Circus

• How did the film make you feel? (excited, intrigued, happy etc)

Very confused.

• In your opinion, what was the most striking element of the film?

The dancing people.

• List three other things that you found interesting?

The introduction, the 'elephant' and the pyramid of people at the end.

• What meaning did you think the artist was trying to convey?

I have no clue...

• What is your overall impression of the film’s mood?

creepy.

• Did sound play an important part in your response to the film?

The film was supposed to be about a circus, and the sounds were circus themed, I just didn't understand the connection between the animation and the circus.

• What comments can you make about the animators technique? (i.e. was it simple, complicated, smooth, jerky etc)

Some parts of the animation the animator uses simple techniques and in other parts, the techniques are a lot more complex. But overall the animation was smooth.

• Do you think that this animation would have been well planned?

To work out, the animator would have to had done a lot of planning as there are many different things moving in each scene and it appears that the animator used cut outs, so it would have taken a long time to bring the animation together.

Digitopia

• How did the film make you feel? (excited, intrigued, happy etc)

Confused.

• In your opinion, what was the most striking element of the film?

How hands were a main part of the animation.

• List three other things that you found interesting?

The way that a hand was used as a vehicle, the hands that could fly and the hands that had eyes.

• What meaning did you think the artist was trying to convey?

That we use our hands for everything, and they can replace most things...

• What is your overall impression of the film’s mood?

creepy.

• Did sound play an important part in your response to the film?

yes, the music made the animation even creepier than it was without it.

• What comments can you make about the animators technique? (i.e. was it simple, complicated, smooth, jerky etc)

Some parts of the animation the animator uses simple techniques and in other parts, the techniques are a lot more complex. But overall the animation was really smooth.

• Do you think that this animation would have been well planned?

To work out, the animator would have to had done a lot of planning as there are many different things moving in each scene and it appears that the animator used cut outs, so it would have taken a long time to bring the animation together.

Factory

• How did the film make you feel? (excited, intrigued, happy etc)

intrigued.

• In your opinion, what was the most striking element of the film?

How smooth and detailed the animation was.

• List three other things that you found interesting?

How the hand was used as a machine, how the smoke moved so well without looking out of place and how much was happening in each scene.

• What meaning did you think the artist was trying to convey?

That work is making humans like robots, following the same procedure over and over again, without breaking the cycle.

• What is your overall impression of the film’s mood?

In a way, I think that the films mood is a bit dark, but it makes you curious.

• Did sound play an important part in your response to the film?

Without the sound, the animation seemed a bit weirder, but the sound brings the whole animation together as it makes you feel as if you are actually in the animation in a way as it brings the sound of a factory to you

• What comments can you make about the animators technique? (i.e. was it simple, complicated, smooth, jerky etc)

Some parts of the animation the animator uses simple techniques and in other parts, the techniques are a lot more complex. But overall the animation was really smooth.

• Do you think that this animation would have been well planned?

To work out, the animator would have to had done a lot of planning as there are many different things moving in each scene and it appears that the animator used cut outs, so it would have taken a long time to bring the animation together.

Animation Unit: Self-reflection and project evaluation:

Discuss your feelings about the production task:

• Are you satisfied with the final result?

Yes.

• Did the animation process require more or less time than you originally thought?

It took more time than I expected, as I thought that the scenes would be completed quite quickly, and originally thought that I would be able to get more than one scene done per lesson. I also didn't expect the process of editing the animation on photoshop to take as long as it did.

• Would like to change any aspects of your final project (style of animation, the concept etc.)?

I am quite pleased with the outcome of my project, but I would tweak the story line to make it a bit scarier.

• If you could start the project again what would you do differently?

If I could start the project again, I wouldn't change much. I would make the intro and credits animated and keep the last frame of the animation last for longer to add effect. But other than that, I wouldn't really change anything.

Respond to each of the following dot points (using complete sentences or paragraphs). You should include as much detail as possible in your responses.

• Discuss whether your final animation has turned out the way you imagined?

The final animation ended up better than I expected. I originally thought that the animation would look out of place, and seem too cheerful, with the lighting and style, but the way the characters ended up helped as due to my inability to move their legs, it made them seem as if they were gliding instead of doing that awkward penguin walk that most characters do in these animations. Also, I wasn't sure how the last scene would work out as I wasn't sure about how the 'creepy smile' would work out, but it did and that was a relief.

• Discuss whether you had to modify any elements of your original concept and planning to create your project;

I had to change multiple camera angles and also tweak what happened in some scenes in the project, changing the end product.

• Explain how your animation skills developed during the project (i.e. did you become more efficient?; did the quality of your animation improve?; did you have to use a variety of animation techniques? Etc);

As the term progressed, I got used to the camera, dolls and sets, and their flaws, making the animation process easier, as I was able to set up quicker, make the animation smoother and pack up before the bell, making a lot of things easier.

• Describe any problems or difficulties you encountered during the animation process. (These may include; technical difficulties, corrupt or missing files, difficulty using the editing software, problems exporting etc.)

There weren't too many problems along the way, there was the occasional file that was exported incorrectly and some trouble when I was filming and someone had messed with the settings in stop motion, making the image a different colour or saturation.

• Explain if you made effective use of storyboards and scene planning/breakdown?

I didn't really use the storyboards, but the shot list helped a lot as I had broken it down a lot and also I had an idea of exactly how I was going to go through with filming a scene before the lesson began.

• Describe whether your planning assisted or helped you to focus during the animation process;

The planning kept me on track, without it the animation would probably be everywhere as I would me coming up with a whole new story line every lesson, or otherwise forget what I was planning to do before the next lesson. Without the plan my animation would probably end up having an evil vampire bunny trying to steal Narnia's bubblegum supply and end up being beaten by a blue monkey...

• Describe any time-management issues you or your group came across during the project and describe the steps you took to improve in this area;

The filming was fine, but I didn't expect the editing to take as long as it did, and I was editing in the last week and downloaded photoshop elements so that I could work on it at home so that I would be done before the due date.

• Discuss whether you undertook adequate and detailed reflection throughout your project. Have you provided enough evidence to support your work? (Look back at your blogs/journals and think about whether it looks like a whole term worth of work);

I don't think that I kept my blog up to date enough, throughout the term. I should have updated it a lot more as it was updated just before the due date and I should probably write more detailed blog entries but I prefer to show what I've done through images.

• List any other software skills, animation techniques, tricks or shortcuts you have learned during the project.

I learnt how to use actions on photoshop and how to create a lightning bolt in photoshop and a realistic lightning strike in i-stop motion.