Unit 06 Application, Exploration and Realisation in Art and Design - Final Major Project

Final Major Project Proposal

EDEXCEL Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma in Interactive Media with Game Design

Section 1

Working title:

Brum brum: Must go quickly.

What you will work towards producing:

I’m going to produce an interactive adventure where the perspective is from a driver, within a car. There will be parts where the journey pauses, allowing you to choose actions (these most likely being directions).

It won’t just be purely what is filmed, but also adding in some content to make it that bit more enjoyable. At the time being I’m not 100% sure how these ‘things’ will be included (that being, which software) but I can always produce things in Photoshop, Cinema 4D, etc.

I know that from making a click-to-play game previously in Flash, it would be possible to do sort of ‘checkpoints’, which will then allow you to choose an option and then lead into a different part of the game. I assume I can do the same with video footage, maybe in Flash, but I’m sure it’s do-able in some software or another.

Section 2

Influences, starting points and contextual references:

Although I’m not a fan of Family Guy, there is an opening to one of the episodes that I very much enjoyed. It is more or less the one and only thing that had inspired me to make something similar of my own. As well as that, I like the beginning of the original Italian Job film. It’s actually serious in comparison to the opening of that Family Guy episode mentioned above. Although I’d like my project to be somewhat humorous, I think the opening to the Italian Job would still be a useful reference.

Early ideas research and sources:  (What are your sources for contextual and personal research?)

At the moment, there are only two things for me to research. They are both videos that I shall gather from Youtube. I feel for my project, the best type of research would be from looking at similar examples than some form of written document. However, I suspect I’d be needing to do some more research when the project moves on, so I intend to update this with whatever sources of research I use at a later stage. As it’ll mostly be video recordings, the art style would be realistic. Although the parts I add in myself would be very much the opposite of realism, ‘cartoonish’ and somewhat purposely amateur for that humor value.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zg8PWdVWM0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km1zzXQZL0k - apologies for the poor quality

Section 3

Intended techniques, non-digital and digital processes:

I’m thinking all my techniques/processes will be digital for this project. The only things I can think of that would be non-digital is say, a drawn storyboard or something (which I may end up doing). As poorly organized as it may sound, I personally think just getting as longer video recordings as I can get (this’ll be done by putting a video camera in the car with me) and then just editing them later (probably done with Final Cut Pro or some other software that I’m not yet familiar with/know of) would be best and then just see what I can make from the clips I gather. Of course, as I’ll be driving, there’ll be other people out on the roads and the weather will vary from time to time, both these things are out of my control so I wouldn’t be able to plan everything to be perfect. Thus why I think making do with as much as I can gather would be the best approach. I’d like to throw in some editing of my own (that being, putting in some random odds and ends) rather than just cutting bits of clips I gather. I’m not 100% sure as of yet what software would be best for that, possibly Flash? I know Flash is something I could use for the interactive parts (where the video will pause and the ‘player’ chooses the next part). Audio can be done separately which I could create first-hand with a microphone or just from what I can create behind a computer.

Timescales:

Week 1: Proposal

Week 2/3: Research development

Week 4/6: Building an ‘alpha’/learning how I’d create my project

Week (As many weeks as I have left): Make the actual project

Final Week: Evaluate my work

 

Section 4

     Proposed methods of evaluation: (How will you document your final major project evaluation?)

To evaluate my project, I will type up a word document covering a number of points. To do this, I’ll ask myself questions, such as:

1. The Picture	§  State (briefly) what you have done?
2. The Learning	§  What have you learnt? About yourself, your abilities, new skills, material manipulation, art theory, formal elements, your communication intentions
3.The Point	§  What’s the point? §  Why is it useful and how could you use it in the future?
4. The Success	§  What has and hasn’t been successful? How and why? Go in depth into the reasons, don’t just say that you like something, explain how what you have done contributes to your work or your development.
5. The Solution	§  How can you address these weaknesses? §  How can you improve? Analysis, experiments, new skills learning, history, theory, materials exploration, composition, process From the article Reflective Logs - Supporting Independent Learning [Note that I won’t be writing the questions in for the actual evaluation, just answering them properly in full sentences.] (https://blackboard.cityofbristol.ac.uk/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2695_1%26url%3D)

Ideas Generation: I have three ideas on what I could produce while staying true to what my proposal says I'll be producing: My first idea was to create a multiple-choice journey. The video would be split into different sections, during each section there would come a point where the player chooses where to head next. The video would pause and a number of buttons will appear. Depending on which button is selected would determine which section of footage is next played. Second idea was to add some more interactivity to the journey, but having the journey remain the same. That being, the journey would not be multiple-choice but instead had things going on that required you to click them. My whole theme being based around Original Content and raising the awareness of plagiarism, I wanted to stick with my character (Original Content) to make the journey more interesting than just sitting and watching as the journey goes on. The interactive part would be counting clicking the Original Contents and at the end there'll be a score board displaying how many out of x amount you found. Although the parts I include will be abstract and thus very easy to see on top of the footage, it would still play a bit like one of those books that require you to locate a number of specific things on the page.

My third idea is basically a fancier version of idea two. The fact that multiple ideas are required seems a little silly considering we're working from just a singular proposal. Doing a proposal for each idea would make more sense but, as here, I'll be sticking with the whole journey business with the recording from inside the car. Therefore, my third idea is going to be an on-rail shooter. Very similarly to idea two, except this should involve more action than the more "Where's Wally?" type of approach I had for idea two. Each of these ideas would all be using the same footage acquired (although the first idea would need more footage later on, that is, if I choose to settle with that idea). My research will cover how, and more importantly, if, what I have in mind is possible. My research (part of development) will determine which of these three ideas I continue to finish.

Research/Notes: Looking for examples for what I have in mind, I came across this video. Now, I'm not a fan of it, but the fact it is real recorded footage that has then had special effects added in, seems note worthy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNpDTPzx8jE Having discussed my proposal with one of my tutors, I've discovered that using Final Cut Pro would most likely be the best software to be able to add created animations with my recorded footage. I have not yet decided which software I'd use to create the animations (probably Cinema 4D, possibly Flash) but at least I know that I can put the two together. My only remaining question now would be, how do I add the interactive part? Where I can make the video pause at a certain checkpoint and allow the viewer/player to choose which direction to take next? I know it can be done in Flash but as everything will be put together in Final Cut Pro, I'm wondering if there'll be a way to do it in there. Regardless, I'm sure once all the clips and animations are put together, I'll find a work-around to get the interactive part implemented (maybe it's done my exporting the whole lot as a different format to then be taken into some other piece of software?). From what I've researched so far, to put animation together with my video footage in Final Cut Pro, I must: Go into Window Then Media Browser Effects Go into Inspector After I select my clip, I want the 'keyer' They're some rough instructions I managed to scribble down. I understand this is a technique called 'Chroma Keying'. It will allow me to overlay the animation over the video footage. From having a short sort of tutorial with my tutor, there's an issue of the background on the animation (the blank parts of the screen when creating models or animations) literally sitting on top of the footage, thus hiding the footage underneath. Supposedly some fiddling around with settings will be needed so that I can remove the background on the animation/models, therefore revealing the video footage beneath. I believe it's not quite like where you can just rub it out like in Photoshop, but you can hide a particular colour or just made it completely transparent. I hope this won't become an issue when it comes to creating the animations/models as I'd have to be weary of which colours I use. If I use simple models/animations with only a couple of colours then it shouldn't be an issue, but say I want to make something a bit more realistic, resulting in a larger colour pallet, it may become an issue when trying to hide the background when put with the video footage. Still, all shall become clear once I actually begin, research can only prepare you so much ;^] Like I've mentioned, I'm not sure how I'd be able to add the interactive parts into the final edited (with animation) footage I come up with. But just to help visualize it, I think it wouldn't be too far off from how Google Maps looks on the street view. How you pick a direction, it has a (sort of) animation and then arrives. Maybe looking into how Google Maps is created would help? Had an idea for some of the animation in my project. As the title so far is still settled on "Brum brum: Must go quickly", I'm thinking I'd like to include a character that is a loaf of blue coloured bread. Its name shall be "Original content" and his catch phrase "Does not stale".

It has recently come to my attention that the technique I will be using is called 'Rotoscoping'. Time for some more research. I am now wondering if Final Cut Pro will be viable to use as, according to this, you cannot rotoscope in Final Cut Pro - 

https://discussions.apple.com/message/8824349#8824349 Here is a different technique on how to achieve rotoscoping in Final Cut Pro - https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080712140019AAYI92m With this technique, I don't need to have created an animation, I just create multiple copies of my image (the one to be animated) and then import them straight into Final Cut Pro. I'm thinking this might be the preferable technique. Only issue now is that Final Cut Pro is not on my 'standard' machine. Moving elsewhere to try figure all this out is a spooky prospect, wish me luck. - http://yorktbcfall09.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/digitalrotoscoping.pdf I've found a tutorial on how to create this masterpiece using my initial technique. I think I'll give this one a shot first, if it doesn't quite work as intended, I'll try out that Photoshop/Final Cut Pro duo. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTWKZnVN3Os A new idea: The character 'Original Content' starts off looking fresh. As the journey progresses and he becomes over-used, that is when he becomes stale and the message becomes clear. The art style for my project will mostly be realism, as it's real life footage, but also abstract as I'd be throwing in some animations/drawings of my own. The drawings won't be at all realistic, given my artistic skills. For that reason, I'll go for a humorous contrast between the footage and my own added in bits, much like the images below (particularly the first one). Of course all the footage will be of the realism art style. But I don't really want all the parts I include to be follow a particular art style. I purposely want the added in extras to look unusual and out of place. When watching/playing the interactive short film, imagine yourself to be somewhat psychotic, hallucinating all these wacky and wonderful things. Besides, with it all merged together, with the contrast between reality and fiction, surely that just enhances the 'abstract' sort of feel? Here are some abstract pieces of art work. I feel abstract art can vary quite a lot, I guess you could say there are different types/kinds of abstract art. Either way, if possible, I'd like my project to look something a long the lines of these pieces: As you can see, all these pieces of art are pictures of the environment/surroundings, they're not of just a singular component. Although, most likely, my project will end up being the opposite of this (that being the environment being realistic with abstract components within), I like to think that I'd be able to include so much that it ends up sort of like an interactive abstract collage, placed onto a realistic backdrop. That'll be where the rotoscoping will make or break my idea. Finally, a couple of screen shots of what inspired me and gave me the foundation to develop this project plan of mine: Assuming I can get the rotoscoping and all that business done, the next thing hanging on my mind is the interactive aspects. From previous experience, I know that in Flash, I can make the video pause to then allow the player/viewer to select an option that will then continue the video depending on what option was selected. As I think it'll all be put together in Final Cut Pro, I was wondering if I'd be able to take everything I create there, to put into Flash. Some a quick browse of the web, I found this - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2653714 Storyboard Although when filming, a lot of things won't be scripted as it'll be out of my control. That being, the traffic, the weather, etc. But, I have put together a rough storyboard to give some idea of how this will all play out. Development:

I have acquired some footage, I have made part of a soundtrack (although it needs more added to it + could do with being looped); I have also just made a very brief bit of animation, using Flash. Now I have all the components, I just need to put them all together. Only issue is I'm still not 100% sure how to do this, from my research I have a bit of an idea but preferably I want to be sure before just sitting blankly in front of the screen.

It's happening. This is the recording I have which will be edited with the other pictures/animations placed on top. Here I've imported my game music which I created in garage band. I also have got the animation imported which I made in Flash, however, I seem to be having problems removing the white background. This is by default, stuck there from Flash. According to my research I should have been able to remove this but it appears there's no way to do that. Also, when the Flash animation played, it would cause screen tearing, only on that animation though, it didn't interfere with the footage beneath. To get rid of the white background I would have to start again, this time by using a different technique. That being, I'd probably have to take pictures in Photoshop and insert them frame by frame into Final Cut Pro. I added in multiple points where Original Content will appear. After showing my masterpiece to my tutor. He made me realise that I'm making this more difficult than it really is. I've now taken out the Original Content and music, as they will be put in once the footage is exported into Flash (or maybe Unity). That way I can put in the Original Content in as actual buttons rather than putting a button over the top of the footage. Turns out all the work I did was some null. More Research: There is now a new battle plan. I put my recorded footage in to Flash but the whole video just sat on a single frame. So I could play it in Flash but because of this, there was no way I could edit parts in throughout the video. Now, I'm currently importing my video into Unity. I should be able to put buttons in over my footage. To play the footage in Unity, I needed to create a plane and add the footage to it. With some fiddling of settings I changed the texture to a movie texture. Added with a little bit of scripting and you can make the footage play on this screen much like a projector. Then all I had to do was change the orientation of the plane/screen and camera. Next, to add in buttons and features. Deciding that 10 minutes of footage was too long-winded and slow-paced. I'm now trying to alter the script so that the video plays faster. So I've added in more planes in front of the footage, these will act as the buttons. There was an issue with the plane having a while background so I'd effectively have white squares on the screen with a picture printed on top. In the shading effects though, I found "Transparent/Cutout/Soft Edge Unlit" and that seems to have cut out my images, and the whole plane they are placed on still remain as the buttons. I soon came to realise that only one type of enemy is a little boring, so I've created some totally original designs to accompany him on this journey: Here is T-bone the edgehog. This is the kwikscopezmaster. 100% Original. 420 Dogg. MLG quick scope. Partriarchy-Siren. Cheeky snipar face. Spooky Illuminati.

As well as some truly unique characters, I made a new title. Considering how much this project as developed, from a multiple choice journey to an on-rail shooter about plagiarism, I think the old title "Brum brum: Must go quickly" was no longer fitting. I instead, present to you, Artistic Interpretation: A Journey of Plagiarism.

A lot of progress has been made sinse the last image update. I had made all these new enemies, created all the scripts and made the animations for each enemy. The only problem was that the positioning was all wrong. The camera was too far back and so you could see all the enemies around the outside waiting to come in. Moving the camera closer wasn't the answer as everything was still out of place of one another. The animations were all set to go as well but they were moving a long and going behind the the movie plane (in theory, the screen for the projection). So I started again and of course as I had the scripts covered, getting to the stage I was at before was a lot quicker than from scratch.

Although not easy to see. Here you can just about see the planes are slotted in together in the correct positions. The title screen is closest to the camera (at the front) the movie plane at the back and in between around the outside are all the enemy plane.

Evaluation Originally  to be a multiple choice journey, I have created an on-the-rails shooter. It was going to consist of a few different video clips, but using some creativity and scripting I've made something a bit more interactive than just a journey. It has a movie running in the background with enemies appearing from off screen and then traversing across the screen, in front of the movie clip. These enemies are "click-able", once clicked they will disappear. I have learnt that you can use a plane shape in Unity to act almost like a projection, allowing me to put a movie on it as a texture, the plane becomes a screen. I could then place the camera in front of that screen and any other assets behind it and to the sides. Thanks to some assistance, I have a bit more knowledge on scripting as well. My scripts are fairly simple which was useful for alteration on other bits and pieces as once I could apply the script to some of my assets, I could then change parts (such as the spawn timers and animations) without having to go in and make multiple scripts for every single asset. That was all thanks to what I have learnt about the scripting. I've been trying to put a message across with my project while not taking away from the enjoyability of the game. I've learnt that I was not able to communicate my intentions as clear as first thought. Using photoshop to create my enemies was also a great discovery, that is, instead of having to create 2D characters in Unity, then putting these onto planes as textures. I consider that to be a good use of material manipulation. I did this for my final major project because I thought it would be something interesting that I could create that nobody else on my course could. That being, because I had access to what was needed (the ability to drive and such). Thus making it unique and individual. Doing this has been beneficial as I now know how I could make an on-the-rails shooter. If I were to choose to continue a career down this path, I would be able to make an even better on-the-rails shooter with this prior knowledge. Although I did plenty of research, it turns out that most of it was all in vain. I was hoping I could do most of the work using Final Cut Pro but that was not an option, regardless of what I had supposedly discovered in my research. So, I researched some more. I then read that I could do all I had intended in Flash, but when I inserted my video footage it wouldn't actually put each frame on across the time line. That being, the video was placed entirely on the first frame. The video could be watched but that was no good as it left me no frames to insert any of my features. Other than that, I'm happy with how the rest of it turned out. It could have been a bit more intricate and fancy but I'm glad that it just works. The character designs do make me chuckle but I fear that because I've tried to make them look stupid in this particular way for humour's sake, I've made myself look stupid. To simplify, "I was only pretending to be stupid. Jokes on you". The video footage also turned out to be nice as thankfully it was a nice day when I was filming, if it was dark and raining, it would definitely have made the experience of my game worse. If I did it this a second time, I would have spent more time on the filming so that I could have actually created my initial idea plan. But if it was just re-doing what I already have here, I would purely spent more time on the creation aspect. I think my research was plentiful but the enemies could maybe be a bit more interesting. More variety of different enemies and also better animations (more than just from one side of the screen to the other). I also would have left more time for making music. I had created some before but I was unsatisfied and thus changed it to such a state that it is now non-existant.