Submission and Reflection

 In the few weeks before submission I worked on my exegesis, breakdown, poster, and intro-card. I also had to produce a quick introduction video for the premiere night as I will regrettably not be able to attend.   :( 

I finalised my poster by using the most suitable render as well as adding the title from within the short, as seen on the tv screen.

I used another render option for my intro card too.

Reflection

I have finally finished all aspects of the capstone project and have come to the end of the Digital Design course. This project has allowed me to grow as a visual effects artist, animator, and an overall creative. I am proud of the work I have produce with "Mikey's World" and have enjoyed the production process from start to finish. 

I personally think some of the highlights from this project was the way I captured the eerie nature of the claymations from pre-conceptualisation to end production. The final renders were almost exactly what I was picturing from the early weeks of pre-vis. I think the overall story worked well as an effective horror too. I like the way the juxtaposition of innocence and horror tied well together with hints of terror throughout the short. I also think I was successful in tying the animated world into the live action reality. I don't think one medium distracts from the other or takes away any value but instead they compliment each other and add to the story and tone. 

If I were to do some aspects differently I would definitely considering adding more visual effects throughout the live action sequences. I liked the way I added the clown in a short jump cut behind the live action character to add an element of horror, and I wish I had more moments like that. Technically, I think I could have spent a little more time developing the quality of visual effects especially the sequences at the end with the monster coming out of the screen. I believe this was because of time limits and deadlines that caused me to rush some compositing processes. In the future I will ensure I stick to a strict timetable and accomplish smaller goals more frequently.

 Finally, I think my biggest downfall may have been spending the first 6-8 weeks developing an idea I did not care for or did not feel motivated making. This severely affected my time available for the project as well as setting me behind my classmates, however, I am proud of how diligently and quickly I was able to catch up. My motivation and passion spiked when I conceptualised "Mikey's World" and I believe this is reflected in my final outcome.

Thanks for following my journey through these blogs and I look forward to the many future creative endeavors I am now prepared for.