Monday, March 10, 2008

Captain's Log Stardate 1108.1



Been watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, so please excuse the nerdy blog title.

First week of university was successful: attended all the classes to get a basis for what is to be my mission objective for the next 6 months.



  • CGI1 Animation looks to be a fun course, filled with animating pendulams, balls and models in Maya.

  • Visual Analysis and Critical Reflection looks like a course intended at taking a look at one's self; one's inspiration, desires, artistic fluency, where it comes from, where its going and how it may affects one's art.

  • Genre the Moving Image looks to be fun, since it is hosted by Peter Moyes, a crowd favorite among my classmates.

Only complaint I have is the extremely large bill associated with this degree. Courses for this post-graduate degree aren't as cheap as they were in my undergraduate studies. A dissapointment.

Affordable, fairly painful, but a disappointment.

Originally it was intended for me to complete one of two courses of theory, both of which I had completed in my undergraduate degree, so naturally I requested another theory course instead, ie. Genre and the Moving Image.

However, it seems that is still not the case.

I recieved an email from the post-graduate administration office to be informed that I need to also complete a further post-graduate objective, as to be discussed with my supervisor (or my course convenor, since I don't have a supervisor). This has puzzled me somewhat.

Considering I am only required to do 4 "expensive" subjects this semester, it seems odd that the university would require me to conduct a further task for them. At which this task is undecided yet.

My initial thoughts considered the possibility of commiting to another short film idea, but am unsure if this would be the case. Perhaps this objective may be more subtle; a journal log, concept for a film, a thesis maybe.

I've set up a meeting with my course convenor tomorrow to properly sort out the required objective. I am already required to develop a project for Genre and the Moving Image as well as Visual Analysis and Critical Reflection. To be committed to a third project as well....I just don't know.


However, perhaps it is the push I needed.


While there is still some left over feelings from the completion of the short film I made last year, I have toyed with the concept of keeping the tradition alive by moving forward with a new short film project. For those keeping track, I had declared before to commence work on another animated piece to continue on from a work I did in Year 2, The Stone.


Instead, I have considered the possiblity of a better concept to concieve.


Begone, Little Wolf 2
For starters, this will not be the final title of the film, merely its production name for the time being. Some could argue its a vain attempt to take the same concept and try to relive (or enhance) on the previous film. Not quite so however.

The challenge for this film would be in its story and stylisation. Since its a sequel, its a continuation of the previous story, and thus would provide the challenge to see if I can create a story that not only continues from the previous film, but could somehow stand alone, for those who haven't seen the first film.
Artistic wise, I wish to deviate from the full animation I tried to focus on in the previous film and be more "arty". More shading, less movement, more character. A greater focus on the mood and environment to create meaning and feelings. Ambitious as always, but it would be nice to see if I can be capable of handling a far more direct, versitile (and more difficult) role.

If I am to commit to a project, this would be my choice. Once again, this comes down to whether this short film project can coincide with my other post-graduate project commitments or may eventually be filed under "to be considered".

And at the end of the day, it could make a nice couple of drawings to have in my folio.
I'll keep posting as to how this concept progresses.