Minor Project

Yeoh Wen Jun ( 0334234 )

Minor Project

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INSTRUCTION

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Week 1

 In the first week, we were given a brief by Mr.Mike. We get to know that there will be two topics for us which is Hotel Boutique and Water Rescue. For the Hotel Boutique project, we will have the chance to work with the student from other courses at Taylor's University. Meanwhile, for the water rescue project, we will have the chance to work with the student from West Bohemia University, Czech Republic. There is limited slot for the water rescue project and there will be only 3 teams.

We were asked to group up before the next class. My friend invited me to join the water rescue project as it will be a good chance that we can interact and learn from the foreign students. So, I joined Chin Han's group with Adeel. Both of them are from Graphic Design and I'm from Animation & VFX.

Fg.1.0 Group Members

Week 2

Mr.Mike told us what we gonna start to do during the class. Basically, we need to start doing research on floods, either in Malaysia or the Czech Republic. That is because we gonna create a product that can be used in both countries. Hence, my group started the research. We created a MiroBoard and we wrote down everything there. ( https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_lKhJJUg=/ )

Fg.1.1 Progression on Miro Board

On Friday, we had our first meeting with our teammates from West Bohemian University this week. It was quite awkward at the beginning but once we switched on our camera and talked together, we got along pretty well. During the meeting, we shared our knowledge about floods. I know that the Czech Republic has a “Water Rescue Department” but in Malaysia, we have only a Water Rescue unit in the Fire and Rescue Department. After the meeting, our leader emailed the Fire and Rescue Department to get permission for an interview.

Week 3

This week we did some survey forms by using Google Form. We realize that it is hard to collect at least 70 responses because not many people around us experienced floods. Also, language could be one of the issues for those who never learn English, so I made a Mandarin version while Chin Han made a BM version. After that, I tried to join some groups on FB (related to natural disasters, survey form helping). I found a group that is really helpful to collect responses. Many students were posting their survey form there and they were helping each other to fill in. ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurveyGroupMY )
We are still not able to visit the fire station for an interview as we haven't received an email reply from them.

Mandarin Version:
https://forms.gle/oQAgv3qrcBXnxT9b9

ENG Version:
https://forms.gle/wEzHnyaHD3FkYQ3j7

Fg.1.1 Group that I found on FB

This week, we also brainstormed some ideas and searched for some references. Fg.1.2 shows our progression on Miro Board.

Fg.1.2 Progression on Miro Board

Week 4

From what the lecturers told us this week, I totally understand and agree that we should find out a problem first before creating ideas for the product. Before we have the idea for a product, we need to know what kind of problem we want to solve, where the problem happens usually, the product is created for who, why we need that product. To understand all this, we will need to create a scenario and imagine we were there. 

After the class, each of us decided to came out with a few ideas and I did come out with 2 ideas. 

Ideation 1 and 1.1 A Lifebuoy for Car

What kind of problem?: Water gets into car and the door can't be open for the driver to run away.

When?: When the flood happens too fast and the driver doesn't have enough time to run away.

For who?: Driver/people in car

Where: City/town that flood happen often

Why this product?: Car can float on water and avoid water getting into the car.

Fg.1.3 Ideation 1

Fg.1.4 Ideation 1.1

Ideation 2 Emergency Breaker

What kind of problem?: People stuck in the attic and could not break the roof.

When?: When the victim trying to go higher in their house and trap themselves in the attic.

For who?: For people who are having an attic at home.

Where: City/town that flood happen often

Why this product?: This product can help to break the roof, window, or even door (to escape) at a more safe distance. Also can help to float.

Fg.1.5 Ideation 2

Week 5

This week, the Czech University invited a student who specializes in water rescue to attend the class. The reason for inviting her is to let us interview. During the interview, we can ask anything we are not sure about water rescue. So, I came up with a question. In the Czech Republic, will the water rescuer go to all the places that the flood occurred or just the places where the flood is more serious. Initially, it sounds like they don't really understand what I am asking, probably need to improve my communication skills when they speak a different language. Luckily they understood the question after Mr.Mike helped me explain it to them. From their reply, what I understand is they do not lack of water rescuers and probably their water rescuers went to all places that flood. After the Q&A session, the lecturers extended the deadline to week 8, giving us more time to do some more research.

Hence, we came out with 3 new idea:

- Head, Neck & Spinal Injuries

- Problem with Localization

- Problem with Communication

My groupmate Jonas has an idea for the problem with communication, which is to create a helmet that provides a communication system. He also provides some solution: 

solution is an add-on module to the rescue helmet

All radios will be in one device

Also it could help with the communication in team

It would be a type of handsfree device

Sound conduction along the bones would be used, so that the rescuer can hear the surrounding sounds

Hence, I decided to do some sketches so that I can help in designing the appearance of the helmet. Before I started to sketch, I did some research about rescuer helmets, and below are some of the useful videos:

Below are my sketches:

Fg.1.6 Helmet Sketches

When I show the helmet to Jonas, he says that it is a good design but he is not sure with the microphone. He is not sure if it will work. Due to lack of experience in product design, I can't come out with a fully functional product. I think my sketch is just good for visuals but doesn't really work.

Week 6

We were suggested to work on something that no one created before or we need to show why our product is special from the others. 

During our group meeting, Jonas told us that his lecturer suggested us to work on the helmet and spine & head injuries. Because the “problem with localization” is very common and we should design something that no one has made before. From Mr.Mike, spine & head injuries happen more for water sports but not flood, it will not be the best choice. Mr.Mike gave us a very good suggestion which is to design a helmet that can be separated into parts as the helmet will have a shield, mic, radio, and so on. I think this is a very good idea for us to continue our development. 

Week 7

Public Holiday

Week 8

This week is Independent Learning Week, but my group did meet up to complete our slide for next week's presentation. We compiled everything that we have prepared on Miro Board and the leader assign the parts for each member to present. Below is the presentation slide that we did:

Week 9

We presented our data collection, product, and our company (name, logo, and market) to the lecturers this week. And the lecturers of West Bohemia University complimented the way we name our company, I feel really happy about it. From the comment from the lecturers, it sounds like the effort that we put in does worth it. However, I know that this is just a good beginning for us, we have to put in our effort to continue to come out with good work.

Week 10

There is nothing much I can do this week as I’m still waiting for the 3D model from Czech students. I need to know how the model will be rendered then only I can decide which style the video should be. However, I collected some video references for my groupmate to make sure they know what I am going to do. Also to incase they didn’t provide us the 3D model, our plan B is go with 2D illustration style. Then, I also collected some 2D illustration motion graphics and put them on our Miro Board.

Fg.1.7 Planning of the Video

I also try to practice creating a 3D model in Maya incase the Czech student doesn't provide us the model. Below is my simple practice in Maya:

Fg.1.8 Simple 3D modeling warm up

Hopefully, they will send us the 3D model soon, or else it will be a nightmare for me as the workload is really terrible currently.

Week 11

Mr.Mike told us that there is no need to make everything from scratch especially for the video teaser, a stock video could work as the pandemic that was going around where we could not go out and shoot the materials that we needed. 

We showed Mr.Mike our plan about the deliverables. Mr.Mike went through our art direction of posters and promoting videos. He says that our art direction is consistent enough and we are good to move to the next step which is preparing a draft. He told me that the video I’m gonna make cannot be called Channel Identity as we are not creating it for a channel, it should be called as a video teaser. He also suggested to me a website that provides free stock videos. I think this is really helpful for me as I never knew there was a website providing those short videos. However, in the future, if I’m gonna need those kinds of videos, I have to learn to film them as those videos are for educational purposes and for nonprofit use.

 
Luckily we received the 3D model from Jonas this week, but there is some issues. The 3D object sent by Jonas does not come with colors. I tried to use Maya to apply material for it but it doesn't work as the helmet and head are "in one". If I change the material and color of the helmet, the head will change too. Then I try to explore with other software. And I found that I can import the 3D object to Photoshop and paint it. But the problem comes again. The colour doesn't go well as shown in Fg.1.8:

Fg.1.8 Painting 3D object on Photoshop

I have really no idea how to solve this and it has taken me a long time. At last, I told my groupmate who is doing the poster to just use the PNG rendered by Jonas. Also, I received a short animation of the 3D helmet from Jonas this week. But the movement of the video still needs to be improved. Hence, I edited the original video on Premiere Pro before I import it to After Effects to do motion graphics. Fg.1.9 shows my progression on Premiere Pro:

Fg.1.9 Progression on Premiere Pro

Then I started to sketch my storyboard.

Fg.1.9 Storyboard Part 1

Fg.2.0 Storyboard Part 2

Original Helmet Animation from Jonas:

Edited Helmet Animation:

Lastly, I did a video draft to show how the lecturer and my groupmates how the video gonna be. Below is the draft:

Week 12

We showed Mr.Mike the video that I have done. Mr. Mike says that the words look a bit too bold. From my view, I agree that the words are too big. Other than that, the others are fine but he also says that our progression is slower than his expectation. I guess I have to complete the video by next week's consultation. 

Based on the feedback given by Mr. Mike and my groupmates I did some edit and how them before I continue the whole video. Below is the edited version of draft 1:

Hence, I decided to complete the whole video by this week and I started to continue the other composition in Adobe After Effects. And below is my outcome:

Week 13

I showed the completed video to my group mates during a meeting and they gave me some feedback which is to make some scenes quicker, Mercury1 change to Mercury-01, use the original logo for the last (the one with the orange) and lastly simple structure to “user-friendly”. After that, I quickly complete the change so that I can focus on my other projects first. 

For video teaser:

• make some scenes quicker

• Mercury1 change to Mercury-01

•  use the original logo for the last (the one with the orange)

•  simple structure to “user-friendly”

Then, I edited the video based on the feedback given and below is the outcome:

Week 14

I showed Mr.Mike the completed video and he says that everything looks good to go. And after he watched it a few times, he came out with some comments. Firstly, for the “come with light source” and “eye protection” scene, it will be better if I add motion to guide the audience to the direction where to look at. Then, maybe I can introduce more about bone conduction tech so that the people who hear it for the first time can have more understanding of it.

For the video teaser:

•  “Come with light source” and “eye protection” scenes, it will be better if  motion for guiding the audience to the direction where to look is added. 

• try to introduce more about bone conduction.

Again I edited the video for the last time as this will be our last consultation. And below is my finalized Posoteria Mercury-01 Teaser Video:

Week 15

As there will be a Final Presentation next week, we were required to make a presentation slide. Also, we get to know that there will be visitors from China. Then, my group decided to have a meeting so that we can't create the slide together. Below is the slide that we create:

Week 16

This week Tuesday was our Final Presentation day. Finally, we have moved to the last steps and everything does go well. There were not much questions from the lecturer after our presentation. The only problem that we have is our product supposed to sell for those big industries or even government, we might need to consider about that in the future. Overall, Mr.Mike says that it will not be a problem for this project, so I guess we did it well? 

From this project, I found that communication is really important to work in a team. We should always inform the group members about our progression so that they will not worry about it. Other than that, I found out that I'm still not strong enough in 3D modeling skills. I'm still lack of knowledge about 3D models like we can import 3D models in Photoshop or After Effects. However, I know that I have not reached my groupmates' expectations but I would say that I have tried my best.