3D Animation
This was the final project #2 in DTC 435 in Advanced Animation. I was instructed to design
and rig two characters, place them in a scene, and make the scene at least one minute and thirty
seconds long. The characters were supposed to be in some kind of conflict and there needed to be an
ending that showed some kind of a resolution between the two characters. For my backup idea I
remembered that there was something my friend Katie and I always spoke of that we wanted to see
a cartoon made about. There are several items that people usually find when they are sweeping up
around the house. These items include bandaids, bread ties, rubber bands, bottle caps, etc.
I wanted to show a world of these discarded items as characters in an obscure kitchen interior
of cracks between the refrigerator and cupboards. After all, these are the tough-to-reach places
where a crumb, bandaid, or bottle cap could have fallen and been forgotten. The conflict the
characters face is a broom and dustpan picking them up, and being thrown in the garbage.
Little do the discarded characters know, the trash can is a place where they belong because they
find an extra amount of discarded friends to have fun with.
For this 3D animation in DTC 335 @ Washington state University, I was supposed to come up with a story that had conflict and drama between two different teams of chess pieces.
I had several ideas including choosing Democrats VS. Republicans, but I wanted to stay away from heavy politics. The idea that I thought would go great stuck out in my mind and as difficult as it was to describe, I still was able to write out a storyboard describing this conflict between groups. Ever since I started taking college courses I have been hearing students outside of class arguing about what subject or fields are more important to study for our society, the arts or sciences. In hearing all this arguing I realized that the arts usually get the most flack, seen as a subject that the people of the world need to stop caring so much about. Later, while taking cultural ecology at WSUV, I read a quote from Anthropologist Julian Steward that explains why the arts are important for preserving cultural diversity which supports biodiversity and can help save the world. I wanted to create a chess animation of Arts VS. Sciences that involves artistic and scientific battles of the 3D chess pieces. I wanted this to have a video game mise en scéne. I wanted the arts to win in the end. Our professor, Brenda Grell, told us to add some kind of a resolution in the end of our animation. This is the scientific quote I add at the end about why the arts are important by scientist Julian Steward. This animation was created using Maya 2018 and After Effects 2017. Enjoy.
Infographics
For project number one in professor Grell’s Advanced Animation course, I was asked to create a 30 second, two-dimensional, animated public service announcement. This PSA was ordered to be about any cause or message of my choice. For my cause, I chose to address the local Vancouver problem I call, “fireworks”. After the smoky semester we endured last Fall caused by carelessness with fireworks, I still hear M-80s and M-1000s going off in my neighborhood all the time. Last 4th of July I had to help pet-sit a dog while fireworks were going off so intensely that it sounded like World War 3. I like fireworks as much as the next person, but what I’ve been hearing around the Vancouver city limits is sounding more like explosions. We should all celebrate our Independence Day, but sometimes the fireworks go off at such a frequent rate that it’s as if we’re trying to blow up our own country. Why? Fireworks were legal this past New Years and I hear continuous explosions still going on even as late as February. With such an amazing designated firework event like the Fort Vancouver 4th of July Celebration, why do people feel this spectacular event isn’t enough fireworks? Police are still issuing measure M-4137 in the local Vancouver area. It's a 500 dollar fine if people are caught using M-80s, M-1000s, artillery shells, and any fireworks within the Vancouver city limits. I've provided a map of where fireworks are illegal and number to report illegal use of fireworks in a non-emergency or emergency situation. I have used all original artwork, my own narration, Adobe Illustrator, and After Effects. I dedicate this PSA to the Vancouver Fire Department and any local pets.
This is an information graphic about the new world of interactive Cinema. Interactive Cinema is a cinematic experience that has game dynamics integrated into it. This gives the person watching the ability to influence the storyline. Now, a company called ReelXperience Entertainment has developed a cinematic experience where a user enters a magical world blending physical and virtual reality.
This is an infographic that I made about how to deal with unsolicited advice while setting personal bounaries in a work or social environment. Unsolicited advice is advice that is not asked for, but given voluntarily. If you are a person who is getting a lot of unsolicited advice, think about the advice giver's intentions. Try to discern where the advice is coming from. Is the person coming from a helpful place, or is the advice more about their needs, and not really appropriate to your situation?
I want to explain that I really do like coffee, but coffee intake has to be in moderation. Coffee is America's favorite drug. 180 million start there day with a cup. But regular coffee is one of the most pesticide intensive crops in the world. Acid reflux and heartburn can be caused by coffee due to the way it relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter. Coffee affects the kidney's ability to retain calcium, zinc, magnesium, and other important minerals. You can have a cup of coffee, but don't let the coffee have you.
This is an information graphic that is asking what technology is doing to us? In this short documentary I look at technology coming from a dystopian point of view and also look at technology coming from a utopian viewpoint. It's up for the viewer to decide if technology is helping or hurting the human race. This technology infographic explains new ways to destroy bacteria and other pathogens using nanobots in our bloodstream and blue light from screens that can damage our retinas.
Advertising Bumpers and Humor
This is a two-dimensional animation using nothing but Adobe After Effects shapes and music. I figure animation like this could be used for intro bumpers and advertising before a show or commercial.
This is an animated logo I made for the YWCA and Woman's Leadership Center in Vancouver Washington. This is a 2D animation that I turned into a gif for the YWCA to use for internet ad publications.
This is a short bumper for the website KOUV.org This was created with images from the internet, After Effects, and old archive footage from Golden Skate Rollerskating Rink off 4th Plain in Vancouver Washington. We like to loop this animation before we do our live stream broadcasting from our studio show called Let's Play Show!
This is a short montage animation I made at Clark College in After Effects. It's all about humor with old people. Getting older happens to all of us. We should embrace our age with humor and optimism. I like to combine royalty-free archive footage and imagery with After Effects, sound effects, and music to morph together silly mash ups.
