Video final

URGH! i swear technology is against me or something. It took me a while making the video including an all nighter since I used aftereffects program. Not to mention, I'm a perfectionist when I'm in the zone editing the video since I want it to have a smooth transition. Unfortunately, there were several problems when I was done making it. Had to find out how to make the audio music from aftereffects, took a while to render it, tried to upload it to youtube. Uploading it to youtube had the most problem since the finished video was over the maximum upload (8.88 GB! forgot how big the video can be when finished). So had to find some way to compress it, ended up taking half an hour to do that.... THEN! uploading it to youtube cost 3 hours. OH but thats not the end, halfway through uploading, the internet cord got loose (don't have wireless internet connection). So had to start ALL OVER AGAIN!!! but by the time it'll be done, the video will be up past the class time. ARGH!!! Fortunately Jimmy accepted the video from the flash drive with points taking off for being late.WHEW so its good. But whats weird (and kinds messed up), youtube records the video as being uploaded on "December 06, 2010, 07:57 AM." Wait, what?! Ugh, and I thought uploading videos would be simple to do...-_-

Everyone did a great job in the video and apples projects, lots of varieties. Had fun on the last day. Gonna miss the people and the randomness though.

linkage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AePflcBt29g

Nov 24 - Homework Review

The majority of class time was spent discussing the homework of ideas to attract people to graphic design / visual communication. Most of the ideas were taking advantage of the potential students during the orientation tours and the booths near the student union. The ideas I liked was having a giant human-size book that shows examples of the graphic design field, playing around with the signs to show how graphic design influences it, bring you friend to class, and a mazelike wall that also showcases the student's work of graphic design. My ideas were simple as it is of having the orientation tour the first level of the fine arts building to see the gallery, and putting pamphlets inside the bags of the student orientation. Unfortunately, both of my ideas were shot down due to the management of the school. The first floor on the fine arts building only consists arts by high school, and it would not be fair to have pamphlets only of the art field in student orientation bags. Other ideas were also put down due to the school restrictions. Such as school websites hosting the art field and  tour guides going into the buildings.

We were then supposed to watch a video, but the machine wasn't working. So Jimmy explained more about the finals. Then, we spent the remaining time doing the evaluations for the teachers. Ugh one more week of school, and I'm not ready...-_-

nov 22 - Discussion and Storytelling

We started the class with Jimmy mentioning "high" and "low" culture, and discussing on what it is since the phrase is not commonly used. It ended up with the class deciding on two different definition for the cultures. One was that "high" culture is what's trendy / popular, and "low"culture is what is not widespread. The other definition is that "high" culture is what is considered classy / social distinction, and "low" culture to be underground / trashy. Funny how "high" and "low" can have different meanings. Next, we discussed on - what is design? Since it was difficult to say the exact definition, we talked about graphic design and what are the elements of it. It was a pretty long discussion since graphic design had many components and covers many fields.

Next, we did a short activity in groups of two of making up a story based on random objects. A first for our class, so the story results were not that great. The stories were also short since we had very little time to plan and discuss the story (10 min). Unfortunately, everyone wasn't able to make a great story, so Jimmy was lenient on us. We were then assigned our homework of making good ideas that will attract potential and enrolled students to graphic design / visual communication at CSULA. This was because not many people know what graphic design / visual communication is. The goal is to inform and invite people to learn about the field and attend too. We spent the last half hour of class brainstorming ideas for the homework. Only thought of basics ideas, would be interesting to see everyone's results.

Nov 17 - Film and Final Project

In the beginning of class, we talked briefly about the different art museums to see here in LA. Since I'm from San Francisco, I have never been to one and only know very few of them. So it was very helpful listening to all the names of the art museum, too bad I didn't write them down. Ah well, at least I know that there's a lot here.We spent the class time watching a documentary called What are Dreams. It was actually between origami, dreams, and mayans, and the outcome was dreams by vote. Funny thing is the we started with an entertaining beginning since Chomsiri shrieked when the video introduction showed a praying mantis. Hope she will be able to get good sleep afterward. The video was definitely interesting since it explains about REM and non REM (resting eye motion) dreams, the different experiments involving dreams, what causes dreams, and the effects of dreams.
Here's some interesting information:
waking a person during REM dreams causes them to be negative due to the magdellum (sp?) in the brain, nonREM dreams helps improves memory, cats and dogs dreams of everyday activity,
REM dreams of human are a)replay of the past and to test out the possibilities in the future b) helps creativity and brain activity c) more lucid and fanciful,
nightmares are to help in preparing for dangerous situations (survival)

Jimmy then gave us a more detailed information of our final project. The final project is a 5 minute video of self-searching analysis on myself, my creative process and design of my creativity / ideas. There are no restriction on the video, so anything goes. Have to make sure to explore, evaluate, critique the content and concept before turning in final video. Need original title, explain the ideas represented, the approach to project, and the methodology used. Inspiration to help would be our reading book on design process, the activities we did in class, and imagine self as successful designer. Jimmy also wants the video to be posted on youtube and blog. Oh boy. Never did a video project before so this will be new. To help on the final project, we are to dream about them until next class (expand out creativity during sleep). So far, I dreamed of my mom, doughnuts, and the Little Rascals movie....huh? @_@ o-okay. Next class, we are to discuss the ideas and approaches that we made so far for the project. Ugh, can't really think that much on it now. XP

Nov 15 - Group Activity - Who? What?

I think we had the most fun in class that day. Everyone was to play a simple game with only the words "who" and what" in a circle with any 2 items. The 2 items used were a tube of paint and a board eraser. The sequence between two people is: this is a what (shows item), a what?, a what, oh a what (takes item). The person with the item then does the following sequence with the person next to them. This goes on until everyone in the circle does it. To make it more challenging, another object as "who" will be passed out on the opposite side simultaneous to the "what" object. The goal of the game is to complete the cycle of the circle by passing both objects around. Sounds simple, but is very difficult to do. Especially if some people giggle and break the pattern up (Guilty XP). Everybody had lots of fun playing this game, too bad we weren't able to accomplish it though. We were so close to doing it too! This game helped us to show how communication works in a group, by following the flow of the pattern / group and staying focus on task. Getting distracted (giggling in the game) loses focus and breaks the pattern up. This game is a great example of how a group works. Although, the sounds of "who" and "what" kept me thinking of Dr Seuss and music. xp

Afterward, we relaxed and let our mind wander to creativity as opposed to the mind focusing during the game. Jimmy read us a narrative introduction of us leaving our home, entering through the forest and into a cave, a passageway full of doors, finding a door with our name on it, and opening the door. We were then to draw what is beyond the door. But since the door had my name on it, I believe that beyond would be a reflection of me. So I drew the things I would like to have in my  room with the basic room layout of rug, desk, light, window, bookshelf, closet, and little nick-knacks. For the fairytale and fanciful effect, I added weapons and dragon design on the wall, fancy rug and light, and a baby dragon resting. If there were no doors or no personal name or just a cave, I would probably imagine a different world. Everybody else were also creative in what they imagined beyond the door. It's good that we did a very relaxing activity after the game, let us explore our creativity.

Reading - Stage 6 - Communication p 141-168

Chapter 6 explains communication during the presentation process. Basically, when presenting the final stage of the design/idea. Communication has 3 phases: encoding, the message itself, and decoding of the audiences. The designers focus is on how the audience view the message, so it's important to communicate to the clients to focus on what they need than what they want. Reactions from the audience may be different than what the clients may want. However, there are several other factors to consider for communication: the clients, corporations, manufacturing, and associates. All of them have different needs and methods, so it's difficult, but very important, to communicate/ understand/ discuss with them in order to have all the demands met. Lots of group activity involved, so I guess I gotta work on debating people if I have to. ack.

During presentation, there are 4 levels of information needed: statement, concept, detail, and planning. Statement is the basic info of who, what, where, and why; almost like the creative briefs. Concept is the development of the idea. Detail is forming the idea into a visual image or model. Planning is what the design will do in the future. So during the presentation, we have to communicate how 4 levels were formed from start to finish. Some of the presentation methods are: illustration (pencils, markers, etc), computer programs (photoshop, flash), and models. It's very useful to have skills in several presentation methods, gives diversity. Gotta work on that since I have the stuff, but don't really bother to practice on them -_-.

A good way to give a presentation is to be a actor on stage - know the lines, use props (the materials), have emotions and tones, and be motivated. By being a good actor, you get the message across to the people and leave an impression. Being confident during the presentation would then communicate to the group that the idea/concept is a good one. This reminds me of when we did the body gesture activity of 2 lies and 1 truth. Really nervous up front, so it's gonna take some work for me to be a good presenter. Would help if I practiced and "know the lines" and be emotional. Man, I gotta work on everything based on this chapter! XD

Nov 10 - Focusing Exercise

By the time I came in class, everybody were discussing binary numbers. Apparently Jimmy noticed the date 11-10-10. On the board were the decimal numbers and binary numbers:
0    0            4     100
1    1            5     101

2   10           6     110
3   11           7     111
Everybody then had to discuss what would be the nest numbers 8-10 based on the previous numbers while Jimmy left for a brief moment. I personally looked to see if there were any patterns.There were repetitive numbers between 0-3 and 4-7 with the numbers ending in 0-1-0-1 etc. The following numbers would also have another digit based on the change between 3 and 4. Everybody also noticed and agreed on both facts. But that was the only thing everyone agreed on since we couldn't tell if either 0 or 1 would be added to 8. By the time Jimmy came back, everyone said they were in agreement of the number: 1000, 1011, 1100. But when asked to each individual, not everyone agreed to the solution. The group was split in half with that pattern, and other half for a different pattern.

The activity was to show the different languages involved in a group and how it can be like if between the clients and designers. Most people hire designers when they themselves don't understand design, so the designers need to explain to them in the client's language instead of their own in order to help them understand the concept. Since design is way to communicate visually, we also need to understand how the explain verbally. Hence the language issue. Also different methodologies are needed to be used in group to explore different ways and ideas until everyone are convinced of the solution. "Meaning" of a word is a way to understand and has something attached to it. "Representation" is re-translation and communications of the idea (ex poster).

Jimmy then went over the book Graphic Design Now by Taschen that is full of design images. Then, we did the rest of the group regarding homework from last class: 10 images and 1 heading with different meanings/moods. Homework: None!