Wednesday, July 29, 2015

FINAL: Trey Presents His Cartoon

Trey designed this year's work in order to transform the pursuit that he began last year.  After exploring the psychology of sound during the 2013-2014 year, he turned his gaze to sound design and ProTools (@AvidProTools) during 2014-2015.  This focus saw him spend little time in the IP building.  Partnering with one of Kildonan's music instructors Michael Klvana, Trey carved out a workspace for himself in the music building.  He received prompts from Klvana as part of a sound design class, but due to flexibility in his schedule, Trey devoted entire portions of his day to the projects.

What was he working on?

David Bowie's "Changes"(1) A remix of David Bowie's "Changes." 

As published in a previous blog post, Trey expressed interest in revamping this classic Bowie song.  Inspired by Macklemore (@macklemore), he set off to create his own rendition of "Changes" by injecting rap breaks infused with hip hop.  He proved voracious in his approach, for he scoured the campus for local talent.  He brought in student trombonists, consulted faculty musicians for guitar, and even called upon a student rapper for the main line.  Trey ran into scheduling difficulties with his on-campus musicians, however, and at that point the process halted indefinitely.  He attempted to reach out to professionals in NYC, but these efforts did not yield results.  For now, then, the project is at a standstill; perhaps he will be able to revisit it while at Full Sail.

(2) A jazz line overlaid with dubstep.

As he said before to the IP faculty, Trey has a penchant for jazz and big band.  What if, he posed, he designed a music mash-up combining these styles with electronic/​dubstep? He made in-roads into this pursuit, but this too remains a work that he can revisit only post-Kildonan.

"Mickey Mouse:  Mickey's Mechanical Man"(3) An updated black and white cartoon.

This project constituted the bulk of Trey's work.  One day Mr. Klvana approached the sound design class and posed that they select a clip and replace some of the sounds with their own.  After hunting on the Internet for some time, Trey discovered Disney (@Disney)'s "Mickey Mouse:  Mickey's Mechanical Man."  Released on June 17, 1933, this black and white cartoon saw Mickey Mouse (per his original animation) create a robot and enter him into a boxing match with a gorilla, "Kongo Killer."  This clip possessed interesting sounds, so Trey selected this piece as the one that he would revamp.  To see the original clip, click here.

ProToolsOnce he had made his decision, Trey set off on a sustained process of sound engineering.  He was kind enough, too, to invite the IP faculty to his workspace so that we could begin to comprehend his process.  Separated in a small room, Trey manipulated ProTools on a desktop computer with his laptop, a microphone, and various instruments positioned nearby.  Viewing multiple lines of sound at once, Trey would highlight particular sections of the original clip and then begin to fashion his own in a parallel sequence.  He consulted banks of sound via public domain for more obscure noises, but he also did not hesitate to create his own when these searches proved fruitless.  Indeed, Trey was a veteran in this process after creating an original composition entitled "Sound Art" last year; therefore, he set about crafting his own sounds with gusto.

Trey presents his cartoon.After months of work - on the very last day of school, no less - Trey approached the IP community ready to present his piece.  He gathered the students and his family in "The Makers' Space" and launched into a guided viewing.

Experience the presentation for yourselves by clicking here

(NOTE:  Please increase your volume.)

Ultimately, the Edge /​ IP faculty believe that Trey succeeded in modernizing the clip.  By inserting a heavy metal line underneath and by stressing effects that resembled actual punches, he evoked an atmosphere more honest to an actual boxing match.  In this way, as Ms. Charlap wisely pointed out during the follow-up Q&​A, Trey encouraged the cartoon to avoid shying away from the violence that it conveys visually.  He stripped away the comic score underneath and did away with Disney's reluctance to entertain violence; instead, he highlighted the latter as the central focus of his piece.

Trey produced an insightful, entertaining cartoon that allowed him to share his evolving understanding of ProTools and sound design.  In this way, he fused his two years within IP into a larger tract along which he will continue to travel once he reaches Full Sail University (@FullSail) in September.  We are proud of the progress and maturation that Trey has facilitated for himself over the past two years, and we encourage you to celebrate his work with us by posting in the comments section below.

Descriptions of images:  An album cover of David Bowie's "Changes," top-left (located at www.rockpeaks.com).  Upper-mid sees a shot from "Mickey's Mechanical Man" (located at drgrobsanimationreview.com).  Pictured at lower-mid is a screenshot of ProTools (located at www.lennonbus.org).  Kildonan and its IP program claim no ownership over the images preceding or Disney's cartoon.  Bottom left shows Trey beginning his presentation; photo taken by the IP faculty.

Monday, July 20, 2015

FINAL: Jonathan - Geometric Designs, Exhibit, and Portfolio

Jonathan did not relent in the final months of school.  By systematizing those conditions that allowed him to develop his artistic eye and organizational system, he assured himself a strong end to an already productive year.  

Jonathan's Geometric DrawingsAfter attending One Spark and co-writing a blog post with the IP faculty, he began to conclude two of his pursuits:  his geometric drawings and his photography.  Regarding the former, he produced such designs by secluding himself within "The Makers' Space" for hours on end.  As his art teacher and IP advisor Ms. Charlap remarks:
It was fascinating to watch him engage in his process of activating a picture plane with thoughtfully chosen geometric forms created along a horizontal grid.  His approach was organized and systematic, yet he managed to produce images that felt intuitive and organic. Each drawing became the catalyst for the one that followed. He sought out and was open to critiques of his work, taking in outside opinions while ultimately trusting his judgment.
Jonathan produced this series deliberately and precisely, and we hope that he will continue to expore his geometric sensibilities - as well as his need for precision - as he enters college.

Jonathan's Online PortfolioOn his own initiative, Jonathan also spent significant portions of time cataloguing and organizing his photographs.  He demonstrated his interest in that process throughout the year, tirelessly combing through - and editing, where appropriate - shots that he had taken the previous day or week.  Now, however, he found additional reasons to conduct such work.  First, he organized photographs for a one-man exhibit in "The Makers' Space" during Founders' Day.  Although he was unable to attend the event, students, family, friends, and faculty responded to his work positively.  In addition, he selected and sequenced photos to create an online portfolio via Blogger.com (@Blogger).  This portal will allow future peers, employers, and any interested individuals to appreciate some of his most representative work without the restrictions of location or time.  To check out these pieces for yourself, please click here.  Be sure to check back, as Jonathan will doubtless expand the page in the months ahead!

The Edge /​ IP faculty are proud of Jonathan for his gains in organization and maturity, and we are inspired by the effort he exerted - and continues to exert - in preparation for his freshman year at Columbia College Chicago (@ColumbiaChi).  We invite you to celebrate his work with us by posting in the comments section below.

Description of image:  Top left, a photo of one of Jonathan's geometric drawings.  Middle right, a screenshot of Jonathan's online portfolio (jonathanevansphotography.blogspot.com).  Kildonan and its Edge /​ IP program claim no ownership over the graphics above.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

FINAL: Tim Diversifies His Pursuits

Tim could have chosen to conclude his IP work in April.  Why? After facilitating writing assignments for himself, he discovered a love for the craft and realized that his writing could effect advocacy and change.  He then went about assembling his fellow IPians and developing a comprehensive Keynote for a presentation to Kildonan's Board of Trustees.  This address allowed him to celebrate IP, educate the Kildonan community on the approach, and begin to push for an independent fund for the program.  More importantly, the ensuing conversation offered him a natural scenario in which to practice his public speaking, a skill that he attributes to IP and its varied forums.  To repeat, Tim might have chosen to conclude his year's work with this event.  In so doing, he would have left the year with a strong arc/​portfolio.

But he chose not to do this.  Therefore, he - and his pursuits - proved even stronger at year's end.

Per our article announcing "Edge," Tim chose to spend the remainder of his year expanding upon his learning "process."  This final push saw him begin many smaller projects that will undoubtedly inform his Edge work next year as well as his upcoming college application process.  During the final month and a half or so, Tim explored:

Tim's Blog, "Exploring Current Events"(1) Blogging.  Not long before designing his presentation to the Board of Trustees, Tim worked with his tutor to create a blog "Exploring Current Events" via Blogger.com (@Blogger).  This profile serves a dual purpose.  It allows him, on one hand, to continue to develop his writing skills and to practice strategies such as audience awareness, digital literacy, research, and proofreading.  On the other hand, this blog also encourages him to extend his IP work to the Internet and share his thoughts with a larger community.  Tim has reflected upon topics ranging from the limitations of dyslexia empowerment, Steve Jobs and his approach to business, Greece's request for $300 billion of Germany, and Elon Musk (@elonmusk)'s challenge to utility companies with his "Powerwall."  Please be sure to check out Tim's blog, as he is likely to continue this profile when school resumes in September.

Hard Drive(2) Hard Drive Deconstruction.  During the final month of school, Tim began to dissect a hard drive in order to understand its mechanics.  He felt particularly interested in how an actuator reads the disk in addition to how a hard drive's retrieval system compares to that of a floppy disk.  Tim and the IP faculty enjoyed various conversations on the defragging process and viruses.  Ultimately, Tim proved relentless in analyzing the machine.  He even used his accidents as learning experiences, such as when - after cracking one of the magnets in the hard drive - he began to study neodymium.

A hobbyists's drone(3) Networking.  Early in May, IP received a visitor in the person of Evan Donovan, a Kildonan alumnus ('13) who created a personal IP-esque structure before the program even existed.  While visiting, he and the IP faculty happened to begin speaking about 3D printers.  His college possesses two of the devices, he explained, and he uses them in order to print out the body and parts for drones.  He went on to to say more, and before he made much headway, we called in Tim to participate.  The two students lost track of the IP faculty and held a heady conversation concerning rotor databases and drone designs.  Ultimately, Evan recommended that Tim purchase a $75-$120 practice drone of the hobby variety; such a device, he assured the latter, could help him learn the basics of flight without the cost of a top-notch machine.  He also offered that he and Tim get together over the summer in order to troubleshoot the latter's drone work.  Tim readily agreed.  This evolving partnership bodes well for Tim's work next year (drone specific or otherwise).

Quantum Computing(4) Quantum Physics and Fusion.  Tim gave the IP faculty a pleasant surprise when he approached them one day with the request to explore quantum physics.  He assured us that this branch of his studies would constitute only one week's worth of study, but fortunately, he has immersed himself in this discipline to a depth much greater than he originally expected.  During Founders' Day, for instance, he replicated the "Double-Slit Experiment" (not unlike Khaled) and went on to speak towards theories he was researching.  He felt particularly inspired by quantum computing and quantum entanglement theory for their ability to revolutionize computer effectiveness.  This interest aligned nicely with the in-roads that he forged into Lockheed Martin Skunk Works (@LockheedMartin), a company that is attempting to build a prototype that harnesses the power of fusion for commercial and defense ventures (see the video below).

Thank you, Tim, for continuing to diversify your work as a true polymath! We are proud of your progress and maturation this year, and we encourage our readers to celebrate with us by posting in the comments section below.

Descriptions of images:  A screenshot of Tim's blog, top-right (located at exploringcurrentevents.blogspot.com).  Middle left finds an graphic of a hard drive (located at www.datarecoverydublin.ie).  A hobbyist's drone, pictured at middle right (located at www.hcn.org).  Bottom left sees a graphic rendering of quantum computing (located at www.slate.com).  Kildonan and its Edge / IP program claim no ownership over the media above.