Month: February 2023

For our first assignment in the New Media AR module, we were asked to use the AR program Eyejack Creator to create an AR poster with content of our choosing.

For my poster, I decided to make one for the music video “Dalla Dalla” by a group named ITZY. The idea came to me while listening to my playlist. Overall, this was pretty straightforward to complete thanks to how easy and intuitive Eyejack Creator is to use. I downloaded the music video, trimmed it to just the section I wanted to use, and took a screenshot of the first frame. After uploading the footage to Eyejack and creating the QR code, I went into Photoshop and added a photo of the first frame, some text, and the QR code onto an 8.5×11 size frame, then exported it as a PDF. Printing it in the production lab was quick and easy.

I did not run into any issues while making this, and overall it was a fun experience!

Last week, we had Adam Knight, Owner of Red Element Studios, as our guest speaker. He spoke at length about his journey working in the video industry. Adam also covered the top three factors that he commits to delivering when taking on a project, which are: delivering quality work, creating and fostering trust, and adding value to the production/company/idea. I think these three factors can be applied to any scenario where you are taking on work for someone else.

For this blog post, we have been asked to pick one of these three factors and reflect on an experience where we failed to live up to those expectations. In my case, I had an experience with the first factor, which is delivering quality work. A couple of years ago, my brother-in-law’s dad needed help with a documentary he was creating and asked if I could help him trim clips. He was also going to pay me, so I immediately said yes, not realizing how many clips I would have to do. While downloading the provided clips was easy, the trimming part was quite tedious, as I was expected to trim nearly 100 videos. I began procrastinating on this and giving excuses, and in the end, did not deliver all the clips. I think if I were to take a project like this on today, I’d do the following:

1. Make a schedule and set a specific amount of clips to complete each day. But also, don’t commit to doing some every day, but rather every two days.
2. Be clear about any difficulties I’m facing with the client.
3. If necessary, get help from a friend (with the client’s permission, of course).

Reflecting on this experience, I learned that it’s very important to manage expectations, and set realistic deadlines.

Last week, a former student of SCCA, Brit Zerbo, spoke to our class about her experiences as a designer. She was candid about her successes and challenges, which was greatly appreciated. Brit highlighted the significance of both hard skills and soft skills, stating that “hard skills will secure an interview, but soft skills will secure the job.” This week, we have been asked to reflect on our own top three hard skills and soft skills for our blog.

In regards to hard skills, I have a strong understanding of HTML/CSS, proficiency in using the Microsoft Office suite, and I am competent in troubleshooting computer software issues. These hard skills are all related to technology, which I believe is crucial as our world becomes increasingly dependent on software and the internet. I discovered a love for HTML/CSS coding while learning the basics a month before starting school, and it has since become a personal interest of mine. I believe this knowledge will make working with developers much smoother as a designer. I am familiar with most of the programs within Microsoft Office, excluding Excel. However, if the need arises, I am ready to learn. Additionally, being able to troubleshoot technology has been one of my most valuable hard skills, stemming from my early curiosity about technology. While it can be overwhelming to fix issues for others, it is also very rewarding to help others learn how to handle similar problems in the future.

In terms of soft skills, I believe I am effective in communication, able to independently solve problems, and growing as a leader in group settings. During my time in the program, I have been successful in communicating with my peers and setting expectations when working with others. I also enjoy problem-solving on my own and using available resources before seeking assistance from others. Finally, I am becoming more confident in taking on a leadership role, something that was not initially within my comfort zone. I am eager to one day be a senior employee and lead a team towards success.

During my time at SCCA, I hope to further develop both my hard and soft skills. I aim to advance my knowledge of the Adobe suite, as we will be learning it in class. I also want to improve my abilities in user research and making website and app interactions more user-friendly, although I am not necessarily pursuing a career in UX design. As for soft skills, I aim to become a better public speaker and improve my time management. Public speaking will likely be a frequent occurrence in my future work, and I recognize the importance of good time management as I continue to grow in the program.