Polaroid Photo

We picked the final photo to use for the polaroid photo of our actor Hamish/ Husband and Holly/ Elizabeth/Wife. Here they look very happy which was the goal.
I've started to photoshop the photo onto a polaroid photo. I don't want to pick a font on photoshop as it will look way too fake (even though it is). Later on I will write 'First Date' as well as a date on it with my tablet so it is hand written and more natural and realistic. I put a gaussian blur over the photo itself as it was too sharp for a polaroid and it needed to fit in more.

Tasks to do before end of term

Thought I'd make a reminder list for myself of the things I want to get done by next Friday as well as what the group should have completed by then
-Finished look of polaroid photo (both polaroid only + polaroid on mirror)
-Final look of Elizabeth (plus in mirror to show lighting and effects etc)
-Final Vanity Unit (a lot of work will have gone into this, so even if it's not done that's ok. It's very important to the story, so taking it slow is best, but would be great if it is done by next Friday)
-Shooting and reshoots done.
-50%+ of the layout of the room done.
-All modelling complete
-UVs complete.

We are all on track, regardless of the schedule being changed a bit. I reckon we will be good to go for next term and will be able to chill in the holidays :)

Research and Textures

Taylor and I reckon that it's best to go for a fabric couch rather than leather. Fabric has a more homely vibe and goes well with the rest of the furniture. Greys and blues are probably the best way to go, but the lighting will have this effect on the couch anyway due to the lighting being rather cold plus lots of the furniture will be in the dark (should be a blue tone).
I had a look at patterned fabric and plain fabric for the couch. There's not much similarities with the fabrics I chose, but I will show the group and we will come to a final decision. This also goes for the other textures. Plus I'm not necessarily choosing fabrics that I like, as a few of them a pre ugly),

I originally had dark wood in mind for the bookshelf, but after doing some research I reckon that any wood would be fine. It will most likely turn out dark anyway as the light source isn't on the bookshelf and the room will be dimly lit.This goes the same for the coffee table.

References for research
Couches
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYulK7l6R3o
http://www.sunderlandbins.co.uk/sofa-recycling-sunderland/
http://liveitloveitblogit.com/2012/06/the-craigslist-decorator-couch-edition/
http://www.sunnysimplelife.com/2012/09/how-to-refill-couch-cushions.html
http://tampabaycor.com/couches.html/old-couches-in-couches

BookShelves
http://www.homedit.com/ladder-style-bookcase/
http://theinspiredroom.net/2012/03/28/lighten-up-a-dark-bookcase-without-paint-home-office-makeover/
http://likesuccess.com/topics/9585/bookshelves
http://sandiegorustic.com/solid-wood-bookcases/
https://nz.pinterest.com/laird6800/rustic-furniture/
http://www.ncrustic.com/rustic-office-furniture-rustic-bookshelves/
http://foter.com/explore/pine-bookcases

Coffee Tables
http://ottomancoffeetable.dreview.net/coffee-tables-for-sale.html/coffee-tables-for-sale-sydney
http://www.dollwizard.com/favorite-37-nice-pictures-cherry-wood-coffee-tables/
http://www.dollwizard.com/best-14-most-popular-coffee-tables/
http://even.sharovnya.com/rustic-wood-coffee-table/antique-rustic-wood-coffee-table/
http://www.ana-white.com/content/tryde-coffee-table
http://furnituretexture.club/wooden-coffee-table/

References from http://www.textures.com/
Couch Textures
http://www.textures.com/download/fabricpatterns0116/107668
http://www.textures.com/download/fabricpatterns0008/8778
http://www.textures.com/download/fabricpatterns0003/8773
http://www.textures.com/download/fabricpatterns0039/9685
http://www.textures.com/download/fabricplain0044/8769
http://www.textures.com/download/fabricplain0077/20271
http://www.textures.com/download/fabricpatterns0089/24998

Bookshelf/ Coffee Tables Textures
http://www.textures.com/download/woodfine0024/19801
http://www.textures.com/download/woodfine0072/116098
http://www.textures.com/download/woodfine0021/19798
http://www.textures.com/download/woodfine0025/19802
http://www.textures.com/download/woodfine0073/116102
http://www.textures.com/download/woodfine0043/40537

Tasks to do

LOL scratch that last post. I have found things to do! Thanks to Taylor, i told her that I'm stuck and she suggested that I ask Patrick if he can take on texturing and UVing. I emailed him asking if it's cool, so hopefully it is. In the mean time, I'll look at materials and textures we can use. I'll try get this done by Thursday, so the group can finalize what textures they like for different pieces of furniture,

Taylor and I also had an idea regarding the photo attached to the mirror. I thought instead of it being any old photo format, it could be a polaroid. On polaroid photos people tend to write the date, time and/or place it was taken. Taylor then suggested that we can write on it 'FIRST DATE' with a heart. THEEEEEN I thought we can show the dates on the polaroid photo as well as the newspaper clipping. This will show how long they've been together and will be a rough timeline. It will be more obvious to the audience also which is to our advantage.
Once we have finalized an image to use of Hamish and Holly, I will photoshop it on a polaroid and this can contribute to one of our final images.

I really feel like everything should be looked into. It'll create more depth in the story as it already is quite a deep story and quite meaningful. The photo is what pulls the husband out of his depression, so it should be shown with a lot of thought put into it.

Stuck

So for the last few days I haven't done much work. The reason being is that I don't really know what I should do at the moment. I feel like I've modelled what I can and even if I do model more things, they wont be necessary and will take up time that I should put into other things. I've finalled figured out what i need to do now and that's texturing and UVs. Only problem is that I've forgotten a lot of it. I asked Taylor if we can work through texturing and UVs together as it will be like a recap for me. I don't want to just hand over the things I've modelled to Patrick and expect him to do it. I'll at least give it a go.

In the production schedule I am supposed to be doing editing and reshoots and layout in the last 2 weeks, BUT as I'm not filming anymore, the editing and reshoots don't apply to me. So I will use that time towards 3D.
Next week I really hope we have a final image to work with to start doing the rough animation next term. It will also give us time to think over the final layout in the holidays and come back with fresh eyes to see what needs changing for the final image.

Taking photos

Today Holly came in and took photos with our actor Hamish. We went to Myers Park as it is right next to our course. We were going to take the photos in the life drawing room for the green screen, but the park gives us natural lighting and a background already present for us to work with. It's pretty sunny now as well, so it would heighten the mood of the photo - happiness. Happiness is what the husband needs to get out of the photo.
We didn't get any filming reference with Holly to animate, but we can always ask her to come in again, or someone else can easily do this as there is no dialogue and not much action.
Joseph, Raven and Gabby are filming today with Hamish. Hopefully it turns out good, but we always have time for re-shoots :)
I will recommend to the group that we should all review the clips together to point out what needs re-shooting.

WEEK 6 Game Analysis

Could your game have developed its narrative and told the same or a similar story without any of the characters?
This week I played the puzzle platformer called Fez (2012). I argue that the game could have developed it's narrative and be told similarly if the characters were removed from the game. The term 'characters' tend to refer to a person or something that has humanoid tendencies. If a character in game were to be replaced by something that is lifeless like a pencil, it is still possible for the narrative to play out.

As long as the player has a sort of avatar to control then , I feel, that the game and narrative will still work. "The avatar is, in this most basic sense, the user’s representative in interactive digital space..." (Jessica Aldred, 2013). It wouldn't necessarily have to be 'who will the player control?' , it could be 'what will the player control?' If Gomez was replaced by a shape like a sphere, that sphere would still have the mission to save the world with the narrative being unchanged. Gomez is a bunch of squares joined together to form the shape of a person, so transforming him into a simple square could still do the job of saving the world. A character named Dot is a guide for Fez and tells him the means of the 3D world. Dot is represented as a floating 3-Dimensional shape and could be removed by acting as a narrator of some sort.

The playable character Gomez is important as he was chosen by Geezer (old man) before him who also wears a Fez hat. It's as if whoever wears the Fez hat, can see the world as 3D and save the world from being destroyed. If these important characters were removed and replaced by something more complex or even more simplistic like a shape then it is possible for the narrative to develop. This is why I argue that the characters could be removed or even replaced as the narrative should still be able to play out.