Passion Project: March 17

During this class of RLA, I continued writing my story, for I had started writing it over the weekend. I edited the idea of the story so that the main character and his partner look for jobs to do, but do them only if it follows the main character's code of honour, as opposed to the duo wandering around in space. The main plot: Kevin Mallious and Zephyr "Zeph" Blackford

Astronomy Unit Project

What are you most proud about your presentation?

I am most proud of researching a relatively new topic but still finding more than enough information for our presentation.

How did you challenge yourself?

I challenged myself by picking a topic that didn't have a lot of information (compared to other topics)

What are two things you learned from your classmates’ presentation?

One thing I learned from my classmates' presentations was that a sudden change in the Earth's tilt could theoretically tear the world in half. Another thing I learned from my classmates' presentations was that we theoretically live in a 3D universe within a 4D universe.

Video Semester Reflection

What were your initial expectations about taking Digital Storytelling? What were you expecting to learn or do?

I was expecting to learn about how to make good quality films through filming and editing.

Describe the skills that you learned in this semester. What were the skills you felt were the most beneficial? Did you use them in other courses? Which ones and how?

I learned how to storyboard my ideas before producing them, create a good video of those ideas with unique shots, and editing the footage I had so that I could make the video flow seamlessly. Editing was the skill that I feel is the most beneficial because you could still create a good film with bad shots if the editing was done well. I also used editing in RLA to make a book trailer.

Which project did you enjoy most this semester? Why did you enjoy it? What was the best lesson you got out of it?

The project I enjoyed most this semester was the Movie Trailer Remix because we got to take a well-known movie and completely re-create the story by changing the genre.

Which project did you least enjoy? Why? What could have been done differently to improve it?

The project I least enjoyed this semester was the Logo and Branding project because it wasn't really related to everything we were doing before: storyboarding, filming, and editing.

What are your opinions about having a 100% project-based learning class? Do you wish it was more traditional with formal assessments? Why or why not?

I like that this class is 100% project based because then we wouldn't have to be so stressed about any tests coming up.

Overall, what was your opinion about the graphic design unit? What were the most useful skills you learned? Should it be taught in all digital media classes?

I didn't really like the graphic design unit because it wasn't really related to everything we were doing before: storyboarding, filming, and editing. The most useful skill I learned was how to create a colour palette that didn't have clashing colours.

What was your biggest lesson or take away from Digital Storytelling this semester? How do you plan on using it?

My biggest take away from Digital Storytelling this semester was my improved skill of editing footage. I plan to use it in future projects in other classes and maybe some projects of my own when I have the time.

If you could add ANY digital media project to the semester what would it be and why?

I wouldn't add anything.

What did you enjoy most about this semester? Why?

Something I enjoyed this semester was that we got to make our ideas into films because it lets us have time to do what we want instead of sitting through a boring class.

What did you enjoy least about this semester? Why?

Something I least enjoyed this semester was that less time was given to some projects, so I had to rush to finish them.

The Truman Show

1. What unusual camera angles can you remember in the film?

There were shots from the mirror, the dog, and inside the car.

2. What genre would you say the world of Seahaven is reminiscent of? Does this change within the film?

The world of Seahaven is reminiscent of the dystopian genre. This doesn't really change throughout the film, but Truman rebels against the system.

3. How have the lives of people who have become celebrities by television exposure been affected both in a positive and a negative way?

Positive: They would become famous, money, and maybe become a role model for other people
Negative: They might be targeted for paparazzi and stalking, so they would get less privacy than regular people.


4. Imagine that Mrs. Gach has been approached to allow a television series to be made about Singapore American School. Do you think the filming should be allowed? Why or why not?

 No, because it invades people's privacy.

5. From a different perspective, would YOU watch a show that was like Truman's? Why or why not?

No, I would not want to because I would feel guilty invading someone's privacy by watching someone's life without them knowing.

Youtube Header

Primate Project Presentations

One similarity I saw between my monkey and my classmate's monkey was that they had long arms and legs to enable ease for swinging from tree to tree.

One difference I saw between my monkey and my classmate's monkey is that my monkey has webbed hands and feet so it would be easier to swim, but other monkeys didn't swim.

One thing I learned was that the lion-tailed macaque is very similar to the orangutan.

Tiger Tales Submission

The Dinner Table

Shots are fired
A battle rages
War is coming
At the dinner table

Armies clash
Plots are formed
Plans are conceived
At the dinner table

Legions charge
Guns fire
Heroes die
At the dinner table

Bombs drop
Cities burn
Smoke rises
At the dinner table

Wind blows
There is silence
All is calm
At the dinner table

Social Media Pledge

I use the computer too much, mostly for watching Youtube videos or browsing Imgur after I am done with my homework, so my social media pledge is to use my computer less and be more aware of my surroundings.

Pixar Movie Pitch Critiques

What do you like about this movie pitch?

Original idea, kind of reminds me of Daedalus' escape from the Labyrinth.

What do you wonder/suggest?

Why is the mad scientist trying to get to his mother?

Would you fund this movie? Why or why not?

I would not because the mad scientist does not have a motive for wanting to get to his mother.

What do you like about this movie pitch?

I liked the plot.

What do you wonder/suggest?

How did he discover the secret powers?

Would you fund this movie? Why or why not?

I wouldn't fund this movie because it is too cliché.

What do you like about this movie pitch?

It is very detailed, the plot and characters can be clearly envisioned.

What do you wonder/suggest?

Nothing.

Would you fund this movie? Why or why not?

I would fund this movie because the pitch describes each major detail in the plot, and there is a big plot twist at the end that the audience would not be expecting.

Artificial Selection

     Artificial selection is when humans breed two different species of animal to create a hybrid with traits that the breeder wanted in the animal. However, the new hybrid could inherit traits that the breeder does not want. For example, in our lesson today, we tried to create the perfect dog we wanted by breeding two dogs with the preferable traits spread between them. We flipped a coin to randomly select each trait. For me and Raghav's experiment, we got mostly traits that we didn't want or need (Loud bark, below average smell, etc.). The traits can vary between each artificially selected baby, with each baby inheriting a different mix of traits from his/her mother and father. Because of this, it would take many years of trial and error to breed the perfect dog that has all the traits that you want it to have

Movie Trailer Remix Reflection

1. What made you choose this film for remixing? Was it your original choice or did you have to change your film in the middle of editing. Why?

I chose this film for remixing because I wanted to not only change the genre but also change a huge part in the plot. In the original Thor film, his hammer Mjölnir is used in good and heroic ways. I wanted to change it so that Mjölnir is something that Thor and the other characters are afraid of. This was my original choice.

2. What did you enjoy most about this project? Why?

I enjoyed having to change a film's genre and plot because I could make the film become something completely different.

3. What did you not enjoy about this project? Why?

There was nothing that I didn't enjoy.

4. What changes would you suggest to this project for future semesters?

Maybe more time, but the time given was already good enough.

Time Capsule Reflection

1. How did you decide what to include in your video? How did you decide what to exclude?

I decided to include anything that was either an important point in recent history or anything that held a lot of positive symbolism.

2. How are the videos produced by your peers different from one another, and what does this say about the author of the video as well as yourself?

They are different from one another because we all have different opinions on what is most important to share with future generations or aliens that find these videos.

3. How do you think the people of the future might react when they see these videos?

They will be reminded of the values that our generation thought were important, which might change in the future.

Natural Selection

   Today in science, we simulated natural selection by imitating finches' beaks. We used a clothespin, hairpin, and chopsticks for the different beaks of each finch species, and there were different types of foods (rubber bands, paper clips, and beans) on each island (table). The purpose of this experiment was to show how a species better suited to its surroundings will be more likely to survive and evolve.

1. What role do you think natural selection plays in the evolution of finches, of man and of other organisms?

It selects the best species suited for the environment it is living in so that the species can live longer.

2. Are there other things involved in evolution?

There are a lot of other things involved in evolution. For example, the ability to escape predators, effectively hunt for prey, etc.

3. Why do you think there are so many different kinds of dogs?

I think there are so many different kinds of dogs because they used to be wolves and foxes a long time ago, but the areas where they lived, the available prey, predators, and domestication by humans made them evolve into a diverse species.

Remixed Movie Trailer Proposal

Proposed movie to re-edit: Thor
Genre to re-edit to: Horror
Proposed re-edit plot: Thor is afraid of Mjölnir because it is trying to hunt him down and kill him and the people around him.

Passion Project: March 16

During this class of RLA, I planned and wrote the questions for my interview. The three questions were: "What is your opinion on science fiction in general?"; "What is your opinion on western fiction in general?"; and "What is your opinion on science fiction and western fiction being combined to make a story?". I wanted to know what other people thought about the two genres and how well they would fit together. Unfortunately, I did not have time to ask anyone in class because there was not enough time. My next steps are to interview someone once I get home.

Passion Project: March 13

During this class of RLA, I created my characters' personality. The main character, a former crew member of bounty hunters and interplanetary smugglers, will be a middle aged male, somewhere in his thirties or forties. He will have a serious, bleak outlook on life, which portrays the illusion of him being a strong person, but inside, he holds many regrets from the time he was a bounty hunter and a smuggler. It is kind of cliche, so I will tweak it over the weekend. His partner will be a young female, maybe in her twenties, who was abandoned while she was a teen and had to live in the streets of a city until the main character meets her (I have not figured out how yet). Because of her tendency to run into things head on, she usually gets her and the main character in trouble during illegal jobs. The reason I wanted the partner to be female was because I wanted the characters to have a father/daughter relationship, and because her personality would counter with the main character's personality.

Passion Project: March 12

During this class of RLA, I have decided to go with my second idea. However, I am not sure if I should give the main character a partner at the start of the story or if the main character will meet the partner during the middle of the beginning part. The reason I want the main character to have a parter is because it would provide more internal and external conflicts, so the main character cannot make choices based on only his wants and needs. Frankly, I am leaning towards giving him a partner at the start of the story because that would give me opportunities to write flashbacks that would give more depth to the character.

Passion Project: March 11

During this class of RLA, I brain stormed some new and improved ideas based on the information that I found while researching space western fiction. One of my ideas was a crew of outlaws on a space ship that flew around looking for jobs, which were mostly smuggling and bounty hunting. During one of their jobs, they would be asked to smuggle something very important, or kidnap someone very important. However, something would go wrong (i.e. space police, space pirates, etc.), and the crew would be conflicted, only to be reunited at the end to get through the whole adventure. My other idea is about an ex smuggler or bounty hunter, possibly a former member of the crew in my first idea. He would travel the planets, interfering when he sees the need to follow his code of honour. However, he would come to a scenario when his code of honour would interfere with him doing the right thing.

Passion Project: March 10

During this class of RLA, I researched a bit more on science fiction and western mash ups, or space western. Since space western uses amounts of both science fiction and western, I decided to do research on both of them. Science fiction is basically fiction that should be scientifically accurate and possible, whereas a Western fiction story "...centres on the life of a semi-nomadic wanderer, usually a cowboy or a gunfighter." (Wikiwand - Western [Genre]). Using this information, I am going to slightly or drastically change the main idea of my space western fiction story. After that, I will begin planning, outlining, and writing.

Passion Project: March 9

During this class of RLA, I have watched episodes 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. I will not be watching episode 11 because it is about studying linguistics and creating an alien language, which is something that I will not do because it is not needed in my science fiction story. The episodes I watched are about the structure of the story, the outlining, the protagonist and antagonist, originality, and researching. Since I have just recently finished watching the first and only season of Firefly, I am very familiar with the theme of science fiction and western being mashed together.