Project Log on MA Digital Arts

# 1st method – written entry #

I usually store what I should write and what I would like to write because I write in English very slowly and it is a burden for me especially when I have to make up for lost time of my project.

I have to look for how I should express what I would like to convey in English all the time.

If I record in my sketchbook, I can write in Japanese and wrong spelling in English quickly.
However, on the blog, the records should be understood by other people, so I have to look up each spelling I am not sure in a dictionary.

Also, the reason why I am really bad at speaking and listening in English is because I cannot keep up with the speed.
I do not need to mind the speed when writing in English compared with speaking and listening, but it is terribly slow.

If I store the topics, I come to have to write them much more slowly later because I have to search the Excel file of my schedule, the course calendar, and the saved dates of materials such as photos and files and recollect the details hard.

I could not write even the final show reflections on time.
Despite only one week ago it was hard to remember because I had very many experiences and feedback during the show.

Therefore, although I have been uploading the topics that I could not do during Unit3 since when the final show finished, I have not uploaded all the topics I would like to write, especially the topics in May and June when I had suffered significant lacerations to both my palms (dominant hand was worse) when just I had to make up for lost time I spent on struggling to create images for printmaking that I could not do after all.

I realised that I should have written the record in Japanese on time and quickly as just memorandums because I forget the details and it is hard to recall later.

# 2nd method – photographic entry #

I had stored photographic entries as well because I had to complete my project anyhow first.

I stored some materials according to the width of my blog layout and the light size for web.
However, since I uploaded the topics which came to mind just before the date it is assessed in a hurry, I could not upload wholly and I noticed later that I forgot to upload many important topics.

In addition, I always omitted to upload some experiment images that are not good because I had to upload the topics of the Unit evenly in the short time until it is assessed.
Also, I am ashamed to show the failure images to everyone on the online blog though they are vital elements in my offline sketchbook.

Although I have a rough storyboard of A4 size of about 20 sheets including the whole scenes and all actions and it took long time to scan them, I did not also upload them as I am ashamed to show such the rough and poor hand-drawings that only I need and can recognise the contents.

However, I realised that these omissions were bad for reflections when I read Andy’s feedback, “lack a decision making details, and it is this that may be at the heart of the problems you encountered”.

I had done the same omissions through the year.
However, the reason why it was pointed out in only Unit3 of all things is probably because not only was the Unit3 the shortest schedule but I also suffered injuries in the worst timing, so I could upload less materials and more omissions than before.

If I had uploaded all the materials in Japanese quickly in real time, I could have selected the topics that should be translated first by the order of priority, so at least I would not have forgotten to upload the important materials even if I omitted to upload failure materials.

# 3rd method – voice and video entry #

I had troubles to upload these entries because I have used SWF files for my project which cannot be uploaded onto YouTube.

Although I updated my Flash into CS3 in order to export the parts without action script of my animation by MOV files, I could not export heavy and a bit long animation by MOV files.

Moreover, even if I could export the parts without movie clips of my animation by AVI files and the parts without action script by MOV files, they changed into strange when I uploaded them onto YouTube though it took long time to upload.

Therefore, the ways left to show the experimental animation are:
1) To upload the SWF files on my free web account and link them to my blog
2) To export still images or to capture screen images
3) To create animated GIF of the movement

I almost used the second way because it is the easiest way and viewers can see the images without clicking links and seeing advertisements though it does not have animated movement.

I have to use the first way to upload my colloquium presentation.
I did it part way because it has taken quite long time to chop it short and upload each and link files.

I hate to upload movies onto YouTube as it takes long time.
When I uploaded just the very short clips of research in spring flowers, it took about 5 hours to upload one of those while doing another work on my laptop at the same time though the Internet of my flat might be bad condition.
Also, although I uploaded my animation onto YouTube by taking time, uploaded animation often changed into strange.

I asked and knew how to upload sound files of experiments for my animation, which is to use plug-in or to upload onto YouTube.
Being able to upload sound files and video images would be a big advantage of blogs compared with sketchbooks, but I cannot stop feeling it is troublesome.

Ben asked Moshe and me “Passed?”
And then he also asked “Distinction?”

I replied “No-, because I could not help the final show”.
I received the low score I had never ever had.

So Ben said that he gave me distinction.
He had said that he liked my work during the final show.

And Moshe said, “You came every day”.
I could come to invigilate the show every day in fact, but I could not come to build the show for the whole first 4 days.
Furthermore, although I could have the extra days, inopportunely I got a cold and could not get along with my project.
I took herbal medicines that do not give sleepiness and the fever stopped.
However, the sore throat lasted, so I lost my voice when I talked with Andy.

I was going to email “I could finish my project thanks to everyone building the show. I really appreciate you. I could not help build the show very much, but I shall be able to stay at our show every day”.

However, I could not finish my project until the external examiner visit, so I could not send the email because I felt that I could not endeavour worthy of everyone’s kindness and I was ashamed of myself.

However, I should have expressed my thanks to everyone even if I could not complete my project on time and was ashamed.

Also, I feel that I missed the genuine delight of preparing the show with peers cheerfully and boisterously as I really like the atmosphere of such work together.

In addition, I feel sad that the person who submitted unfinished work by using Extenuating Circumstances never have a chance to show completed work to assessors.