Exit Stage Right

The 2nd and last Action Project for Stage Chemistry, a class all about stages in theatre, is already here. In this project, we focused less about what a general stage using our space would be like, and more about how we can directly add certain details, mechanics, or functions to our now determined and measured space. This unit covered different equations on physics such as how many Joules of work are applied with a certain amount of pounds of force is applied over a set difference, and that directly tied into my pulley system which is one of my major details for this set. In the last post (and project), I wanted to objectively present information about the space, but now I have the opportunity to expand upon telling you how my play would work. As you know, assuming you've read my previous post,  this is a play that is based on The Legend of Zelda. Considering the very large focus Nintendo takes on big wide open adventures for one of their leading franchises, and my dedication to stay true to that concept, my biggest challenge for this project was to create or introduce 2 moving parts of the stage. So then, here you can read through my plans for a low-budget adaptation of The Legend of Zelda!

3D model (STL) Gazebo.VG, 2017

Now when thinking about what I could modify, I realized that the Welles Park Gazebo isn't mine, and of course, it's also open to the public. That said, I didn't want to try and claim that major modifications would be made to the gazebo so my main obstacle was trying to incorporate 2 moving features on my stage that could make up a total of 8 safety hazards for me to review. Once again, public space and being an already established gazebo did not make this task easy, so I had to think very practically, yet also outside of the box. After a while of I came to the conclusion that having a fake horse move on the stage deck would be a perfect decision. But that's still only one of 2 hazards, and what kind of safety rules could I handle or convey. This is low budget after all.
Considering how I wouldn't want to just have another stage deck and call it a day, so I wondered if I could possibly have something inside of the gazebo, which then made me remember that there's a magical floating object with sacred power that often floats in the game, so that encouraged me to think about and utilize a pulley system.

Model & Horse

Now this is the full "stage", the intended focus with a stage left and right on the lines of the path. You may also note the horse present in the picture, which will be a type of prop used during the play as our hero, Link, needs some quick mobility around the land; the horse provides extra immersion and stays faithful in how the games provide transportation.

Moving horse.VG.2017

The horse will be made out of a lightweight material, hollow on the inside, but has some support rods and a bike seat so people may sit on it. Resting on a stage deck, the horse would be probably no more than 25 pounds, and to convert that, one would need to push or pull with a force greater than 112 Newtons to get it moving (as 1 lbs is 4.44822 N, so 25x4.44822 gave me my answer). In person, the horse will measure at 8 feet in length, and 6 feet in height, while the model is 2cm by 1.5cm, as every 1 centimeter equates to 4 feet.

My first though was that this park is public, people may smoke cigarettes, and this horse will more than likely be flammable. So as you can see, there's a no smoking sign that would be a sticker slapped onto the horse itself and it would be nice, large, and most likely on both of the side of the hind legs.

Horse Safety.VG.2017

Another few safety hazards of the horse could be that someone could fall off whilst "riding" it. And if the stage  deck supporting it isn't controlled well, it could become a run away tragedy. To prevent any liabilities like that happening, the horse won't go up any slopes or ramps, and we might have some type of handles for anyone who's riding it to hold on to.

Calculations.VG.2017

Now then, let's talk about the pulley. It's going to only be used for one function at the end, and as you can see, in order to keep the object (known in Zelda lore as the Triforce, which is essentially the combine essence of the goddesses that made the land) stationary in the air, we have a dual pulley system that halves the weight from 8 pounds to just 4. Multiply that by the total distance of the rope and the converter from pounds to Newtons, and you have how many Joules it would take to support the object if the rope had no slack or just was 40 feet long from the pivot point. Now of course, since the rope is so long, we can use picks or counterweights to support the Triforce just out of view with an easier time by simply having the rope used at a closer point. So really, this could have been from a 30 foot mark or as close as it can be to the second and grounded pulley.

Pulley Motion.VG.2017

But what hazards could come from this simple machine? Well if improperly operated, or if someone accidentally releases or allows the rope to slip, that's an 8 pound object traveling at 9.8 m/s across 25ft of distance, assuming it hits the floor of the gazebo. That's about 890N of force, which is definitely not just a tickle to anyone underneath it. So some makeshift signs, bright yellow and bold, would be at the back of the inside of the gazebo, as well as just behind it where the grounded pulley would be. That ensures that anyone working on the play will at least be aware of the possibility.

Pulley Safety.VG.2017

So all in all, I've managed to list just about everything I can for how this open and public space could be dangerous, how each piece brought into the stage can be used, moved, and calculated, as well as provide you all with a scale model to see what it looks like. The ratio of my model (cm) to life (ft) was 1:4 and the height of the gazebo may not be the most precise, but it stands at 28cm on the model. In case you're wondering how I made the 3D model, it was created through Tinkercad an online resource which allows users to make their own STL files, nice and easy for 3D printing. Thanks for reading.

All The World's A Stage

The second Elective term is here, and we're more than ready in this course, focused on the place where all the drama happens. On the stage. Stage Chemistry is a class all about stage design, you know, from theaters and plays. This Action Project challenged us to find and report on an appropriate with some sort of presentation in mind as well. Personally, there's a criteria on the rubric where we're tasked to compare aspects and details, the Goodman Theatre (or any other location as long as you get accurate measurements). Considering the open nature of my space, it was difficult finding direct numbers I could use to calculate and compare. However, I was able to think outside the box and utilize already established or common assets like "windows", even if they're somewhat irrelevant to the play. With that being said, I have a Playbook just down below, in PDF form, that tells you all you need to know about my stage.

The play I chose is actually a rendition of The Legend of Zelda. A simple tale of adventure and heroic feats. It's a common tale that's no doubt grown even that much more popular recently, as it is one of Nintendo's leading franchises. I had to thinking of just what kind of stage would appropriately fit the world of Hyrule or at least reenact parts of it. Thinking within a realizable budget that wouldn't make things go overboard, as well as being an accessible location for me to take measurements of, I was determined on having an outdoors location.

VG, Welles Park, March 2017

Then I realized something, Welles Park Gazebo was perfect, or at least for accessibility. I couldn't fit a large audience all the gazebo, considering how limited views would be as soon as the action moved about the audience. And limiting all action to be just inside the gazebo as an arena stage (a stage in which the whole audience surrounds the stage) would also be far too limiting for the actors and wouldn't mimic grand scale that all Zelda games have. I wanted to accommodate for the large open spaces, long travels, and also portray a variety of locations. However, with just one gazebo, that seemed almost impossible without making the theatre the literal entirety of the park.

VG, Welles' Stairs, March 2017

That's when I realized a type of flexible stage (one that can be modified) or proscenium stage (standard layout) would be the best set up. Utilizing the gazebo as a guide for key locations, as the identity of the gazebo changes throughout the acts, and using the peripheral vision of the intended audience location as the boundaries for the wings of the stage. Yet one challenge I still haven't overcome is the struggle of creating a  reliable or consistent backstage or other wings.

VG, Gazebo Floor, March 2017

Welles vs Goodman
-The gazebo and surrounding area 68.75% larger than Goodman's 4000 square foot Albert theatre
-The lobby of Goodman is only 4025 square feet, significantly smaller than the rest of Welles Park (which of course can easily act as a lobby) which is approximately 818,250 square feet large
-The gazebo features about 9 openings or windows that are not for entrances/exits, whilst Goodman only has 6 main windows that stretch across the lobby (each section of the lobby having its own borders for the window panes)

Now just below you can view the actual playbook, in PDF format.

GCE's Lunch - A SWOT Analysis

For the final Action Project of the STEAM course Systems & Models, we were to utilize a SWOT analysis. What's that? Well out 3rd introduce a lot of different concepts, but SWOT is an acronym that stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. I've made a presentation analyzing everything I could about GCE's lunch, the provided food, the off campus,  and even the smaller details. It was challenging to align everything with what we learned during class but I was actually surprised to see how quickly everything else came together. Originally, I was given the freedom to create this entire project out of memes, you know, those immature internet jokes? But I was rather unsatisfied with the result, it looked too rushed and the inaccurate illustrations didn't present the information the way I wanted to. Whilst given that option was an actual opportunity I appreciated, after going over it again, I thought translating it all into a simple slideshow would be much better. With that, I hope you enjoy my SWOT Analysis just below.

#BotLivesMatter

The hybrid course Equality has assigned us students our second Action Project. This time, we head a bit into the future to teach a lesson about equality that relates to race, class, or gender. The goal is to write a news article from 100 years in the future. This unit, named "Herstory" (in contrast to the first unit, which was named history), focused on how equality should be executed. A challenge that initially faced me was the actual inception of what to write about, as nothing seemed to resonate with me and I wanted to do something unique considering it was from the future after all.

Chapter 17: Trayvon Martin

In the STEM course called Equality, we've been served a very unique dish, one that only made us hungry for more. In this Unit named History, we've studied just everything that true equality can impact and whether or not it's here. The Action Project for this unit has us creating our own chapter in a history text book. There were many challenges I personally faced, such as finding an appropriate subject matter that I felt relate to the class, however in the end, I've managed to choose something I  could expand upon greatly, especially considering the impact this event has made to our modern society. Just below you can read though this mock text book, enjoy.

A Report Of Reflections

The second Action Project for Systems and Models has come, the STEAM course revolving around how we solve problems or ways to think of solutions. Here in Unit 2, our project is to make our own science lab project. Run an experiment and test it. It was actually a very free subject choice, so much so that I was able to relate mine to art, which is something I obviously have an affinity towards. Since we reviewed social experiments earlier in the class, I thought of something that I could easily complete with fair accessibility. I felt interest in an idea of seeing how people respond when they have a stylized drawing (known as a caricature) of them. There a few challenges such as connecting it directly with the lab report to have a substantial claim, but in the end, I'm proud of the product.

An Artist's Assessment

 We roll up into the Winter Term here at GCE and in the Math and Science course "Systems & Models" a new Action Project has dawned upon us students. We were to create a self-portrait of sorts that represents us, and create an identity which also aligns with the assessment of our personalities according to several tests, including Myers Briggs, Enneagram, DISC, and a few others. The first Unit had a heavy focus on understanding what makes us tick. How we work, and why we work like that, or at the very least, what to expect from those of us who cat like that. There were different levels that scaled just how much we can associate with these strong personality types, whether we associate with 2 at once or just a single type completely overshadowing all other traits. I was definitely proud of the statement I was able to pull from my self-portrait as I drew first and then assumed how it correlates. I didn't want an unnatural flow of my creativity, which is why I actually don't emphasize any particular traits or personality types. I wanted to keep it generalized initially, making sure that I wasn't stressing over conveying a specific message when talking about me, since I never did like focusing on myself. There were certain challenges in finding how to show every point, such as how my drawing relates in a big picture to my test results, but I was able to overcome some challenges by looking beyond the lines, and entering my own psyche to determine the exact message this neutral image is conveying. Just below you can find the artist's statement as well as my hand drawn image, and I hope you actually find yourself encouraged to find out more about yourself.

VG "V" 2017, Chicago

"V"

No. 2/HB Pencil(s) and standard ball point pen

Sketching paper 11.5" x 8.5"

I slowly veer off to my right, with subtle signs of interest. I don't show to much emotion because I wouldn't want to find myself in a situation that would grow into a struggle or conflict. Yet simultaneously, if I can be of use by assisting others then I will search for said opportunity. This piece is very practical and literal, but with hints of fictional elements, as while I'm down to earth, I must imagine scenarios around me in a sense that intrigues me, and anything that can make me thing is something I enjoy, thus revolving around a perpetual lust for satisfaction. The empty background follows my many concerns for my own safety, or rather my reluctancy to ever leave familiar zones that I know I at least feel safe in. There's a specific lack of exaggeration in my expression to (ironically) express my fondness for my neutral relations with many, as I find myself to be lacking in bias whilst also maintaining a great sense of personal justice and equality. When I drew myself looking into 2 mirrors, I wanted to draw attention to everything and nothing, hence my simpler art style with clean, open negative spaces, but the inclusion of shading draws the eyes around the image

Click to enlarge

These notes directly correlate with the rather accurate personality assessment tests. One of them being the Enneagram Test, (The Enneagram Institute, accessed Jan, 2017) which assesses your personality type based on numbers 1-9, with each number representing drastically different kinds of people, yet sharing slight characteristics which act as wings to the personality. In this case, my results ended up being a major 9 with a 2 just barely underneath. I personally strong associate with personality type 2 as it's main descriptions are to have sense of value with your own life by being helpful and caring, and with some though, 9 is also an excellent fit, as it's to be patient and calm. To be peace with one's self to survive. The full list of results is honestly something I can say I identify with, after understanding what each type is in its simplest of forms. Reflected in my art with a calm look that has peaked interest over to the side.

Now the TKI (Thomas-Kilmann Instrument) test I also have somewhat of a agreement with. As I stated early, despite the fact I was merely drawing based off of impulsive instinct alone, I managed to create a piece that represents me well, not focused on what's in front, but also not in, or doing any, major action. It show's off my observant nature, but the raised eye brow also displays some slight concern, which easily relates to how I have a strong desire to help others when they need assistance, and that's why my eyes quirk in that direction with such interest.

The process of creating the image was honestly just to draw from the heart. I made what I saw fit as comfortably as possible, and that's why this image resonates with me so much. It's how I see myself during a specific action that I do the most, observe my surroundings.

My set up had 2 small mirrors near each other at such an angle in which I was able to actually see myself looking at the one mirror with would give me the unique angle and eye focus. I felt that it was critical to make this realistic in my own sense, which is why I used a pen outline but utilized pencil shading, since it gives off a smoother feel for the already bright room that I was drawing in, effectively replicating the lighting that was present in that room at the time. It was bringing reality into my world of illustrations and that is why I decided to draw from life rather than a captured image of myself. As my good friend, "double A", put it, "when you're making yourself, you're not drawing what other people think they see, you're drawing what you want to see", and that definitely influenced my decision on sticking to my anime-esque art style, with the cartoonish eyes and such.

A face that doesn't speak out many stories but clearly takes several in. That it my self-portrait.