video final reflection

Video Final Reflection

music video: 

For this project we were given the task of creating a music video, and that was either to recreate the original video or create a new concept. This took about two days to film and only about a week to edit, since we had the original video to look off of and get shots from. The challenges were to get the perfect shots to recreate the video. It was also very cold when we filmed so that definitely was hard. We learned a lot about how to get different shots. Like for the bike scenes, we had to almost run with the camera in order to get that shot. We also got into more types of editing, as scene with the colors in the video. The feedback we got was to probably get a moving tripod or something of that sort in order to make the shots more still. And along with that, that's something I would change, just to make the shots either more stable or intentionally make them shaky to give depth. I really loved this video and I was pretty proud of it when we finished and my group was really good to work this.

high school trailer:

For this project, we were supposed to find a high school movie and recreate its trailer. We chose The Duff to recreate. This took a lot longer then the previous project to film, maybe about 2-3 weeks just because there was so many locations and settings. It only took a couple days to edit so that wasn't so bad. The challenge was definitely scheduling and finding times to film because there was so much to film so it was kind of a lot. Editing was a little difficult, because of the quickness of it plus music plus audio. I learned a lot about project management and spacing things out. I also learned a lot about how to work with people and their schedules and abilities. Some feedback I got was I used some jump cuts and those were pretty bad. Also I got that I should costume my people better. There wasn't any time to change stuff, but I know I would change costumes and settings and my editing. I really didn't like this one, it just didn't turn out the way I wanted and I wish I could change it.

short film:

For this project, we were put in groups and we each wrote a short film script. We ended up with Brett's script which was very good. The filming for this took a whole day and editing took about a week or two. It was a little hard because we had to edit in gun shots and music and edit out things, but it looked good in the end. I learned a lot about software in this project and I can use aftereffects now which is cool. I also was allowed to be creative in this one which is really exciting and what I love to do. Feedback we got was the audio was too quiet in some places but besides that people really liked it. We didn't have any time to change, but I would have gone back and helped with the audio.

PART 2:

I think I have really worked hard in this class, I feel like I have developed good connections and that I have learned a lot. When I had down time, I would usually go back over my work and look for little things I can do to enhance my work and make it the best it can be. I've really been watching a lot, a LOT, more movies and looking at all the components of good stories and cinematography because it's important to me. 

strengths:

I think I am pretty creative and I know what I want to see for the final project. I can work really well with people also. I have a lot of ideas and I am willing to put in the work and research in order to create something I am proud of. I am a good leader, as well as a good worker, because I can do the work that needs to be done but I can also oversee the work. 

weaknesses:

I think my weakness is just that I need to put my ideas out there and bring them to life but sometimes I'm scared of what people are gonna think. But film is all about telling stories and creating new things and that's important and I need to remember that. 

summary:

I just love entertainment so much, this is what I want to do. I was never as interested in film as I am now before e-comm. I just love everything about it, how everything comes into one and how it makes people was to feel, dance, sing or love and I think that's special. I am so glad to be a part of it. I would probably just do some of my projects differently, but I know i'm still new at this so I wouldn't change that much. I learned a lot about good film making and creativity, as well as how to use the software which is super important. I really want to write, direct, and film my own original short film, because I have so many ideas and this is what I want to do. I had a lot of fun this year and I made a lot of good friends and I am very thankful for this class. 

Final Reflection

FINAL REFLECTION:

Through this year of graphic design I have grown a lot. I really came into this class with very little technological experience of graphic design. I draw a lot normally so the design part was not as hard but definitely getting used to using photoshop and illustrator was hard and out of my comfort zone. But now I am very comfortable with using those Adobe programs and I can do some pretty good graphic design because I know how to use them.

collaboration:

With collaboration, I had to really rely this year on feedback of the teachers and my fellow students to give me suggestions and how to improve myself. A lot of this class was talking to my classmates on what I could do better and asking them how to do stuff and use the programs. This is important because in the real world it's not all just by yourself all the time, you do have to talk and work and get impute from other people. The only challenges I had with this component was to really accept the feedback and understand it's not personal and that everyone was in the same spot.

communication:

With communication, it kind of goes hand in hand with collaboration because I had to communicate with my teacher and classmates that I don't understand something and that I need help with it. This is important because sometimes we need other peoples' help and it's important to realize how to do that and to also help other people out.

project management:

With project management, we only get a limited time in class so it's super important to learn how to organize time. This wasn't something I really struggled with, but it is still important. Because if I was designing something for someone, I couldn't take all the time in the world to do it, they would need it by a certain time so it's important to have it done by that time. And this skill isn't just for graphic design, it can be applied to almost everything.

leadership:

With leadership, I guess I really had to be a leader of myself. Sometimes I didn't want to do an assignment but I had to apply myself and be the best I could. This is another skill that can apply to different situations and it's important to use this to get the job done.

strengths/weaknesses:

My greatest strengths are probably that no matter what I will get the job or project done. I am also good with collaborating with others and integrating ideas. I am also good at envisioning things figuring out how to create those into the actual product. My weaknesses would be sometimes I'm too scared to ask for feedback and on how to make myself better. I am also not too great at thinking outside the box. I think I am definitely better at receiving and giving feedback and I think that's important. I still need to work on thinking outside the box and figuring out how to make something unique and my own.

what i have learned:

When I continue my e-comm career, I will use graphic design when I'm making films. It's important for things like posters, cards, and other things that go into the production of films. Plus, I am very involved in art and this is very helpful.

change anything?:

If there was anything I would change, I would change my early projects and just work on those more because they are definitely not my best work and I kind of cringe at them.

conclusion:

I really loved this class and I loved the freedom to create it gave me. Mrs. Burdolski is a wonderful teacher and I have truly learned a lot and grown a lot in my graphic design abilities and I think I will use these skills forever.

Marks/Symbols Reflection

Summary

As a graphic designer, we need to know all types of marks and symbols. The different types can give a different attitudes to the overall design. These marks use pictures and type in order to convey a message. Symbols are just pictures that describe the project, and pictographs are similar but more publicly used. Letter marks use letter to associate the name of a project or company instead of using the long name. Logos are similar to letter marks but instead they have little graphics that help associate with the project. Combination marks use both logos and typography. And trademarks are all of these things, quick visuals that are unique to each project and company. 

Symbols vs. Logos

Symbols are pictures without any words that help identify the corporation it was made for. It is quick, simple and has a fast impact. While logos are primarily words that identify the company or brand. These are unique and easy to promote. When these are used together it is called combination marks. These are the overall trademark and use both the uniqueness of the logo and the visual of the symbol. 

Key Ideas & Significance

I learned about the difference between symbols and logos. This is important because it will help me when I'm developing my own logo; I can either use a quick symbol to brand myself or a logo with a word or maybe even a combination of both. This also helped me see all the different type of mark making in the day to day basis, and how each has a different effect. This handout was helpful and it is making me think about my logo and how I want it to look, feel, and impact.

Conclusion

This handout was very helpful and has helped me see all the different types of mark making I can use to create different feelings and moods to my work. It will help add structure and creativity to my work and it has given me ideas about my logo. 

The Character and Function of the Poster Reflection

The Character and Function of the Poster:

The purpose of the poster is to bring a message, whether that is a political one or to announce a product.  A poster must be on display and open for all to see. Posters will tell information about politics affairs and social conditions. Posters also suggests wishes an the existence of things from our imagination. Posters can help us solve our problems, and also brings up new questions to make us ponder. Posters are an important way of communicating to a wide audience, between the producer and consumer, and just to each other. Posters are meant to provoke thought and action and to motivate people to do and buy things. 

Posters are also meant to be aesthetically pleasing. They should attract the eye and draw notice to the message of the poster. Posters should fascinate people and contact their emotions. While processing the message of the poster, there should be a "dialogue" between the poster and the person reading it. In conclusion, a poster should capture attention and motivate people to think and to act. 

I learned that posters should have a maximum effect, they should provoke memories, and they should motivate people to act. I think the lettering was really interesting just because I would like to become better at that. This paper was very informative and really let me into the world of posters and to see that designing a poster is a lot of work and thought in order to reach the final product. 

Semester Reflection

Semester Reflection

Photoshop Tutorials:

We started this semester by working with several Photoshop tutorials to get us introduced to the program. These tutorials taught us how to do several things in Photoshop, including removing blemishes, taking objects in images and removing them, and creating an ad. 

These tutorials took about a week or two to complete. There was many of them, so they really required some work and effort. I had difficulty with remembering which tool did which, and making sure there was not any blemishes after I changed something. The cloning tool was difficult for me to use at first but I eventually got ahold of it. 

With these tutorials I learned how to follow directions and steps to create a final project. I also learned how to generally use Photoshop and how to edit, remove, and move things around in an image. 

With my final products from the tutorials, I was given the feedback to make sure I really pay close attention to details. In some of my images, I had left a few blemishes, therefore I really need to take my time and work hard on every aspect. 

In this project, we did not have the chance to go back and change anything, so I could not really revise on my projects. 

I enjoyed this project, I thought it was a great way to intro into the year. It really introduced me to Photoshop and it was great that I could go back and reference these tutorials later when I had to something that was similar to what I had already done. These tutorials were a great tool to have and really taught me a lot about graphic designing. 

Fall Themed Raccoon/Postcard:

For this project, we followed a series of tutorials that guided us to create a raccoon with a fall themed background. This project took me about a couple weeks or so, because now I was working more or less on my own. 

Now I was working with Illustrator, so I had to get comfortable with using this new program an figuring everything out. But, in the end, I learned how to use Illustrator to create images. I'm comfortable making little animations like this raccoon and using shapes to create an image. 

I did not really receive feedback for this project because it was pretty simple. Others thought the pumpkin spice latte I added was really cute and creative though, so I suppose that was some good feedback. 

I did not get any negative feedback, so there was not anything for me to change. I really enjoyed this project, I thought the raccoon turned out really cute and it was fun designing the theme and everything. 

This next project was an add-on to the themed raccoon. I used the raccoon to make a themed postcard. I decided to make a beach themed one, in which the raccoon is on the beach with a surfboard and palm beach. This was made about the same time as the fall themed one was made. I didn't really have any struggles, once I had made the first one, this one was easy. 

For feedback, I was told to maybe change the font and place of my catchphrase on the card because it was hard to read. I didn't have to chance to change it but if I did, I would maybe move it onto the surfboard and try a thicker font. I enjoyed this postcard because it was super cute and allowed us to be creative in our designs. 

Vector Self Portrait

For this project, we had to find a headshot of ourselves and vector ourselves. This was the first time I had ever worked with vectoring at all so this was totally new to me. This took about a week or so to complete. This was the second most difficult project because I really did not know how to vector and how to really give the image volume and texture. But by the end, I learned the basics of vectoring and how to recreate a picture. 

I was given the feedback to maybe focus on the lighted and darkened parts of my face so that my project would look a bit more realistic. I did not get this feedback until I was done so I did not change it. I somewhat enjoyed my project, it wasn't my favorite just because it was difficult and my end project is kind of ugly. 

Infographic

This was our last project of the semester and the most difficult for me. We had to choose some subject and make an infographic about the information. I chose Taylor Swift's style which was a hard subject. This took about a couple weeks or so. The challenge for me was I was really fidgety on what exactly do I cover and what do I write about and what is important. I really did not know what I wanted to do the infographic about, so that took up a lot of time. I learned about color pallets and how to intertwine vectors and images with text and information. I was told to give more information because I originally just had graphics, so I added some facts from each album. I enjoyed this project, it was hard, but it was really interesting to see how it came out.

Reflection

I think I've used my time pretty well in class. It is not super often that I get super off track and I mostly get my things done. Most of the time, I just put my headphones in and work hard. When I finished early, which was not often, I would ask others if they had any advice on how I could improve or change anything. If I didn't finish in class, I would come in after to work on it but most the time I had time in class. Since I have taken this class I have really looked at things like a graphic designer, like the colors and fonts and the way everything flows together. 

I think my strengths are that I am creative and I like imagining colors and the placement of things. I think I could really improve with managing my time and focusing on the details to make sure everything is as good as it could be instead of just meeting the standard. 

I loved reaching outside my comfort zone, because I normally draw on paper and that's what I enjoy most but now I have to put my ideas on the computer. 

Semester Video Reflection

Semester Reflection

Feature Story

        

This was the second feature film we had to do. For this video, I interviewed my friend Courtney Honors about her amazing, unique art. This video took only a day to film and about a week to edit. This took pretty long to edit just because I knew what I wanted it to look and feel like, so that was pretty difficult. But with this video I learned how to transfer what I had in my head onto the computer so that was really interesting. I was given the feedback to maybe make my voiceovers shorter and more excited, but I did not get a chance to fix that. Overall, I really enjoyed this video and I think it turned out pretty well. I think the shots are pretty and it definitely has potential.

ONW Now News Story

           
This was my first news story, and it was different than the past feature stories that I've done. A news story is different from a feature story because it focused on the overview of an event rather than a feature story which focuses on a specific person. This video took me two days to film and edit. It was pretty easy plus I worked with one other person and it had to be short. The challenges I faced was just making sure the video flowed together and that it kept the viewers attention. With this video I learned how to make a news story and how it's different to film and edit from a feature film. I was not given  any feedback besides that people really liked and enjoyed it, so I did not change anything after I was finished. I am pretty proud of this video because I think it was edited really well and it's entertaining to watch.

Summary

I think I used my time in class pretty well. I learned that it is better to just put in my headphones and focus on my video. It was rare that I finished early, but when I did I would ask for feedback from the teacher or my classmates on how I could improve my video. When I did not have my video finished, I would come in before and after school to work on it. I've been watching more movies, short films, and newscasts in order to look for new ways to improve my videos. 

I think my strength is that I am really creative and I'm willing to work hard in order to finish something I'm passionate about. I love video so much and I love being able to express my imagination and ideas through video. I think I really need to improve on time management and what are realistic goals for me to reach. 

I loved doing the feature films and ONW Now segment. I love interviewing people and I loved seeing the final products. I especially enjoy being in front of the camera and reporting, that was so much fun. I would maybe have changed my first feature film topic just because I'm not super proud of it because it's really boring. I also really want to work on the six shot system because my video are lacking that depth and I want that in my future projects. I have learned so much about writing scripts and filming and how to convey what I want through my filming and editing. I have also learned how to work with Premier Pro, which was a totally new program for me this year. I like that program, even though it is a little confusing sometimes. I am super excited about making a short film and a music video and I just really, really want to work hard on those and be proud of them. My finals thoughts are that I love video so much and this is what I'm passionate about and I want to keep doing this.

What Makes a Feature Story Great

The first thing that struck me about the winning video was the strong introduction. Lina grabbed the audience’s attention with a strong narrative, addressing who she was interviewing and what she was going to be interviewing about. I loved all the different shots, varying from shots of Abby swinging to Abby stretching. I enjoyed seeing all the scenery, and the shots changed every couple seconds so the viewer was never bored. I also liked how Lina showed shots of Abby’s father helping her, so it tied in Abby’s father as Lina’s second source. The part I enjoyed the most was how Lina ended her video, with all the different shots of Abby and her father hitting the ball, it just tied everything together. The last shot of the golf cart driving away was really creative and completed the video.

The audio was good and flowed, it was never too loud or too quiet, it fit the mood. The wide variety of shots kept the video interesting. The voiceovers flowed really naturally and enhanced the story for the viewer. As the viewer, I got to know the subject of the video and I felt very satisfied at the end of it.

The winning feature story by Lina Sattarin is linked above.