Found Film

This project was assigned to create a theme for the video. I chose water as my theme, so all of the clips I used contain water in some sort of fashion.  I do not own any of the materials used in this video. The video can be accessed through this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSEo1VjXc4k

Maya Demo Reel

This is a demo reel of all my projects from my first 3D animation class with Maya. You can access the video through this link: https://vimeo.com/127897062

Title Sequence

This project was assigned to create a title sequence of my own choosing using Final Cut Pro as the editing software. I chose to create a title sequence for a horror television show because I wanted it to be something different than my classmates would be doing, as well as something challenging. I do not own any of the materials in this video. You can access the video through this link: https://youtu.be/2nz-jlot0RU

Pose to Pose

This video kind of has a "home-made video" feel to it. It is designed to convey a relationship between another family member and the little girl. All the materials in this video, as well as the audio, were created and recorded by me. The materials were created in Photoshop and I recorded my own voice for the character. The animation was done in After Effects CS6.

Lip Sync

This video is of a lip sync to convey a story about the character. I created all the materials in Photoshop and animated it in After Effects CS6. In addition, I recorded my own voice for the character.

Stylized Walk Loop

This video is of a stylized walk loop that is meant to show some personality to the character. The materials were made by me in Photoshop and were animated in After Effects CS6.

Beautiful World

This collage is of Adams Hall and Adams Garage at Ohio University. I took pictures of these places because of the beauty of the building and because of the life that can be seen through it. The history of all the other Ohio students that have walked through the garage can be felt through the peace of the location. Being outside allowed me to enjoy the nature and peace of this campus. You can access these pictures through this link: http://photopeach.com/album/9gcid0

The Best Game I Ever Played

The best game I've ever played is Frogger. Even though it's an old game, I have always loved it. I started playing Frogger in elementary school and forgot about it as I got older. However, a few years ago my family ordered it for one of our game consoles for my two younger sisters and I to play and I've downloaded a newer version of it on my iPad to play as well. Even though it's an older game, I would encourage others to play it because not only is it entertaining, but it allows you to go through different levels, experience different ways to play the same game, play with friends or solo, and it's a classic game that most people have at least heard of if they haven't actually played it. The basic game-play of Frogger is that you  have to hop across a street in between cars, avoiding getting run over and then you have to cross a pond on logs and turtles to get to the other side and capture flies. It's a very simple, entertaining game. As I said, there are other versions you can play as well including hopping through a dark room that is only lit up where your frog is and you have to navigate around the level trying to find the flies you must capture, without getting stung by a bee (or something to that extent). This version (Frogger, made in 1997), with the different levels, is my favorite version to play and it makes me become very competitive. Since Frogger's first appearance in video games there have been countless follow-up games.

How it feels to be a Rolling Stone

I never used to be a fan of Miley Cyrus. Sure, I watched her TV show Hannah Montana on Disney Channel in high school but I never really liked her, and I don’t really have a reason for that. I guess I just didn’t like the way she acted or presented herself. All throughout her Hannah Montana days she changed drastically, but not for her own benefit, which I think is a reason why I was not so fond of her. However, after she completely changed her life and her image with a new hair cut, I began to like her more. She is more real and she is being herself. At least, that’s how I see it. Her most recent album, Bangerz, which came out in October 2013, tells a story about what she went through in her personal life since making said changes. “Someone Else” especially portrays the relationship she had, which ended, with Liam Hemsworth. I loved this album. It’s fun, it makes you want to dance, and it shows another side of Miley that we haven’t been exposed to before her change of character. “Do My Thang” is a fun, catchy song with a good beat that demonstrates her belting talents and her new “I don’t care” attitude. Although she may act crazy and be very different from what we remember her to be like, she is being young and free. She even expresses herself with some explicit language, which I think fits her new image just fine. Because of this album, I have grown to love who she has become musically. However, I will admit that she should tone down on her craziness. 

Expression Yourself

I hand drew these expressions of Tinkerbell, a Disney fairy. I drew her using these expressions: sassy, pouty, disappointment, laughing, worried, happy, silly, sad, angry, and serious.While drawing these expressions I noticed it's much harder than it looks to keep drawing the same face the same way, but changing tiny things about the face. Without specific parts of Tinkerbell's hair or face being present it didn't even look like her and I found that very interesting. For each expression I felt differently about drawing. I drew these specific expressions to try to show a variety of faces for Tinkerbell. I wanted to show positive emotions and negative emotions. The way I numbered each expression is based on how they're placed on the page. Here are some thoughts for each emotion:
1. Sassy - This is the second expression I drew. I wanted to show Tinkerbell's sassy side, because we all know she has an attitude. I had to watch how I drew her eyes, her eyebrows, and her mouth in order to make sure I was conveying her "sassiness" correctly.
2. Pouty - I think pouty is a classic Tinkerbell look, at least in her newer animation movies on Disney Channel. I have been exposed to those movies because my little sister is enthusiastic about them. I like the way her mouth is smaller and her eyes are looking away, as if she's really annoyed.
3. Disappointment - I tried to put her mouth higher than in the other expressions because I thought it would convey the emotion better. I also made Tinkerbell's eyebrows pointing down and added some wrinkles in between her eyes to help show the emotion.
4. Laughing - When I first started drawing this I couldn't get the eyes to look like they were really closed and then I had trouble with the mouth. I tried focusing on Tinkerbell's eyelashes before realizing they weren't most important in this expression.
5. Worried - For this expression I drew Tinkerbell's eyes differently than what I had been drawing for the others. I made the eyes more round, shaped the eyebrows upward, and widened the mouth to show the distress on Tinkerbell's face.
6. Happy - This is the first drawing I did. I only wanted to draw one full body drawing and I wanted it to be one where Tinkerbell wasn't showing any specific emotion, so I draw just a simple smile. At first I forgot the eyebrows and she looked funny, and then I realized what I was missing.
7. Silly - This is the last expression I drew. I wanted it to be different from all the others and what I had been missing was something not-so-serious, so I drew a silly face. I wanted the eyes crossed and her tongue sticking out to show Tinkerbell's silly side.
8. Sad - This expression was one of the more simpler ones. I wanted Tinkerbell's eyebrows to show this emotion, as well as her eyes being a little closed. This one I didn't even draw eyelashes because it would have taken the emotion away.
9. Angry - This was a more complex expression to draw because of the extra detail it needed. I drew Tinkerbell's eyebrows downward, made her mouth more open, and added some wrinkles in between her eyes to show this emotion.
10. Serious - With this expression I wanted her mouth to be smaller and less expressive. Tinkerbell's eyebrows show the expression most, along with the wrinkles in between her eyes.

Think You Know My Avatar? 3

*Play before reading.* Cleo is an adventurous mermaid who loves experiencing new things. However, it is very difficult for her to be able to do this because humans and pirates are always trying to find her all the the other mermaids and mermen in Atlantis. She is often the leader of her friends and always looks out for her loved ones because she is outspoken, yet gentle. She is well liked by everyone. Cleo is a very loving soul and always sees the good in people. (If Cleo's personality was in a game she would be the main character who looks for adventures but still finds herself in some sticky situations that she and her friends/family have to take care of.) 

Think You Know My Avatar? 2

*Play before reading.* Metal Rat is a typical villain. He always has to come out on top and do whatever it takes to get there. He will take down anyone who gets in his way, making sure he is the ultimate winner. He is selfish and condescending. He doesn't care about anyone but himself and sometimes he doesn't really even care about himself. All he is ever really concerned about is being better than the greatest villains of all time. He has his own underground layer, that no one has been able to find, but people search for it all the time. He's almost like a legend, a myth if you will. No one knows whether to believe if he really exists or not, but nearly everyone has tried to search for him. (If Metal Rat's personality was involved in a game he would obviously be the villain. He wouldn't have anyone helping him, he would do his villainous activities alone only the strongest superheros would be able to beat him at his own game.)

Think you know my Avatar? 1

 

*Play before reading* Coral is a normal college student who is very book-smart and shy around people. She's in her third year of college at a small university in California. She desperately wishes she could be outgoing and ready for anything, but every time she tries to put herself out of her comfort zone, she chickens out and runs back to her two-bedroom apartment to vent to her roommate, Ella. Ella is exactly the opposite of Cora, yet somehow they've managed to stay friends since they met in middle school. Coincidentally, they ended up going to the same university. You would naturally think anyone who lives in California is upbeat and outgoing simply because of the location. California is generally thought to be a place with a lot going on, where the people are very social and the party never stops. However, Cora is an exception to this assumption and she just hasn't found anyone else who really understands her. Not even Ella understands everything about her. (If Cora's personality was involved in a game, she would be the helpful sidekick. This way, she could meet someone new and still be her helpful, timid self.)

Words + Image

This video is mainly to be focusing on practicing visual framing. The pictures are supposed to illustrate the words in the poem. I do not take credit for the poem, the pictures, or the song.

I, Wonder Woman

This is an audio clip of me pleading for a superpower, as if I were talking to someone who could actually grant me the ability to teleport from place to place.

A link to this audio clip is provided below, courteous of SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/alissa-heffner/i-wonder-woman

Sound Library

1. Baker Center: First Floor: people playing pool: (1:00)

I chose this sound because of the people talking, the quiet concentration, and the balls hitting the sides of the table. You can sense the anticipation of what might happen considering how well the players are doing and how concentrated they are on the game.

2. Baker Center: First Floor: someone playing the piano: (1:00)

I chose this sound because I love the sound of the piano. It’s absolutely beautiful, calm, and peaceful. The way someone plays the piano shows his or her feelings. They may sway and close their eyes trying to concentrate.

3. Baker Center: First Floor: people typing on their computers: (0:20)

I chose this sound because I can hear it from many people. Some could be typing fast to finish an assignment due in a few hours and some could be typing slow because they’re tired. The sounds of the keyboard can always sound a little different.

4. Baker Center: First Floor: tour guides beginning their tours: (0:45)

I chose this sound because I have wanted to be a tour guide since I started going here. I like hearing how they start off the tour and begin telling the high schoolers and parents facts about Ohio University.

5. Baker Center: First Floor: people mingling at West 82: (0:45)

I chose this sound because of all the chatter you hear. It sounds like muffled talk but if you really listen, you can hear all types of different conversations. You can tell how comfortable people are with each other by the content of the conversation.

6. Baker Center: Fourth Floor: cashiers in Bobcat Essentials ringing up customers: (0:30)

I chose this sound because I often like to go in that store to see what they have that’s new in stock. Usually I don’t end up staying very long, I just browse for a few minutes, but it’s interesting to hear different things people are buying.

7. Baker Center: Fourth Floor: escalators moving: (0:30)

I chose this sound because I go through Baker Center  almost every day during the week and I always hear the escalators. Sometimes when people walk on them they make loud noises like they’re shaking or there’s a loud beep for what seems like no reason.

8. Baker Center: Fourth Floor: elevator doors opening: (0:30)

I chose this sound because sometimes I can only hear the elevator sometimes. Hearing the elevator doors makes me think of other elevators. Some are louder, some are softer, but they all make some sort of noise like banging together or people talking when the walk in or out.

9. Baker Center: Fourth Floor: Front Room baristas announcing everyone’s orders: (0:15)

I chose this sound because I drink a lot of coffee so when I’m in the Front Room I usually order coffee and have to patiently await my order. Listening to each name makes me think something different. Some people have exotic names, while others have generic names.

10. Baker Center: Fourth Floor: music playing in the Front Room: (1:15)

I chose this sound because the Front Room mostly plays mainstream music, music that everyone knows mostly from the radio. I always like hearing music I know more than music I don’t. Most people seem to just block the music out with their conversations, though I know it would seem extremely weird and quiet if there was no music playing.

Animating a Word

The word "train" moves in an animated way, imitating the way a real train would move. The way the "train" struggles up the hill and falls back down shows how a real "train" might act. I also added a small touch to this animation with the puffs of smoke from the train to add another realistic aspect to the animation. 

Characters All Around Us

Description:

In class, I heard these two girls talking about how one of them did not want to go on a date with some guy who has apparently been repeatedly asking her out. I’ve heard them talk before, because I sit right next to them in every one of our classes coincidentally. The “talker,” we’ll name Kayla, seems like the type of girl who is overly confident in themselves, and not in a good way. You might put her into the “snob” archetype. It seemed to me that her motivation was to be wanted but to reject the poor guy who just wants to have lunch and get to know her better. For all she knows, he could just want to be friends because he likes her personality. The “listener,” we’ll name Susan, seems like the more down to earth, innocent, agreeing type of girl. You could put her into the “girl next door” archetype. This girl used the pseudo listening skills by merely agreeing to our “talker” in this situation and asking some small questions, letting the “talker” lead most of the conversation. She said things like, “Mhm, sounds like he’s very interested in you.” And our “talker” replies, “Of course he wants to date me, but I kept giving him excuses like I’m too busy to go have lunch or coffee with him. I’m totally not interested.” How can these two girls possibly be put into a friendship together? What could they possibly have in common?

Script:

Kayla: So guess who I ran into yesterday at that club meeting I told you about! *smirks*

Susan: Who?

Kayla: It was Dan, AGAIN. Honestly, that boy is trying way too hard. I was on the phone with my mom on my way back to my room and he overheard me talking to her. I lied and told my mom I wasn’t walking home alone and then he ran over to me like automatically.

Susan: What did he say?

Kayla: He just asked me to go on a date with him for like the millionth time. *rolls eyes* I keep telling him I’m too busy, hoping he’ll just stop.

Susan: Oh, yeah. Maybe he’ll get the hint sometime soon.

Kayla: You know what I had to pull? The boyfriend card. Yeah. He just won’t stop. He literally will not take no for an answer.

Susan: Yeah, that totally sucks.

Kayla: He kept asking me for a time when I’m not busy and I was viciously racking my brain for anything to say to get out of it. *she says as she flails her arms showing her “racking her brain”*

Susan: *chuckles a little* Poor guy.

Kayla: He asked me for a date, to go to lunch, to go to dinner, or to go for coffee and I was finally just like, ya know I really just can’t, I’m sooooo busy, sooorrrrry. And plus, I could totally never see myself with a guy like him.

Susan: Yeah, definitely not.

Kayla: He’s really not my type and I don’t know how to gently tell him I’m not interested. Like AT ALL. It’s like there’s really no way he’ll understand.

Susan: *laughs more* Sounds like you’ve got a real problem on your hands.

Kayla: *laughs* Yeah, can you imagine having someone like that constantly following you around waiting for you to finally just go out with him. It’s kind of sad actually. He really should just get the hint already. It’s a good thing he doesn’t have my number.

Susan: Oh man, what if he did?

Kayla: I really don’t know what I’d do with myself. I’d probably have to go into hiding! *one loud laugh* HA!

Susan: *smirks* Ha, I guess so. What else could you do?

Sliding Stop

This is two flowers in a flower pot, with expressions, sliding across the screen running into a tree. It shows how the flower pot wobbles after running into the tree. This is my first background creation.

Ball Bounce 2

This Ball Bounce represents the different weights between the bowling ball and the bouncy ball.