Hamizah Sukiman10ADigital Technology Inquiring and AnalyzingMr. Luke Jones17th September 19th October 2014

Design Situation

Problem: The challenge that I face is the challenge of wonder, in which I have always personally wondered about the world around us, the world that we live in. I, personally, have always particularly thought of what is at the bottom of the sea, as it is a quite undiscovered place. As I grow older, it has come to my attention that I want to express what I think of this undiscovered world and what it looks like to me, as a form of personal expression of my personal ideas. As a person, I dont draw nor write all that well, thus visuals are the best way for me to truly bring my ideas to life.

Solution: In this semester (September January), I will create a short animation film, incorporating both the ideas of creatures that may lurk in the dark seas and a short storyline to go with it, to make the film run a little more smoothly and have a little entertainment section to it, rather than a documentary-styled video. This video has no specific targeted audience but myself, as this video serves as a manifestation of my own ideas and thoughts. Although, this video will be shown to my peers and adults alike, as I feel like this is a form of broad entertainment that should be suitable for most age ranges, as it has a storyline (which might interest younger age ranges like my peers) but at the same time a different style of characters (which might interest the older age group).

3D animations and films are often use to depict stories and the expression of ideas, thus the chance I have when using Bryce 7.1 helps me greatly in solving my challenge. This 2-minute film will open up the creativity of both myself and my audience in exploring several possibilities of what could exist. This helps to expand my wonder for what lies beneath the sea, and incorporate a short skit, as an expression of creativity all at the same time. It will be my way of personal expression, using visuals to bring everything I think of, to life. Bryce 7.1 uses animation, a very effective visual in terms of creating very detailed sceneries and landscapes (what Bryce is quite known for), which is ideal in terms of creating the setting of my underwater world and its creatures as well. The image shows an example of Bryce 7.1 used in making underwater situations; very similar to the video I will be creating this semester. Underwater animation by Bryce 7.1Source: http://www.sharecg.com/v/64001/favorite/5/3D-Model/World-of-Silence-for-Bryce

This film will also act partially to raise awareness of how were not alone in this world, and we live with creatures more than just other humans as well. The thought that the ocean and everything in it is living, it creates a feel to the audience that our actions on land towards the sea affects more than just ourselves and the fish by it, but the possible beings it may affect as well. This awareness will come in indirectly as the audience watches the film, and it puts us into perspective. Hopefully, this awareness would make one think twice into the effects of our actions, like littering, on the ocean and whatever lies beneath it. This video will be uploaded on YouTube, thus this awareness raising will be opened to a whole larger audience worldwide.

The Research Plan, Sources & Analysis

1) Why is media, such as music and sound effects, essential in this video?

a) Why is this important for success: This animation is a form of entertainment, as it is a form of media (video). As all videos do, it has to hold a certain level of appeal to keep the audience interested. As most high school teenagers and adults have the average attention span of 3-5 minutes (Research by OMD), it is important that all methods that could be taken in making this video a better video all around. Music and sound effects create a setting for the visuals that are shown, and the more alive this video is, the more attention it will grasp. When the video grabs full attention from the audience, the message that is conveyed will be fully passed on and absorbed by them, thus making this video a success.b) What will be researched:i) Articles regarding presentations: There are many written work regarding presentations. Articles like these include what/what not to do, how to have the audiences focus based on their group and what media works best for which purpose. ii) Researches on attention span and its triggering factors: These types of articles will help in terms of keeping the attention of the room intact, and making sure the audience has their full concentration in what is being depicted in the video.c) Where will this information be recovered from:i) Articles from presentation tips sites. There are many websites that give many advice and tips on what to be done in terms of presenting, which is usually targeted to people in companies that have things to present in meetings, etc.d) When will this research be done: This research will be done throughout the week of October 12th up to October 18th. This research should not take long, as it is a collection of facts that are already studied and how a presentation/video should be done, rather than learning about a whole new skill altogether.e) Level of importance: This is a 5. Music and media need to go together to truly spark interest in a presentation, and an interested audience in always a target. (On a scale of 1-5; 5 being the highest)

2) How does a video convey emotion?a) Why is this important for success: The video carries a message behind it, and this message has to come through to the intended audience. A successful awareness video is a video that has an after-impact on the targeted audience. Videos like these are videos that one remembers after watching it, and usually spread around to their friends and so on, thus enlarging the whole audience scope and the number of people who become aware of the issue. A good way to leave an impact is to play with emotions. As emotions are a common human trait, triggering certain ones will leave an effect on the audience themselves. The video should convey emotions to truly raise awareness for the issue in order for it to productively serve its purpose. b) What will be researched: i) Articles on what provokes emotions through medias like videos: This will help understand how the human emotion work and what triggers it, to give an impact on the audience.c) Where will this information be recovered from:i) Websites that talk more regarding psychology and human emotions and how they work to help understand how to convey emotions to have a strong impact on the audience to make this product effective.d) When will this research be done: This research will also be done throughout the week of October 12th up to October 18th. This research should not take long, as there should not be too many aspects of understanding how to create an impact through media.e) Level of importance: This is a 3. This aspect is important, but as raising awareness is my second aim in the creation of this product, it will not be top priority. (On a scale of 1-5; 5 being the highest)

3) How are underwater worlds created on Bryce 7.1?a) Why is this important for success: Regardless to say, as the whole video is on underwater point of view and most of the visuals will be underwater, the skill needed to create underwater settings will be essential in the actual creation of the video in the first place. As Bryce 7.1 has a very large variety of landscapes settings, it is essential to know which ones are to be used specifically for the atmosphere that will be created in this particular video.b) What will be researched: i) Video tutorials: Video tutorials are an easy way to obtain a skill, as usually it is verbally and visually shown to us through a walkthrough. Videos are usually easier to understand as a viewer can see first hand point of view on the software.c) Where will this information be recovered from:i) Video tutorials will be searched on YouTube. YouTube user David Brinnen is an example of a user that makes tutorials on Bryce 7.1. There are many other video tutorials relevant to the creation of underwater effects and worlds that should fit what is needed for the creation of the video.d) When will this research be done: This research will be done in early weeks of October (weeks of October 18th onwards) during the research timings. This research will be a hands-on type of research; i.e. working with Bryce whilst working on the tutorials, to fully understand the tutorial and get used to what and how things work with Bryce 7.1. This should take up most of the research timings up to November 9th (before the creating the product stage of the semester) as this will directly affect the creation of the product and thus more time needs to be spent on it, in order to completely understand it before the creation of the actual product.e) Level of importance: This is a 5, as the whole video is underwater, thus it is crucial to know how to create the setting needed, from large-scale terrains to minor details. (On a scale of 1-5; 5 being the highest)

4) How does one make a high quality (pixel wise) animation video?a) Why is this important for success: A high quality video would get more attention than a lower quality one, as people tend to pay more attention to something when every detail of it is visualized to give the precise and accurate idea of what is being conveyed in the actual video. A low quality video will automatically be associated with poor content quality, poor music/audio, etc. and would not get as many views and attention as it should, making the aim of raising awareness fail.b) What will be researched: i) Video tutorials: Video tutorials on how to create high quality videos are available on YouTube, as a creator would want his content to be of high quality, thus the demand for videos as such increases as the audience pool increasesii) Bryce tutorials: Some videos/article regarding Bryce and animation creating from there would be very useful to help with making sure the animation and details are clear and of the best quality possiblec) Where will this information be recovered from: i) YouTube videosii) Articles, both on websites and books possibly, and videos (on YouTube) regarding Bryce 7.1d) When will this research be done: This research will be done on the week of October 19th, after the creation of storyboard, when the actual product will be created and the quality research will be ongoing as the product is created.e) Level of importance: This (On a scale of 1-5; 5 being the highest)

5) How does one make a good storyboard?a) Why is this important for success: As any animation would, it is essential to have a storyboard to ensure smooth plot that is easily understandable for the audience and the creator themselves. A storyboard avoids clutter when creating and filming, and helps the audience to have a grasp of the message that is being conveyed by the creator.b) What will be researched: N/A, as I already have the skills to create a storyboard, only the storyboard creation itself is left to be created.c) Where will this information be recovered from: N/Ad) When will this research be done: The week of October 12th, before the creation of the actual animation.e) Level of importance: This is a 5. A good video is one that has an organized storyline that makes sense to the audience, thus the ability to create a good storyboard is very essential in terms of making sure the video has smooth transitions and an understandable plot. (On a scale of 1-5; 5 being the highest)

6) How will the product be accessible to the audience?a) Why is this important for success: As part of my aim in the creation of this product, the product must be easily accessible for a large audience on a public platform. This product will be on YouTube, as it allows free uploading to a worldwide audience, as needed (stated in the design situation), thus it can be accessible from anywhere at anytime. This is an advantage as the videos audience will continue to grow as the day passes, without actually having to advertise it around.b) What will be researched: N/Ac) Where will this information be recovered from: N/Ad) When will this research be done: N/Ae) Level of importance: This is a 3 as raising awareness is not the main aim of the creation of this product, thus it will be of less higher priority. (On a scale of 1-5; 5 being the highest)

Research QuestionLevel of importance (On a scale of 1-5; 5 being the highest)

How are underwater worlds created on Bryce 7.1?5

How does one make a good storyboard?5

Why is media, such as music and sound effects, essential in this video?

4

How does one make a high quality (pixel wise) animation video?4

How does a video convey emotion?3

How will the product be accessible to the audience?3

Table showing the level of importance of each question in the research plan against each other

Research & Product Analysis

Example 1

Video Discovery Channel 2/2--Mermaids: The New EvidenceLink to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw3RR6daB18

Analysis

Description of example: From 2:05-2:10, it has animated footage of possible creatures, like the mermaids and other deep-sea animals. It shows general movement of the creatures as well as its detailed facial and physical aspects and characteristics.

Breakdown of example: Video resolution: 360p Duration: Whole video 43:29, part that was researched 2:00-2:15 Intended audience: Science lovers who are adults; based on seriousness of language and visuals Sound: Music present in background Visuals: Involves a lot of color in the animation, mostly blues and darker colors (those with lower value)Analysis of example: It includes animation of the said creatures of the deep-sea, giving an idea of possible anatomical features of the creatures Music very mysterious music to give audience a sense of suspense and wonder, making people want to watch the video even more Evidence gives videos and images to prove the existence of these creatures Video quality The quality is 360p, which proves how important high quality videos are in terms of keeping attention

How the example is relevant to the research plan and product: This inspires the project, as the video will be set in an underwater setting that involves several creatures that are deep-sea and do not necessarily have the same physical features as the marine life that we know of. The animations in this video give an idea of how I could design and animate my creatures to incorporate in my own video later.

Example 2

Video Bryce 25 minute lighting project advanced underwater effects a tutorial by David Brinnen

Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js9sZZEpZAnalysis

Description of example: The example is a video tutorial by YouTube user David Brinnen on how to create underwater effects for Bryce 7.1. It is a form of walkthrough and he explains verbally whilst carrying out every action, explaining why the step was taken and what impact it will have on the terrain.

Breakdown of example: Video resolution: 720p (HD) Duration: 27:57 Intended audience: Bryce 7.1 users, both beginners and intermediate level users but mostly intermediate Sound: Clear voice over, no music Visuals: Actions are conducted as they are being said, and has clear visuals to help viewers know what to expect when they try it out, or follow along as the tutorial progresses.Analysis of example: Gives clear instructions of what to do when performing each action Gives reasoning for each step to help viewers understand the effect of that action on the setting It is for intermediate to advanced users, thus it will be harder for beginners like myself to follow

How the example is relevant to the research plan and product: Research question 3 explains the importance of knowing how to create and have underwater effects in the video, as the whole product is underwater-based. This tutorial does help a lot in terms of knowing the basics of underwater settings, as Bryce 7.1 is known for its landscapes, rather than seascapes and let alone underwater. This is a good tutorial to refer back to if needed to find specific things to create and animate.

Example 3

Article POV (Point of view)

Link to article: http://vimeo.com/videoschool/lesson/107/pov-point-of-view Analysis

Description of example: This is an article giving steps and tips on filming a POV video/movie which includes several video examples after each stated point to give a picture of how the said point is implemented and which situations and scenes that it is best implemented in. It explains the different angles and ways that POV can be shot from, and which works on what cases.

Breakdown of example: Intended audience: Beginners in shooting films Article content: 4 main points, including examples in both video and image form.: Provides reasoning for each point made, in terms of filming Visuals: Clear images and videos describing, in detail, what each POV is and its effects Videos: Video examples are only good examples; none to show the mediocre examples and why the steps need to be included

Analysis of example: Clear visuals - shows importance of high quality visuals to ensure attention Gives examples which helps readers to understand how and why the POV technique is used in ways It doesnt include a tutorial/walkthrough, thus it might be complicated if reader does not understand the point even after the example is shown It doesnt show specific steps in filming for POV shots but rather mostly tips and advice on it As mentioned, it only shows mostly good examples, but none to show the mediocre examples and why the steps need to be included

How the example is relevant to the research plan and product: Although I will not be filming using a camera, like intended for the article, but the information and tips could and will be incorporated into my own screen filming as I screen-record on Bryce. Certain tips are very useful to create certain effects on the final product, like different angles to give a more detailed visualization of the surrounding and setting, which could also seize attention of the audience.

Example 4

Tutorial website Bryce tutorials for beginners

Link to tutorial: http://mulawa.net/tutorials/bryce5/index.html Analysis

Description of example: This is a website of entirely Bryce 7.1 Pro tutorial that was designed for beginners which shows different steps and things that could be done using Bryce. Each tutorial is in a form of slideshows and when each slide is clicked on, there are written steps and annotation in the picture to further explain the tutorials. The pictures below shows the two different pages, the first being an example of a tutorial and the second being an individual slide/step.

Breakdown of example: Tutorials: Every step is explained with a picture: Every step is also included with a short sentence to further explain the step with detail Pictures: Pictures included annotation in most slides to help viewers identify which features to use and how they are used Website: It includes 15 different tutorials on several types of things one can do on Bryce if they are a beginnerAnalysis of example: It is designed for beginners like myself which makes it easier for me to follow as it is broken down step by step and explained at a simpler and lower level Each step is explained with a sentence - eases the process of learning and walking through Each image has annotation - eases the learning of tools and features on Bryce 7.1How the example is relevant to the research plan and product: This research would be my reference to creating my final product, and it will also be used as a direct walkthrough when needed (when I might be stuck on some parts) and as it is altered for beginners, it will make it easier for me to follow-through when Im creating my product. In addition to that, the variety of tutorials can be used into my video as well, maybe not as directly, but they could be inspiration for it.

Bibliography

Brinnen, David. "Bryce 25 Minute Lighting Project Advanced Underwater Effects a Tutorial by David Brinnen." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 2 Oct. 2014.

Bryce for Beginners. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2014. .

"Discovery Channel 2/2--Mermaids: The New Evidence." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2014. POV (Point of View). N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2014. .

Design Brief

After researching all 4 examples above, I have understood several things on what needs to be implemented in my video for my final product. Although, amongst these, the following are found most important for the creation of the final product to me:

Possible physical appearance for the creatures that live in deep sea (From example 1). Reason: It gives me a clear idea of what I can and should design in animation form, as that is the current predicted features (and everything along its line) to give my video as much scientific accuracy as possible. How to create an underwater effect and setting, specifically small things like the rocks and terrain, etc. (From example 2, time frame - 1:30). Reason: This gives me a very clear walkthrough and list of steps in creating the underwater setting and surrounding that I need for my video, enabling me to make the most of what I can work with using Bryce for my own underwater world as well as understand Bryces capability in terms of terrain for underwater. Knowing that POV filming doesnt necessarily have to be from the head (eyesight level) and it could be from any angle of a body, or an object with a surface. (From example 3, 4th example on the article; Quote: It's important to note that POV doesn't strictly apply to the perspective from a person's head. You can have a POV shot from a foot, shoulder, etc. It doesn't even have to be a person! Any object with a camera attached to it will give a POV shot,) . Reason: As my whole video will be shot from POV, the relevance of knowing that POV is not necessarily just shot from the head or eye level is important, to ensure that my final product will not be a boring one that has a one point perspective from just a single angle, but one that is from several different angles instead. Making a movie/video when it involves animation with Bryce (From example 4, tutorial 4: Lets Make a Movie). Reason: This enables me to understand that Bryce, is in fact, done for shooting of videos and this helps in terms of positions and property of the animation itself, identifying which ones work with what camera angle (combined with previous point) to produce an aesthetically pleasing video to watch, which in turns indirectly increasing audience interest.

From all these, I will design and create an animation video regarding underwater worlds that is unknown to the human eye, including its creatures, using the animation program Bryce Pro 7.1. This video will be shot from different angles of point of views (not from just the eye-level angle) and will be shot to capture the surroundings, like the rocks and terrain, as well as the creatures, that will be based off what scientific findings have proven in todays time. These will all be filmed through the correct angles, based off the Bryce tutorial given online, to create an aesthetically pleasing video for the audience.