New Tools and Technologies-IClone

As I have almost finished my video about Alexander von Humboldt, I decided to check out IClone software. Once I began watching the video ICone Beginners Guide:Scene Creation, I knew this is the software I have been looking for to create an animated version of the Alexander von Humboldt film.

This video shows how to create a set for filming an animation.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvlSi1jLl54 It is somewhat like building in virtual reality, but easier. The software has a "snap to" function which automatically aligns parts with each other. When I built my environments in virtual reality, I had quite a few problems with the individual parts lining up with each other. IClone also has a feature where one can rotate a component at a 90 degree angle so building an architectural structure would be a lot easier than guessing how close the walls were or if they were perpendicular to each other.

The second video goes into more information about textures and lighting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUX2ZsyowjY Knowing there are so many textures and building materials is very exciting. Roof tile for instance which is basically a photo transfer in virtual reality. I also was excited to see the amount of props which the software comes with. The props in virtual reality are somewhat simplistic and the scale is always off. Generally a room tends to look out of proportion or has a "science fiction sense to it as you can see in this shot I took in Second Life of my avatar wearing a balloon for a hat. I think it looks like a retro futuristic post card from a World's Fair from the 1950's or 1960's

Marjorie Thompson copyright 2014

The video IClone 6-Your First Scene by M. D. McCallum was also interesting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21j7xii-sHs

In this video, creating the landscape, lighting and avatar animation are briefly discussed. I was relieved to find this video as I was unsure about how one would create a set which did not have architectural walls as a defining boundary. After I watched the last videos, I thought that perhaps the set would have restrictions about how far the edges of it extended before the grid the virtual reality sets are built on showed up.

When I was building my virtual reality island, I found that plants really added quite a bit to the believably of the space.  On the SUNY Island, I thought the addition of plants made the gardens a very nice space.

Marjorie Thompson copyright 2014

When I built my virtual reality island, I added quite a few palm trees and many other bushes to give it a more tropical feel. Although most trees are from one tree prop, I varied the size them and rotated each so that they seem like they grew in a somewhat random fashion.

Sculpture Island, Marjorie Thompson copyright 2014

All this will be extremely helpful in creating sets for a movie about Alexander von Humboldt. As he explored, he collected plant samples. All the paintings of the area are extremely lush but I think if I were to use this software I would be able to create something that would have a feeling similar to the paintings from this time period.

Alexander von Humboldt und Aimé Bonpland in der Urwaldhütte, Oil, Eduard Ender (c.1850) in the Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, public domain United States

I do not feel bad coming to this conclusion at the end of the semester. I really do not think I would have been able to build multiple sets, learn about lighting and animate avatars in the amount of time that I had. I would have had to do that in addition to writing a script, creating a storyboard and all the things that were accomplished this semester. Another project...

References

Alexander von Humboldt webpage, Wikipedia,retrieved from;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_von_Humboldt#/media/File:Humboldt_and_Bonplant_in_the_Jungle.jpg

Google Sketchup, Google 3D Warehouse website
retrieved from: https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/

McCallum, M. D. aka Warlord720, 2015. IClone 6-Your first scene, Youtube, Jan. 1 2015.
retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21j7xii-sHs

Reallusion, 2015. IClone Beginners Guide:Scene Creation Part 1, Youtube, April 9, 2015.
retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvlSi1jLl54

Reallusion, 2015. IClone Beginners Guide:Scene Creation Part 2, Youtube, April 9, 2015.

retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUX2ZsyowjY

Reallusion, 2014. IClone 6- New Features Guide, Youtube, Dec. 19, 2014.

retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM7328frqSI&list=PL_VXo2OHwix8FZhP5pxpFQo9z8Oi03op9

Final Reflections on the Project and Semester

Alexander von Humboldt and Aime Bonpland at the Chimborazo base,
Friedrich Georg Weitsch, 1809

My interest in Alexander von Humboldt is primarily due to his scientific research into the environment and how ecosystems are connected. With the amount of skepticism about the science behind climate change, I thought that it would be important to make the general public aware of his research. Before deciding to create a short video on Alexander von Humboldt, I researched information online to see if there were any films created about him. As it turns out there is one video which is an animation created by George Mehler:
http://ed.ted.com/lessons/who-is-alexander-von-humboldt-george mehler
It is very informative and conveys quite a bit of information for the short 5 minute presentation that it is. However, for a man as amazing as Humboldt, I was shocked there was really nothing else-at least online.

When contemplating this project, I initially thought I would create an animation but was overwhelmed by the prospect of learning many different techniques that I would need to create an animated film. I really wanted to create a video that added to the knowledge of Alexander von Humboldt and his work. I also was restricted by a limited budget.

When I viewed the animation about Alexander von Humboldt, my initial reaction was that I really wanted to see documents from the journey. As an example, when I learned that he had sketched the Mayan ruins, my first thought was "What did his sketches look like?" I thought they might be very simple drawings, vague lines hastily put down to remind the viewer of the site visited. I was really quite impressed with Humboldt's artistic ability as is evidenced in this self portrait from 1814 or the print made from Humboldt's sketch of a landscape they passed through on their 5 year journey.

Alexander von Humboldt
Self Portrait 1814

The Natural Bridges of Icononzo, Humboldt,
1814

Sketching
 on
site is
difficult.
One has
to transport
paper, a
board to
draw on
and stand
or sit at the
site to record
the view.




Then you have to transport the drawing on your journey.I am actually amazed they were able to transport the drawings at all.

I finally decided that I wanted to take a different approach from a simple or not so simple animation. As my audience would be adults who were not aware of Humboldt's work, I wanted to focus on artwork created about him and by him. During the early 1800's, paintings and drawings served to create documentation of people, events as well as scientific discoveries.

In college, I took a course on English Romantic writers of the 1700's and 1800's. A few years after, I viewed a show at the Chicago Public Library about the art created in the 1800's which was inspired by the work of writers such as Wordsworth and Coleridge, the concept of exploration, the infinite as well as the exoticism of unexplored regions of the world. Having researched the 1800's in various other art and literature movements, I was aware of many other paintings which separately have a presence but if considered together, create a very interesting story. I also felt that the artwork itself conveys information about what the artists and scientists of the time were trying to accomplish.

In creating this video, I was very frustrated as I put the images together because I really wanted to use the material that I read to create a full length movie. His journal is so interesting that I think Humboldt must be the best kept secret of the 19th century. It was also difficult to assemble images which varied in style and create a sense of consistency with the narrative.

The project itself does not seem big enough to have worked for an entire semester. I see this as preliminary study for a longer work. As the content of the video is based on the works I read, creating a longer video is very much dependent on the amount of time I have to read and assimilate the work into a creative format.

Humboldt's scientific method and the research which he conducted on his journey are quite remarkable to read. Everywhere he went, he took scientific readings, measurements, analyzed rocks for their mineral content and made observations about ocean currents, volcanoes, etc. Quite a remarkable mind! I had originally intended to include more quotes from his journal. However, once I put the images together with the script, it became clear that there was a certain amount of time that an image can remain on the screen before it becomes boring. If I had enough time to add animation, perhaps the additional quotes would make sense. It was also difficult to find quotes that stood on their own and made sense, out of the context of describing a 5 year journey through Central and South America.

In the final analysis, I think the video is a good first step towards a project that I hope I will be able to finish-that is a full length movie. It is good to have large goals.

References

Alexander von Humboldt webpage, Wikipedia, retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_von_Humboldt

Mehler, G., 2013. Who is Alexander von Humboldt? TED-ed Lessons, April 3. 2013, TED.com
retrieved from: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/who-is-alexander-von-humboldt-george mehler

von Humboldt, A., 1814. Researches Vol. I, Oliver's Bookshelf, OliverCowdery.com.
retrieved from: http://olivercowdery.com/texts/1814Humb.htm

Animation and Gaming in the Past, Present and Future

In the book review, Moving Innovation, the history of animation is discussed in reference to "convergent technologies and techniques throughout history that would ultimately result in modern CG". (Carter, 2014) While Toy Story (1996) was the first movie made with computer animation (Carter, 2014), the history of animation goes back beyond Muybridge and his use of multiple images to record motion. 

Researchers postulate that the multiple images characteristic of cave paintings could be due to the painters' attempts to create moving images of animals in the flickering of the torchlight which lit caves.In an article in Antiquity, "archaeologist Marc Azéma of the University of Toulouse–Le Mirail in France and independent French artist Florent Rivère argued that by about‭ ‬30,000‭ ‬years ago Paleolithic artists used "animation effects" in their paintings. To render the movement, they deconstructed it in successive images." Here is a link to an animation archaeologist Marc Azema made demonstrating these theories:

http://www.miramax.com/subscript/lascaux-cave-paintings-animation-video/(Azema, 2011) On the website Passe Simple, http://www.passesimple.net/index.phpthere is a film which introduces the book Prehistoire du Cinema written by Marc Azema where he discusses these theories in depth. This short film shows several animated cave paintings as well as toys made from bones which were found in caves. These bone toys featured drawings of animals which were strung on what appear to be strips of rawhide. Similar to Victorian toys, when twirled, they created a sense of animated movement. (Azema, 2011)

In the review of Moving Image, experimental art films were also discussed as the precursors of computer animations. The work of Oskar Fischinger is cited as an early pioneer of cinema. (Carter, 2014) Fischinger made films in the 1920's-1940's or 50's. Using colored geometric shapes against painted backgrounds, his animations create abstract compositional explorations reminiscent of such art movements as Cubism, Rayonism and Futurism. Links to his works can be found at The Center for Visual Music: 

http://centerforvisualmusic.org/Fischinger/ There are animation cells on this website and if you have a Vimeo account, you can see his animation, Radio Dynamics, at this link:
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/34629/123382579

In the review,"Digital visual effects in cinema",  it is pointed out that ‘special effects’ and ‘visual effects’are 2 completely different processes. While special effects can create elements that the audience notices, visual effects are supposed to integrate seemlessly, perpetuating the cinematic illusion.(Floquet, 2014) It was also postulated that as films are a combination of film footage, visual effects and special effects, all films should be considered animations.

"Such an issue has too often and for too many years been ignored, as if animation should not be worthy of recognition." (Floquet, 2014)

Multi award winning Tutsy NAvArAthnA explores the interface of virtual reality and reality in his experimental films. Semi autobiographical in narrative, he uses an avatar as his main character to represent a film director exploring the fictional and real aspects of his world. Mixing machinima made in virtual reality (primarily Second Life) with film footage of real world scenes as well as images taken from historical sources and early cartoons, his movies are multimedia creations where multiple realities are expressed through the different image styles. These juxtapositions are further enhanced by special effects such as using color filters to change black and white film footage to red or green or adding graphic lines to create the idea of video scrambling as a part of the visual narrative. The juxtaposition of image styles creates films which explore the multilevel nature of what is considered to be reality. Rather than flat cartoon characters, the avatars are revealed as complex characters through the use of these special effects. As an example, he uses live footage walking from the first person perspective of a person looking at his feet with footage of the avatar shown from his back. This further conveys the idea of multiple realities and the end result are films which explore the multilevel nature of consciousness.

The science fiction film, Journey into the Metaverse, centers around a journey made by an avatar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw5md8RpfWs While his avatar is the subject, this is also what appears to be a personal journey taken in reality as well as virtual reality. One finds that a quest of self discovery taken through virtual reality and the real world is central to the meaning of the film.

In the Last Syllable of Recorded Time, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDSB4NnmyG0 his avatar urges people to create art or work that matters rather than being consumers or maneuvered like players on a chess board. Using the multiple images of the hands of a clock ticking in the sky as a walking skeleton plays a grand piano with a classical painting on the lid creates a visually stunning collage which is atmospheric. His use of stark black and white images mixed with vivid color creates a memorable and profoundly poetic contemplation about the brevity of life. Layering images he creates atmospheric collages which represent complex ideas with poetic subjectivity. As it was pointed out in Digital Visual Effects in Cinema, the use of animations and avatars does not detract from the message of the film but enhances it. (Floquet, 2014)

As was pointed out in the review, "Digital Visual Effects of Cinema", many film makers are using virtual reality to create films which do not use actors. (Floquet, 2014). Rather than losing empathy, these filmmakers integrate the conflict between reality and virtual reality into the narrative of their films and freely discuss this as an existential element of their films.  This creates a connection with the audience. Animation is an area that many innovative films are being made and this area will continue to expand as people are able to explore their creativity as digital tools increase access to this art form.

References

Azema, M., n.d. "Sequential Animation: The First Paleolithic Animated Pictures", Miramax Blog, Miramax.com.

retrieved from:http://www.miramax.com/subscript/lascaux-cave-paintings-animation-video/

Azema, M. 2011. Passe Simple website retrieved from: http://www.passesimple.net/index.php

Carter, C. (2014). Book review: Moving Innovation: A History of Computer Animation. Animation, 7 (3), 358–361. doi:10.1177/1746847714546254

Floquet, P. (2014). Book review: Digital Visual Effects in Cinema: The Seduction of Reality. Animation, 9, (3), 352–355. doi:10.1177/1746847714546252

Lorenzi, R., 2013, Stoneage Artists Created Prehistoric Movies, Archaeology Blog, NewsDiscovery,com June 8, 2012.

retrieved from http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/prehistoric-movies-120608.htm

NAvArAthnA, T., 2011. Journey into the Metaverse, YouTube.
retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw5md8RpfWs

NAvArAthnA, T., 2012. Last Symbol of Recorded Time, YouTube.
retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDSB4NnmyG0

Recording Audio

Here it is Thursday of Module 4 week 2 and I still do not have a mic. Time has really gotten away from me. I had a mic but it was not working effectively. Initially I was planning on ordering one from Amazon or some other online retail source, but here it is Thursday and still no microphone. I finally decided to go the Walmart to see what they have. I am hoping that I might find a mic I can use.  

There were many gaming headsets with mics so I really did not know which to buy. I found a salesperson who was an ex gamer. He told me that he had used several different headsets and although the sound quality can be different for the headsets, he really could not detect much difference in the sound quality from the mics. I found a Logitech set which has a filter over the mic. He said that type of design makes the audio smoother. 

The mic on the Logitech headset seems to produce audio that is not too loud. The audio is smooth, without the problem of sound distortion from being too loud or a reduction in the sound due to an inadequate mic. The problem of recording in segments is that the sound can be inconsistent from one sound clip to another. As I tend to stutter or leave long gaps of silence as I speak, I will have to practice quite a bit to come up with a good recording.I hope that I can get the audio to have a consistent tonality throughout the video.  

Now that I have a mic that will work, I have been looking into the process of adding audio to a video. I previously attempted to add audio to a Kickstarter video I made for a story that I have been working on. That attempt was unsuccessful as the audio did not upload onto the video that I made-not sure why-I do not think the software program that I used for that project was adequate. Or perhaps I did not convert the file into a format that could be uploaded onto the Kickstarter website.

As I was trying to get an idea about how to add audio to the video,  I watched several tutorials about the process. Obviously, a tutorial should be for the specific video software one has elected to use. Unfortunately, having used a PowerPoint to create a storyboard, I still had to find video software. The tutorial "Add Audio to Your Movie" focused on video editing software called VideoPad, created by NCH Software: http://www.nchsoftware.com/videopad/tutorial.html#audio  Adding audio seems like it should be fairly easy. I like the fact that there are individual volume controls for each audio clip as well as the fact that one can edit the audio in WavePad if needed and then import the files. Having the individual audio controls will hopefully make it easier to create sound consistency throughout the video. 

From the tutorials, this software is similar to the software I have used previously. The images upload easily and one can drag and drop them into the video or add them at the end by right clicking on the image and then adding it to the storyboard. The movie can be previewed as it is being developed. VideoPad software allows for file conversion into several formats, according the where one uploads the final video for viewing. It also allows for recording audio, with each audio segment added separately to the video track and then syncing with the images. Each image on the video timeline has a block where you can add a transition. It also allows the opportunity to change the time the image is displayed.

I loaded many of my images onto the program and ran a trial of the video sequence. Some of the images should be enlarged or reformatted. What the software does not do is give options about the type of shots so I may alter my images in Paint or Photoshop to have to the option of closeups or to be able to change the size of the images. I may use one image for several cells,focusing on details specific to the script. I think the audio will be somewhat wordy for each image so zooming in on focused details will add interest to the video. 

I tried several audio recordings which went very well. I am planning on rewriting my script and then beginning to record the audio segments for each image. After several attempts at recording, I finally figured out that if I add the music as one track first, I can record the narration over the music and have music in the background as I read. I tried to read first and then add the music but that did not allow for a layering of sound. If I record the narration over the music then I can have 2 tracks playing. Now I have to rewrite my script and make sure I rehearse it about 100 times at least so that I don't stutter which is a problem I have. Hopefully I will be able to have a decent audio track at the end of the semester.

References

DiCasa, S.,"Filmmaking 101 - How to Record High Quality Audio on a Budget," DiCasaFilm retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0rHak6aJl8

Nolfo, E., 2015. Sound recording tips: how to record awesome location sound, LAvideoFilmMaker.com
retrieved from: http://www.lavideofilmmaker.com/location-sound-recording/location-sound-recording-shotgun-microphone-placement.html

Techsmith, "Create better audio: Mics, Recording, Audio FX", retrieved from: http://www.techsmith.com/tutorial-camtasia-mac-gs-12-better-audio-mics-recording-audiofx.html

VideoPad Tutorial, Add Audio to Your Movie, NCH Software
retrieved from: http://www.nchsoftware.com/videopad/tutorial.html#audio

Rough Draft

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWytoC6CTfI

This is a very rough draft of my video about Alexander von Humboldt. There is an additional audio track at the end which was supposed to be edited out. I am still getting the hang of audio so just stop the video at the last photo rather that listen to a repeat of the Moonlight Sonata for an additional 5 minutes. The video is 6-7 minutes rather than 11+.

I have to redo the narration which will be painfully obvious once you get to the middle of the video where the images and the narration get really out of sync. That and the fact that I am stumbling over the words is unfortunate. I also have to revise the script to explain more about that the landscapes towards the end, the waterfall and the volcano are by Frederic Church. Giving credit to the photographer Manfred Bruckels who photographed the von Humboldt statue by Reinhold Begas in front of Humboldt University in Berlin. His photo was listed under a Creative Commons license so I really appreciate being able to use it as I do not see me being able to get to Berlin to photograph the sculpture for this video.

My sources also have to be added which will probably take all of the last module of this course, that and completely revising the video as I redo the audio since the 7 revisions I saved did not save in any form resembling the final version of this video.

When I thought about what it would be like to make this video, I was not prepared for the amount of material that exists written by Alexander von Humboldt and also written about him. The process of skimming a 300+ page book to find 3-5 sentences which could sum up the work of an incredibly amazing mind, not to mention the thousands of pages written by him in his book Kosmos which I was not able to read, was an extremely daunting prospect. I hope that the quotes I found do justice to his accomplishments. 

About the images: I wanted to use images from the time period because I feel they capture elements of the thought and the Zeitgeist of the time. Showing the charts developed from Humboldt's readings, one of which was created by Bonpland, Humboldt's fellow explorer, shows the technical abilities of these explorer scientists. I think I should add Amie Bonpland to the video.

Aimé Bonpland (1773-1858) French Botantist

In the final analysis, the rough draft came out better than I thought it would. I enjoyed working with the art that I used in the video and learning about Alexander von Humboldt. The video captures some of the concept that I had when I began.