Prototype

Prototype 2 from Iva Son on Vimeo.

Donald Duck's Propaganda Film

Research- Advantage of using MIDI

Despite controversies over use of MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), it has clearly helped composers create music and edit them easily. Not only professional, but also armature musicians have become more aware of producing music. Thus, MIDI has contributed to the world of music society over all. Although it is mechanical sound, the tremendous variety of sound sources are nearly close to the original instrumental sound. The most beneficial part of MIDI is reducing labor costs. Besides, increase in speed of processing music revitalizes music industries. Why do some people dislike MIDI? We should all take the advantage of the technology given to us. I would like to research benefit of having MIDI technology and how to utilize it.

"Musical: The Robots" -Final Project

“Musical: The Robots” is an interactive musical that if a keyboard
corresponding to each robot is pressed, then the musical beats/notes
will start to play. Beats and notes are robot ways of communicating
and unfold stories.
I believe sound can provide narration itself. MIDI, musical
instrument digital interface, allows you to express musical thoughts
without having actual instruments. “Musical: The Robot” will speak
through musical beats and notes. Each robot will have unique sound
that can be interpreted as their voices. In the musical play setting,
the robots will move their bodies up when selected by the Processing
setup. Once the correspondent keyboards are pressed they will keep
playing. Some combinations will sound great whereas some aren’t like
life. You can’t always harmonize with everyone but you try.

Final Project Idea Concepts

After many thoughts, I felt my original idea of comparing 2D and 3D animation was not enough. So I decided to use MIDI, and coding skills I achieved so far. Of course, I would love to create characters for the new project. These two concepts are just idea sketches for now. I may or may not use the keyboard. I'm still thinking about how to make this narrative and interactive at the same time.

Dogumentary

-Dog as a best friend, accessory and baby

-Using a traditional documentary style, we will explore the role
of the pooch in society and within an urban environment.

-Urban Phenomenon Dogs as Social Connectors
Dog owners more likely to get date/ attention when walking their dogs
http://jenapincott.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/dog-owners-more-likely-to-get-dates/
Ultra Kawaii website (Japanese meaning "Very Very Cute ”) http://www.ultrakawaii.com
A baby to witness their love: http://www.people.com/people/gallery/0,,1007288_1010653_9,00.html
NYTimes: Dog Run Culture By JESSE McKINLEY Published: Sunday, October 15, 1995 (see below)

-Expenses A Financial Look at Dog Spending in America
Dogs, like children, need love, training, food, medical care and some
miscellaneous items during their lifetime which lasts 8-14 years.
Small to medium-sized dogs

Est. life span: 14 years
First year: $740 to $1,325
Est. annual costs thereafter:
$500 to $875
Total est. lifetime cost
$7,240 to $12,700

Styleframe for Mini-Thesis: 2D vs 3D

Concept Statement and Pitch for Mini-Thesis: 2D vs 3D

Concept:

"Exploration and experimentation of 2D and 3D animation styles through comparing and showing them at once"


PItch:

In addition to my previous work of a 3D animation, “The Three Little Beans”, a multilingual educational animation for pre-schoolers, a 2D version will be created by using the After Effect program. The goal is to explore and experiment two different styles in order to find out which style works better especially for the particular genre, an edutainment program for kids. It will contain exact same characters and scene but only difference it that the style. The viewers will see the 2D and 3D animations in one screen, 2D on the top and 3D one on the bottom side.

Semiotics

It is simply the study of Sign Process. Linguist Ferdinand de Saussure introduced Dyadic: two- part model of the sign. A Signifier is the FORM which the sign takes and the Signified is the CONCEPT it represents. A a sign has no absolute value because each sign depends on its relations with other signs. Sassure declares that ‘the entire linguistic system is founded upon the irrational principle that the sign is arbitrary’

Reading Response on Narration vs Narrator, Narrative Voice

While reading the book, I kept thinking about 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' and 'Desperate Housewives' as a character narrator and a non-character narrator. We can't hardly say which one is better. In '~benjamin Button', Benjamin narrates throughout the story and it drew my attention to his character even more. In 'Desparate Housewives', a dead friend of four other best friend married women reveals the story about each family's odd side depite they look apparently perfect. It's up to the narrator to comment about what is hidden behind the story so that it would create tension and interest from the viewers.

Progress with Clovis Portrait

Our prototype of a Portrait of Clovis. We would like to express her habitual life, interest and desire through websites that she browses.
portrait rough cut from Nick Perez-Gurri on Vimeo.

Thoughts on Abbott's article "Character and self in narrative"

Why do we need characters and actions in narrative? Without them, stories can't be clearly told to the audiences. Personality shows the perspective within the film. Self is very much influenced by surroundings around him/her for sure.

Koyaanisqatsi

As I was reading Bordwell's book I found out that 'Koyaanisqatsi' has more clear cut that "A Movie" but there weren't any specific explanation about this film so I decided to watch it on Youtube. 1 hour and 26 minutes. Alright. Why not? What is it mean by the way? I didn't looked it up the meaning of 'Koyaanisqatsi' until I watch the movie. I thought I might be able to figure it out through out the movie. The song? It keeps saying 'Koyaanisqatsi over and over again with brownish tone images of flickering ashes. It is quite depressing. What does it want to tell me? Is this a Grand Canyon ore what? This is distributed by MGM, When I first saw the lion I expected something more than this. Maybe it is volcano in the middle of the scenes. I see desert... Everything seems so empty. Shots are pretty nice. The angle, natural lighting... The long shot of the valleys, mountains, clouds, oceans... but what am I getting out of this? Hmm...... Almost no organisms present. Little bugs fly around. Depressing. They are not still images though. Water falls, clouds moves and dust flies. Was music pre-composed? Not sure. They might have added according to music. Watching the film was not so exciting because I'm used to Hollywood's clear narrative style. Music is not so calm. My mind was unstable as I was listening to it. It was hard to sit through out the whole thing. Many experimental or documentary films tend to test my patience or endurance. I wonder how many years took to collect all those images. By the way what is the director try to convey through his film? In the beginning lots of scenes like ocean waves or water falls are in slow motion. No single words... I want to hear some voice at some point. After sequence of nature, wee see the developed part of the city, factories, constriction places. Machines... Explosion. Pow!The director is blaming the development of mechanisms, pollution? Is that a nuclear bomb or something? The mushroom gets bigger and bigger. Tall buildings and people looking at them, kind of happy faces. I don't know.... for sure... There is a scene where airplane moves from far away. Very slow.... Why so slow? Battles. Which I am afraid of. Air force jets and tanks all over. Destroyed cities. Grey color cities. No vividness. Broken city lights, windows. Then, buildings, bridges, and everything collapse. Scary... Lots of people in the city. Things are so random here. Scenes of nature, battle, and people. Citylights and cityscapes are expressed with fastforward movement... It contrasts with the slow movement of the nature scenes in the begining. I really wonder what the huge fake moon means...

Non Representational Portrait: Clovis

Gender: Girl
Age 30s
Where: New York
Neighborhood: Brooklyn
Race: French-American
Job:j janitor, part time musician : trumpet
Marriage status: divorced
personality:eccentric, bad temper, sexual, self-centered, greedy, compassionate humanitarian, vegetarian, feminist
Appearance: Fat, mid-height (5' 6''), Brunet
Style: oversized t-shirts, baggie jeans
habit: chain-smoker, drinker
Music: Heavy Metal(Metallica)

Central Problem : Loneliness + Sexual

Website she frequently visits:

Brad PItt Fan Club
http://bradpittfan.com/

Sliming product:
http://shop.nordstrom.com/Slimming

Fresh Direct
www.freshdirect.com

Blind dates
www.match.com
www.chemistry,com
eharmony.com
honrymatches.com

My experimental film?

I filmed this piece called "Deviation from Daily Routines" in college. It was an experimental film portraying students having difficulties waking up by alarm clocks sound and starting daily routines.It has a narrative but style of it was experimental for me.

Everyone has desires and dreams but they also have to live the unavoidable and boring daily routines. Using Techno music in the day scenes reflect with their mechanical daily routine and fusion jazz music adds delightfulness in the nighttime scenes. The Bolex camera was used to create more natural color.

Reading Response on "Experimental Film"

When I was in college, I always thought why do people make these nonsense experimental films? What the point? Why do those filmmakers want to be different from mainstream ones? They don't care about earning profits? Are the all rich?

Now, I can understand a little better. They want to explore things like scientis. Not all the films need to have narrative, and some can have jump cuts. Who made all the rules of films? They seem like they are not obligated to respect 180 degree rule, contunuity or any other rules. By not having narratives, some experimental films show more aestehtically and peotically done pieces.

Reading Response on "Narrative and Life" & "Closure"

I believe narrative can be both artistic and non-artist-like. It could be as simplest or the most complicated as it can be depending on target audience and the taste of the author. It could be expressed in variety of forms, spoken or non-spoken. I sometimes prefer non-spoken like paintings because I can unfold my own stories within my head. Non for the films but for some novels I prefer open-ended narrative.

All sorts of narrative have its time, called "narrative time" in Abbott's reading. There needs to be timing so the story could be understood by viewers. In "Citizen Kane". flash backs brings the time to the past to explain the context. Without adequate narrative time, viewers might get confused. Some paintings are exceptions because they denies our "narrative perceptions" In the reading, it's called "narrative jamming" It sounds something like a traffic jam where all the cars are stuck at some point and difficult to find solution.

Story of Mr. H, Ms. E & Mr.B

Mapping Project: Yum's Body Parts

I created my cartoon character 'Yum' to tell a story about 'Love'.

What is definition love?

Love is any of a number of emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong affection and attachment.

As an abstract concept, love usually refers to a deep, ineffable feeling of tenderly caring for another person. (Wikipedia)

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Features:

-Brain is the largest in scale

-Everything happens within the body

-3 different events(happenings) take place in brain, heart, and eyes.

-First Person View to Omniscient View

-Action Verb: Love

-Symbols: B, E, and H

-Narrative goal: Listen to three stories of fairies in the body map and have the viewers get their own solution

-Materialistic vs Idealistic vs Honest

Story Map Brainstorming: Love is...

What?
I was looking through some pictures my boyfriend (he's a photographer) took and tried to find meanings of LOVE. How would you bring Love into three different stories?

My goal is to create a child-like tales of three fairies about seeking real LOVE.