. As far as the practical response goes, I'm struggling to see a way to connect the two however theoretically, there is a link there as in both modules, I'm planning to explore character design.

This module is worth sixty credits, and is considered the Big One. Not only will I develop a significant body of work by undertaking a series of commissions and/or competition briefs however, it is through this module that I will produce my final film.

The main aspects of this course that I wish to study further are: character design, producing and animating (particularly key-framing). This means the outcomes I'll be responsible for will most likely be collaborative projects so, I need to make sure that I'm able to confidently pitch myself to the class.

There are many outcomes within this module including: a statement of intent, a live project portfolio, my studio practice blog, the final film and my evaluation.

The deadline for this module is: 22nd April 2021 (by 11:00am).

COP3 Timetable

Over the weekend, I made a PowerPoint presentation; in which, I listed the tasks that I wish to achieve over the next eleven weeks. In my weekly updates, I will refer back to this timetable to make sure I'm on target.

Link to Weekly Breakdown

COP3 Presentation and Feedback

Over summer, I started to consider my question and practical response. Once I had some idea of the direction I wanted to take, I did a little research and put together a presentation.

Link to COP3 Presentation

What Went Well?

- My pitch was very articulated and carefully considered.

- The area of intent was clearly identified.

Where Do I Need To Improve?

- I need to narrow down the field of investigation.

- I must find a balance between the theoretical and practical responses.

What Do I Need To Consider?

- The subject matter is very complex with a long history, so I must be careful not to get lost whilst writing my essay. I need to always refer back to the question.

- I need to define the scope. Do I focus on: a genre, colour, shape, the medium, themes, etc.?

Context of Practice 3 Briefing

This week, I was briefed on what this module would entail. There are three main aspects to Context of Practice 3: writing my dissertation, maintaining my blog and producing a practical outcome.

Over summer, I have been considering my essay question, and was asked to prepare a PowerPoint presentation ready for class.

It became very apparent that one of the main goals within this module is to create a critical synthesis of theoretical and practical work. The physical work I create throughout my personal investigation must reflect the research I have undertaken for my essay.

I need to constantly be thinking critically and analytically, however I must also experiment as much as I can, to further my academic understanding of the topic. I believe I will have lots of freedom whilst working within this module. I need to remember to triangulate, focus, and apply what I have learned from the previous COP modules.

The deadline for this module is: 10th December 2020 (by 11:00am).