WebGraphics Inc.
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Scenario
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It's an international collaboration between Minnesota's Mahtomedi Middle School's elective class, "Movie Making .... in Animation", and the John F. Kennedy Schule's computer science class in Berlin, Germany. Both schools have divided their classes into three teams. Each team is assigned to create, as their business, a graphic art's company to be home-based on the World Wide Web (WWW). Along with being entrepreneurs in the graphic world, all teams are potential clients to the other cooperative schools' teams. Clients from Berlin, with the help of a science class, defined their need for a simulation of a flyby view of a cell and its components. Other clients' projects involved the following: a Star Global Positioning Co. who want to demonstrate how their implants can help locate and even prevent child abductions; the architecture firm Future Inc. want a digital production of their building design for a client presentation, and finally a local request from the city of Mahtomedi for the development of a city homepage and graphics. The teams submitted proposal to the two clients of their choice.
The Mahtomedi animation classes have been researching how to create
2d & 3d computer graphics. They study the process and principles
of animation to gain the knowledge needed to create their specific
project. They have been invited to present program content in
an EXPLORER ROOM (explorer rooms are areas throughout the Twin
Cities such as computer graphic studios, newsrooms). Today they
are learning how to interface digital with video and TV at the
KSTP TV News studio. Along with the teams presenting their work,
there are several professionals/mentors holding workshops for
the students on many aspects of the digital/video world of TV
News.
For the presentation and workshops the team members have regrouped according to their assigned area of expertise in the team. Those responsible for lighting are attending the workshop on Lights Before Action covering the need to understand the effects of lights through positioning and qualities of reflections. Another group is listening and watching cameraman Bob demonstrating the different movements of the camera and the fine points about composition and framing in the subject. The workshop in session is about animation and special effects through digital technology. Another workshop covers the process of developing a script, storyboard etc. - in short, how to plan out their digital and video needs. The students have a fair understanding about the concepts being covered but seeing and hearing real world applications helps them learn the purpose and the value of putting their ideas to practice. The last workshop is about blending digital technology with video and real TV All the students plan to attend two different workshops and bring back that information to their perspective teams.
As an end product, each team plans to complete a portfolio including
their client's project, listing all the stages and information
pertinent to their project. As they proceed, they are developing
html pages covering educational and training information they
have found and created to help understand the process and knowledge
needed to run a digital graphic company.
With the funds they receive from the Mahtomedi City project and
the sponsorship from the local SIGGRAPH chapter (Special Interest
Group in computer Graphics), they will be able to send four representatives
of both schools to the "98" SIGGRAPH CONFERENCE in Orlando,
Florida. It looks like Berlin's John F. Kennedy Schule will be
able to do the same. They hope to man their booths together showing
and explaining their collaboration of their projects.