Tell A Secret…but not to the world.

So we are supposed to tell a secret in class, which is fine. It’s 30 people that I don’t really know and I probably won’t see them ever again. Maybe I will. The issue I have is posting the secret on this blog.

Anybody can stumble upon this thing and read my secret. If they are just a random web surfer, cool, no biggie, but what if it is somebody I know and they understand the secret. Next time I see them I’ll have to face my secret with them. Something I don’t want to do and that is why it’s a secret.

Recycled Thoughts

On Monday we brought three items into class that were recyclable and turn them into art or something new. It was another learning or teaching tool that was supposed to open our mind and stop us from seeing items for what we see them as. Don’t only see a milk jug as a milk jug, maybe it’s a planter, or a trash holder, or a face.

Our group wanted to make a piece about how garbage can be turned into something good for the environment. We stuff all of the trash into a milk gallon. Sticking out of the milk gallon was a energy saving light bulb (not fluorescent but something like that). That light bulb was accidentally broken which turned out to be a good thing because we stuffed a flower stem into as if the plant was growing out of it. Our group got the meaning but I don’t think the project showed it off correctly. With more time and some creative minds it could turn into the next big art piece.

 

Fear Project

Fear is something that poses a threat to you whether physically or mentally. I don’t have too many fears with physical conditions, but there is a lot that I’m afraid of hurting my future ideas and creativity.

The project was related around a video game I would love to make where a bigger (heavier) hero saves the day and the fear was that it wouldn’t be a  hit because the stereotype of fat people being lazy, slobs, and non-energetic.  So I photo-shopped myself into some action movie posters since I am a heavier guy and asked would people want to see an action flick if the main actor was fat. I hypothesized that people would NOT want to see an action movie with a fat hero as it would be boring or not as action packed.

Observation

While asking the students if they would see a movie with a fat antagonist, some students did shake their head yes. Another student brought up an interesting idea that they would go see it, but they would expect it to be a comedy. Another stereotype where fat actors are usually thrown into comedies.

Beth said that I might miss a job opportunity compared to a slender competition due to insurance rates and not due to stereotypes of being lazy or a slob.

Changes

I would like to redo this activity and have a better questionnaire or a better way to experiment with my fear.

Who affected me?

I had two of the fear experiments that really touched me.

1. Trevor – Fear of playing too many games as a hobby which takes away from designing or building games to make money or to get into the business. I love video games, and would also like to get into the field but worry I’ll be “researching” too much to get anywhere professionally.

2. Lizz? – Fear of not succeeding or having too many unfinished project. Fear of not being fit for this field. I have a huge fear of this as I get deeper into this degree. Intro to 3D, Intro to Video, Intro to Video game Design are all the classes I want to take but how do I concentrate on one to help me get into the world?

I really can’t find a way how these relate to my project. Or maybe I already explained it and not notice.

2.

Suggested Reaction from Class

People will not want to see an action movie where the lead is a fat guy, unless it is a comedy.

Stuck Sideways

Never let your ideas “die.”

Do whatever you want.

Don’t be afraid of failure.

These are the 3 main things I have taken away from Seeing Sideways N385 so far. Never let your ideas die. Even if they are squashed or fishbowl’d, learn how to let them evolve into new ideas. Do what you want to do and don’t let anybody stop you. Sometimes there will be rules and you will need to learn how to work around those rules. Mostly when doing something for you, do whatever you want. Lastly, don’t be afraid of failure. Do you really ever fail at something, or is what you are left with still a success? Even after I tried building a wind chime and it didn’t turn out how I wanted it to, it was still a wind chime.

The class so far is very different from my other classes mainly in the way it is taught. Forcing the students to sit in a circle allows us to see each of our faces and have an open discussion on a topic if introduced. I think this encourages conversation between the students which allows them to learn from peers and not just lectured by a professor.

I’ve already gained a wealth of knowledge/confidence from this class and the only thing I want from it for the rest of the semester is more information. More ways to break down my security walls so I can let my creativity and ideas flow out. I would also like more class discussion. It always seems like the same people talk and I get that some students are always going to be quiet; it would be nice to hear other opinions on different topics.

Unexpected Improv

So I need to create something(things) out of my totem which was my Vita box. I had to go on a little journey in my brain to work out my final project.

Part 1) What is a Playstation Vita? It’s a Playstation 3 Controller with an LCD screen. Ahh, ok. Well what makes a Playstation 3 controller? I didn’t know so I took apart one of my controllers. It was horribly easy, I was quite surprised. I was riddled with knobs, buttons, motherboards, and wires once I got in there. Now what?

Part 2) Why are controllers useless in the real world? What could we do to controllers to make them more useful in the real world?

My mom always found wind chimes very relaxing. To me they are the most annoying things in the world. Who wants to listen to metal and wood clank together when the wind blows? I’m sure she has an issue with my video games. They’re noisy, loud, fast paced, and probably annoying to her.

BINGO

Let’s put the two together! I’ll take my ps3 controller and make it into a wind chime. Totally not what it’s supposed to be used for. Enjoy.

Class Takeaway – 2/28/2012

Something I agree with wholeheartedly is that ideas never die, but evolve. As Beth was asking what happens to dead ideas or what does it mean when ideas die the whole time I was thinking well mine usually evolve into something else even if they are squashed.

When I had the grand idea of eating my bead, my idea was squashed due to safety issues. That idea then evolved into I’ll freeze it so I don’t lose it. Sure that idea isn’t as great as the first but it still evolved.If you’re ideas truly die in the first trial and error I think you need more time learning how to be creative.

There is always another way to get your idea or point out if it’s shot down the first time. That’s kinda what the whole new media field is about. Whether making a movie, video game, or sound track the first idea has a good possibility of being shot down. It is your job then to mold (evolve) your creation into something that still has the same meaning but meets your client’s rules.

If I presented a video game where I wanted the player to control a piece of poop and they had to throw it at things to knock them down, it would be turned down due to content issues. If I kept the same premise but evolved from a piece of poop to a bird it might be a little bit more acceptable but the client would shoot me down again. I just need him to see my vision. So I then create a story that the birds are flying at structures that these enemy pigs have created to keep the birds away from their eggs that the pigs have kidnapped. Now we have a story and a simple premise of a video game that seems more appealing than the original.

Class Take Away – 2/20/12

Another trip down the rabbit hole, this one wasn’t too deep or confusing.

We talked a lot about our Tiger projects. Some took it literally, others went way out into left field. No right or wrong projects, you were allowed to do whatever. I’m starting to see it’s no longer about following the guide lines as it is about being creative and find out how you perceive the world. Also be open to how others perceive the world.

A lot of the other video guys put me to shame, and they should. I’m sure they’ve been in it longer. I really need to cough up money for a decent camera if I’m going to go down the video track. I also need a personal assistant to use for casting/recording/editing input. Some things to think about.

So now I’m off to do whatever makes me the happiest for one hour, and then find a souvenir to bring back to class. Why aren’t there any souvenirs in Skyrim?

 

Gamers In Captivity. A short trailer.

After making my trailer, these were my 50 “What if” questions:

1. What if we kept humans in zoos?
2. What if we kept gamers in zoos? They’re strange enough.
3. What if my trailer became popular in class?
4. What if I actually made it into a full movie?
5. What if I submitted the movie to Sundance?
6. What if the movie became famous?
7. What if I made a video game where you played a tiger and had to escape a zoo?
8. What if the tiger you played ate people to escape from the zoo?
9. What if people thought that was too controversial?
10. What if the tigers attacked zombies while escaping?
11. What if that was more acceptable than just attacking humans?
12. What if violence was perceived as the norm and not so controversial?
13. What if nobody ever had to hurt anybody, ever?
14. What if gaming was an acceptable hobby?
15. What if video games never existed?
16. What if life was one big videogame like Sims?
17. What if the Matrix was real?
18. What if I played video games in public but in a see through box so I could be watched like a tiger in a zoo?
19. What if people stopped to watch me? What would they think?
20. What if nobody stopped?
21. What if nobody found that interesting?
22. What if I got arrested for being a public nuisance?
23. What if I couldn’t make bail by Monday’s class?
24. What if money didn’t exist?
25. What if tigers were on the dollar bill?
26. What if I did that for my assignment?
27. What if North America was the natural habitat for tigers?
28. What if tigers were from outer space?
29. What if humans originally lived on the moon but had to evacuate and now we live on Earth?
30. What if I didn’t do anything at all?
31. What if grades didn’t matter?
32. What if just taking the classes was enough to get a degree?
33. What if that lowered the value of a college degree?
34. What if going to college wasn’t the business standard?
35. What if we could get the jobs we wanted without attending college?
36. What if I already had my degree?
37. What if I got tattooed as a tiger for this project?
38. What if I dyed my dog in tiger stripes for this project?
39. What if Beth thought that was animal cruelty?
40. What if I had a pet tiger?
41. What if I worked at a zoo?
42. What if it was warmer outside so I could visit the zoo?
43. What if the tigers never came out and I wasted the whole trip?
44. What if I explained the project to a Zoo employee and they let me interact with the tigers?
45. What if I got attacked by the tiger?
46. What if I lost my hand because the tiger ate?
47. What if I couldn’t play video games ever again after the tiger attack?
48. What if there was a prosthetic hand so I could still play video games?
49. What if I could play video games with my mind?
50. What if What if? (not a typo)

Class Reflection 2/13/12

Another good class as usual which means I left stumped for what to do for the next assignment. I was glad to hear that I should push my Book 2.0 idea to another student who could help me make it a reality. I might pursue that for a capstone but it’s too early to tell. The class seemed a lot more talkative especially since we were forced to talk at the beginning which was good. It’s nice to hear different perspectives.

I was confused on the actual learning material. I get that we day dream about possibilities, past conversations, future conversations, obligations and what not but don’t we day dream for entertainment purposes also? Maybe that was covered in another heading and I didn’t realize it.

The circle of “What If..” makes sense. I have spent many hours inside that circle.

And now I have a week to figure out how to make a meaningful project out of tigers and captivity with 50 what if questions. If androids dream of electric sheep, does that mean tigers dream of striped sheep?