The Drumroll of 21

    I turned 21 at the end of July so I thought it was time to pass on some wisdom I've gained since that day (which is ironic because I've actually lost my wisdom teeth since then - but that's its own blog post). Anyways, here is my infinite insight on the subject:

 

   You turn 16 and you're ecstatic because you can get your license, you can drive a car - you think you've finally achieved freedom. I say think because let's face it, you're still living under your parent's house so yes you can drive away....but you have to drive back.

 

    Then you turn 18 and you strut around the next month because now you're legally an 'adult.' You graduate high school, maybe you cast your first official vote, buy a lottery ticket and feel the thrill of wasting your money - but it was worth it because it was Yours! For some, 18 is when the real world kicks in and you've now got to find your life path. I decided to postpone the inevitable (an expensive endeavor) with college. For me, 18 was still just a sample of what true independence is.

 

    But now I'm 21. This is the age I'm going to graduate. This is the age I'm going to have true independence and freedom that everyone complains about wanting in high school, though now I can't remember why we were so eager for bills and long work hours.

 

   For me, these ages are like chapters in a book and Chapter 21 has a cliff hanger ending. Up until now I've always known what would come next, after 16 I continue high school till I graduate, then I turn 18 and I got to college. Now I'm 21 and I'm going to get a degree...and then what? There's no reading ahead in life. The only way to know who I'll be at 22 is to look back at the past 21 years. Like reading a mystery novel; there are clues all through the story, but you may not realize their significance until you get to the end (this is why I usually read mysteries twice).

 

   I'm extremely excited for my senior year of college and plan to enjoy ever minute of it, because I know what awaits me on the other side of my education. I don't plan to live in fear of this cliff-hanger ending, but instead in preparation of it.

 

  For all those who are dealing with the same excitement, anxiety, fear, joy, confusion, clarity, and all out giddiness of being 21 I say congratulations. Soak it in! Never again will you be on the precipice of independence - amidst the drumroll. Enjoy it while it lasts! Come summer it'll be time to jump in and hope you can swim (I'd settle for floating).

AE Rubix Cube: Puzzle Solved

           

      This passed week I got an email from my boss explaining the upcoming projects we had. In this email he mentions an idea they had thrown around of using a rubix cube to transition between different video clips....and then asked that I "throw an example together." I'm not blogging to complain about my bosses assumption that I could create and animate a rubix cube in mere hours - I'm blogging to brag that  I did it.
               After reading the email the first thing I did was open After Effects and create shape layers that formed a cube. Then, I proceeded to stare at my cube as my mind tried to turn it into a 3x3 impossible labyrinth. Null objects were my best friend during this endeavor along with Cmd. + D (duplicate). It was actually a rather simple job once I had thought about it, though I'm sure anyone who looks at my 50+layers would be at least slightly confounded.

              I'm extremely proud of myself for not only accomplishing this task, but doing so well within my deadline. This is just one of the reasons I love what I do: There's always the opportunity for the ridiculous and impossible, every project is a complex puzzle to solve, I stretch not only my mind, but my creativity. Come to think of it, my job is a lot like a Rubix Cube - good thing I learned to solve those back in High School!

Disney Challenge: More than a Tourist

         
         I had the pleasure of traveling to Disney World this past May with some of my college friends. We had an amazing time and made memories that I will always cherish, especially when I look at the pictures. This visit was a little different because this trip I gave myself a challenge. Seeing as I'm getting a minor in Photography, I thought it'd be a fantastic opportunity to test my skills. I mean where better than the Happiest Place on Earth right?

          I'm sure I looked like a full on tourist with my camera hanging around my neck, but I hope my shots turned out better than your average Disney Goer...I suppose you'll have to judge that for yourselves (Check out my Facebook for more shots).
          This challenge taught me so much about photography- things you can only learn through hands-on experience.
                   Lesson 1: You can take 40 pictures of the same 5 seconds and capture 40 different moments. If you're willing to trudge through the out of focus, badly lit, and goofy faces of the 39 bad moments you may just find that 1 magical perfect shot that you wanted.
                  Lesson 2: See things differently. Taking pictures at Disney doesn't mean you have to know it was Disney. The beauty of the parks is that they emerse you in a world. Look at this world and see what is beautiful, for me this usually meant lights. This photo (on the left) was taken in line for the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

                  Lesson 3: Know your camera: Manual settings are a love/hate relationship. I kept my camera on manuel for the entire trip. Not because I don't trust the creative settings, they're actually very helpful, but it added to the challenge I had given myself. Having to not only know what each setting did, but recall it quickly to transition between dim inside shots and bright daylight shots was a crash course in my camera's abilities.
      Overall this trip was not only a fantastic vacation, but a great way to see how much I've learned in my classes and I'm excited to apply what I've learned as I continue on this journey called life. Though I'm happy to return to school this fall and continue my education, I wouldn't mind if my classes involved more castles and princes.
       

Seeing it All Come Together

Elliv 2013

         Elliv is a 'mock-awards' show put on at the end of every Cedarville University school year. Students perform popular songs with dancers, motion graphics and live IMAG supporting the performance. Our chapel is turned into an elaborate stage with lights, screens, and sometimes pyrotechnics (sadly none this year).
For many this event is a time to take a break from studying for finals and just enjoying the night.
       It's a little different for me.
            I've worked this semester on motion graphics for two different performances of this year's Elliv (one is featured in the image above). Motion graphics was a new adventure for me. I had dabbled in them before, but never attempted a full blown sequence. Having to not only create this content, but make sure that it followed the act's overall vision and not just my own was an exciting experience. Once the weekend of Elliv finally rolled around, I was excited to see my content integrated into the final production. However, I had to enjoy this content during a dress rehearsal because I was also directing live video for the event.

            There were six cameras, two video playbacks, and the challenge of keeping shots centered to fit onto the 1080x1080 cube in the center of the stage. Though I was standing in the video booth instead of sitting with my friends, and shouting instructions instead of shouting in excitement when one performer smashed his ukelele- I wouldn't change this experience for anything. Seeing it all come together for the final production is worth the hours of hard work (especially when you get to see it come together at 6 different angles). I've always heard that it is important to have a career doing something you love, which (as cliche' as it is) is very true.

New Workstation

Hello all!
I know; it's been ages since last I wrote and you all feel robbed of the beauty of my words. Well then this post shall satisfy you! I have recently made the most expensive purchase of my 20 years and no it wasn't a car...I should really look into getting one of those though. Anyways, it was a computer! Not just any computer, oh no. I bought my command center, or as I have titled it: The Master and Commander. Pair my new computer with my new Adobe software and I'm the happiest kid on my block (which is saying something because the kids on my block are having a snow day).
I've been spending most of my spring break working on projects for class and in no way does that upset me. My computer is insanely fast compared to what I've been using at school and I can have more than one window open without the programs crashing-It's fantastic!
I love my new computer and am crazy excited about the rest of the semester! I'll be posting soon with updates on what I'm working on now and maybe even some screenshots from my upcoming music video!
Here's a link to the computer I just bought in case you're in the market. I've only had this computer for about a week, but I would recommend it!
http://www.hp.com/united-states/campaigns/workstations/z420_features.html#.UTb7dBysh8E

The Customer is Always Right....Right?

When it comes to working with clients, trying to create someone else's vision is more a challenge of concept than production. When I'm working with my production company on in-house projects then it's our own ideas, collaborations, brainstorms. We know one another (and the industry) so it is easy to throw ideas around- freelance clients...not so much.

There's a lot of different types of clients, but the ones I run into the most are these three:

              Shy Ronnie (for all you SNL fans): This is someone who is too timid to tell you their own thoughts, which leaves you struggling to really grasp their concept. This meeting usually ends up like an interrogation minus the swinging single light-bulb, but as long as the right questions are asked a great final product can be achieved.

              The Poker Face: This person may have a concept in mind, they may love your ideas, they may loathe you with a passion...you'll never know because all this client does is nod. Occasionally they may tilt their head and squint or rub their chin in thought, but overall their input is minimal. For some unknown reason they want to hold their cards close to the vest and wait for the final product to weigh in. It's important to do all you can to get a response from this player because there is no bluffing once the deadline comes around.

              TMI (Too Much Info): This is a client who knows exactly what they want, down to the pantone colors and camera angles. It's fantastic to have a solid idea in mind, but if your client isn't giving you any creative space or wiggle room it can get frustrating very quickly. It's clients like this that need to be shown progress as it's being made and be sure to include them on any radical changes that occur.

              The Perfect Client: This person doesn't exist.

Your first meeting with a client is crucial in both gathering information about their project and about them in general. A freelancer's job isn't just about building a demo reel, it's about building relationships. Being able to work with all kinds of people is vital in this industry. Your work will get you noticed, your networking will get you hired.

Play List

            These past few weeks I've been gathering colors, drawing out storyboards, and playing around in After Effects in order to create a pitch for an upcoming project. This project is based on a song, so one would assume I'd have to listen to the song to fully create a concept. While I have listened to this song a few times to gather a concept, I find that I start to over-think things after an extensive length. So instead I've created an 'inspiration play list.'
            This list plays through Imagine Dragons, Florence and the Machine, Blake Shelton, One Direction (Don't judge I know you sing along when they're on the radio) and Johnny Cash, REO and Bon Jovi, Maroon 5, the Beach Boys, Of Monsters and Men, and FUN. I know, my choice in music is bipolar-but it's how my mind works. Once I've gotten my overall concept, these songs help me to shape and flesh out the final pitch. Because the music is so different from song to song I feel like I'm always looking at the project from a fresh perspective; instead of only listening to Mumford and Sons and discover my pitch is so hipster it needs a V-neck and square glasses (I love you Mumford, but let's be serious).
           Now my final pitch is ready to go, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop listening to music. Let's all cross our fingers that this pitch goes well and I can create a new play list for producing the actual project. I've got a whole library of artists to choose from (A is for Aaron Carter, J is for Jimmy Eat World and Z is for Zac Brown Band just to give you a picture).