On this page is my final evaluation, where I evaluate end reflect on my journey through this project. My analysis here will serve as a tool to look back on in future projects and will allow me to assess where I went wrong and what I did right. This knowledge will allow me to improve my production process for future projects resulting in a higher standard of work.

 

This project has been quite the rollercoaster. At first it was a steady process, research and planning were the main focus. However there were some significant complications during the production of the final video: The college experienced a cyber security breach that kept the high-spec computers inaccessible for almost three weeks. This significantly decreased the time I had to produce my work. To combat this, a standalone Mac computer was set up for me to use for a week until the network was turned back on. At which point I spent every available day I had on the college campus using the high spec computers. The two weeks in which the college computers were inaccessible had a significant impact on the amount of time I had to work with. Despite this I am proud of the result I managed to create and I feel as though it is still the best work I could have achieved under the circumstances.

 

During the early weeks of this project, the nation was still in lockdown due to Covid19. This didn't have as big of an impact on my production as the IT outage, as I was in the research and production stages of my project at this point. However the lockdown did have a negative influence on my motivation towards completing this project. Despite this I tried to maintain inspiration and persevered through this tough time. 

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I chose to create my short film because I had been inspired by scenes of destruction on a planetary scale. I stated in my research that I felt as though massive destruction had a strange beauty to it, I feel I achieved this same feeling in my work, as intended. I am glad I chose to create this project, it has served as a valuable lesson and has given me insight towards what university and working in the animation sector would be like. Although this project has come with many complications, I would not change it if I had the chance to go back and do it again. However I would change some areas of my planning to accommodate a longer period of time dedicated for the production of the final video. 

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My final outcome is a bit different than my original idea. I originally intended to include audio in my final film in the form of sound effects and music. I was unable to achieve this due to the time constraints caused by the IT outage. I also intended to include a scene of the earth's destruction in this project. This was unachievable for me because of the time it would take to render out. Despite the complications I have faced throughout this project I am glad to have a result I am still proud of. I feel my work reflects my best efforts under the circumstances. If the circumstances were different I would have had more time to render out my sequences, this is something I would redo if I had the opportunity to start this project over again. Furthermore I would additionally allocate time to focus on audio for my film. 

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My project is intended for an audience between the ages of 12 and 26 that loves Sci-Fi films centered around space and destruction on a massive scale. I feel that my final outcome matches this audience to the best of my abilities. However if I was to redo this project I would slow down a lot of the footage. The reason behind this is that slowing down the footage would emphasise the weight and scale of the individual objects, therefore improving the realism and 'cool factor' in my film. In my opinion it would also add to the beauty of the destruction in my film. However it would negatively impact the rendering speed for each individual scene.

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I tried to ensure that my research for this project was as broad and diverse as realistically possible. To achieve this I set aside time for a lot of secondary and experimental research. I also worked on primary research to help me achieve the best fit result for my target audience. I found the most helpful research resource to be the NASA gallery, as I used some of the textures from there in my work. I also feel my work, motivation and inspiration was significantly assisted by my research into space destruction in existing movie scenes. If I was to add or alter my research I would include studies into how the audio in existing films was created. I would also buy the full version of the Universe Sandbox game that I researched in order to study the methods and textures used within it.

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The areas of my planning that I feel went best were gathering the textures and add-ons that I would need to use in my film. However I feel I could have improved my storyboard by drawing it out on paper instead of using the Storyboarder program. This is something I will change for future projects, as I can achieve a much more detailed and descriptive storyboard using this process.

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This project has served as a valuable lesson for me, but has also allowed me to significantly develop some of my skills. I have noticed improvements in my ability to gather and analyse research, as well as use this to develop the ideas in my plan. This project has helped me increase my confidence in my practical work and develop my practical skills accordingly. Adapting to online lessons was difficult, however throughout this project my stress management skills and ability to stay motivated has been advanced to a degree that will notably affect my confidence and independence in future projects. I have meaningfully expanded my knowledge within blender during this project, and learned skills that I will utilise in many of my future projects. My biggest challenge within this project was time management, this is something I have reflected on and will improve on for future projects. In my opinion I still need to develop my texturing skills in blender as I am not yet creating my own photoreal procedural textures. However the skills I have in this area as a result of this journey will help me reach that point. They will also help me to develop my future projects and my future career in this sector in significant ways. The research and planning skills that I have developed will also help me in my future career and future projects as they have provided me with valuable lessons.

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Overall I am proud of the knowledge and learning experiences I have gathered through this project. It has been a great journey that I am proud to have experienced. The skills I have developed and gathered throughout this project will assist me long past my university studies and far into my future career within this sector.

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