Production skills: Week 5

InDesign 

This week we were given more tutorials on the software InDesign, we were also given the task to create a mock up dossier from the drafts we were given from the other teams. We were taught how to implement videos properly into the software and slideshows that would responded to buttons for flicking through the slide. I applied these skills to create a dossier from the drafts we got from the other teams for their dossier; I can apply these skills to the project by using them to implement videos for the dossier, along with slideshows of pictures connected to the alternate timeline.

A creative problem I encounter was when I had to create the buttons for the slide show, however their was no shapes that were shaped as an arrow and I didn’t have time to look for one. To solve this I made a  outline of a square from the shapes tool, then tilt it on it’s side, I then cut the shape inhalf which created to different shapes that looked like arrows which I used as the slide show buttons. One thing I would change is the way I did the arrows, it was a good idea but I was in a rush and wasn’t able to make them look as nice as I wanted them to, but overall I believe I did pretty well in creating the dossier.

3D modelling

This week we were given a challenge to create an object that would have a connection to the alternate timeline we are working on for our dossier. I choose to create a gernade as in that timeline they are still fighting a war and have the technology to create gernades. The skills I learned from creating the 3D model are more bevelling techniques and a better understanding of how to create UVWs when texturing. I applied these skills to create the shell of the gernade and to create a UVW that is grouped better so I have a better understanding of it when texturing it.

A creative problem I faced was when I didn’t have enough time to create the Lug (which is the part that flies off when the pin is pulled). To solve this I decided that instead of having a lug, it would use a button which when pressed would start the gernade, this would allow me more to work on the textures as creating a button with a safety pin would be a lot easier. The only thing I would change is the texturing, instead of using a metal texture, I should have used a plane silver colour, then add a shine to it, making it look more metal than just a plane metal texture.

following drafts from other groups 

This week we were given drafts from other teammates which showed the layout and the style they want for their dossier; as a team we were given the task to follow the drafts and create a mock up of their dossier. The skills I learnt from this are being able to follow drafts to create final products and be able to create clear drafts for people to follow to create the final product. I applied these skills to when we were given drafts by the other teams to follow and gave out drafts for the other teams to follow. I can apply these skills to the project by creating drafts for the other teammates to follow when creating pages and I can follow drafts when I need to create something for the project.

A creative problem we had was that the drafts we were given to follow only had what the navigation would be like and some icons, no actually wireframes or mood boards for any of the pages. We solved this by noting down the pages from the navigation, then trying to make wireframes from the little drawings they did within the navigation; we also asked a lot of question about each page and noted what they wanted. What I would do differently is to ask the group if they had any mood boards, that way we made sure we got something.

Creating foley sounds

This week we were given the task to create foley sounds for a 3D model animation of a big old rusty robot’s walking cycle. The skills I learnt are how to do a live foley recording and how to handle recording for foley sounds; I applied these skills to create a live foley recording with my group for the walk cycle for the robot and I applied my recording skills to help other groups to record their live foley record. I can apply these skills to my project by using the them to create and record foley sounds for the dossier’s speaker device.

A creative problem I had was when doing the live foley record, I couldn’t get the right sounds I wanted from the object; to solve this I should practiced creating the sound before recording, that way I am sure to make the correct sound with the object. What I would of done differently is again practice and also remind the other members of the team that we have to bring in objects to create foley sounds with, that way we would have more vary in creating sound.

Editing voice recording of script

This week used more of audacity to edit the voice recordings we did early on; the skills we learnt from this are how to add different tracks to have more sound, how to extend a soundtrack to last longer and more techniques on using equalizer and the leveller. I applied these skills to edit the voice recording to sound like it was coming out of an old speaker, along with having mechanical speaker noises in the background to sound more real. I can apply these skills to the project for when I need to edit more voice logs for the dossier; a creative problem we faced was that we didn’t have time for all of us to record foley sounds for the voice log, the solution was to use the sounds that other be recorded that you wanted, allowing everyone getting what they want from one recording. There is nothing I would really change from this experience.