This week was a little different as we took a trip to the Cinema Museum to present our Project 1 work. For my presentation, I decided to continue developing the same core idea I had explored during last term’s presentation: a 360° animated film about the effects that growing up in an abusive household can have on a young boy. Rather than focusing on the complete story, I used Project 1 as an opportunity to test some of the technical and visual elements that I hope to incorporate into the Final Major Project. Presenting in a different environment and seeing everybody’s work outside the classroom made the experience feel much more professional and encouraged me to think about how to communicate ideas clearly.
During the presentation, I explained my technical approach and the role audience attention would play in the experience. Since the film is intended to be viewed in 360°, I wanted the viewer’s experience to depend partly on where they choose to look. I discussed my experiments with gaze detection in Unreal Engine, where sounds become louder when the camera points towards certain objects, subtly guiding the viewer’s attention without forcing it.
I also showed the results of a lighting test, which allowed me to experiment with the mood and atmosphere I hope to achieve in the final film. Alongside these tests, I presented mood boards and visual references that helped communicate the tone and style I am aiming for.
Looking back on the presentation, I realised that Project 1 had achieved exactly what Ting intended it to do: test one important aspect of the Final Major Project rather than trying to solve everything at once. Although the technical experiments were still relatively simple, they helped me understand what was possible and highlighted areas that would require further development. More importantly, presenting the work forced me to articulate my ideas clearly and think about how the technical systems support the emotional experience of the film. Seeing the reactions and questions from others also gave me confidence that the concept was strong enough to continue developing in the coming months.