SELF EVALUATION

What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?

This is the first time i’ve had any experience with After Effects, i feel i learnt and showed a fair understanding and knowledge of the software. I feel that i applied them effectively, certainly within the silent movie brief to portray my chosen word and had sufficient skills within the program to create some interesting idents. 

I feel that during this module my organisational skills have developed and by doing so made me feel quite calm about the work load, happy that i was going to get everything done that i wanted and needed. From essentially just creating lists of things i needed to do and when roughly i wanted them done by and the organisation of these lists made me efficient with the time i spent working. 

I’ve also learnt another new software this module, DVD Studio Pro. At first i thought it was quite easy and it would be a doddle, however when i came round to making it, all understanding of the program had vanished, despite this i made an efficient dvd, keeping it simple and easy to use. 

I feel i have also developed my skills in package design, with being a bit more organised and efficient with my time gave me more time considering my packaging. Returning to a book i looked at for my previous packaging (OUGD201) where i designed the detail for a piece of packaging. This time round i concentrated on the actual structure and net design of the packaging and considered the aesthetic design second, i feel all this shows by my packaging as it is a strong point of my project. 

What approaches to/methods of research have you developed and how have they informed your design development process? 

I feel i have developed my research process to become totally relevant and fully fuel all of my design decisions, which i don’t think i have always done during previous briefs and modules. Looking at existing imagery directly concerning the subject and taking aspects of the designs, say typefaces or colour and taking them into my own designs, instead of just choosing ones that i feel work regardless of anything else. I feel i spent a lot more time into research specially with the latter brief, (Movie Season) looking at all aspects of the subject to get a full understanding of it and i feel this shows through my design process. 

What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/ will you capitialise on these? 

I feel that one of my strengths was my research lead design, showing thought and logic being the reasons for my design decisions. Capitalising on this to have my designs being strongly suited and representative of the subject. 

I feel the quantity of my work for this brief is one of the strengths and also regular posting to my blog aiding my design process as it helps show me where i actually am with the work and the on going process of self evaluation helping to find the path to take next and solve the problems i was having. 

I also feel my hand-made design packaging is a strength within the latter brief, this being from a good amount of time spent on designing it, due to organisation of my time. So i can capitialise on this by always trying to be as organised as i can.   

What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully?

One weakness i feel i have with my work is that a lot of my design work doesn’t look as slick or professional as some of the other work around the studio. Planning to work on this in later briefs and have that as a definite aspect of my design, doing so by really looking into existing professional design and all aspects of that. 

One weakness i also feel is evident through my work is the lack of imagery. I feel as though some of the videos i made, now looking back at them could have been improved with the use of some imagery. So i plan to address this by during my future briefs to always create an idea using imagery, this helping to have a fuller and broader design process. 

I also feel another weakness within my design is my skills within After Effects, i liked my idents and the videos i created however i do feel they are not the result of high level of skill within the software, using only basic movements and animation. So to address this i will if choose to use the software again is look into more interesting and difficult things i can create and animate. 

Identify 5 things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?

. Use imagery within my idents, gaining a more intricate and developed designs, 

something even more representative of the subject. 

. Look at using more difficult processes within After Effects, gaining a fuller understanding of the software, animation as a whole and also gain from it much more professional and slick videos.

. I will also concentrate more on primary research during my design process, gaining a more personal and fuller body of knowledge concerning my chosen subject. 

. Organise my blog more frequently, clearly labeling all posts, making it easier to read and follow. 

. Start a more regular process of gaining feedback from fellow classmates and staff around the studio. Getting more constant critical assessment from others aiding my design development to get the best final product i can.   

Attendance   4 

Punctuality     3

Motivation      4

Commitment     4

Quantity of work produced    5

Quality of work produced     3

Contribution to the group    4