Nia Atherley

Reflecting on my collaboration. 

What I experienced when working with Amelie and Nana has taught me I need.

To speak up. 

Especially if I don’t feel like something is going to work. 

We really struggled with communication and I tried to stick with speaking, but then everyone has their own life and I didn’t want to feel like I’m just pushing everyone to do the work or anything like that.

There was a time when I felt I personally was being forced to do things because someone can’t be bothered. I went through so much stress from one person I find it hard to express myself because of my dyslexia and it was really hard for me to speak up.

I tried to express my ideas, but each time it was stamped down by one member who can’t compromise so it was quite hard to say it in a clear way without feeling that I was annoying the person. 

I also just need to stand my ground if I feel like something I think would work well is the main thing.

I myself did the editing of the animation the foley, the live-action paper animation I also did sound effects and was previously a background artist.

Reflecting on my progress. 

I think the starting process of doing our work was quite disorganised because on the last day before the holidays started Nana did not attend class or read any of our messages. So Amelie and I had to pick the words as she was not there and I made the mood board while Amelie made a small storyboard. 

Over the holidays, communication was very poor because we all went up to go to our families. Even though I do admit I should have done more to ask how we could carry on the work.

After the holidays, it was just two weeks to do all of doing the work and having someone who didn’t look at the things that Amelie and I did before the holidays made there be a whole reshuffle as they did not want to compromise on their ideas like we did for them.

Amelie made the amazing storyboards

The first job was to make Nana a body view of the tortoise and find a tortoise pattern reference so she could 3D model and print it.

I made 3 versions of the tortoise first.

I was told by Nana to mix the second (middle) version body with the third (bottom) eyes so I did.

I had sourced the reference for Nana of the pattern of what a tortoise should look like and I had a go of drawing it so she can make a texture.

The reference I sourced was from Dreamstime.com

I was tasked to make the backgrounds by Nana. 

Because when I said that I could make the audio/ soundtrack as I had my sound equipment but she insisted that she was going to it while she was making rigged 3d Tortoise, several 3D printed Tortoises I was worried about the workload on Them but I didn’t ask again as They were very adamant.

So wanting to be productive I asked what should I do next.

I stated that I wasn’t really good at making backgrounds but would try.

The background was a bit difficult because I was told to do the backgrounds but not without knowing software or if it’s 2D or 3D, so just basting it off of that I had to just be inventive. 

I know it would have been better if I had just asked, but I was tasked to do something where I had no experience with, which obviously I need to develop my skills, but it was way difficult when each time I did ask to do something else or if there was something else someone didn’t want to do or shut down by a member. 

Because they wanted to do it and I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to make it be hard for her or make it seem like I’m being this difficult. 

So I just stuck with the backgrounds. 

I would say that I was super fast to work as soon as I got it.

Reflecting on your concept. 

My original background is where I try to set it in where the natural habitat of where tortoise lives in tortoise type. It was the African spurred tortoise. 

Originally I made it in 2D in Photoshop. 

I made sure it was muddy, it had dry grass, tall grass and he can feel the warmth of the savanna. 

But Nana wanted it to be Beachy and I already made a few background scenes. 

Being told without notice Nana wanted it a beach when tortoises don’t live on beaches was a bit frustrating. But I comprised as I didn’t want to be annoying or drag the team down so I said I’ll do it.

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I thought if the beach was rocky you would need to make sure all the rocks each time we were in the right location when switching camera angles or switching points of view, which was not the best option due to time.

I tried to base the background on a few pictures that were given to me.

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The first beach background

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Amelie was quite happy with the colours I picked because it made the image the colour style picked looked more abstract and with different styles that will be coming in. I wanted to do the sky again because I thought I was too bright.

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The second background

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I did make a bluer sky but I thought I looked really boring.

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This was the edited version of the first one (With help from Amelie) I did and I showed the group it. With help Amelie who had looked at the post said that the colours complement well with each other so I began working on the different background views as we were short on time.

This was the background I made for the Man looking at his hands:

I was going to use the palm tree I made in the 3D world’s project to have in the background to make there be

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Nana said after I had finished 2/3 of the backgrounds that could use some detail in the backgrounds like rocks and it could natural in colour but I had already finished it and did show the progress of making the backgrounds so it was frustrating.

I explained that I kept it simple so it would be easier to animate and that’s why I blended parts rather than putting in rocks I said I could do it on blender.

They didn’t understand what I said and thought it was a 3D environment or render I explained to her that it was a drawing as I didn’t know if I should do 2D or 3D.

I did not put in the rocks because it’ll be too complicated when it came to switching angles, because if a character was walking, for example, “if the character was walking and the camera is moving with that with The Walking person the rocks would impact it if it was a continuous background

You’re going to see the loop of that rock, and then there will be a continuity error. 

I did not want that to happen, so I kept the sand because the matter where you go the sand will always be different. 

So I kept it to them and then my work was scraped by Nana one with no way for my work to fit in as it was completely different I question them on this and I was told that my background could be used for Amelie part of the animation.

As they revealed that they couldn’t 3D print the tortoise as they were fixing the printer for it so it was scraped as well which did confuse Amelie and me but I couldn’t make the background animation again in time as it was late notice (a day before the presentation).

I said to Amelie not to use my backgrounds it will be confusing to the viewer as Nana was now saying mixed media would be quite cool if we could do it in time completely disregarding the time and work I already put in as they replaced my work.

I then said to Nana to start making the sounds for the animation even if it doesn’t match or I’ll do it. My words came across as harsh as I did not explain what I meant properly as they said I say that like its a threat which was not my intention then told me to do the tortoise sounds/movement as they will do the ambience and the background music.

I edited what I had at the moment while I was reminded to take a screenshot of everything you do in software for the pdf and upload it to the drive made by them.

I encouraged everyone we got this and worked all night on the work. (even though I was told by doctors to rest)

But it wasn’t enough to edit Nana gave me the 2-second animation and music and sourced beach ambience and Amelie animatic weren’t handed to me on time so I edited this together while making sound effects.

After the presentation, I told our group the feedback that our work received as I was the only one there.

Amelie gave the animation and asked who animated the middle which was a good question as I was thinking to as my backgrounds was meant to be used throut the animation so all that needed to be done is animate put a green screen I’ll edit it on.

But I was delegated to do the animation by Nana they were busy with work to do the middle part of the animation a day before the deadline (27th) when I was asleep I had to explain that I didn’t think I could do it as I did my animations before my but it replaced with Nana’s work then I had to edit everything together go to the doctors (as my health is completely messed up) and catch up with rotations.

I said I didn’t know what was going to happen It was completely impossible and looking at the storyboard but even though I had no strength in me I said You know what I don’t care I’ll try something but I don’t want to hear no complaints I’m literally running on zero strength to the chat.

Amelie engcoraged the group and I went to it I edited the whole animation and did foley and did the live-action to paper animation through all nighter.

Though I had to cut corners.

Audio

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Paper and hand green screens

I really enjoyed making the blooded hand with alcohol markers and flour.

But as soon as I posted the finished the onedrive was locked with all my work and Amelie’s too.

Nana left the group chat and did not reply to my messages leaving me stressed out, panicky and shaken.

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Reflecting on your overall experience. 

I would say this experience with my group project has taught me that I need to stop being quiet and when I don’t feel comfortable in situations and not being a doormat for people that are unwilling to comprise. 

I also learnt that when you are feeling really stressed out it can make you do things out of despration. 

Skills Improved after this project:

Adobe Premiere Pro has been refined in chromakey.

Blender- Camera placement transitions, Texurue and animations in backgrounds

Photoshop- Blending colours for backgrounds and Blurring to make the image softer

Audaity- Making sound effects and foley

Skills that need Improving after this project:

Communication

Explaining

Having a backbone

In conclusion I think you need to say to someone who make you feel like you are incompetent that you simply won’t do it and you should take note of someone’s actions towards you before you feel like you are worthless. 

That’s all I have to say, thank you for reading.