PROJECT 1 LEVEL 6 by Maja Czarnecka

4.JAWS

mac1654 — 2021-01-15 02:47:14 UTC

‘Jaws’  was released in 1975 and it instantly became a blockbuster. Everyone was going to cinemas to watch the horror about the monster shark on a big screen. However the success of the movie brought misery to the animals, as there seem to be a connection between the movie and population decline of sharks. In the past 50 years the population of some sharks species dropped by even up to 90%. People started fishing them without any remorse and no one really thought twice about the consequences because sharks were believed to prey on humans. If ‘Jaws’ had such a big impact on sharks population I’ve decided to rewatch it after about ten years. I remember back then it actually did impacted me a little bit as every ttime I was on a beach holiday I would cautiously enter the water trying to get rid of an image of a bloodthirsty shark from my subconscious mind. This time, as I’m older and more educated I’ve managed to take notes from a different perspective. Here are some of them:
- the movie is entertaining and captivating. It builds suspense
- great soundtrack
- I hate the fact that the hunt for the shark starts when it attacks the boy. The ocean is the sharks habitat, not the human’s. Sharks are predators, that’s their role in the ecosystem and they shouldn’t be punished for their natural instincts.

1.MIND MAP

mac1654 — 2021-05-27 20:17:00 UTC

The first step I thought would be beneficial and help me come up with ideas for my FMP was a mind map I've done in my digital sketchbook. I divided the page into 3 sections:  my interests; because I believe FMP should revolve around the topic I'm truly passionate about, my future; because the FMP will end up in my portfolio and can help me get the job I want, and my strongest skills; because I want the work I produce to be good quality. The mind map turned out to be efficient, because I've managed to come up with 3 different ideas that I described in detail in my sketchbook. Having 3 different potential project ideas makes me feel excited about the the process and final outcome. Next step will be selecting one idea and researching it further. Before I decide, apart from writing my ethos, I will search through It's Nice That and Creative Boom and find articles that relate to my ideas. Hopefully these tasks will lead to my decision.

2.MAKE UP CAMPAIGN?

mac1654 — 2021-05-27 21:36:16 UTC

I've decided to explore my idea related to make up and while doing my research I've I’ve found interesting that ancient Egyptians used plant-based, natural ingredients, and in Middle Ages, when chemical make up became more popular, some ingredients actually caused deaths. The research has led t My idea, which  is to create a makeup campaign for a potential beauty brand that sells 100% organic, vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics.  My goal is to convince clients that natural ingredients are better and that nature is the definition of beauty. The concept of nature does not only apply to the ingredients, but also to the people who decide to use the products. My brand believes that makeup should be used more as a form of self-expression rather than something society tells us to wear in order to fit in. I had a look at some random make up campaigns and it made me feel very inspired and I'm looking forward to defining my idea further. Below is an example of one of the make up campaigns I've found inspirational - photography by Ben Hassett.

3.SHARKS!

mac1654 — 2021-05-27 21:59:19 UTC

The feedback I’ve received on my make up idea included a suggestion that I should explore the issue of deforestation due to demand for palm oil used in make up, or the effects of chemicals on the environment. It made me think of a subject I’m truly passionate about - animal conservation.  When I was applying to university I faced a serious dilemma. I couldn’t choose between zoology or graphic design therefore I thought I could connect the two and use my FMP as a way to raise awareness of endangered species. I could find a way to connect makeup with palm oil, and,  as a result of deforestation, animals losing their habitats, but I  kept coming back to the other idea I’ve had but haven’t fully explored - sharks.  It might come as a surprise but sharks are one of my favorite animals and their population is declining. Everyone wants to save cute orangutans but not many people care about sharks so I’ve decided I’m going to change people’s perceptions on the ocean’s top predator. Therefore I’ve decided I’m going to stay true to myself and realise a project I’m really passionate about. My next step will be doing a thorough research and defining my idea.

5.NEW IDEA

mac1654 — 2021-05-27 22:40:33 UTC

The famous 'Jaws' poster clearly presents the shark as the villain/monster, and the human swimming above as a victim. But the reality is the opposite. Humans are the ones who kill a huge numbers of sharks and destroying the whole marine ecosystems. Looking at the poster made me think: why is the shark portrayed like this when the roles should be reversed? What if I used this idea for my project? People swim in the ocean and sharks live on a fishing boat. I would like to create an illustrative book or moving image that will tell a story, include facts and educate people about shark behaviour and raise awareness of the issue.

6.PROCESS

mac1654 — 2021-05-27 23:10:47 UTC

I had my vision, the only question was how to bring it into existence.I was leaning more towards the idea of creating a comic book of some sort, until the other day when my flatmate's fish died. She mentioned 'maybe you could use the empty fish tank for your shark project' and that sentence led to another idea. I could create an installation, use the fish tank as the ocean, fill it with water or jello, make or buy miniature characters, both humans and sharks, and perhaps a boat that could float on top of it. Then I could photograph and film it and use the material and turn it somehow into the final outcome of my FMP. It sounded like a good idea, but I was a bit sceptical so I had to test it first. I gathered all the necessary props, built the installation and filmed it on the next one.

8.DEFINED IDEA!

mac1654 — 2021-05-27 23:30:12 UTC

Since the installation idea didn't work out, but my project is a reaction to the iconic blockbuster, I think it’s only right if it takes a form of a short horror film too, but animated (instead of filing the tank).  I’m still going to reverse the roles in terms of portrayal of the characters (human - monster, shark - victim), but they will stay in their natural habitats, because that’s where they belong. The animals and nature will be clearly shown as victims which try to unsuccessfully protect themselves from a human invader ( who himself is a victim of capitalism) and who conquers the ocean and captures sharks for his own profit, forgetting that his actions are self-destructive.

9.CREATION OF PITCH BIBLE

mac1654 — 2021-05-27 23:51:06 UTC

Now that I know what my FMP will look like, it's time to develop Kickstarter and Pitch Bible. I decided to present my vision in a form of a Pitch Bible, because it's usually used for projects such as films. It allows to write and explain the concept, story, characters, tone, style, and structure. I covered all  these elements in my Pitch Bible, however I'm not satisfied with the outcome. First of all, I want to change the front page illustration - I was in a rush and didn't experiment enough. I feel like it looks very childish and the colours don't work well together. Next is typography which for some reason reminds me of the cartoon Tom&Jerry, this has to be changed. Also, I think I should go back in the process and design my characters, because at this point I wasn't able to include any illustrations in the 'characters' chapter, but I think that's an important element as it would help the readers visualise what I'm trying to propose.

7.KICKSTARTER

mac1654 — 2021-05-28 01:16:29 UTC

The videos didn't meet my standards. It was perhaps a combination of not having a good enough equipment (I set the shark tank in my living room, as I didn't have an access to the studio) and maybe limited skills.  The boat was too heavy to float on water so I dropped that idea. Instead, the best solution was to keep sharks in the tank, and the human above it. There's a video of a hand grabbing one of the sharks and taking it out of the water as a metaphor for fishing. It was quite challenging to make the sharks (attached to a very thin string)swim realistically, but I got a few shots I was happy with. The test helped me realise that this idea won't be good enough for my FMP, but I could turn it into an interesting Kickstarter Campaign.