Plan of Procedures

My objective is to create an informative animation that educates the audience on the theory of relativity. The final product will be an animation burned to a DVD disc that can be readily played on most Region 1 DVD players. The animation will be drawn, animated, and rendered using Adobe Flash Software. The rendered scenes will be compiled and edited in Apple iMovie.

Plan of Procedures:

1. Write script (narration and plan of animation methods)
2. Draw objects necessary in the animation.
3. Record voice-over narration
4. Edit voice-over narration
5. Draw individual scenes using previously created objects as appropriate in Flash
6. Animate scenes using combination of frame by frame and tweening methods
7. Render animation to .mov format (plug-in pre-installed in Flash software)
8. Edit rendered movie files in iMovie to compile final animation
9. Render iMovie animation
10. Burn rendered iMovie animation using iDVD software

Developmental Drawings

Finishing up drawings

This weekend, I made a lot of progress on my developmental drawings. I went over to see my mentor about the "secrets" of drawing in Flash. If I have any other questions as I draw my objects (so far I have created them for the first few scenes on my story board, the hardest being my drawing of Einstein due to my general lack of drawing skills), I have the IM address of my mentor in order to get instant feedback on my work-in-progress.

Developmental Drawings

Over the course of the past few weeks I have been experimenting with the Flash software and e-mailing my mentor about any questions I had regarding how drawing in Flash worked.

For the most part, my developmental work that remains - drawings for objects in the animation - will entail of redrawing the rough sketches and recreated objects (clip art) used for the purpose of the story board. Since I will be using the Flash software to draw, and the software is available in the other computer lab (with Mac desktops), I will do most of the drawing at home. These drawings conveniently save into small files while having a huge leap in quality from what can be created in bitmap editors.

I may also visit my mentor in order to show him the progress of my drawings in addition to him showing me some useful drawing methods in the Flash software.

Script Complete, bidding process continues

My script is done - it follows along quite nicely with my storyboard.

I have been completing the bidding process in school by researching prices of blank DVD-R media at a variety of retail outlets. It seems that Tiger Direct offers the best value. I will only need to find one store with a good price, for Kelly and Kerri will find another store from which to buy the discs.

Script Writing, continued

I am nearing completion of my script; one more class period should do it. I have been following along a similar path of development of the script. Also, for the bid process, I will collaborate with Kerri and Kelly (classmates) for ordering the DVD-R media, especially because they come cheaper in larger packs.

Script Writing Begins

This week, I have begun to write my script. A lot of the story planning has been done when creating my model. My script will follow the preliminary idea for the animation outlined in my storyboard quite closely. The script written will include the spoken narration in addition to a description of the animation itself as each section of dialog is spoken.