Day 7812

So what's happened... I'm at home again, Brexit, brother disowned me, my team got into BFX competition, graduated from university with a 2:1, my role players are still up on the moon, starting a games company with my partner, have also downloaded Grammarly, made an Imgur friend, started habit RPG again.

Home,

Well, as much as I like house Tetris and having a clear out, I have to say that after now moving for the 4th time it's gotten a little tedious.  The hardest part is fitting a houses worth of bits and bobs from my Portsmouth home into one room, needless to say, much has been sent to the charity shops. I am thinking about becoming somewhat of a minimalist, over the next two years I shall probably be moving twice (to my partners' parents for one year and then to our own place after, and then in the next 5 years possibly moving to Canada?) which means I have two years to sort through what I actually use and want, and what is just taking up space.

Brexit, 

Now I was rather torn which way to vote in that I was rather apathetic. I think both political stances were hideous in the fear mongering and misconstruing of information, utterly disgusting that they are not being held accountable and that we as a nation have chosen these people to 'lead' us, but I honestly felt that it really wouldn't make that much of a difference either way. In the end, I voted in as it seemed the safest option and whilst I think the EU and the UK are both flawed the EU was the lesser of two evils and I trust them somewhat more than our government.

The fallout afterwards has been rather dramatic. Game of Thrones may indeed have finished but the drama from British politics the first week was rather entertaining - in the, I can't stop watching the horror show sort of way.

Brother dearest,

I signed the petition for the second referendum where 70% of the population would need to vote with a 60% majority. Feeling that 2% is too small a majority for such a large decision and that signing was a valid way of expressing this. My brother commented on the post say "The vote has been cast! Were out!! And good riddens to it!"   I then corrected riddens in a pm, I realise now I should have mentioned we're as well. Below is the wonderful conversation that took place.

Myself - riddance o.o
Him - Who gives a fuck!! Typical brainwashed student you turned out to be sis... Generations would be so proud of spineless little geeks that want to roll over and give up the country like yourself. . You think parts of Portsmouth were full of scum.. You wait till you meet the imported ones! Tataa!
Myself - Wow talking to your sis like that so cool  😊 geek wise didn't realise that being intelligent was a negative. And if you think immigration is going to change wake up 😂
Him - Tell you what little twat sis... About time you jogged on with your mum and fuckwit dad... I am awake to the world we live in..and I know immigration isn't going to stop like that.. You're the one about to get a rude awakening to the real world.. Have fun! Oh and get a job and sort your own fucking PlayStation out you two faced little shit.. Have a nice life

I would also like to add that if anyone else talked to me in such a way I would gladly cut them out off my life without a second thought, and whilst at the time I was upset and angry, after realising he had blocked both my mother and myself (with no word to her) I am no longer sad. In fact, I can now safely say I was more upset breaking up with my ex-boyfriend of a year, than considering not having any contact with this man who I called brother for 21. So as it stands I simply do not care, but as he is family if for whatever reason he apologises (which I honestly doubt he will) and wants to rebuild a bridge then I shall consider it, and if he ever does need my help (which again I doubt he ever will) then I shall at first try to do what I can. It's not that he means or meant nothing to me, of course, I will feel sad time to time, for the relationship that could have been, but I will not waste my emotions over such a person, my life does not revolve or even involve him and past this post I shall not mention him. 

BFX 

Perhaps I should have written about my brother last as it's put me in a rather pissed off mood XD. Either way! I didn't get into the Framestore application BUT for BFX WE GOT IN! 
"WE ARE IN!!!!! Team spectrum is going to Bournemouth :D Thank you guys for making this a success so far, hope it continues <3 !!!!!"

http://www.bfxfestival.com/competition/

I put together the pitch video >.>....So many flaws I've noticed after. Firstly the animatic I put together is really confusing and just showing the storyboard with a voice over explaining would have been potentially a lot clearer. 4 of our audios are in Mono, not stereo D:, the audio for the voices is often not loud enough, and the white background boxes sometimes don't move with the video on top... Also, the pause for Scott should have been shorter....

I have emailed a couple of companies for help on 360 and M7 virtual replied! They were very helpful over the phone, though it was rather strange O.o Everything seemed to be going okay and the phone call just cut, I tried calling back but it was constantly engaged and they've since not replied to my email o.O But he tell me about https://github.com/making360/making360/releases which is a whole pdf on making 360 video! Super exciting ^.^

The BFX humans themselves have been super helpful and have really good ideas and are so professional! Which is really refreshing after Portsmouth and gives me hope for the industry. 

We arrive on the 10th and will be there for 7 weeks  I think miscommunication is going to be my biggest annoyance over the summer but it's going to be a lot of fun! And time-consuming XD

University of Portsmouth 

I have officially graduated with a 2:1. I now have approximately £40,000 of debt, and if I get a job at £25,000 a year I can pay it off in 23 years, as they only take 9% of what you earn over £21,000 though this is subject to change depending on if the debts are sold on. Yay. 

I wonder what I have to show for it.
I met my wonderful partner <3 lots of interesting people and some very good friends, I've had the opportunity to take part in societies and social groups I otherwise would not have met and even start my own society. Host a morning radio show with a friend, and go on to hosting my own roleplay group which has somewhat boosted both my interpersonal skills and also storytelling. I am now more confident in writing complaint letters (sadly, because of how the course was run in my second year). I have also had access to some very sophisticated equipment, resources such as digital tutors and their library that has quite a few good books, they had bookable lessons to learn programs one to one though mostly only for half an hour, life drawing lessons every Wednesday, and in the final year I finally sussed out which tutors give good feedback for me and which to avoid, so I have learnt a lot from them. And I even had a chance to partake in a game jam which even a novice like myself had a lot of fun on.

Teaching wise?
The first year I had 6 units: 4 I felt were good and introduced us well to animation I felt like I was actively learning when taking these and receiving useful feedback.

1 which was a slightly more advanced version of media studies and I think should be replaced with the theory we learn in the second year that is actively relevant. And then there is Narrative and Visual research that I give a half mark each, as similar to the media studies think these should have incorporated what was "Taught" in the second year and something more advanced and at a higher level of academic practice. 

For the second and the third year? 

Out of the 10 units that make up the years, I feel I was actively taught in 3 of them.
Cartoon, this unit didn't teach cartoon per se like we were expecting because of a new tutor on the course but instead was somewhere between cartoon and 2D advanced principles in 2nd year.

Production contexts which taught animation history and some animation theories which really should have been taught in the first year, also from the second year. 

And advanced visual effects in the third year were I was being taught how to use Houdini and Nuke and also the theory and practices around the effects we were learning. Very good unit, sadly the practicals were only for an hour which really wasn't enough time it should have been 2.

The rest of the units were either at what I consider an A level standard of thinking or had the attitude of "Here this is the brief get on with it and we will give you feedback" which wasn't what I came to university for I came to work smartly not trial and error which I can do at home and until later in the third year was not very helpful in general. Quite a few tutors really don't give helpful feedback, and I mainly put this down to them in part not listening and myself in part giving poor explanations.

I feel these last two years have largely been a waste of time. With inefficient teaching practices and a below university level that ultimately hasn't taught me skills for the workplace and I could have learnt more not wasting my time with the course but instead teaching myself at home. So I shall see how the next year goes, and if my motivation holds up to me learning without the pressure of deadlines.

In my opinion, the University of Portsmouth BA animation course has some very nice tutors, lots of professional resources and really does give you a lot of opportunities for self-study which I feel should take between 50-60% of your time on the course. But in regards to being actively taught, be they using programs or a higher level of thinking or directly relevant theories, Portsmouth is lacking. As from what I have experienced, the course is largely a waste of time and if you want to actually learn anything 90% will come from self-study. And the 10% you are taught is not worth £9000 a year.