Matt's BCT stufff

The script for our groups short film.

Overall I can say that I am extremely happy with my final outcome, the hours and late nights of editing video ans staring at my screen were well worth it. Studio has been quite an enjoyable paper for me especially this project as I had the opportunity to work within video editing and Sony Vegas a familiar software I know and love working with. 

While the chance to use TV and movie clips was enjoyable as I did end up having to watch an unhealthy amount of you-tube clips the ‘play’ aspect of this project did prove to be quite tiring. It seemed like I spent an eternity of late nights ‘playing’ around with the clips trying to mix and match to get the right flow and order of reactions. 

I can complain all day about the time it takes to get something right and maybe I will never get it exactly perfect but at least I can say that I am proud to have ended up with the outcome I have now!

I went through and watched the old video as well as the Sony Vegas edit files to find a list of problems and what I could improve on.

The problems I found:

- There was a lack of sounds towards the end of the video where more of the gifs were used which didn't contain sound.

- Some of the reactions go on for too long which take away from the overall concept and make the react-ception slightly less realistic.

- some of the reactions are poor quality/ half zoomed in which just doesn't look or feel right when the video dimensions are constantly changing. - a minor problem but a problem none the less.

To fix these problems I have identified I will complete the following:

- Filter through the Sony Vegas file and find the gifs with no sound and remove them.

- Either remove or zoom in on the shots that are different dimensions to 1280 x 720 and have black borders.

- Cut the reactions that go on for too long to an appropriate length.

I decided that out of the three projects (sound, play and design) I wanted to work on the play project again simply because I had the most fun on this one.

The goal of the final project was to essentially improve a past project or develop it further.

Developing my play collection project further seemed like a bit of a waste of time because all I would be doing is piling on more content, making the length of the video longer so I felt it was best to improve what I had already created.

The google definition always there to help me out.

We were given the opportunity for our final project in studio to improve and/or further develop one of the previous three projects we had worked on in studio. 

If you can’t remember: our first project was associated with sound and involved a live performance consisting of our on instruments we created, the second project was a collection project where we had to involve the aspect of play into our collections and the last project as the data object where we designed an object which reflected a data set.  

I chose to develop the time bomb concept as I felt that was the most unique and interesting concept I created. 

I started to develop the type of bomb it could be ranging from sticks of dynamites, classic movie bombs, grenades and nukes. I wanted to keep my options open as the more diversity I have the better the possibility of the final outcome. 

I went with the classic strap of dynamite sticks as I felt this was more relative to the ‘time’ aspect which is suppose to reflect my data. I explore the possibility of size, quantity shape and form to find the best fit for the design.

I created a step by step creation guide as to how I wanted to construct my time bomb design.

I created a basic prototype from glue sticks and tape, this gave me a really good indication for size, the form was perfect also because the model I made from paper kept scrunching when I tried taping it together. Solid objects such as glue sticks were perfect for the design.

After the initial prototype was a success I added a few more details like the fuse and black tape to give it more of a bomb feel, this was working but it definitely didn't look like the TNT or dynamite I wanted. Colour and texture were the next stage in creation.

I considered simply painting the glue sticks but I felt that wouldn't be the right texture for dynamite. I didn’t want a full on red colour but more of a lined brush texture maybe created from a colouring pencil.

I decided to colour an entire paper in red pencil, then wrapped it around the glue sticks to give it the right texture I wanted.

I’m at the stage now where I am creating ideas to form concepts which I can then further develop and refine into, hopefully a final design.

I started brain-storming possible idea based around my data which represents free time. I thought of different things that are associated with free time such as sport, music, video games, relaxing, sleeping or time itself.

I really liked the idea of time itself, so I started to draw items related to time. It was mainly forms of clocks such as analogue digital and something old school like a pocket watch. 

I started to think a little more outside of the box which with things like an hour glass or a time bomb which are also associated and can relate to ‘time’.

From these ideas I wanted to create a few concepts I could use and develop as my object that reflects the data from the survey.

I liked the idea of a regular wall analogue clock and stretching and molding it like putty. The stretch outcome is then a reflection on the data due to the shape. It shows the age groups by representing the smallest in the middle which is the thin part of the design. 

One of the problems I could see this design is that while it represents time it does not entirely represent the age factor and age groups of the data clearly. This is a problem that can be refined in later development. 

I quite like the ‘out there’ idea of a time bomb reflecting data on free time by age group. I definitely think that it is a unique and awesome design concept with huge potential.

Again the representation of age isn’t as clear as the ‘time’ factor, I can address this issue if I decide to develop this concept further.

This concept was a stretch, no pun intended. I was struggling to incorporate the hour glass into a concept but I really wanted to use it just because they are far more unique and interesting than regular clocks.

After deciding to analyse hours spent on mass media and free time activities by age group I began to analyse the data and make observations. I could tell that from the survey people aged 65 and up have the most time for activities and people aged between 25 and 44 have the least amount of time. 

After making simple observations I could start to make assumptions based on the survey data such as work and family responsibilities can outweigh the time you have for fun towards the middle of your life. 

From the data to an idea, through conceptual stages and development, from prototyping and refining to here.

I am really happy with my final outcome! I am glad I decided to develop this concept as It certainly is really cool and unique while still representative and fairly accurately reflects the data set I chose. The ‘time’ aspect is well represented as it is a ‘time bomb’.

The idea of the fuse lengths indicating the free time we have in different stages of life is in my opinion really powerful and perfect for my data object. When young and old we do have more free time and during the middle of life we don’t get much time to ourselves,’ the fuse is burning closer’.

I went into this degree with quite a closed mind, you could say this degree has helped open it up :)

I thought It would be me in a room with 30 programmers and 30 arts students, turns out everyone went into this degree with different backgrounds and interests.

I’m still amazed how friendly everyone is here, I don’t think I’ve had the door held open for me this many times before! I find it quite easy to get along with everyone from the course and already found a wild group of friends. 

What’s been awesome so far is the creative freedom we have in the majority of our projects and the variety in the projects. Sound design and experimentation, creative programming, collaging and video editing just to name a few. I love how we get to experience the different fields to help expand our skills and broaden our interests.

Reflecting and blogging on what’s been going on is actually therapeutic, helpful and great to look back on. 

I’m hoping for my interest and experience in the degree to be even greater in the next few years!

Throughout my first semester in the Creative Technologies degree I have had heard a number of lectures from both teachers and guest speakers. Of all the lectures I’ve heard, if I had to pick one that stuck out in particular, It was a few months ago when two guest speakers both from engineering backgrounds, one an engineer and one an Artist/Designer spoke to us and shared parts of their life that led them to where they are now and their experience in their respective fields.

I loved listening in on the debate that quickly sparked between the two fields, each speaker eager to share how someone from their field would go about finding the solution to the various scenario's and topics Pete was throwing ou onto the field. It was intriguing hearing what each of them had to say and how their opinions on certain topics differ and match.

I clearly remember, early in the lecture a discussion about what Creative Technology is and who identifies themselves with the term. Pete showed us a table with engineering, science, art and design. He explained that we are in a way a combination of the four not just one. What I understood from what he was getting at is, Creative technologies isn’t just one thing, we fit under each of these broad terms, in a sense you can;t label us because we don;t exactly fit under one broad category, we are a category in itself.

The table looked similar to the picture above. ^

Perhaps one of the reasons I enjoyed this lecture so much was because for a while now, I didn’t really know how to explain my degree to friends, family and others who had asked. This table had given me guidance, it had answered my question and given me a compelling and unique response I could use to those who asked about my degree, I now had a clear explanation. 

I always thought anyone who wears those big goggles and over sized headset looked like an idiot who can’t see in the dark.

That was until I got to try it myself. I was fortunate enough, for one of my last few lessons in computer science at high school, to be able to try VR for the first time. Although I was play a very basic game and using an early stage VR headset it was insane. Experiencing a game all around you makes the world of difference compared to staring at a screen in a room. Usually it’s something the like the graphics or art detail texture work that makes a game more realistic but this one blew them all away! 

I’m not tying to be cliche and say ‘Oh it felt like i was INSIDE the game’ but it definitely topped putting on 3D glasses for an action movie. When you wear the VR headset you immediately feel the need to look around you and explore your surroundings, you loose perception of the world you are currently in and are placed in a foreign environment which is maybe why people look like a bit of a tool playing in VR.

Why is it that we feel so out of it when we try VR? How does our mind react when we loose vision of our world and discover another world?

I went and had a chat with my good mate Google who is a bit of a know it all when it comes to this kind of thing. But my search seemed to be taking its time, what was the answer to this. Is it science? Is it psychology? Some kind of Placebo affect? I needed answers! 

Then finally what I was looking for! 

The Tech Times had finally answered my question with some SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE! 

To summarize the article and the answer quite easily. The scientists were ‘studying the hippocampal neurons of their brain on rats. The rats hippocampal neurons reacted completely different in the virtual reality environment than in the real world setting. In the VR world, hippocampal neurons fired randomly, suggesting that the rats had no idea where they were, even though the animals navigated the virtual setting similar to how they navigated the real world setting.

Much like I had predicted the brain reacts like its lost when placed into a virtual reality. It’s interesting that they ‘navigated the virtual setting similar to how they navigated the real world’ I can understand how people start theories about VR altering your sense of reality, what real and what isn’t?

Wall Street Journal, why have you been hiding from me! The information in the article does come across as a bit of an Anti-VR argument but it was rather insightful. I felt VR could be danging, Ocules (the Virtual Reality headset company) recommends that you take a ten minute break every 30 minutes of headset use and that the experience can cause nausea, eyestrain and headaches.

The companies that seem to be jumping on the VR train do seem to be taking it slow “The psychological unknowns are prompting some backers to suggest setting standards for content. “We have to be very careful,” said Alex Schwartz, chief executive of maker Owlchemy Labs. “Scares in VR are borderline immoral.”Maybe after all we can know when to draw the line when it comes to our world and the the one that doesn’t exist.

 I can take away from both articles that taking it slow with VR is in our best interest. It is scary to think we could soon loose track of whats real, white discovering a new world can be amazing and mind blowing, it’s one of those technologies that could do some real psychological harm!

References:

The science behind VR - http://www.techtimes.com/articles/20927/20141125/how-does-virtual-reality-affect-the-brain-the-answer-may-surprise-you.htm

When Pete first talked about spimes and the internet of things, I can’t say I fully understood what he was trying to explain. To be honest I ended up zoning out and lost track of what he was speaking about. 

Later that week I find out we have a whole project about spimes. Maybe researching this topic would be a good idea. So I started googling online and as I started to read I realised just how large this concept is. The Wikipedia page was extremely informative and helped put it in perspective. 

It wasn't until I watched this YouTube video about spimes that it started to click. Anything and everything we use and can take for advantage could be used and turned into an appliance and/or technology could be used in new and unique ways. The possibilities are endless, it's quite insane how the world could change in the next 20 years. 

This got me thinking about information and the access, if people in the world are currently facing huge problems with privacy and issues with cloud storage, imagine the issues in the future. Could we run out of room for data storage? Are we going to be able to keep up with the speed that technology is growing? 

References:

 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spime