Scratch Game Design

User experience has benefited me in many ways. I use it to make my project better and it helps me think about the player. When other users provide me with constructive criticism, it helps me improve my game, and make it better!!!! I love getting help from others because I want to make my game better!

My game has a time and score variable. The time variable is the amount of time that you have to score a score of zero or more, in order to win. The score variable is to either win or lose the game. If you get a score of -15 or less, it will automatically end the game no matter how much time you have remaining. In my next game I think I might switch it up and change my characters. But I might just keep the theme going.
My favorite code game is my platformer because it a little bit more complex. I have numerous levels and the background changes. I also made my monkey move as if it were jumping. This game is more difficult than my chase game I think because the time limit is shorter and you have to move certain ways to jmp onto the platforms and to reach the bananas. I had a lot of fun creating this game because it was quite a challenge!

Invention Commercial

My teams main goal for this project was to persuade the audience that they need track attack, and that it will make their lives easier. I think that we got that message out there, and I hope that we achieved our goal. We made it our goal to persuade the audience that they needed TrackAttack because if they felt that they needed it, they would buy it and that is the object of the game.



 There were so many team moments during the process of making this video. My favorite one was right when we were turning our project into the server file and we were all just so relieved because we didn't think that we would finish in time.I'm really glad we finished in time because now we know that we can accomplish so much in so little time. There were so many funny team moments, but this one was my favorite just because it was at the very end and were all just so happy.

During post production editing, we all had a few jobs. We chose these jobs by who was best at it, so that we would produce the best work that we could. Talia did the majority of the voice overs because we figured that she had the most clear and professional voice. Talia also played the main character and helped with some editing. Lani and I both filmed, I filmed most of the voice overs and she filmed a lot of the actual commercial. Lani also was our main editor because he had most experience with editing. I was speaking in one voice over, and I filmed all of Talia's voice overs. I also filmed a few scenes and helped edit a bit.

Composition Scavenger Hunt

I think that the most important composition technique is rule of thirds. It is important because it makes a video or photo appropriate for almost every shot. Also, you use it for videos, interviews, photos, and almost every other type of image. Another reason rule of thirds is important is to evenly space an image or video.

Rule of Thirds Subject

I think the most important composition technique is rule of thirds subject, because you need it to make an appropriate interview or photo. It can be difficult to nail this technique because you may not know exactly where to place the subject. Another reason it can be hard is because of lighting, background, or distractions that could make the subject, not be the subject anymore.

My favorite technique was contrast in content because it really makes the subject stand out. I think that my team did a good job of shooting this one because it was really focused. Also, the shot includes my two favorite colors: neon orange, and bright green!


I have two team mates on my team that helped me. My first team mate was Talia Washington, she has black hair, brown eyes, and she is very good at filming and editing. She added a lot of cool special effects, and helped film and edit. My second team mate is Lani Alo, she has brown hair, brown eyes, and she is very tall. Lani filmed certain shots, and helped edit the project. I filmed some of the techniques, and narrated other ones. I also helped create the text layovers and chose the fonts!

Cracking the code

I don't think that everybody should learn code. I think this because for some people it isn't valuable. Some people might not be into computers or learning about technology, and that is their choice and preference. It could be valuable for them, but other things could benefit them more. For others, I'm sure coding is very valuable, especially if they want a future in technology. It is another opportunity for jobs and more experiences such as collages, scholarships, and more.

My first experience with coding was just a few days ago. My teacher talked about it first, then we dove into our first lesson. We went to a website that we would play games on and learn how to code. For me it was challenging, but do-able. The hardest thing for me was figuring out which way to turn. Right or left? I've never been good at that stuff.

If I could design any program or game I would create a program that could schedule your day perfectly and tell you when to leave your current location in order to arrive to your new destination on time. It would factor in traffic, road work and everything else! It would tell you when to go to sleep, when to wake up, when to use the bathroom, and much more.

My Humorous Monologue

McGinnisA_Comedy from Kapaa Middle School MEDIA on Vimeo.
So far, I've learned a lot during this project. For one, I have learned how to edit in iMovie and how to film using a DSLR camera. I will continue to learn more creative ways to edit my comedic monologue in iMovie by learning how to add music, transitions, text layovers, and more cool effects. I struggled with focusing the camera, but I got much better.

It is very important to add padding at the beginning and ending of your clip. This is because if you don't, your audio or clip could be cut off. It could ruin your entire clip, and cause you to have to reshoot it if you don't have pad and if it gets cut off. It's always a good idea to add padding for those reasons.

One of my strengths was editing in iMovie because after the tutorial, I got the hang of it really fast. I like to edit and add effects because it's something I can do well. I also find editing fun and a great way to test creativity. One of my weaknesses was filming. It was hard for me to get focused clips and hold the camera steady without filming shaky clips. I overcame my weakness by asking for help from my classmates and teacher. I overcame this weakness, but it was difficult because i had to reshoot numerous clips.

Hope you enjoy!
-Asha:)

Comedy Writing

I think that sense of humor is an important trait because it will help you make people comfortable around you, and not make situations awkward. It is also something that makes your personality more fun and more exciting to be around. It makes you seem more capable socially, and maybe better for certain jobs or careers.

Five tips for writing a humorous narrative are for one, using a fun tone of voice to keep the audience entertained. Another one is using good body language to show that you are comfortable and confident (even if you aren't). Third is to try to not laugh too hard at your jokes, and just focus on making the audience laugh. Fourth is to use proper volume so that you're not yelling at the audience, but they can still hear you.

My comedic monologue is a story of Lani and I preforming a dance routine at the Kauai county fair, and crashing. It's amusing because we failed and everybody was watching. It was embarrassing, but I think that other people could find it funny.

Motivational Poster

Here we go starting off the new year with a new and awesome project!  We are making a motivational poster, Our layer requirements we need a total of four images. Three of those four images are photos that symbolize yourself, and the last one is a profile photo of you. We are also required to have two text layers. One of the two will be your manifesto, and the second one should be your personal quotes. For the design expectations all text must be kerned to create visual balance, leaving no empty spaces. You also must have a triadic color scheme withe one dominant color and two accent colors. We are required to use blending options for our text layers, including drop shadow, bevel, emboss, stroke and outer glow. Another requirement is using adjustment layers for our images, including levels, exposure, curves, and color balance.

How did I make a Motivational Poster?

First, I took a photo of myself, and three symbolic images of my choice. I imported them to my computer, then photoshop. I also Added my text layers which consisted of: my personal quotes and my manifesto. I then kerned the text using adjustment layers and effects. When I finished my text layers, I moved on to my photos. I chose my triadic color scheme, added that to my text, then put an effect on my photos to alter the colors. Last, "command S" and we have our finished motivational poster!

What was my biggest challenge?

I think my biggest challenge was proper kerning. I didn't have a lot of practice with this, and I wasn't very confident in my skills. I didn't do so well with adding text layers, and fonts to make a visual appealing final product. I overcame this by asking for tips and ways to improve, and I think that I did a pretty good job in the end. I think that I could improve this by practicing more, and also trying to stay calm and not stress about it.

Final Product

Image layers

Text Layers

Personal Manifesto

An interesting fact about me right now is that I live in Hawaii, and go to Kapaa Middle School. I am also a swimmer, and I love to surf. I like to go on hikes and go to the beach with friends and family. I also like to. Another interesting fact about me is that I love chocolate. I also like to play volleyball.

Love your life, and love yourself. You can push through rough times because you are strong. Do a lot of what you love, and try your hardest always. Learn something new every day. If you don't like it leave it. If in doubt paddle harder, and don't be afraid. Whatever makes you happy is what you need to more. Surf more, charge more! Wake up with a smile on your face. If you have to do something, do it right and try your hardest. Stay positive. Give yourself a break and have a good time. Dream it, wish it, do it! Don't worry about anything and love what you do!

 My manifesto applies to my readers because we probably share some of the same interests, so they could relate easily. Maybe some of my readers also surf, so they could understand what I meant by "If in doubt, paddle harder[...]." Another way readers can relate is just by understanding what I mean, because almost everyone can relate to one statement that is in my manifesto.

Asha's Summer

Summer

This summer was super fun for me! I started by going to Oahu for a invitational swim meet. I went with my friend Sadie, and my mom. I had a blast with my swim team, and had some killer pizza while I was there. My friends placed in some of their events, but I didn't. Even though I didn't win or place in any of my events-I had a good time!

When I got back from Oahu, I was home for about three days until I went to Bali in Indonesia. I was staying in Seminyak first, then we went up to Ubud. It wasn't my first time in Bali, so I knew some pretty fun surf spots. I surfed at Kuta beach in Seminyak, and it was super fun. I'd surf there almost every morning for a week, but I also went to Echo Beach, and surfed a spot called Canggu. The food in Bali was amazing, my favorite dish was called Nasi Gorang, which was like fried rice with fish chips. Bali was really fun and I can't wait until I go back next summer!

When I got back from Bali, I had about three days to surf and relax before I started Junior Lifeguard. Junior Lifeguard is a summer program encouraging kids and teens to be active and to learn about water safety. In junior Lifeguard, we do swimming, running, paddling, and beach flags. At the end of the programs, we have an island competition. At the island competition, I placed top three in everything, and it was super fun! After the island competition, we traveled to the Big Island, Hawaii, to compete statewide! Kauai won first place and we killed it! I won the run swim paddle, and our team won in a ton of events. We all had a great time.

Sadly, summer has come to an end. Looking forward to next year though.

Music Videos Rock!

Each member of my GT music video team (Lani Alo and Talia Washington) contributed to the project by helping edit, plan, and produce! We all filmed at one point and we all acted in some of the scenes when necessary. We also all contributed to the story board and helped keep our work neat and organized. We all worked cooperatively in producing our music video, and we had a blast doing it too!

I think the audience will enjoy the scenes where our male corrector Luca Aza chases us, but we reject him. I think the audience will enjoy it because it's humorous and fun. I believe that the audience will enjoy this part the most because I found it being the most enjoyable part. It was also very fun acting out those scenes and being fun and creative with them a best we could. Another part the audience may enjoy is our dance routine, because my group and I aren't the best at dancing so it's funny and fun! The song is also a very energetic song so I think it'll fit very well.

My music video showed my skills by properly using special effect. Also by editing our music video and putting the lip sync so that it was in sync. We also used filters to help tell the story, instead of just randomly placing them. We also tried to get interesting angles to engage the audience and keep them entertained. We don't have any blurry clips, and they are all organized into telling our story.

MUSIC VIDEO COMING SOON!

Lyrial Livelihood

My favorite song is Sun Models by Odesza. It's a remix, and it's a really fun song, and it will cheer you up. It is a song that has no lyrics, and it has a lot of interesting sounds. This song makes me feel energetic, and puts me in a happy mood! That is why I enjoy listening to Sun Models by Odesza.

In our new music video project, I am team mates with Lani Alo and Talia Washington. For our song, we chose to use Single Ladies by Beyonce. We chose this song because it's fun and humorous. We all agreed on this song because it's upbeat and we figured we could be really creative with the choreography and film making.

The story that our song will represent that we are all individual characters. We don't need a relationship to live our lives or to have fun. We believe that this is a very strong moral and that we would have fun and learn from this song if we chose it. We wanted to express that we shouldn't always be tied down or feel the need to be in a relationship at all times.

Our Animaton Story

P5T4 Asha Moves Away from Kapaa Middle School MEDIA on Vimeo.

With my group, we have created an animation. Our focus statement was "Asha Moves Away". This explains Lani's story, because she had her friend Shirfei move away awhile ago. I could relate because I understand what it feels like. I can understand by when my friends go away on vacations over summer, I miss them a lot. Although I did not have that happen to me personally, I can just imaging how it would feel.

One of the best moments I've had with my team was when we tried to draw a car for a whiteboard animation. None of us could draw one that looks like an actual car. It was really funny that none of us were capable of drawing a simple car. One of the worst moments was when our animation was due, and we were all rushed and it was hectic. That's the worst moment I can think of, so we worked pretty well together! Although it was hectic, it was super fun, and I'm sure I'll benefit from it. 

Here are a few of our behind the scenes photos!

This photo seen above was when Makaio and I were drawing the school bell for one of our scenes.

One of my favorite parts of this activity was taking part in illustrating and editing. 

Animation Outtakes

 My team have four people in it, Lani, Makio, Meleana, and myself. An interesting fact about Meleana is that she enjoys hunting! She also likes to go to the beach. Makio likes to play basketball, and other sports. Lani's favorite thing to do is surf, and she's on a volleyball team!

Stop motion is a technique of an animation. It is where you take a picture then move the object in the frame slightly. You do that many times then you can open the pictures in Photoshop (or another program of your choice) and animate them so that it looks like the object is moving by itself.

A gif is an animation, created digitally. The gif seen below was created in Photoshop, and was created by making numerous frames, and saving each one as a different image. For every frame, we would adjust the object by moving it a different direction.

My team and I have created an animation. The topic we chose was "Asha Moves Away". Lani was the person who experienced this in real life about three years ago, when her friends Shirfei moved to Oahu. We chose to use her story because we all agreed that friendship is important, and we also know how hard it can be to have that happen to you.

Kauai Classic

I am on the Swim Kauai Aquatics swim team, and recently we had our annual Kauai Classic swim meet. The Kauai Classic is the biggest meet of the year hosted by my team. It's always a blast because it's a fun meet and it's two days long. 

All of my friends and I made huge time drops and improved in almost all of our swims! Swim teams from Canada, California, and Oahu come to race in the meet!

It's fun meeting swimmers from all over the world and racing with them. The pool is very crowded when other teams are visiting, but it's all worth it! On the Friday before the meet, we had a potluck at the pool with the Canadian team.

 We participated in relays competing against the other teams, and we won! After the last day of the meet, we went to kalapaki beach and hung out for the rest of the day.  

Typography Images

What are Typography Portraits? Typography portraits are a picture of some body's face, with text that makes up their face. The text is color coated to make the colors match the original picture. When we made a typography portrait of an innovator, we got the portrait from Google images, and we got the text from a Wikipedia website about the certain innovator.

Images can make a lasting impact on people a few different ways. One way to make a lasting impact using a Typography portrait is to be able to relate to the picture and text. For example the emotion in a picture could be ratable, along with the words and colors blend with the picture.

My biggest challenge during the process of making the image was being able to follow instructions and finish in a timely manner. It was easy for me to get stuck by not knowing how to do something, and also messing it up by little mistakes I didn't notice which caused me to have to start over. I overcame these issues by referring back to the tutorial when I was lost. I got confused doing the cropping and it was hard to prevent small mistakes, but once I got the hang of it, it was super fun!

This is my innovator typography portrait, using the first tutorial. I used a picture of Michael Dell, the CEO of Dell computers. I used Wikipedia text that I found about him on the internet.



This is my Teacher typography intermediate portrait. I interviewed Mrs. Washington and asked her what words describe her, and I used those words for the text.

This is my Final finished typography advanced tutorial. The words I used were Love, Sports, and Courage.

Double Exposed Portraits

Portrait photography is a photo of a person, usually focused on their face, that shows expression and the mood of the photo. Portrait pictures are not always of people, or somebody's face. Portrait pictures can be of any object. Profile view is a photo of the side of a persons face, where you can't see both eyes. Silhouetting is where you can only see the outline and edges of the subject, and the rest of the picture is black, or one solid color.

Double exposure photos are a profile view of someone's face and head, and inside there are two more texture photos that symbolize you. They are used to include two photos that describe you, or represent something that you like to do. We make double exposed photos to provide two photos that explain you, or something you like to do. We make double exposed photos like this:

1. Take your amazing profile view portrait photo, and two texture photos that represent you.
2. Open photoshop< File< Load files into stack< Browse and select your three photos.
3. You will use the burn tool to brighten you back round until it's white.
4. Next, you'll crop your images to 8.5in by 11in.
5. Now, you'll click on each layer, and put the blend mode on screen.
6. For layer adjustments, you'll do the following: Layer< New Adjustment Layer, then select the adjustment layer you chose to use.

Here is how you Find the Layer effects.

Here is the curves Adjustment Layer I used on my final double exposed portrait. 

Here is my final double exposed portrait. I used the adjustment layers Curves, Saturation, and Vibrance.

Here is my Practice double exposed portrait. I used the Adjustment Layers Curves.

HDR Phototgraphy

HDR photography is when you take numerous pictures of one shot, then blend them together. HDR is short for High Definition Range. The purpose in this is to make it have better lighting. I like that HDR photography balances the brightness, because sometimes when I take non-HDR pictures there is a super bright park, then a dark part.

To take an HDR picture, you take a set of pictures of one object or view. Between each picture, you adjust the exposure. You adjust the contrast by moving the dial on the lens back and forth. You do not move the camera between shots. If you do move the camera between shots, when you go to blend your set of photos, it will be blurry.

HDR has many different functions than regular photography. One of those is that you adjust the exposure after every picture you take. Another is that the pictures come out super bright, or super dark. After they come out, you would usually blend them all together in photo shop.

Here is a portrait style HDR picture. I had to make sure the model was completely still because when you take HDR pictures, you have to adjust the exposure. That means that the model has to stay still in a comfortable position. Also, I chose a back round where the building blocked the trees so that they wouldn't move as muck, because if there's movement in the pictures, it will turn out blurry or out of focus.

This is my HDR Landscape photo. I took it in the morning, because I knew there would be great lighting. I put my camera on a stool so that I didn't move I while adjust the exposure. Also, it was good time to take these because there was barely any wind, and wind would move the branches and trees.

This is my Super Impose photo.It is a blended photo of my HDR portrait, and my HDR Landscape photo. We do this because the portrait photo may not have the best back round, and to have an amazing photo, you can take your back round, center it, and trim it. Then you will have a great back round for your HDR portrait. We also chose a creative word that fits with the picture to describe it a bit.

Back to School

My favorite moment at KMS was at lunch with Lani and other friends. We talked and watched videos in Mrs. Bandsma's class. Lani was helping me and telling me where my classes were, then we walked around the school. Lani introduced me to some of her teachers and friends also.

My biggest challenge was getting to the right class in time. I didn't want to be late to any classes, so my friend Chelsy helped me, so did Lani and some other friends.

I will pay attention and try my hardest. If I need help, I will ask a classmate and if they can't help me I will ask Mr. Sanderl. I will also try my best to get all work done in class, and turn in my best work.