Week 1
The first week was the hardest for us because we were not used to creating our own music so the first week was spent for us organising our group and researching our stories for the claymation. First we were told to find a group of people, 3 from art, 3 from music, 3 boys and 3 girls. It took us about 5 minutes to finish searching for a group that could be trusted for the work required. After we were in our groups the teachers ( Miss.Cross and Miss.Jewanjee) explained the assessment that we needed to work on and showed us a good example that we could follow our ideas from. It was a short YouTube video on how claymation could be created and how stop motion works with the claymation. Next we started planning a story for it and a good genre.
Week 2
The second week was much easier because we have managed to research the genres of our story and the theme which was private peaceful. First we started to plan out the main key events on what we will be doing and then we wrote them down in a storyboard form with notes. Then we started discussing about the themes we used in the key events so we know what music is required for that particular scene. After we have finished learning the scenes in the storyboard, we started our research on the internet about the music we had to work on.
Week 3
In the third week we have assigned roles with each group and person so we know what to work on. This week the art and music group split up to work on their assigned jobs and roles. The art group was focusing on creating their specific main characters, since there were 3 main characters, each art student was focusing on creating a main character of the story. Then we discussed what type of music was necessary for the story, first we decided to use happy and calming music in the beginning of the story and then sad music when Molly enters. When Charlie and Tommo enters the war, there will be a marching band theme and then loud war music to compliment their time in the war. After that we were split up to work on our roles.
Week 4
In the fourth week we have found some music we can use ideas for from YouTube and have decided to use different instruments in different emotions of the story itself. For instance we have started to choose our instruments based on the genre we were focusing on. For the happy and sad music my classmate decided to use a piano because it doesn't make too much of a loud noise and the rhythm is peaceful. I have decided to use the drums for the marching band theme and my friend a lightning shaker to create the loud noises used in the war.
Week 5
In the fifth week, we have started to use our instruments and practice on the them that we were to perform. First we gathered the instruments that were available and quickly went to any of the rooms so we could practice performing without any disruptions. We tried to get the room with a piano so that my classmate could practice using it to know the two themes she had to work on. Then me and my classmate could practice after she had finished. At the times when we couldn't get the room to practice in, we would look at our storyboard and revise it while looking at our notes.
Week 6
In this week we have started to fully be able to use our instruments and play our music correctly. After that we started to record our music in the recording room and save it to files. When we were able to fully practice our themes on the instruments we started to record it one by one on my device, first we started by recording the easiest which was the loud noises created by the lightning shaker and saved it, then we did my theme which was the marching band theme on the drums and saved it. Last we recorded the two themes my classmate practiced on the piano and saved it on my device.
Week 7
In this week me and my group were asked by the teacher to edit our music. First we started by sending the music that I recorded on my device and sent it to my two classmates via Gmail so they could access it through the school computers. Then we all accessed it through the working available computers and tried to edit it the best possible such as putting it into one file or separating for extra effect. We tried to create our own copy to see which one was the most effective. In the end we voted for which file was best to be used and used it for the music.
Week 8
In the eight week we convinced our teacher to allow us to help our art group so that they could finish the art models faster and more effectively. First we started by fixing the art models so that they could be compatible with being used in Claymation stop-motion. Then we created two backgrounds to be used for the stop-motion. After we created more models that would look better than the previous ones so that the could be more effective when being used in the position that they are in. Once we have finished adding our final touches to the clay and the background, we were set to start our recording.
Week 9
In the ninth week we have finished creating our clay models and the back ground for it with the music. We have started to take photos of the clay models so that we could edit it and add music with it. In the first lesson of this week we started by taking the clay and placing it in positions and moving slowly in small different areas while taking pictures of it in the first small peaceful background. We have successfully managed to complete this task as well as a few scenes in the second war background. In the second lesson we have managed to finish taking pictures of the rest of the scenes and have managed to record the voice for the narration. After we have started to edit the entire project as homework.
