As the name suggests, the Profile project centered around one person. In English, we wrote a paper about that person, linking them to a researchable issue. In Design, we shot a portrait of them, created a Google presentation on both the profile star and our experiences throughout the project, and designed a magazine article to coordinate with our paper. In WebAudio, we created a website and commercial.
The Profile project was our largest project so far; it began at the end of junior year and carried through November. I learned to create unity between all of the different components of this project, from my website to my magazine article. In English, I struggled a lot with the paper, especially with the researchable issue. The Community Reader Feedback in particular helped me move along in my paper by suggesting a new researchable issue for my paper. My researchable issue was initially abuses in the service industry, but it wasn’t really supported by my profile star’s experiences. I eventually changed it to the American Dream, which is supported by both Grace’s experiences and outlook on life. In Design, I had to juggle all three components of the project at once. The location I chose to shoot at had really warm lighting. I learned to combine Photoshop filters with Camera Raw options to edit the lighting back to a more neutral color. In WebAudio, I learned to use Javascript to create more motion in my website and jQuery to create a photogallery.
I met Grace Lee when I was half a year old. Like many working parents, mine found it difficult to balance work and a newborn baby. A babysitter was the solution to their dilemma, and Grace became a welcome member of the family. When my brother was born two years later, Grace took charge of him as well, raising the two of us and teaching us lessons from her lifetime of experiences.
Grace’s story is one of adaption and contrast: between teacher and babysitter, China and America, poverty and financial security, work and family.
The commercial was created in After Effects. I had used After Effects before, but this time, I worked more on graphic motion and making all the motions seem smooth through curves in the keyframes. My design concept was simpler and more repetitive, but it created unity.