Background colour and lighting tests

Here are a few different background colour tests. I concluded that pink was the most fitting colour as firstly it gives a warm image and is easy to look at for the audience. Secondly it gives a good contrast to the other coloured objects in the frame. And finally pink also shares connotations with the inside of a human body (suggesting surgery).

[I have chosen to use the Sony DSC-WX150 camera as overall its positives out-ruled all the negatives in comparison to the other 2 cameras].

Deciding a camera

The choice of which camera I will use for my stop-frame animation will depend on a few factors:
1. Which editing software I will use.
2. Quality of images.
3. Size if image on camera (effects processing time).

I have tested out a few different cameras and methods.

iphone 4
A very easy-to-use app on the iPhone called 'stop motion' is one method I am considering to make my film with. The app is on a set timer which takes photos in a given interval then immediately stitches your photos together to make a quick photo-animation.

Positives: Will make editing faster & easier. Photos are small (low MBs) therefore easy to download, store, load onto computer. I have a small tripod for iPhones, so setting up the set should not take a long time. Can send film straight to computer.

Negatives: The film is created immediately - I don't yet know a way of editing after photo's are stitched together. The quality of the images are not very high and as I will be working with close ups, this could affect the film quality. The iPhone and tripod are physically small, so hard to handle (fiddly). The iPhone loses charge very quickly.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX150
A sony digital camera which pro-effects. 18.2 MP and 10x optical zoom. Has a macro-lens setting. Will take photos separately and then stitch together in iMoive on my MacBook.

Positives: The photos will be of much higher quality than the iPhone. No set time interval, so do not have to rush each frame. Free to edit photos in any way. The tripod I have for this camera is larger, therefore greater variety in options of angles/distance. Lighting and colour is good.

Negatives: Size of the photos will be larger- more memory will be used - will need a large memory card. Cannot sent all photos to computer at one time (will have to take time uploading them). Processing time on camera is longer as photos are larger (due to higher quality).

Sony Cyber-shot HX50V
Later generation of Sony DSC-WX150. 20.4MP and 30x optical zoom. It is also a small digital camera but larger than the Sony DSC-WX150. Has mostly the same affects as the Sony DSC-WX150. Would also use iMovie to edit separate photos together.

Positives: Images would be the highest quality out of all of the options. No set time interval, so do not have to rush each frame. Free to edit photos in any way. Can also use the larger tripod for this camera. Most photo-sensitive lens therefore responds the best to light changes.

Negatives: As photo quality is higher, it takes longer to process when capturing each frame. This could affect the fluidity of my animation making as well as delaying the project overall. The battery life on this camera is lower than Sony DSC-WX150
After testing the camera on the tripod I have discovered it is prone to falling over due to it's heavy weight. It is very important the camera (and set) remains in exactly the same place throughout the course of taking the photos so there is overall clarity within the film.

Finalised storyboard

This is the corrected version of my storyboard (only a few alterations). 

I made sure to design my original storyboard built upon ideas that I was confident I can achieve practically. Therefore I haven't needed to change much of it. 

Animation Test

This is my first test of video using plasticine. I did this to test out different angles for the camera, to get the feel of how I will manipulate my materials whilst also testing a small clip of music.

Overall I think the test was successful as I found the plasticine easy to work with. I was also able to conclude at the end of the test footage that for my final animation, the angle of the camera should be directly above (birds eye view), this way it will be easier to keep consistency as well as easier for the viewer to watch.

Schedule (2nd version)

I have deviated from my original timeline as I havn't been able to obtain original plans of recordings. As a result, there has been a change to my schedule: (see changes in orange). 

Voice Tests

Alex Ionidies (Eye surgeon) has not been able to send me a voice recording of the script I prepared (with his guidance) as it has proved tricky to send from another country. To stay up to speed with my schedule I need to start working with an audio very soon. Therefore I have decided to use an alternative voice over. Perhaps I will compose a version with Alex's voice at a later date.

Storyboard Draft 1

Here is my first storyboard according to the script (work still in progress)

The script

I have now designed a script which should last no longer that 2 minutes.

Originally it opened immediately with the 2 eye surgery options, however on speculation I realised an important factor in explaining anything is ensuring your audience is comfortable with the terminology...
So now the script opens with a description of the eye:

"Lets begin with a quick tour of the human eye.

Right in the middle, is the visual gel containing many optic nerves

Surrounding that is the retina, choroid and the sclera.

The lense sits towards the front of the eye, behind the iris, in line with the hole know as the pupil.

Finally the transparent layer forming the front of your eye is the cornea.

There are 2 different laser eye operation methods.

The most common choice is LASIK. 

Using a tiny sharp knife, a flap of tissue is created from the surface of the cornea. 

The flap is lifted and the underlying cornea is lasered before replacing it.

On the other hand, if you’re cornea is naturally thinner, you may choose LASEK surgery. 

The surface layer of cells on the front of the cornea are treated with alcohol and pushed aside. 

The underlying cornea is then lasered to reshape it, similar to a potter reshaping clay. 

The epithelium must then grow back and the vision settles down making the patient vision perfect!"