MAKELEARNBUILD GRANT BUDGET OFFICIALLY SPENT!

I never imagined they'd pick me so the budget I sent them was only a dream guesstimate (guesses + estimates). I'm proud that I stretched it so far! They basically gave me a grant to get my animation career started and I managed to get the following things:

1. Computer $839.99
2. Dragonframe $313.85
3. Micro-Nikkor Lens $140.00 (YouthInFocusSeattle ebay)
4. Nikon DSLR Camera $289.86 (ebay)
   
5. Tables (3) $149.70
6. Main Camera Rig $199.00
7. FL Studio $199.00
8. Condenser Mic and Boom Stand $62.99
   
9. Saddle Stool $109.00
10. Tablet Monitor $212.49
11. Yarn, fabric, and fiber notions. $15.25 (scrap PDX)
    
12. Yarn, wool felt, floss. $42.00 (collage PDX)
13. Baltic Birch Plywood half sheet cuts $56~ (Mr. Plywood)
    
14. Wool felt $22.66 (etsy)
15. Lamp $44.99
16. Secondary Camera Rig $28.73
    
17. Silhouette Portrait $163.14 (am*zon renewed store)
    
18. Laser Printer $109.05 (am*zon renewed store)

I have am*zon smile turned on (.05% to Wild Salmon Center ) and I'm buying mostly from the am*zon renewed store whenever possible if used from other sellers isn't available. I had the benefit of lingering Memorial Day sales and coupons. Because of rounding up and use of coupons I'm not $100 sure of the price of some things (the lamp likely ended up being cheaper than $44.99) but I know that the $3k I got for the grant is gone now. Mr. Plywood was also a paper receipt and I'm not sure where it is but I know I spent over $50 there because a full sheet of Baltic Birch was $90-something.

I sure have been making, learning, and building. I never had prior experience with using DSLR and this is my first time owning a mic or tablet monitor ever. It's been weeks but I'm still so excited!

I've been using the tablet monitor to animate a little bit and storyboard. I print frames from the drawings to use as templates to cut out the characters. I realize I'm generating a lot of "waste" in the process so I have plans for the end-of-life use of my "props" (I'm going to gather all the scraps and fabric pieces to use as stuffing in a plush or multiple plushies after film completion). I'm changing the plan to use a mixed media approach- mainly hand drawn and paper cut outs for some scenes. Wool and recycled plastic, as well as buying remnants, and used is pretty eco-friendly but I still feel nervous about the scale of the project. I've made as small as a footprint as I could though!

Making Characters and Environment for my RACC Stop Motion

I went to collagePDX and SCRAPPDX to buy fabric and yarn. It was a long trip walking and taking the MAX! I would've taken the bus but I thought it would save time not to. It saved time, but didn't save my energy! I was pretty tired by the end of the day. Collage was so busy I almost died just looking at all the people in the store. I'm fully vaccinated now and was then too, but I still don't like crowds because there's not enough walking room. If I need more materials I'm going to scrap. (Ideally I would've been able to get a bag of fabric remnants somewhere but Fabric Depot doesn't exist anymore!)

I bought some wool felt from etsy sellers based in Oregon. I was hoping because they were in the same state then it would ship faster but it still took over a week to get everything delivered and received. 

Because the scrap fabric was folded up there are folds and creases that wouldn't come out but I decided it wouldn't really affect the film.

I learned a couple of things I'd like to record for later reference:

Dark (Shadow), Midtone, and Highlight (Brightness) are controlled by something called Lift, Gain, and Gamma.

The lower the f number, the bigger the aperture on a DSLR. The higher the ISO the grainier a picture risks being. The faster the shutter speed, the less light is let in. Alternatively the slower the speed then the more light is absorbed. I'm filming in spaces where I can't control the brightness of the room so being able to change the settings for low light and bright settings is important. On Dragonframe I'm using some setting  called Color Temperature instead of Auto.

It's been so hot and uncomfortable this summer so I'm going to post again later when I have more to really talk about!

RACC MAKE BUILD LEARN GRANT

 I got a Make Build Learn grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council! Last month on May 12th I got the email notifying me. On June 2nd I got the funds and in the morning when I discovered them I bought all the equipment I'd need to start on my stop motion project. It's been hard because my car was crashed into I think May 7th, I got the vaccine May 10th, I got the second dose June 8th, and this morning at 7AM a claims adjuster told me my car was repairable. A lot of things have been going on in my life!

I borrowed a friend's sister's DSLR camera and did some test shots (development) while I was waiting for UPS to deliver my camera (Nikon D7000) from eBay. I learned that cameras have a lifespan according to their shutter count and past its life expectancy it might need professional repair. A new DSLR and lens probably go over a thousand dollars so used was the only way to go! I got my AF Micro Nikkor 55mm lens from Youth In Focus Seattle.

I cleaned my studio apartment in preparation to receive three work tables and a saddle stool. My room mates aren't happy about how much space I'd need so I got very thin foldable tables (15" x 31") and pushed those against the furthest wall. (Previously there was only a 23.5"x 41" table that was bowed in the middle and an IKEA 5.99 stool that barely supported any weight).

I went to Mr. Plywood on Stark and got some cuts of Baltic Birch. I learned that Baltic Birch is "the good stuff". They only sell them in whole and half sheets which is so expensive but it's sturdy and will last a long time. I put a cut board on one of the tables to clamp the lamp and camera mount to. 

Same day (full of much walking and MAX light rail riding, no bus) I walked to collagepdx and scrappdx to buy yarn, floss, felt, and fabric. I'm actually very happy about the amount of fabric yards I was able to get from Scrap, I know JoAnn's has a remnant section too but I think the deals at Scrap are cheaper by half because I got several yards of light, medium, and dark blue fabric. 

I ironed most of the creases and folds out of the fabric but some wouldn't come out- it is what it is for a cheap deal! 

I spent a night and a morning moving the three tables around trying to get the best position along the wall. I eventually had to get rid of my futon and sleeping area to make more room.

My body is pretty sore from all the walking and moving furniture. I spent the last few hours troubleshooting the camera. I got it working last Friday but I don't remember how or if I did anything special. This morning after I set up the tables I found that the Live View wasn't working and that it failed to record shots in Dragonframe. After a lot of fiddling, it started working after I twisted the ring from 2.8 to 32. I have a lot to learn about prime lenses! I have no idea what the numbers on the DSLR barrel mean but I have it all set to Manual like I'm supposed to.

I also learned that the lamp has a different flicker rate than the camera so it causes something weird with picture quality.

I have some writing and fabricating to do for the film so I'll write about that next time!