Practice video for visual essay

Here is a brief interview on technology and how irs changing our lives:


Untitled from stephie allen on Vimeo.

Animation (Inspiration for new project)

As my current animation project requires me to design a scary ride for a theme park or fun fair I have found a small collection of images which inspired when it came to designing my ride on Autodesk 3D Max.

Here are a few images from around the world which illustrate where my ideas came from:

Animation sketchs *Scary ride*

Visual essay

Over the last few weeks I have been exploring technological issues as well seeing how they could affect our future.
As my plan is to make a short documentry I plan to hold a series of short interviews, a few practice ones will be taking place in a well lit area.
As i'm focusing on technology I have taken a number of images of lecture rooms which are filled with computer equiptment and the latest in new software.

For my final series of interviews I plan to hold them in one of the rooms I have taken pictures of in a bid to empathasis my point.

Here are some images:

Japanese unveil most advanced robots yet

Singapore (CNN) -- An event in Singapore is showcasing Japanese robotic technology, which is among the most advanced in the world.

The exhibition was planned by the Japanese embassy in Singapore. It brings together about 10 robots developed by Japanese firms and universities. The aim is to raise awareness of Japanese advanced research in robotic technology.

Visitors were surprised by a 'baby' robot that turned over in bed and crawled. The robot was developed to study human baby growth.

Visitors also saw a robot that was designed as a pet that can provide comfort. The robot is used in Japan in the fields of welfare and education.

Children sat and played with the robots for a long time, touching and operating them. The robots can sing and talk with people, differentiating from among their faces by the use of sensors.
Singapore and other countries in Asia have also been making big efforts in robotic research.

Professor Minoru Asada of Osaka University said he wants to show not only the movement of the robots, but also the advanced level of Japan's robotic technology.

CNN

orignally posted September 28, 2010

First draft of visual essay (written piece)

For my visual essay I have decided to make a documentary on how technology has changed society as my chosen pathway will be film next year.  I have drawn up a number of questions which will be aimed at people aged between the 16-25 years old because this age range would know most about technology in this current climate.

The next thing I did was carry out mini interviews with friends and family to see what their take on technology was. My main aim for my visual essay is to gain a better understanding of how technology has changed our lives so far.

It was only a few years ago that dial up was the only way you connect to the internet; however with the new invention of high speed broadband and Wi-Fi it is much quicker to reach the internet where ever you are i.e. as long as your location is Wi-Fi enabled you can establish a connection within minutes.

With my short documentary I also want to highlight the negatives and potential downsides to this new technology and to what extent could it reach. As Japanese scientists have already created a fully functional robot which is the same size as a small child, this is a prime example of science continues to grow and rapidly develop.

How religion and society are shaping life

Below is a short clip of a documentry made for BBC Three called "My brother the Islamist. It focuses on two brothers from a white middle class family one is a tree surgon the other is a newly converted Islamic fundamentalist. As both were brought up together with the same values this short documentry reveals how shockingly different they have become due to one's sudden lifestyle change.

Life as we know it

Today I took it upon myself  to head down to Oxford Circus and emerse in the hectic life of  a Londoner, whether they would be going to work or just taking some time out to shop the environment always felt rushed and slightly unsettling.

Here is a quick recording:


Life as we know it a short film from stephie allen on Vimeo.

More research for my Visual Essay

As I have now decided to pursue the pathway of moving image I have been conducting research into the documentries and the style in which they can be shot.

I feel the type of person I am means I like to interact with people on a daily basis and through realising this, deciding to make my own short documentry for my visual essay seemed like a perfect idea.

Below is a short clip from the BBC Three series called "Blood, Sweat and T-shirts"