The objective of project Tsu-Vis
is to create a visualization of tsunami waves, how they are formed and the
methods of protection against them, for instructors and professionals to
broadcast. My own role in the project is the protection half of the video, as
well as demonstrating the damaging aftereffects of a tsunami wave. My solutions
include multiple different moods the video could have. The mood affects the
camera angles, lighting, wording of the script, and resulting emotion of the
viewers after watching the video.
Solution one takes on a simple,
childish mood. This is ideal for an easily understood synopsis of the subject
that briefly and explicitly explains what is happening in the picture. The
imagery of the video and language of the script are simple and easy to follow.
The con of this mood, however, is that the information presented does not cover
details. The potential for an informative scientific video is lost.
The scene begins with the ocean’s
surface. A small wave has been formed and is rolling left towards shore. The
screen pans left following the wave. The screen pans out, while still panning
left, and the ocean is cut so that the viewer can see the ocean floor at the
bottom of the screen. Large arrows help guide the viewer‘s attention to the
motion of the wave growing larger. A city pans onto the screen and the wave
grows larger, crashing over the city. At this point, the screen stops panning
and focuses on the city. The water shallows, and the viewer can see the ocean
floor, surface of the ocean, and the flooded, demolished city.
Figure 1: Solution 1 Childish Mood
Script for Solution 1:
-
[Fade in from black.]
-
“As stated before, a tsunami wave usually begins
small.”
-
[Pan left following wave]
-
“The reason tsunami waves grow to be so large is
the ocean floor.”
-
[Pan out, ocean cut]
-
“The ocean floor rises as it comes closer to
shore. With nowhere to go, the water builds up, creating a huge wave.”
-
[Halt panning, screen focuses on city. Wave
breaks over city]
-
“A tsunami wave’s affects are incredibly
damaging.”
-
[Water shallows and reveals demolished city]
-
“Once once begins, there is no way to stop it.”
-
[Fade to black. Open again on wave approaching
mangrove trees. Screen is angled 45°
to the left.]
-
“However, there are ways to protect yourself
against it. One way popular in India is coastal trees and dunes that blunt the
force of the wave.
-
[View cuts to quick surging tides against sea
wall. Screen is angled 45°
to the right]
-
“Another common form of protection is sea walls
built along the shore in areas with large populations.”
-
“The best form of protection, though, is seeking
higher ground, and being safe.”
The second solution is more
educational and the mood is serious. The visuals are more detailed and the
audio description is more thoroughly explained. This mood allows an adequate
amount of information to be presented, and allows for more detailed imagery.
However, the viewers must have a minimal amount of background information on
the subject in order to fully understand the video and any excitement or
features of intentional interest are lost. The video is strictly to inform, not
to entertain.
The scene opens on a small wave
rolling left towards shore. The screen pans left, following the wave. As the
wave grows larger, the screen pans out and the ocean cuts, revealing the ocean
floor at the bottom of the screen. The viewer can see how the wave increases in
size as the ocean floor rises and the water shallows. When the wave has grown
to a substantial size, the screen pans back in, while still panning left
following the wave, so that the ocean floor is no longer visible. The screen
rotates 45° to the right,
and the city appears from the bottom left corner. This way, the viewer can
easily see the wave break over the city. The water shallows, and the city
appears flooded and demolished.
Figure 2: Solution 2 Serious Mood
Script for Solution 2:
-
[Fade in from black. Pan left]
-
“At up to 500 miles an hour, these waves can
travel entire ocean lengths in a day without losing force or speed.”
-
“As the wave approaches shallower water, it
slows down and rises to tremendous height.”
-
[Pan out, show ocean floor.]
-
“The upsurge of water is caused by the friction
of the wave against the rising ocean floor.”
-
[Pan back in, rotate 45° to right. City appears]
-
“A tsunami’s destructive power is colossal,
sometimes irreparable.”
-
[Wave crashes over city]
-
“Thousands of people are affected every year by
tsunamis in coastal areas, especially in Japan.”
-
“There is no way to stop a tsunami once one has
started, but there are defensive procedures you can take when one forms.”
-
[Cut view to mangrove trees]
-
“A common defense in India and parts of Asia is
growing vegetation, such as large trees and dunes. This blunts the force of the
wave when it rises onto shore.”
-
[Cut view to sea wall. Quick surging tides
against wall, each growing larger than the last. Screen 45° to right]
-
“Sea walls are another protective structure,
built on the coasts of Japan and the West Coast of America.”
-
“The best defense, however, is early warning, so
that people may evacuate to higher ground.”
The third solution is meant to
intimidate the viewer and catch their attention. The angle is rotated so that
the wave is coming towards the screen to make the wave appear to be approaching
the viewer. This creates a sense of fear and intimidation often recreated in
action movies. This video will certainly attract attention and heighten the
entertainment factor; however vital information on the subject would be lost.
This video’s goal is to entertain more than to inform.
The scene opens on the ocean
surface. A small wave has formed and is rolling towards the screen. The screen
pans back ahead of the wave. The wave grows in size. The view cuts to the back
of the wave. The viewer can see a city in the distance above the height of the
wave. The wave grows substantially and as it breaks, the view cuts back to the
front of the wave, behind the city. The viewer can see up front the wave
breaking over the city. The water rises over the screen, then shallows,
revealing the flooded, demolished city.
Figure 3: Solution 3 Intimidating Mood
Script for Solution 3:
-
[Fade in from black. Wave is rolling towards
screen as screen pans backwards (notice: backwards, not out]
-
“At speeds matching that of jet planes, these
monstrous waves start out small but grow to massive height, traveling across
entire oceans.”
-
[Cut view to back of wave]
-
“As the wave nears shore, it slows in speed and
builds in height and power, creating a wall of pure destruction.”
-
[Cut view back to front of wave, behind city]
-
“Thousands of people suffer every year from the
reign of tsunamis, especially those living in Japan and coastal areas.”
-
[Wave crashes over city, leaving it destroyed
and flooded]
-
“The damages can be irreparable. Once a tsunami
wave starts, there is no way it can be stopped.”
-
[Cut view to trees]
-
“However, you can blunt it. Trees and dunes
growing on the coast are good natural defenses.
-
[Cut view to sea wall]
-
“However, many people build sea walls to protect
themselves.”
-
“The only true protection from these monstrous
waves is early warning and escaping to higher ground.”
Design brief 1-
lowest 10 - highest
Criteria
|
Solution 1
|
Solution 2
|
Solution 3
|
Concept Name
|
Simple
|
Serious
|
Intimidating
|
Image
|
|
|
|
3-5 minutes
in length
|
7
Not enough detail to be appropriate length
|
10
Just enough detail to be appropriate length
|
9
Enough information to be appropriate in length
|
Animated in
3D
|
6
More suited to be animated in 2D
|
10
|
10
|
Understandable
language appropriate for target audience
|
7
Can be considered too simple, even boring
|
9
Appropriate enough for junior-high school students
|
9
Understandable enough for junior-high school
students
|
Informative
|
5
Not very informative
|
10
Perfectly informative
|
6
Not very informative
|
Accurate and
detailed
|
6
Accurate but not detailed
|
10
Accurate and detailed
|
7
Accurate but not very detailed
|
Net score
|
31
|
49
|
41
|
Rank
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
Continue?
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
After careful consideration through observation and the design matrix, the solution that will go through development will be solution 2. This solution is the best choice because the detail and information is at full potential and highest accuracy. There is no unnecessary information, the present information fills the time slot, the language is understandable for the target audience of middle - high school students, and the visualization is appropriate for 3D animation.
Here is a link to more imagery and information about the selected solution.
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