The document outlines various practical and technical problems related to an animation project involving plasticine, paper, and scissors. It discusses challenges such as the sufficient quantity of materials, potential risks of blending colors, managing resources like paper, and handling tools like scissors safely while ensuring the animation quality. The author also addresses technical issues with camera settings and software stability that may hinder the production process, alongside mitigation strategies to prevent these challenges.

1. Problem Solving
Joe Duffy

2. Practical & Technical Problems

3. Plasticine
An issue I might come across in using plasticine is the quantity. What I mean by that is, a certain colour may have far more
use in the overall animation than another and so that is likely to run out. This could become an issue if I require more of the
same type of plasticine to finish the set, and there is none left. Therefore, I would either have to use another colour which
could potentially look out of place or sacrifice whatever part I was going to construct which might leave a part of the room
or even the character feeling incomplete.
One of the ways to combat this is, of course, what I previously mentioned by using a different colour instead. I would select
the plasticine most similar out of the selection or maybe even try mixing two colours to get as I can to the missing colour.
These options are a little risky as they could easily still come out differently to what I had hoped when shot for the
animation, so if worse comes to worst I could just buy another pack of plasticine, perhaps even buying just a pack of the
colour needed since its importance may be worth having a larger amount of it.
As I mentioned before, plasticine has the potential to blend and therefore create new colours. However, this could become
an issue if done unintentionally. When I try to stick different coloured plasticines together parts could stick too firmly and
blend into another part, decreasing the amount of a certain colour I can use or making something which, for example, I
wished to be brown bluer if the character’s blue skin interacted with it during the animation. It would almost seem as
though the character had a disease that contaminated thing it touched!
I would attempt to be careful when joining objects together from different coloured plasticine, especially with the character
as they would have many parts put together in a smaller frame. I would potentially have the shaping of the different
aspects already defined so I wouldn’t have to squeeze hard to stick parts together. So as an example, the character’s legs
would already have a flat enough top to smoothly connect to the flat bottom of the torso, with each being at around the
same shape so not many further shuffling of the parts to match the natural size they should be. I would assume the
armature the character would be structured around would help in the more clinical approach to the limbs and head’s
connections as well.

4. Paper
A potential issue that could happen with my paper usage is the amount I have. While I will attempt to restrain myself from creating many, many frames of motion for each of
the dog’s moves, I would assume I will still create many variants of it. And I think it is wishful thinking to believe I could draw each of these movements without fault on my
first attempt. I think many of the dog drawings will need several attempts to be done correctly, in the dog having a consistent design, each motion being done in the right
amount to the last frame and the pencil or pen lines being clean so the pet is easy to see. With all of these in mind, there is a real chance I could run out of paper in
production which would slow the process down a lot, as there’s a chance I would need to insert drawings I have yet to do that fit the scene. I probably wouldn't be able to
draw all of the dog’s parts before or away from the main set as there might be parts where I realise I need a different movement from the dog for the scene.
The obvious way to tackle this complication is to buy a lot of paper, which would be effective but probably not a benefit for my budget. It’s more of a final solution if I find any
other doesn’t pan out. To avoid wasting paper on failed attempts, I could practise faintly on the cartridge paper before going in with a darker line or use regular paper to get
the general positioning right and replicate it on the production sheet. This would mean less paper is wasted with bad drawings and I can refine each frame. An idea that is
probably a bit weaker is planning as well as I can so I don’t have to add any new drawings during production. Why I say this is flimsier is because I can’t properly visualise what
actions are going to be performed by the characters until I am doing the work as no mind map or storyboard can go through each frame of the animation. So, while I think
basic movements like sleeping or a walk cycle might be more manageable without the set, slightly more complex interactions would be hard to pre-visualise.
A risk I could face while using the paper is potentially cutting myself. This could be while drawing the dog, cutting out the drawing and handling it during the production.
While in the process of just carrying the paper around to draw or do stop-motion with, the thicker and, I believe, sharper edges could easily cut through a finger which
would not only hurt me, but any blood could stain the paper and render it unusable which would be terrible for my production. I believe I will use a craft knife to cut out my
dog as it feels a lot more accurate going around the specific drawing and it doesn’t affect the paper around it so other drawings won’t be bent by a pair of scissors. However,
it does have a sharp edge so I could lose my grip on the device and get hurt in the process.
To avoid this plausible concern, I will be careful to handle the paper to a point where its edges are unlikely to rub against my hands and inflict damage. This goes for
transporting it from place to place and especially when doing the stop-motion as I wouldn’t want to bleed on the set! As for the craft knife, if I ever get tired from the
concentration of pushing it down enough to cut, or my fingers start to ache, instead of keeping going and potentially slipping up, I’ll give my hands a break so they can stay
stable while holding the knife.
Another problem that I might find with the paper is how it functions inside my animation. The premise of the character being plasticine and the dog being made out of
paper may be difficult to perform, with the dog moving through a 3D space and interacting with models. I know the idea is absurd, but it would still be nice to pull off the
effect convincingly without the separate parts looking awkward as the dog travels through it. The major part about this issue is that the plot revolves around the fact this pet
is made out of paper, so I need it to function decently for the story’s sake.
So I can make the animation run smoothly with the paper in a 3D plain, I will conduct at least one experiment where a paper object has some form of interaction with a
plasticine object. This will give me a bit of experience with the materials before I begin production, so I can see what works with the interactions, and what I should improve
upon when I make, for example, the dog hug its owner. There might even be tutorials on the subject that will give me a better understanding of how it is done professionally.

5. Scissors
As with the paper, the scissors role in my animation is essential. However, I don’t know how I would make the
inanimate object move without it looking very stilted against the freer flowing plasticine and even the paper’s
movement. The first technical aspect I would have to deal with is the mere walking of the scissors. With the
plasticine, due to their stickiness it’s easier to plant them firmly on the floor, and the paper can be supported by
some kind of glue behind the paper but the scissors don’t have that capability. Being three dimensional, there is
no place to hide what holds them up in their moving, and no part of the tool keeps them upright. I was planning
on having the scissors dig into the cardboard ground but that won’t keep them up and even if they did, it would
have to work for every motion the scissors did which is highly unlikely.
I would have to research techniques that would allow me to freely move the scissors and be able to make
whatever support I use for the tool to be invisible to the audience. One way of doing this would be masking a
potential attachment to a part of the scissors by taking a picture of the frame without the scissors, and then
placing it in the shot where the action is actually happening, while editing out the support in editing. I am not
sure whether I would have to do this for every frame, as other parts are moving in the images, or I could just do a
shot for each angle the scissors would be viewed from. I really hope it’s the latter.
As with the paper, the scissors could obviously cut me when I move it between shots. This is even more likely by
the fact its blades will be spread to act as legs that waddle through the room so while adjusting the scissors
movements, I will likely have to touch the sharper parts rather than just the handles.
I will attempt to avoid hurting myself by holding the blades with delicacy and perhaps move them by the flatter
side which should decrease potential risk. Maybe using a support structure on the scissors, if I find a way to use
the support effectively, to move the object will be a safer way to go about it but it may not be as accurate to be in
the right position.

6. Camera
One issue I have with the camera is that I don’t understand many of the settings it has. This could be an issue as a setting that is selected may hinder the image quality of
my work and I wouldn’t even know how to tweak the camera so that it works for my benefit. This has happened in the past, where the automatic lighting effects of the
camera has rendered my images much darker or brighter, having only realised later on in my production. This caused me to have to retake shot after manually changing
the lighting to be better suited. This would be a major issue for my animation as there is the potential I would be shooting in different locations with a variety of light
sources, so being able to take some control over how I can modify the light on the camera could possibly help with consistency. Another issue I had in my past production
was the camera’s understanding of processing the image it took, saving it either on its side or even upside down. That happened without much reason, with my best guess
being the light reflecting off certain parts of the shot but that is a bizarre in on of itself. It slowed down my work rate tremendously as I had to keep retaking photographs
until it finally decided to pick the right scale for the animation.
I believe the easiest way to understand the vital settings on the camera that will benefit the animation would be by asking my tutor what I should do to avoid any problems
I could run into. I would hope to understand what I’m hoping to avoid before production starts but I wouldn’t be lying if I assumed a lot of my questioning will come during
the process as inconveniences are bound to show up at that point. I could also do some research online into supportive settings, but I think I would better understand
when I am actually shown what is what as well as the fact I may not even have the camera to look at while online. As for the random image angles, I am hoping as the
camera will be placed, for the most part, at a flat angle facing the entire living room set, it should be well adjusted to taking landscape imagery.
A problem I think could become apparent is the battery life on the camera. Obviously, if the camera did shut down it would not help me to try conserving time as best I
can. I would need to obtain a new battery, get the camera back in position and make sure all the settings are correct before recommencing work. I may even lose some of
the photographs I took before it shut down, I am not entirely sure on how trust-worthy the saving is on a camera.
To avoid this inevitability for as long as possible, I will first of all make sure my battery is completely charged so I can start without a hitch. During my production, I will turn
the camera off when I know I will be spending a longer portion of time, so I conserve the battery life while the camera is not in use. This will be helpful as with stop-
motion, it takes a long time to move all the parts to the right place and insert any extra parts.
As I don’t think all of my production will be strictly in the College, I will have to book out the camera for use elsewhere. However, I am worried by the fact I won’t be able to
as I need to do so in advance, and I may not know exactly when would be the optimal time to take it. So I would have to hope I can select the right times otherwise I won’t
be able to do any production.
As a first solution, I could make educated guesses as to when I should acquire the camera by seeing when I could make the most use of it. This would be the days I am off,
with the weekend and Monday and Wednesday being the primary options. I just have to hope no one else takes all of the cameras. The best case scenario is that I can keep
using the same camera, as its settings would keep the animation’s consistency but that is wishful thinking. Another, less favourable, option is going in on my days off by
contacting my tutors and doing the work there. This could be trouble as I don’t know who I would be sharing the room with, and how they might not understand the
requirements I need to do my work successfully. I also wouldn’t be able to do this during the weekend so those two days wouldn’t be very fruitful for production.

7. Computer & Software
Many things can become very annoying issues to deal with when putting efficiency and my computer at College together. Using the experience
of my last project, I believe that Premiere is a very unstable piece of software to rely on. The program became intensely slow with each part I
added, so that by the end I had to hope all of the video would move smoothly past rendering because playing it on Premiere was like watching
a PowerPoint presentation. It also made it so any audio I implemented was difficult to properly sync as the visuals couldn’t keep up and
sometimes froze while the music played. There even points where the Mac just crashed completely so I had to restart the entire computer to
get back to creating my video. And while it hasn’t happened to me, yet that is, I could potentially suffer a power outage which could delete the
process I made beforehand and set me back with no warning.
I don’t think there is a great amount I can do to stop the Mac being generally bad at processing which will not be fun as I assume a lot of
images will be imported into the Premiere software, which will undoubtably cause the computer to run badly. I could ask a tutor to try fixing
its issues for me, or switch Macs for the production but it would be a hassle saving it all over to my primary computer in the end. The most I
can do is save regularly so that if my Mac does act up, then at least I know I won’t have lost much substantial work. I will go even further by
saving the production onto OneDrive so that any computer that can access the software I need, will be able to open the work from the Cloud.
This means if my Mac decides to complete break, I still edit my animation from another computer.
Another problem I could find is using various computers and their software. The reason I believe this could be a predicament is that certain
tools wouldn’t be available in older versions, or slightly modified in newer ones. In the case of Photoshop, a document made on say… 2019
wouldn’t be accessible on the 2015 model. This could be a real crisis as the version I have at home is older than the one in my usual classroom,
and one of the rooms we move to during the week also has an older version. With all of this in mind, it seems as though it will be
tremendously difficult to make sure whatever software I need will be available on every system I use with all of the equipment I require
throughout the editing process.
A potential way of getting around this, at College at least, could be asking to remain on the same computer through the entire day instead of
transferring to a different one. This idea isn’t that strong however, as I would still struggle with editing at home unless I did go into College on
my free days except the weekend, as well as the Tutor not being able to help as they would be in another room with the rest of the class. And
as I mentioned before, I would be stranded on the weekends as I wouldn’t have access to the newer models of the software at College. The
only other way I can see potential access to all computers is by opening the document in the older version as newer software can accept that.
However, I would have to hope when I start the editing, I happen to be on a computer that uses the right model of software otherwise it
would be a struggle to hope I find the right one. Honestly, I hope I can find a legitimate way to get over this obstacle because I am having a
hard time thinking of one at the moment!

8. Techniques
While the core of my work, the stop-motion could still pose a tricky situation for me. Certain motions for the characters will likely leave me a
little perplexed as to how I should make them. This could be a certain motion like standing from a chair, trying to decide how the upper half
of the character would push off into a standing position. This would be especially the case when I have the characters interact, with the paper
pet especially as its lack of three dimensions will certainly make me have to think about how it interacts with its owner and the scissors, along
with the general environment.
I will have to practise some of the basic movements of the characters outside of the actual production to get a hang on how I would portray
each frame of motion, and do test runs on the set so the interactive segments. I could even record doing some of the motions myself and
watch the footage to see what each part of the body does in the video, replicating the substantial characteristics in my animation. The only
issue would be finding a suitable position to film the action so it appears clear but I am sure I could find or make a platform to do so.
The next part of the technical quality would be the position of the camera with each part of the animation. I think for the most part the
camera would be set with the entire room in picture, but it would zoom in on certain reactions or maybe just change the pace by giving a
different perspective. However, as the box we are using isn’t massive, I am worried that the camera may be too large to accurately zoom in
on an upward angle for instance without a lot of hassle. And while I wouldn’t have to move everything in the set, it would still be difficult to
move whatever is in the focus of the shot without disrupting the position of the camera. I would probably still have to think about everything
else's position anyway to keep a consistent timeline of events.
To avoid this annoyance, I could see if there are smaller cameras so that when I decide to go in for a different perspective of the animation, I
won't have to deal with balancing a much bulkier piece of equipment, and be able to do animating while the position of the shot is unlikely to
be knocked away. The issue with this idea is that I might need it as well as the regular camera at different locations and that might be difficult
to book out, as I won't know at what point I'll get to a position change for the animation. I could also try to find or perhaps even make a stand
that would make moving the camera much easier. There are tripods, but they probably don't go low enough to work in my work, especially if
I want to come in form a low angle. Although, if I put the set of the edge of a table and have the tripod on the floor next to it, the height of
the living room should allow the tripod to be low enough for a zoomed in head shot or even the prior upward angle. To avert bumping the
camera if I need a closer shot, I could try to adjust the zoom on the equipment so that it still has a clear image despite being far enough away
that hitting it is very unlikely.

9. Theoretical Problems

10. Transportation & Weather
A problem I can see arising in the transportation aspect of my production is the amount of parts I would have to take to each location. I would
definitely have to bring a camera and every part of the set and characters to these places, but there could potentially be other pieces of
equipment I require to go ahead in my stop-motion. For the production parts, I would have to be very delicate as to avoid possibly damaging
any segments otherwise I would have to spend time trying to rectify the harm. Carrying all of the stuff I need without potentially breaking it
would be a pain to do constantly in the weeks I am making it, and any fault that does occur would slow me down tremendously.
So that I don’t have to carry all of the equipment at all times, I could set myself what I want to make in the location I’m shooting and only take
the necessary equipment for that work. I would have less to carry and I would have a better idea of the apparatus’ use in the production since I
chose them especially. A way I could move all of the equipment at once is by vehicle. That way, I wouldn’t need to carry it all for longer
distances and I wouldn’t risk forgetting something as I would just take all the pieces. However, the reliability factor would not be high as I
couldn’t count on a car or something like that to be available whenever I needed it. Another piece of planning that would make the
transportation aspect easier for me is to leave, at least some of, my equipment at College for the next day. While that means I probably
wouldn’t do much to any work at home, I could still plan for what I will do the following day and create assets for then.
Another difficulty that could happen in the midst of transporting my work is bad weather, with rain and wind being the notable struggles to go
against. The already difficult job of possibly having to carry many delicate objects would be made worst by having to fight against a strong gale. I
would want to get out of it as quickly as possible but I would also have to make sure I don’t knock the things I am carrying around too much
which could lead to their downfall! With rain, the set and characters, the dog’s drawings especially, could get soaked and as the living room is
made of cardboard, it would absorb all the water it touches. This would utterly destroy the set and really set me back to the point where I
would have to give in entirely, so it would be best to avoid that. The same would go for the technology I would have in my possession, as the
water could easily form a fault in how they work. If I ran into both rain and wind, well... I don't think I'd bother trying to transport stuff at that
point.
To resist the elements, I would try to put all of the parts I am carrying in waterproof containment, like plastic bags and tubs. It will still be
difficult to carry it all, but at least then they are less likely to come to harm because of rain. As mentioned before, I could also use a car or even
public transport, although I don't know how easy it would be taking all the equipment on a bus for example. If worse comes to worst, I could
just wait until a decent enough day comes and then transport then, but I think that is leaving far too much up to chance.

11. Locations
When looking at the locations I could be working at during the production, I see there are potential issues I could run into. Other people in the class could be
talking to each other loudly while I attempt to work, easily distracting me. This lack of concentration could lead to a mistake like forgetting to move an aspect of
the animation which would make the video not as smooth flowing as I would like. From the classroom I use, the Drama students close by don't seem to take any
other class into consideration when they "perform", belting out their lines and chatting obnoxiously loud in between takes. Another distraction could happen in
the editing of my animation, as the person who sits beside me can occasionally begin sniggering at the videos they watch on the phone, which is quite irksome as I
am trying to focus on my work. As for working at home, I have a lot more liberty to get up and move around, so can be often distracted by other things, most
notably other technology. This means I spend less time in producing and so I stop my flow by doing other actions.
For the people in the classroom at least, I could ask them to be a little quieter. Hopefully, by being polite they'll understand and lower their voices when speaking
to each other. Unfortunately, I have serious doubts this would work all too well if I asked the Drama students to do the same. If they get truly unbearable, I could
always ask if there is a room that is far enough away so that I can have a bit more peace while producing my stop-motion. If these options still don't work, along
with the person next to me, I could wear ear buds to block out the noise as best I can. They might not stop all the noise but I would say they are the most reliable
option.
In each location I do my work in, I have to set up all the equipment I need every time. While this process already sounds monotonous, each time I put everything
out that I need to begin production, it has to be set up so that the image remains at the same quality. This means I have to tweak the position of the set and
characters as well as the other equipment so that it looks as though it never moved from the last place I worked on it. So overall, the process I have to go through
with every location change just to start animating is very time consuming.
To speed up the process of setting up, I could plan out the layout of the pieces beforehand so I can at least get the general placement out of the way quicker
before beginning to tweak them to better suit the image of the animation. With this in mind, I could ask for help from my tutor on where the best place would be
to set the equipment to get the best shot I can, and even ask for support in moving each part, that is if there is a lot of stuff. If not, I'm sure I'll be able to
accomplish it alone.
Going into a more specific problem, I think the different light sources in every location could pose a real problem as I try to do the stop-motion. I would have to
account for the lights in every area of the room I am working in, and where I was setting up my production. Many different variables would be put into how each
reflection hits my work and I feel that it may be overwhelming to try combatting them to keep the footage consistnet when converted into video.
The best I can do is to use artficial lighting so I don't have to depend on the lights in the room to try and match the animation I've already done. I can ask for
equipment that can block out light from the room onto my set, while getting lighting assets that I can affect and have more control over. I have to do this idea from
the start of production if I go through with it, so I know the images will be done with the same format of lights throughout.

12. Time
As I am always against time in every project I do, I thought I should talk about about my ideas to combat it while
interjecting the problems I often face in amongst it. The first thing I think I could do is to plan what I want to make
or do for the following day. I would do this after the current day's production and try to set a reasonable amount to
do next. I wouldn't want to overdo my expectations as I would ultimately try to match them, even if it burns me out.
However, this doesn't mean I can't do a little more than what tasks I've set myself, I just have to make sure I don't do
so much more that it exhausts me. This small bit of planning should allow me to just get on when I start production
instead of trying to figure out wat I should start with and how far I should go.
Another aspect of the project is creating accompanying products to the main piece but I will be ignoring that part,
at least until I am completely finished with the animation. If I attempt to begin making other parts of the product
while I am making the animation, I will get neither done to completion by the deadline so I don't even want to think
about it. The chances are I will finish the video by the skin of my teeth so I wouldn't have any extra time for it
anyway. I know that could affect my grade but honestly, I just want to produce the animation to its best outcome so
I am willing to sacrifice extra content so I have more time to complete my main focus.
During the production, I must have to understanding to know if I should cut a sequence or action from the plot if I
know it will be too time consuming to finish in the time. This would be difficult as I acknowledge the fact I find it
very hard to give up on any idea I have for a product I am making. But to make sure I can complete the ending of the
video; I think it would be worth giving up an earlier part. Hopefully, it won't come to that but, as a precaution, I
have to understand it’s a possibility that I need to consider.
Whenever I find I can't do any stop-motion production because I don't have all the equipment I need or some other
issue that means I can't progress with the video, I should create any pieces for the set that I haven't made yet. It
could be because I didn't have time before I wanted to begin working on the frames, as well as realising I needed
the extra parts for my work. This should help with my limited time as I wouldn't be wasting any time doing nothing
in the intervals of image taking. I would also be preparing for the futrue so that when I do haveb time to work on
the animation, I don't have to stop to create something required for the next part of the story or as a part of the
room.

13. FinanceWhen it comes to the finance, naturally the cost of materials I use to produce the animation may be costly. In my basic plans, I can see the set being made up of multiple components
to give the video an arts and crafts feel, pushing the fact the characters are uniquely created. Already, I can see price of each part of the animation being a fair amount as I would like
the room to be as decorated as possible, without feeling too cramped, so that it appears more interesting visually and lived in. While the total sum may seem expensive already, there
may be certain materials that are dearer than others like a brand new pair of scissors which will make the product's price high. An extra issue when it comes to this is that every
purchase may not even be usable in my animation, in either its practicality in creating the set, its ability to stand out and blend in with the rest of the room without looking out of
place, or in terms of its narrative function does it make the animating of the characters more difficult. If I find it has a negative impact on one of these points, I would rather not have
to use it. Therefore, I would need to pay for even more products so that I can eventually find the right material to utilise in my video which could add tremendously to the expense if I
need to correct many of the set's supplies.
Another issue that falls in line with the cost is where I need to buy even more equipment, if I run out of the original investment. I could see this becoming a legitimate issue as I could
use the material with whatever I originally wanted it for, and then come to realise it could be used for other parts of the living room and have to buy even more of the product. I think
the plasticine would be a key part of this, as I think it will have a fair amount of use in the production of my animation, and I could easily run out of the colour I need to fit into the
role I am creating it into. But this problem could spread into any other material I realise could have better use in many of the contents that fill the room.
One of the ways I could prevent the cost of the materials being higher than it needs to be would be by planning out what would be used for each part of the room. I would do this by
drawing out the furniture and accessories that fill the room and note the product that would be used to create it. That way, I could make a better judgement of the quantity I need to
buy so that I don't have to waste any money by realising a part of the set could do with even more of a particular substance while building it up. I could even use this planning to find
cheaper alternatives than what I might have been tempted with before as, for example, if I thought I needed lolly-pop sticks and a pack of ten was 70p. However, I realised I need
twenty lolly-pop sticks and there was a pack of twenty for £1 which is only 30p more expensive than the ten pack. Without the planning, I would have to buy another pack of ten
which would have made the overall price 40p pricier and so I would waste more money. I could simply take equipment I have no use for back to the shop to get a refund, although I
would have had to not use the product at all so I couldn't experiment to see if it was usable and it would take a fair amount of time to do so. Perhaps a better solution to this would
be by trying to find as much material found at home or in College that I can use in my project. I would not have to pay for the pieces and it wouldn't be an arduous journey to collect
them, or at least I hope not. Of course the problem with this is that there may simply not be the material I need to complete my living room set, but I would assume it would help to
cut some expenses to find at least one component that was already available.
Another problem I could face with expense is the poor utilisation of equipment borrowed from the College, with cameras being the key example. I could potentially cause damage to
any of the equipment I want to adopt for my work which would result in a fine I need to pay. This would make the purpose of using the College equipment pointless, as it is meant to
allow students to use more expensive products without having to pay. The damages could be induced by my poor concentration in carrying them or working with them, perhaps even
being out of my control with the previously described weather being a factor. I would assume the cost I would need to pay for repairs or a brand new piece of said equipment would
be much pricier than any other materials I would pay for to create my animation so it would be a heavy detriment to my work effort.
Honestly, the best I could do to avoid this problem is to simply be careful when handling the College tools I have borrowed. I would make sure everything is in working order before
using it so that I can alert someone if there is an issue with it, and when moving it around, make sure the equipment is properly held onto so there is no chance of them slipping out
of my grip and breaking. To avoid the issue altogether, I could use equipment I have at home. We do have a camera, althugh I am not sure about its reliability in the power
department so it may not be worth the hassle. Another idea could be the use of my phone as I have a stop-motion app which allows me to easily create animation. The biggest
problem with either of these tools is the the equipment I might need to enhance the image or, in the case of the phone, a stand that would allow it easier manoeuvrability. While I
may not need extra equipment, College would be the best option for it.

14. Experiments

15. Stop-Motion App
The first experiment of sorts was using an app based around stop-motion. The base app was for free
on the App Store, and I wanted to see other routes other than the ordinary camera that would be able
to express stop-motion animation successfully.
One of the pros I found that came with this app is the accessibility of the animating. To create the
motion, I could use the built in camera that, after every shot, all I had to do was move the object a
little and then take another image. This simple picture taking for the animation really shines through
when you go back from the camera function, where looking at the video all the way through is very
easy to do. Rather than having to convert all the images onto a computer and software like Photoshop
or Premiere, the app saves the pictures in a timeline to be played through efficiently. Another positive
that comes with the app is the ability to convert the animation into different formats. You could make
it a video or a GIF and the translation process from the app into the selected format is simple to do.
An issue I found with the animations I made, especially with that of the plasticine one, was the inability
for the camera to be truly steady. As the phone, even in a stand, is much lighter than a camera, I would
end up knocking the position out of place by just tapping the button to take a picture. This would be a
pain to work with in my final piece because if I hit the phone, I would have to realine the image before
beginning to animate again. Another fault with this app is the nessecity to pay for certain features that
would be nice to have. While I understand the app is free to use, and the basic functions are effective
in making animation, having restrictions on some of the better parts of the app are annoying to not
utilise.
I do belive this app is a very useful tool for animtion, but I must be honest and say for my project I
don't believe it will be all too effective. Shorter and perhaps simpler videos would greatly ustilise this
app I am sure, with the easy to watch animation while making progress, since I am making a fairly long
animation with potentially different shots I think I would be more comfortable using a camera. The app
feels a little too "gimmicky" to be used casully without worrying a lot about its quality, along with the
animation itself. The various paywalls are also a bit of a pain, whereas it may just be simpler to use the
free software on the computer, even if it is very unstable. While it could be more fustrating to push
through the computer's issues, at least I know how to use it more than the app's pricier add-ons.

16. Paper
For my paper experiment, I wanted to create an animation that had a character move across the screen while gong backwards and forwards. This
because my paper dog would move around the 3D environment of the Living Room so finding a way to make this possible would be essential.
The first design I wanted the character to be based off was a stylised version of the 13th Doctor, found on a book I have. I was going to have her walk
towards the TARDIS which would disapperate off the screen. However, I found getting the proportions of the Doctor challenging to maintain accurately
and having her follow the walk cycle with the coat she has made it far too difficult to bother with for an experiment. Instead, I created my own design
which was far simpler than the Doctor whose limbs had different shading depending on which side they're on. I used a craft knife to cut out each frame
as it felt like a far cleaner cut than scissors, and with each frame I used the prior to keep the same shaping of the character. In the face, I changed the
mouth to whistle, so that I could see how fluent face movements could be done and just in case I wanted to implement sound later on. I doubled up on
the frames so that the cycle would be a full loop so that the character could walk as long as I wanted. I didn't actually know how I would stand up my
characters. To begin with, I just assumed I would use my hand and edit it out afterwards. The way I used was suggested by the current tutor, but it would
have required me to edit anyway so it didn't really matter. I used strips of paper to glue onto the back of the eight figures to become handles to hold the
paper up with. I suppose the technique meant my hand was smaller in the shot, but it was still visible. When animating, I had trouble remembering
where the previous piece had been, which led to some frames barely moving from the last position. I was given a penny to better track the movment but
it was hardly an effective technique for the final piece. I was going to edit out certain parts on the app I was using, but you had to pay for that function,
so I averted my path onto the computer. I transferred a video file of the animation and took screenshots of each frame. I was going to use Photoshop to
do the cropping of the hand but as I placed a couple of the images, Photoshop crashed and then my computer began to which rendered it useless. This
meant I coulnd't complete the animation to the fullest I would've wished.
My feelings toward this experiment lean further into a negative tone. I will go through the concerns I feel from the experiment I made. As I mentioned, I
didn't believe the paper handles would be effective and in my final animation, it certainly wouldn't. This is because the set on the final piece has a back
wall so I wouldn't be able to put my hand in the Living Room to keep the dog upright. With this in mind, I really don't have a strong idea how I'll go about
this side of the project. I could use a base for the dog to be stuck on, but that means the pet wouln't be able to leave the ground. Another idea is to fold
the paper and cut the dog out, so I can prop it up by itelf. However, once again it couldn't leave the ground and certain camera angles could show the
other side of the dog so it would not allow the dog to feel "real" in a sense. And finally, as I mentioned in the progression, the software I was using felt
unreliable. As for the app, the paywalls and the fact it couldn't stay still made it feel like far too much of a hassle. While I could just use a camera instead,
Photoshop, and my computer in general, are worringly unstable to work with. If I need to use it for editing which I assume I will, I need the software to
run properly so I don't find myself fighting against it as with Premiere, to finish my video.

18. Armatures & Plasticine
As for my plasticine experiment, I decided I would see the viability and effectiveness that an armature would bring to the piece. Therefore, I wanted to make a simple
armature and when covered in plasticine, would move without going out of proportion.
Before doing the actual experiment, I did a small human armature just to see how the malleable the wire would be. As for the actual experiment, I began by creating an
armature for an arm, hand and fingers as I thought it would be relatively simple to make but still had many points of articulation to move in animation. In order to give the
otherwise slim wiring a bit more of a sturdy frame, I intertwined two pieces to make the arm part which I looped the end of to make the hand structure. By doing so, I​ knew
my hand wouldn't be able to fall off when I moved it around and the wire was already much longer than I needed. I went on to create each finger, trying my best to get a
fairly good placement and length of each one around the circular hand area. I was able to make two fingers per individual wire and, on every section, I began the weaving a
little earlier so that the fingers had a better hold on the wire ring and interwove each finger back onto itself for a stronger design because these would be doing most of the
movement. After completing the armature, I proceeded to cover it in plasticine. However, I soon realised I didn't have nearly enough of the same colour to go over the wire
as I had a very slim arm that barely proceeded further down the armature. While I did try to use colours that were similar in skin tone, the finished piece does have a
Frankenstein's Monster feel to it. Once the focus of the experiment was completed, I made the animation using the previously mentioned app. Using the hand, I chose to
do a wave since all I would have to do is sway the piece from side to side, as well as a thumbs up as I thought it was a clear motion to do and wasn't too complex to do in a
short amount of time. While I think the hand's animation was decently made, keeping the overall motion of the shot was hard to keep consistent. This was due to the fact
the camera itself would move slightly when touched and I had to hold the armature, therefore not allowing me to keep it at exactly the spot it was to be moved afterwards.
This meant that, while I tried to make educated guesses on where it was exactly, the hand is a little jumpy when becoming a thumbs up because I needed to move so that I
could bend the fingers. Since I knew the final animation wouldn't have my interaction with the plasticine in shot, I decided it wasn't important to edit any section out of the
stop-motion even if Photoshop decided to work. I tried to pick off as much plasticine as I could from the armature but slivers of the substance were stuck in cracks which
were more difficult to pick at. Finally, I stuck all the loose plasticine together and shaped them as best I could to be put bac in the packaging. Unfortunately, it seems some
of the plasticine got mixed in with each other as little swirls of other colours are visible in the chunks.
My feelings about this experiment fall in line with those previously in that I think the techniques used would not be useful in the final video. The first concern I have is the
wiring and armature use. What I mean by this is in making the structure, my hands and fingers began to hurt a fair amount since I was twisting hard and sharp pieces
around each other which dug in to my skin. I would rather not have to go through a painful experience just to create a skeleton for my character in all honesty. Going back
into the plasticine, as I previously mentioned the quantity of the substance was annoying to deal with as it didn't give the hand a consistent and "real" look to it that didn't
feel out of place. The wiring also pops out of the plasticine due to not being able to fully cover it, and this point is further emphasised by the ease the wire rips out of the
plasticine once I begin to move the parts of the fingers. There are a few of ways to mitigate these issues I am facing I will go through. I could change the type of wire I use to
that of pipe cleaners so that it is less harsh to bend due to the softer feel, and it should be less likely to aggressively stick out of the plasticine. I could also buy a lot more
plasticine so I don't run out of one colour and must use another, as well as easily covering the armature. However, I wouldn't want the character to be too big with this
quantity of plasticine so that would be difficult to balance. A final solution could be by just removing the armature altogether. This way, I wouldn't have to worry about
covering the metal and the plasticine would not be too large to work with. The only issue that would come with this is the inconsistent sizing but I think I could deal with
slight length sizes.