Reflective Statement: Solo Study
I think it’s clear in my solo task that the concept is there, and I am in ways content with some aspects of it. I think this assignment overall was a learning curve for me, both with my solo and group study. I’m going to admit I left this all quite last minute, I was underestimating what it would take to create the work I wanted, and really didn’t have much motivation because for most of the time we had to work on this assignment I struggled to conceptualise. I think it would’ve made it a lot easier for me if I had just stuck with any idea that had come to me, rather than spent weeks not really getting work done cause I didn’t have a clear concept. It’s important to understand that the creative process isn’t always linear or easy, I think I needed to understand that the process may be quite a bit of trial and error and really I could’ve allowed myself to get more creative from day 1, leaving me more time to ask questions and play around, which would ultimately allow for me create a more thought out and creative project.
I think what I’m learning through this course is that the process of creating interactive art, especially with Max, is never going to be all that easy. Acceptance of struggle is what I need, and I guess I’m more so accepting of it now, and I’m certainly realising that I’m here to learn, and thats what Camille is here for, to teach us and guide in the right direction when we’re unsure. Max is a complex program and we can’t expect ourselves to be fully understanding of it after only 8 weeks of using it. I’ve certainly learn’t that things wont always work they way you want, but thats okay because in some cases, this can lead to greater things and unexpected, but good outcomes.
I do believe there is success in my work, it does in fact work. By moving around the screen or waving your arms around, a couple different sound effects play in the corners of the screen. I think in future, if I had a little more time and was more proactive in asking for help, I’d be able to find a way to add a lot more sound effects to really give it more of a DJ feel. I’d also like to develop a way to change the visuals on the screen by movement too, or sound even. I think it would be interesting to be able to use your body or voice to trigger visual changes as well as audio playback.
I do know my project has its flaws. I had more of a vision of something a little more fun audio-wise, I planned on finding more musical sound effects, like different beats you’d hear in mainstream music. I hoped I’d use a lot more than just 4 or 5 sound effects, but I got kind of lazy and frustrated by the end and really just gave up. It’d be cool to maybe have a base layer of audio that constantly plays, and then you can move around to make your own unique ‘song’. If I’d spent a bit more time working on this project I definitely think this would’ve been achievable as I did attempt to have this base layer of audio, but gave up because I was taking too long to figure out how to make it work.
Essentially what I’ve gathered from this task is that my project both succeeds and fails, and that’s okay. Improvements could definitely be made, but I’m aware of them and have greatly learned from this assignment that art takes time, and its worth investing time into it.
Reflective Statement: Group Study
Well, this is going to be one interesting reflection. To point out the obvious, our originally planned idea was to create a game of sorts, where you would essentially play as a 3D model of Baymax, avoiding incoming needles. We knew it was an ambitious idea, but what was even more ambitious was leaving it until the week it was due. With how hectic everything has been for all of us and the semester break essentially being 2 weeks, the motivation and drive to work on this project was at an all-time low. It came to week 8 (this week) and it got to a point where we hadn’t done very much at all. It was really not ideal for us to have left the assignment so last minute but there was nothing we could do, unfortunately, there is no way to go back in time and work on it for longer. I am quite frustrated with us for not starting earlier, because it did mean that it came to the lesson before it was due and Camille very kindly advised that we don’t start working with moving a 3D model with bodily actions so last minute, and in all fairness he was correct, but that’s not to say that we weren’t frustrated. Camille suggested we inserted create something more audio based if we wanted, something that might be much simpler and ideally achievable in the short amount of time we had left before the due date.
With only a short amount of time before we were due to submit, we really had no choice but to do something simple and realistic. We searched for ages for 3D models, and with constant trial and error, we were feeling hopeless. None of our downloaded models were working and we were getting sick of it.
Eventually, Kay managed to get a 3D model of a plane to work, and with some discussion, we decided that we would still like to use the concept of body movements controlling the movements of a 3D object, so we decided to work towards making the plane the object you control. To add a bit more to our last minute work, we googled a free downloadable cloud background to be playing in the background of the plane model, making it as though you’re controlling the plane flying through the sky. Considering the time we had, I think we executed our concept well. We managed to make something that functions and I’m really happy with it.
Really, once we had conceptualised, we definitely had a much greater sense of direction, and this certainly motivated us because with the combination of time pressure and this newfound sense of direction, we were able to show ourselves we know more about Max then we think. It is frustrating that we didn’t get to execute the idea we intended to, but I think if we had better managed our time we would certainly be capable of doing it.
Overall, this was definitely a major learning curve for myself as a student and creative. Never have I ever left an assignment so late. As much stress as this last minute idea change was, it ended up showing the 3 of us that we are more capable than we think, and have a decent understanding of the new tools we’ve learnt about. We definitely succeeded in creating something that works, and we should be proud of that.