Major Project : Major Project Plan

 

Before the start of my Major Project, I had to create a plan for said task; Below is a list of what I have to complete and what I have already completed to be able to attain the future I envisioned for my project.

To summarise, Weeks 3-4 discusses about the times I have to/had to study and research about my project; Weeks 5-6 discusses the process of creating the project to make it real; Lastly, weeks 7 & 8 discusses about the polishing of my website & the major project, creating the portfolio containing all the photos of my journey and the submission of the major project.

First Page of Major Project Plan

Last Page of Major Project Plan

Week Three : Idea Generation

 Understanding Fantasy and Illusion : My short film

                                        Fantasy                                    Illusion

Some people may not be able to differentiate Fantasy and Illusion since to them it may generally mean imagination, however, there is a noticeable line between them that people sometimes overlook.

 In a deeper look according to Robson (2003),'illusions usually occur in the sphere of perception and conceptualisation, whereas fantasies operate in the domain of an alternative reality: reveries, day-dreaming, sudden tides of vivid imaginations.' There we can distinguish a difference between the two, since fantasy is also mostly seen in a positive light in contrast to Illusion being frowned upon as a form of trickery/deception. 

I took this understanding and used it to let myself see clearly the inspiration three VFx artists gave me. 

Alexander Adell

First is the works of Alexander Adell, specifically his work on WALL-E. As he was able to create scenes that most people have not seen before be seemingly real, and mind you, this was accomplished back in 2008.

Jim Rygiel

Next would be about the works of Jim Rygiel especially on his work on the Lord of the Rings. Same as my explanation for Adell, Jim Rygiel "made" imagination into reality focusing on the realism of objects in each scene and how minute details can affect such realism.

Simon Otto

Lastly, would be my inspiration for this short film that came from Simon Otto. The depth of thinking and the way it is executed, he relived the fantasy he had imagined in the film he had made them for. I want to attain such skill and make the same feeling he gives to children whenever they watch and relate to the characters.

When he was asked about the creation of the characters and the dragons he answered, "So, while we were working on creating believable and appealing teen kids on the one side, we also needed to expand our cast of dragon characters on the other. One of my personal goals was to make the dragons more creature like without sacrificing the fun aspect of their designs... Instead we focused much more on developing truly unique and entertaining dragon ideas and behaviours. All of our dragons’ character designs and behaviours were essentially constructed through mixing and matching of interesting characteristics we found in the animal world or in objects with character surrounding us." This made me focus more on wanting to create scenes that would be the same as the inspiration Otto had for the scenes he had made.

So with that, I want to be able to create a scene for my short film about fantasical objects seeping into a simple man's life that presents an object that's seen to be there but in reality it isn't ; The process will require a lot of patience, critical thinking, perception, and general skill in art and editing since having the responsibility of having to create these effects in a real life setting can be a long and tiresome journey. 

References:

Bielik-Robson , A. (no date) Mohamed Kheir the magic of transferring meanings, sometimes bodies, The future of a Fantasy. Available at: https://iwp.uiowa.edu/sites/iwp/files/ICPL%20Panel%20Mohamed.pdf (Accessed: October 22, 2022).

Dora (2012) What does it difference between fantasy and illusion what does it difference between fantasy and illusion, italki. Available at: https://www.italki.com/en/post/question-164526 (Accessed: October 22, 2022).

Frei, V. (2014) How to train your dragon 2: Simon Otto – head of character animation – dreamworks, The Art of VFX. Available at: https://www.artofvfx.com/how-to-train-your-dragon-2-simon-otto-head-of-character-animation-dreamworks/#:~:text=Interviews-,HOW%20TO%20TRAIN%20YOUR%20DRAGON%202%3A%20Simon%20Otto,Head%20of%20Character%20Animation%20–%20Dreamworks&text=In%202010%2C%20Simon%20Otto%20had,HOW%20TO%20TRAIN%20YOUR%20DRAGON. (Accessed: October 23, 2022).

Major project : Smart Objectives

 The Illusion

PROJECT AIM & Objectives
For this term, the major project I envision would be to forge a very simple short scene for the short film I want to create that shows the illusion of something being there but it is not. Therefore, I would want the scene to present an object that looks like it is real and is in the scene itself, however it is not in a video I took myself. I want to accomplish this since this will help and practice my skills for my future on my continuation.

I will research more in-depth guides and creations & creators pertaining to blender (or After effects) to polish and be guided for my work on the project.

I will create a grid by hand using paper and a marker that will make editing in blender easier.

I utilize a very short copyright-free video (maximum of 12 seconds) showcasing a desk/table with the said paper with a written grid. 

I will then utilize Blender or if I am able to gain access, Adobe After Effects to add, edit and form the object and scene that I envision, which would be the said desk supposedly ‘having’ a cube with the Letters ‘AE’ on top of it.

I will keep on rendering the video that I have edited in blender, just to clean up any mistakes.

I will utilize the 4 weeks I have before the deadline as below :

The first 1 weeks will consist of studying and practicing on my project.

The next 2 weeks will consist of accomplishing the task itself, taking the very short video, editing the object into the scene and simply rendering it to polish the work.

The last week will be about fixing up the website (The creation of the website is spread throughout the project), making sure it doesn't hurt the viewers’ eyes and polishing the video scene I have created. 

Initial Ideas : Major Project, Milanote

 Initial Ideas : Using Milanote

I have created this Milanote board with my ideas and initial research - This link will lead you to see the full board as shown below. I have the chosen the theme of fantasy for my project since since I want to create the illusion of something being there but in reality, it is not.

Most of the links below are related to how VFx can mix reality and fantasy with this magic of illusion you can create with tools such as After Effects , Blender and so much more.

My process of creating my Milanote

Final Product for Milanote Project

Blog Buddy : Advertisement Project Feedback

I am here to give feedback on Mo's Blog which is about his creation of his advert. At the start, his initial ideas and research were very clear since he labelled out each individual detail his researched adverts had, such as the small details in the Ipod Advertisement apple had and the detailed explanation on the simplicity the Marmite ad presented. 

Moving onto the initial sketch of his advert creation, the ideas and simplicity of the advertisements he referenced his thoughts from were present in the sketch he had created, however, the main ideas and capabilities the two adverts he used for his research were not mainly present in his sketch since the two advertisements were selling products and he created a sketch for a campaign. It would've been better to find and utilize drug campaign adverts so it harmonizes with the ideas he wanted to pursue.

As we move unto his latest two blogs, from the start to the end, there was always commentary pertaining to the processes and tools he used in the creation process, such as his use of Pixlr and websites that provide stock images. 

The advertisement's outcome itself was accomplished, since it tells a message of what drug use can lead to namely all of your close family and friends 'fading away'. There could be improvements to the color of either the background or the color of the hands he had used since it is sort of difficult to see the hands as it mixes with the color of the background. The advert creation was well executed though there could be minor improvements. Great Job Mo!

SOURCE:

Final Ad and my Thoughts

The Final Advert : Outcome and Reflection

 Here below is my final advert for HIPNO

Reflection :

The advert I created was as I envisioned it to be which made me very happy about its outcome. Having to  study photoshop alongside making the advert made me very mentally exhausted but also feeling very accomplished since the background image turned out looking very well made in the time span it had to be created in. The amount of text was enough since the background image alongside the small text beside my company name and logo was balanced since all of them contributed in sending what message I wanted to send in the advert. I wish I had more time to improve the background image since there are still areas that may show that it is clearly edited and I hope that in the future I will have that time to create something even more than what I have created at this time.

Final Advert Creation

 Firstly,  I begin by creating my advert edit in Photoshop. Here I had to use one of the photos I took during my time in the Arts Building. Here is the photo I utilized out of all of them.

Here I Utilized the 'select object' feature of photoshop in order to select and edit out the arms and hands that were supporting the laptop in the air.

I then exported the photo as shown below to put as both the background and image itself for my advert that I wanted to create

When utilizing Pixlr, I first went to the creation of my logo. Below is the process of uploading the photo onto Pixlr and using the liquify tool that was in the website to create this sort of 'arrow' pattern on the spiral.

I then started a new project using the provided A4 210 x 297 mm and switching the 2480 x 3508 px into 3508 x 2480 to create a landscape advert since the photo I edited would fit better into a landscape frame. Then I added the photo I edited onto Pixlr. 

After which, I added my logo then I also added the name of my company 'HIPNO'. I chose yellow for the font color so it stands out from the blackness or my logo and the greyness of the background image.

Next I added text alongside my logo to present the features my services would provide, that being 'Clean and fast cut-outs'. 

I lastly added my tagline of 'IMAGINE REALITY' on the white space that was available, using the 'ORACLES' in order to make it interesting and creates symbolism on what my services would provide.

I polished up the placement of each image that was on the advert to ensure best readability and make the viewer understand my message swiftly and clearly. I then exported and saved the file in PNG format and saved it in Pixlr itself in case I wanted any more changes in the future.

Initial sketch and Contact sheet

 To start off the project, I made a rough sketch of the advertisement I was going to create. What I want to see in the advert was an edit of a laptop 'floating' in the air with me 'using telekinesis' to make it so. I also planned to make my logo a spiral with a bit of an edit and name my company 'HIPNO'. 

                                                                                     

                                                                                    

  The Plan for 'HIPNO'

The stock image I got for my logo is this spiral and I will adjust it as such in Pixlr:

I chose this symbol since the power of visual effects could make a person entranced of what or how a photo or video came to be, basically leaving them hypnotized about it.

Down Below is the contact sheet for all the shots I have taken. This was in preparation for the advert that I wanted to pursue. I took these within the Arts Building of De Montfort University since this area had a solid color as a background which made it easier in editing the parts I didn't want included. 

The shots I took within the Arts Building.

Laptop 'Floating' Shots

Creating an Advertisement: Ideas and Initial Research

 

In class, we had discussed of advertisements, their labels, the techniques companies use to reel you in, the symbolism most of them utilize, and so on. Alongside this, we also discussed other advertisements that had good execution, some even witty, but were in bad taste such as the first photo below. However, it can also be said that having the responsibility of needing to grab the attention of people within a lapse of 0.7 seconds may be burdensome since you have to create something unique, shocking-inducing, and informative within said seconds. With my first encounter of advertisements, the ones that caught my attention both in a negative and positive(since some were funny and witty) light were the ones that focused on showing the capacity of a camera while being a bit sexist.

The first advertisement below is an advert for the camera of Olympus suggesting that its auto-focus capabilities can capture very sudden moments as shown within the first photo. The second advert of Omax showcases the wide-angles lenses instead that their camera provides, however, still presents the same effect as the advert from Olympus. They utilize both womens' appeal to catch the viewer off-guard and reel them in. This in society is negatively accepted whe the opposite is in question; As suggest by frontiers in Psychology: 'Women were also more negative toward an ad with an attractive same-sex model in the presence of commitment thoughts, but only when they scored high on sociosexuality. Men appeared unaffected, regardless of their level of sociosexuality.' Though with this in mind, some of them are way too witty and would still give me a giggle or two.

    

Source: 

Olympus:Autofocus

Source: 

Omax:Pigeons

References

Even L. (September 2016) Relevant Sex Appeals in Advertising: Gender and Commitment Context Differences [Online] Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01456/full

Paul D. (January 2017) How long does a digital ad really need to be visible on screen to get counted as a one-second viewable impression? [Online] Available from : https://medium.com/stronger-content/how-long-does-a-digital-ad-really-need-to-be-visible-on-screen-to-get-counted-as-a-one-second-3382aae0ec9b

Finalizing Sequential Images : Wake up Call

In this post I will be discussing my brief reflection and the final product of my sequential imagery work.

Here is the final sequence of photos for my sequential imagery.

Reflection

The images above best present the sequence I had envisioned but if I were to do it again, I would prefer of it to have better lighting and better picture quality. Technical improvements aside, it accomplishes its job of being a sequential imagery work and the goal of sending the message I wanted to portray even in a very simple but meaningful way. I like the expression change from the second photo from the sequence to the third photo of the sequence and how it encompasses what we would feel having to prepare for something we do not want to do. Overall, I am very satisfied with my work but would like to improve upon it in the future.

Creating Sequential Images : Wake-up call

In this post I will be discussing my creation of my own sequential images inspired from Klauke. The title of which is "Wake-up call".

Firstly about the technical side of the process, , I shot these images using my Iphone 12, on its auto settings, after which I uploaded the photos onto my google drive. After they were uploaded, I then booted up Adobe Photoshop to create these contact sheets containing my array of sequential photos utilizing the File-Automate-contact sheet option it had. In total I had shot about 86 images, which to me  having knowledge about sequential photography, was enough to present each sequence we wanted to see from the set of said photos. Below are the contact sheets of the shoot.

When it came to the conception, I had thought about the way everyone wakes up in the morning to go to something they do not want to do but still do with the thought of survival and not the thirst of passion. I wanted to try and replicate the same expression people may go through the morning as they wake up and go to their respective areas. So I made the setting my bathroom and utilized the mirror I had to take countless pictures of myself with different expressions as I act as if I am preparing to go outside.

1/800 sec. f/1.6 4.2 mm ISO 32

1/800 sec. f/1.6 4.2 mm ISO 32

1/800 sec. f/1.6 4.2 mm ISO 32

The next post will be finalising my sequential images.

My Blog Buddy

 

Muhammad 'Moe' Hussan 

My Blog Buddy is an aspiring scriptwriter from Pakistan named Hussan. I will be taking a look at his blog which contains seeds of information about exploring the depths of scriptwriting as a whole. He will post comments on my blog to support or to criticize me and my work. I look forward to his continuous support in my journey of blogging.

Creating Sequential Imagery : Initial Research

Here I will introduce to you...

Jürgen klauke

Physiognomien
Jürgen Klauke(1974-75)

Jurgen Klauke is a German artist who utilizes his body/face (sometimes specific facial features) to create images that can show the symbolism of  the human mind and the state in which it is in. And by also experimenting with minimalism and surrealism within his photography, he can express states of being delirious, in insanity, in boredom, sorrowful all while creating a scene to be shocked in awe. 

Gallery Label tells from its XL: 19 New Acquisitions in Photography: 'Klauke’s performance-based works Physiognomien (Physiognomies) consist of a sequence of close-ups depicting the artist acting out fictional characters in front of the camera, making nuanced changes in facial expression and pose. Disguised with makeup, Klauke unwraps conventional gender and sex roles to reveal a sense of discovery of his own identity through otherness. The sequence of portraits functions as an ambiguous document that is simultaneously authentic and theatrical, probing culturally constructed parameters of identity.'

With this in mind, I am hoping to create the same effect within my work in photography however instead of interpreting different sex roles to give oneself a path to finding his own through otherness, I wish to create one interpreting the weight of what everyday can create through the facial features I would present. I hope that within my photography in this, I would create this strength in symbolism and this strength in effect the same as Klauke showcases in his work.

REFERENCES

MoMA (2020) Jurgen Klauke German, born 1943 [Online] Available from :

http://https://www.moma.org/artists/18996 (Accessed 08/10/2022)

MoMA (2020) Jurgen Klauke Physiognomien 1974-75 [Online] Available from :

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/165156 (Accessed 08/10/2022)

Sequential Imagery: Class Practice Task

 In class we had a discussion pertaining to sequential imagery within Photography. Within the task, I accomplished it with a partner creating sequential images utilizing our Mobile telephones and their cameras. Firstly, we had to think of what to put in these images we were to take, both the image and its meaning.

We decided to first utilize the public seating/concrete bench within De Montfort University grounds right in front of its student union building. Then we took use of a bag and its contents namely : a bottle of water & a notebook; Alongside a coat and one pair of shoes/sneakers we had on during that time.

Right after we decided about the gist of the photos, we shot these images using my iphone 12, on its auto settings, after which I uploaded the photos onto my google drive. After they were uploaded, I then booted up Adobe Photoshop to create these contact sheets containing my array of sequential photos utilizing the File-Automate-contact sheet option it had. In total we had shot about 23 images, which to us having knowledge about sequential photography, was enough to present each sequence we wanted to see from the set of said photos. Below are the contact sheets of the shoot.

Here I chose these among my images as an example for practice shots. 

1/800 sec. f/1.6 4.2 mm ISO 32

1/800 sec. f/1.6 4.2 mm ISO 32

The lighting of these photos will surely be imperfect alongside the consistency and structure being a bit over the place, though I have to also consider that this was one of my first and practice on creating sequential photography. Though simple, it caught at most, what message I wanted the images to convey. Where it shows an end and also a beginning but a conclusion mixed within. With this start, I will soon begin my initial research on an artist(s) about sequential photos on my next post. 

Welcome to The Fx

Welcome to my blog. I am Alan, a VFx student and am utilizing this as a gateway to help people get to know about how inspiring, powerful, and how beautiful Visual effects are within the complexity of our imagination and its limitations.

Here you will encounter an in depth path to understanding  what VFx can reach, be in emotion, recreating sceneries one may assume a blue moon and creating the fantastical into a (digital reality).

Firstly, I would like to discuss a movie that fully encompasses the art it can create and the power to move people like me.

Andrew Stanton (2008) WALL-E
Original by Pete Docter
Source: IMBd

This film presents cinematography, technical prowess, and the imaginative power of the human mind in the way it can move a person even with very minimal dialogue present within it. This film, funnily enough, was created at a baseball game, The Hollywood reporter states that;

'Andrew Stanton had a great idea for a Pixar movie, one that centered on the last robot on Earth. He just wasn’t sure what the robot was going to look like. Then inspiration struck.“I was at a baseball game with my editor on Finding Nemo,” the director, 54, tells The Hollywood Reporter's It Happened in Hollywood  podcast. “I borrowed his binoculars and then I missed an entire inning just looking at them and starting to make them look happy and mad and sad. … That cracked it open for me. That’s pretty much what I did: I put binoculars on top of a trash compactor.” That epiphany led to the design for the title character of 2008’s WALL-E, Stanton’s Oscar-winning follow-up to 2003’s Finding Nemo, which also took home the Oscar for best animated feature.'

The film sort of presents an adventure the viewer is partaking in alongside the tiny robot protagonist it provides. When it started, it first presented the solitary life of Wall-E, the robot in question, as he rovers around the wastelands of Earth doing what he was programmed to do (squeeze garbage together and organize it in blocks to soon be akin to a tower). after which, are followed by scenes in which he is shown to have emotions of sadness and loneliness as he only has a cockroach as a companion. Even so, this tiny robot shows perseverance, continuing his solitary duty. All of this presented in a way that catches the audience in awe, as each scenery presented is as or even more so addicting of eye candies, such as the gargantuan towers of garbage across the landscape.

There was also a scene during the space-sequence of the movie, where Wall-E was touching the 'stars' that, as a film in 2008, still surprises me on how they were able to animate it so beautifully, creating a scene most people would not see in their lifetime but  could only see in picture.

This is but a taste of what had taken me into this path of VFX, however, this is what I aim for ever since I was a child; To be able to create scenes that would never need of dialogue, that would give a story and would give this mixed feeling of shock and warmth. I want to be able to give imagination a way to seep into 'reality'. And I am hoping that soon enough in the future, I too am able to inspire a young child to soar with his imagination.

References

TheHollywoodReporter(2020) ‘WALL-E’ Was Inspired by Rise of Amazon and Apple, Director Says [Online] Available from :https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/wall-e-director-andrew-stanton-film-was-inspired-by-amazon-apple-1279519/