10th May 2009-05-20 Work reflections
New sections of the animation include ‘carry on’ repeating and overlapping this is based on Brownjohn expressing the meaning through type and concrete poetry. The effect is simple but memorable. Repetitiveness is also expressed through the tea-cup stains appearing over and over and reducing.

Including a local map to the work at the beginning of the sequence helps to establish a sense of place and lack of global awareness. The map was chosen for its age, simplicity, view of small ‘village life, which is based mainly on houses and gardens (back to back) and the feeling of enclosed small spaces. I plan to show a path or radius of where Ken was born and moved to and how this isn’t very diverse or radical.

Starting a new part of the submission, I created visual language boards for Tom and Charlie’s ‘beach speech’. Charlie’s speech is more formal, more grown up and Tom’s is more expressive and visual, using the medium of origami and newspaper print (connected to English seaside, fish and chips etc.) The sequence will be colourful, bright, lively and more spontaneous than the Ken series.

20th May 2009-05-20
Tutorial feedback with Jon Hamilton and Rob Newton, NTU

ANIMATION FEEDBACK
The tutorial discussion included amends, technical issues and improvements
to the work, debate over beach storyboard concepts. Ethics and including Ken’s permission for showing the work was also discussed.
Areas to work on:

Map – create own version or use authentic map, perhaps collage information to show key areas (one school, one pub, one church, small location). I could represent parochial views, global map morphs into village map. A small opaque radius showing Ken’s patch will help localize the animation. Small opaque radius glows and gets smaller as you enter ‘Ken’s world.

Door 1 – delete (it isn’t needed, stay on door 2 for longer)

Door 4 – sharpen

Strange fade after friends and family (jumps visually, does not blend).
WisDom can appear in two halves, ‘wis’ arrives vertically first, it is too fast at the moment.

Good and Behave, one word could knock the other one out of the way, flip down?
Overall patina and texture of Kings Bromley sign is too heavy and needs to be lighter, the effect is too complex and dour.

Leave the neighbourhood watch sign up for longer (bring it back on after ‘yeah’) there is a blank space happening.

Add in end titles, who you are who Ken is, how it was created, fade end shot off and show end by changing time-code from black to white to fade.

Show work to Ken and ask for written permission to show the work. This is very important in terms of ethics. Ask for this on behalf of the University.

Consider animating NWS sticker into waiting symbol (whirring around as we wait for Ken to speak again).

STORYBOARD FEEDBACK (beach)
- The countdown sequence works well keep this light and bright.
- Show how the children’s voices differ through visual language and where do
they overlap? Consider creating Charlie and Tom’s handwriting as digital fonts
- Perhaps show older child’s voice using school related objects, sandwich box etc.
- Make two clear boards for each child’s speeches and personalities
- Review how Barnbrook shows two different voices
- Be more imaginative and playful for the storyboards, as if it is a pitch for funding
- Consider letting audience listen to tape recording of their voices on a kid’s
tape deck?