Weekly Comments

     This week we learned a lot about color, building sound booths, and masks! In the future I want to learn about using a camera, I am not very good with taking pictures or video, so I really want to improve. What frustrated me this week was definitely masks, I eventually understood them I was moreover just confused at the process of applying them and selecting them to edit them. What made me happy this week was getting to start on my Worth1000 project, I feel like I have a lot of freedom to make something really cool!
     This weeks link of interest is from Vice! I really like Vice, they make very good documentary and interviews. If you have free time I recommend indulging in a few of their videos! This video is an interview with George Miller the director of 'Mad Max: Fury Road' he speaks about the background of the movie, setting up, characters ect. Check it out, it is full of good information and inspiration!

Props Props PROPS

     Props serve many purposes in films. They make scenes really interesting in the way actors interact with them. Their shapes and weights not only convey emotion but you can do a lot more. Props can express a characters personality very fast instead of spending time trying to show it through a characters actions. Metaphors can also be conveyed, like background objects to show the character's motives. Props can also be used to show a complex, like the top in Inception showing whether they are in  a dream or not. Transitions from scene to scene can also be introduced with props. The movement of time can also be shown with how objects decay or change over time. Lastly, simply giving an actor a prop makes them more interesting, they will seem much more casual or interesting.
     Wow! I never knew you could do so much with props. There are so many possibilities when you really think about it. I think the most useful would definitely be to express a characters personality. Without objects you would have to dedicate a lot of time to explaining their personality, when you can simply show their interests with an object!

Chuck Jones

     I have seen Chuck Jones's name many of times when watching old LoonyToons cartoons! Many of the jokes in cartoons he has directed follow a similar formula, lead the audience to make an assumption, then follow it up with something unexpected. Each character has its own clear desires, for example Pepe Le Pew's desire for love. This allows us to easily attach to characters, understand them, and be entertained. Human behavior and logic are the key factors Jones states that drive humor, and the best way to understand human behavior and logic is to study things in real life.
     This is a very interesting video, LoonyToon's jokes are always very clever and I never really understood how it worked. After watching this video about him it makes a lot more sense to how the design each joke and character. I hope to apply some of the key components they explain to my animations in the future to create more dynamic and interesting animations.

Weekly Comments

     This week I learned about principles of composition, juxtapositions, retouching and moods. In the future I want to learn about creating dynamic camera angles. What frustrated me this week was  missing Fridays class! Missing one class really hurts a lot, we move so quickly its hard to catch up! What made me happy this week was actually practicing all the Photoshop techniques we are getting to learn. 

     My link of interest this week is to a cool website called CgSociety. If you want to look for some creative inspiration whether it be for characters, environments, special effects this is a great website to browse around and get flex your creative muscle!

6 Steps to Beat Procrastination

     Procrastination, by far one of the biggest problems plaguing filmmakers, students, and artists alike. Animation mentor provides 6 steps to beat procrastination. First is to step back, analyze what you have to do with a good idea of what you have to do. Second is to make a list, so you dont end up forgetting what you are working on.  Third is to avoid the internet, it is very easy to get distracted, and before you know it hours have passed. Fourth do the most difficult things first! Don't let yourself take too much time on the easy stuff. Fifth, don't forget to plan, planning allows you to give yourself direction, so you don't forget what you are tackling as well as make a job much easier. Sixth is to break it down! One big task can be very intimidating, but breaking it down into small pieces will make it much easier and less of a huge hurdle to jump.

     I think that these steps would really benefit me and a lot of other people who can never seem to "find time" to work. I constantly find myself procrastinating, and you can definitely see where it takes a toll in my work and in the work of others. I will definitely be applying this throughout this year, to better my work productivity.

5 Psychological Mistakes that Beginning Filmmakers Make

     Every filmmaker makes mistakes, whether it is big or small, beneficial or detrimental. It is important for us to realize when we are making these mistakes and correct ourselves, otherwise we will make them again and again. One, we spend too much time working on our computers, being more hands on and free form will allow creativity to flow. Two, we care too much about what is currently popular. In other words we try to see what will get us the most exposure or money but in reality our best product will come from what we want to make and our love for it. Three, not making enough narrative content, people watch a film for the story, if you do not have enough explaining or content relevant to the story the audience will get lost. Four, failure is always a lurking in everyone's mind, as a film maker you shouldn't be spending brain power, and time dwelling on failure, when you can be focusing on doing your absolute best. Fifth, is to be humble, do not feel as though you are the most important  person working on a film, it benefits everyone for you to have a modest view of your own importance.
     Keeping your mind on track to avoid mistakes is very important when film making or doing anything for that matter. I think that avoiding these mistakes will allow me to work better creatively as well as in a team. Additionally, you would most likely look  better in the eyes of others as someone who is confident in their work, as well as generating original content.

THIS IS A PRACTICE POST