Self Reflection

(1) How do you think you are doing so far in your senior project and why?  AE, P, AP, CR, or NC



Truthfully I'm thinking a CR because I haven't been doing much for my senior project since Model Assembly started. The closest thing I've come to is probably some sketches I've been doing and small flip animations I've drawn in my notebooks. 


(2) What one thing do you think you have done well on and why?


I think I've done pretty well on research. I have definitely learned more about animation then I've known in the past. I feel like I'm getting a better grasp on it. 


(3) What is one thing you would like to improve on and why? 


I can really improve on pushing myself to get things completed already. I've really been procrastinating on senior project so I really need to get on it and start working on it. 

What I've Learned So Far

1) What have you learned how to do since you started working on your senior project?
A: I've learned the process of animation. I know the steps need to be taken to produce an animation. The one I'm most familiar with at the moment would be painting/ coloring since my uncle specializes in that area. I also know about different techniques to animation.
2) Post evidence of this accomplishment.  It can be in the form of a picture, video, document, etc..

A: As shown here, I started off with a sketch and then I work on darkening and shading it. Then I mixed some colors to get to the shade I wanted and it turned out like this.
3) What research helped you to do this and how?
A: My interviewee, was my main resource for these drawings. He specializes in texture and coloring of animations. I haven't gotten to the digital part of animation just yet, but this is how the images are done by hand. 

Independent Component 1 Plan Approval

1. For my independent component, I plan to create a stop motion animation. I will make a setting as well as characters and using a camera, will take multiple pictures of the characters. Each picture will be moved barely and when speed up the frames, it will make the photo seem like they are really moving. 

2. Animation takes a lot of time. Making the models for characters as well as the set would take a couple of days to complete. There is also taking a bundle of photos of the characters moving just a bit. I would need 24 frames per second to make it a smooth animation. It took over a year for the first animation to be made and that was only ten minutes so I'm thinking of only making mine 2-4 minutes. 

3. Stop motion is a type of animation. It uses the same process as digital animation. As I go through the process, I'll be able to figure out which part plays the most important role to the creation of an animation. 

Defining the Essential Question

1. What is the most important aspect of creating an digital animation?
2. most important- most useful and crucial to the production of digital animation
aspect- factor, part
digital animation- the appearance of motion by displaying one image after another.
3. Sketching a storyboard for scenes and timing audio to scenes
4. A Simplified Approach by Josh Halas
Types of Computer Animation by Dennis Hartmen
How Does Animation Work? by Lauren Vork

Blog 5: Second Interview Question

1. How long have you been working at Blizzard? How long has Blizzard been in production?
2. What is Blizzard's most popular game? How long did it take to create it?
3. What are the other games Blizzard has created?
4. What is the average time it takes to make a video game at Blizzard?
5. What do you contribute to the production at Blizzard?

Blog 4: Presentation Reflection

1.  In what way did the first interview affect your presentation?  Please explain, be specific and use an example. 
A: My uncle, Pio Ravago, happened to be one of the artist in the film Anastasia. He was one of the artist to do the painting of the backgrounds. He told me that they actually made the paint by hand to make the scenes look more realistic.
2.  What you say stood out about your presentation performance and why? 
A: I would probably say my drawings of the characters. They were some of the best works I've done and I was really proud of how well they came out.
3.  What was the most challenging to do and why?
A: My illustrations were probably the most challenging because of all the time and effort needed for it. I spent over 12 hours on only 5 characters. I had to sketch them out, darken them and add details, add shading, and then color them. 

Blog 3: Presentation 1

Objective: My objective is to explain how the animated film Anastasia was put together.

Procedures:

1. Ask Students what animations do they know?
2. Introduce my presentation on the animated film Anastasia.
3. Talk about the process the creators of the film did for the film.
   1. Talk about the story line.
   2. The research they did for the film.
   3. Explain how they decided on voice actors/ the music.
   4. Sketching/ Painting characters and scenes. (show visual)

Check for Understanding: I will be questioning them on what Don Bluth and Gary Goldman did to create this film. 

Resources/ Materials: My visual will be a sketch or drawing of one of the characters in Anastasia.  

Blog 2: Interview 1 Preparation

Question 1: Who are you interviewing and why?


A: I will be interviewing my dad's relative, Pio Ravago. He is a computer animator and has been apart of making video game animation as well as some animated movies. I've never actually met him before, but I have seen one of the animations he worked on. The animated movie of Anastasia made in 1997, was one of my favorite movies growing up. Recently my dad told me that my uncle helped in the creation of it. I've also seen a few of his recent works and his art really amazed me. 


Question 2: What additional questions will you ask them (in addition to the 5 we require)


1. What made you want to choose this field as your career?
2. What animations have you been apart of?
3. What do you think is the most important part of making an animation?

Blog 1: Senior Project Topic

Q: What is your topic?  Why? 



A: My topic is computer animation. I've always been a big fan of animation, ever since I was a kid. They were always so fun to me and creative. At first I wasn't sure what kind of animation I wanted to do, but i thought computer animation would be more fun and interesting for me. Compared to claymation and stop motion, computer animation attracts me more.


Q: What do you hope to accomplish after studying this topic all year? Be specific and use examples.


A: By studying this topic, I hope to improve my artistic abilities and learn more about animation. This can also open a possible career path for me. I'm always very picky about things and until now I had no idea what I wanted to do in the future. I'm hoping, if this project works out well for me, that I will continue to study computer animation and maybe even one day produce my own animations.