This film will be a 3d animated anti-war film about the experience of growing up in a conflict zone. Following the main character's development from early childhood to adulthood, The film will tackle how trauma becomes normalized and how long it takes us to accept it. This film uses my parents as a case study for two immigrants who left their country to save their children from the experiences of their past.

Thesis

As the world pushes itself deeper into more conflicts and wars it is important to view conflicts through the eyes of those who experience them, and not through the eyes of world governments and organizations. Conflict and violence are currently on the rise (UN) and there are 32 countries currently at war (World Population Review). There is a lack of movies focused on realism rather than romanticism. Films about conflict are romanticized by portraying characters as brave and heroic and highlighting the bonds forged by war. Living in conflict is not defined by bravery or heroism but by survival.

Significance

Methodology : Research

Interviews

Defining project limitations

Analysis

Methodology : Creation Stage 1

Story Development

Storyboarding

Storyboards

Loving Vincent

In a story depicted in oil-painted animation, a young man comes to the last hometown of painter Vincent van Gogh to deliver the troubled artist's final letter and ends up investigating his final days there.

Loving Vincent is the world's first fully painted film. They painted over 65,000 frames on over 1,000 canvases. 

Methodology : Creation Stage 2

Music

Asset Development

Animation

Compositing

Enviorments

Characters

A 3d animated film that is a realistic story showing the experience of growing up in a conflict zone. A film that spreads empathy and gives people an understanding of the emotional difficulties of conflict. The film will be targeted at a mature audience but it won’t include images of violence, these things will be felt instead.

Expected Outcome

Advisor: Robert Laplante

My advisor is Robert Laplante, he is currently a CFX Artist at Blur Studios, a well-known studio in the VFX industry famous for their work on Love Death and Robots. Robert specializes in Houdini and Maya but is accustomed to the whole animation pipeline. He has also previously coached at Nuvu so he is familiar with the Nuvu process. 

Timeline

Asset Development

Animation

Rendering

Compositing

expected to finish April 10th

April 11th -> April 29th

April 25th -> April 29th

April 30th -> May 4th

Feedback Questions

• What do you think the film is trying to convey?

• do you think it's easy for the audience to get this message?

• do you think the pacing makes sense?

• What scenes were most impactful?

• does the story align with the goals of the film?

Identifying and targeting sources of negative Psychological Momentum within players will increase their performance. Teams with more resistance to negative Psychological Momentum will perform better in comparison to teams with low tolerance.

Project Goals | Background

Psychological Momentum is usually described as having a ‘hot hand’, or being ‘in the zone’. Typically, the athlete or team with a positive PM will experience a significant increase in feelings of control, confidence, optimism, and energy.

Under a sports psychology lens, momentum is a battle of attrition. There is little evidence that shows quantitative, positive effects after increasing momentum, but its loss can be devastating.

Justification

• 70% of young athletes left sports by their teens, often because of a toxic or negative experience*. How to we compete in a sportsmanlike manner, building up team and sport culture?
• SHS Ultimate is a young program, how can I grow it?
• Preserve Ultimate Frisbee Culture while enhancing my team's ability to compete

*National Alliance for Youth Sports

End Goals | Effect on Team

Media Generated:

• 1-2 posters per game, ~22 total
• 1 recap video per week, 4 total (in capstone)
• Order high quality flag/flagpole for team use

Outlooks Shifted:

• Measure 1 player's outlook over the rest of capstone via interview, 8 games/interviews total

Plays created:

• Create 3 plays to generate momentum, observe in games

Ideally:

• Increase in interest in frisbee at SHS
• Increase Somerville's "spirit score" at tournaments
• Increase performance at games

Project Goals | Methodology

Coaches & Athletes | Psychologists | Media

Improve in-game strategy

Improve out-of-game hype

Improve player responsiveness/psychology

Coaches/Athletes

Psychologists/Athletes

Media Generation

Precedents | In-Game Strategy

Most plays that shift the momentum in a game were created with scoring in mind. The plays that I create will be based on generating tactical momentum.

Trick Plays - Shift Momentum

"Flex" Plays - Maintain Momentum

3 Man Weave - Tactically sound, good looks

"Old Reliable" - Risky, but if successful lots of momentum

Tactical Momentum | In-Game Strategy

“Tactical Momentum” - A plan for subverting or maintaining momentum/morale/energy/PM during a perticular moment during a match or tourney

Current Directions

• Traditional plays, shifting the momentum by creating tactical success on field via ‘big plays’ or moments of mastery
• Sideline plays, shifting the momentum via sideline engagement off field. Cheering plays/active sideline
• Reward players who do the ‘dirty jobs’ on the field. Good defense, stuff that won’t make the highlight reel but is crucial to overall advantage, ect.

Traditional and sideline plays should be blended for maximum effect

Example Play | In-Game Strategy

Split Stack | Flex Play

Malloy's Play | Big Play

This was the initial idea for the project. I want to create material that draws fans in, creating a strong base for our players to get excited from.

STILL HERE: Patriots Super Bowl 53 Hype Video

Precedents | Media Generation

Red Sox Instagram account

Team Unity | Media Generation

Outcome: Success! Flag generated significant spirit, with many players attributing positive momentum shifts to it.

• Create pride within athletes through symbolic unity

Initial Posters | Media Generation

• Working with potential lines, working to see what fits
• Who are we?
• Used Track & Field photos because none were available yet

WE ARE VILLEN | Media Generation

• Tagline "we are villen", highlight teammates
• Initial poster, worked on formatting, highlighting team & flag, distinguishing from background

WE ARE VILLEN | Media Generation

• Tagline "we are villen", highlight teammates
• Initial poster, worked on formatting, highlighting team & flag, distinguishing from background

• Create anticipation for the coming season by capitalizing on the "Edit" trend.
• Clips from first tournament
• Mostly Big Plays

• Posted to social media, positive response.

He's Back! | Media Generation

• Convey a sense of how the tournament went to JV and outside world, build interest.
• Congratulate players who had a great tourney!

• Posted to social media, positive response.

Danvers Recap | Media Generation

• Increase team connectivity through humor
• Vent negative experiences/celebrate successes through media

Memes and Inside Jokes | Media Generation

Player Interview | Player Psychology

Objectives - primary

• Find areas to improve PM and negative resistance
• Identify team weaknesses/strengths, interview others accordingly
• Flex goal, user specific

Objectives - secondary

• Form a closer friendship 
• Create a supportive network for venting within team

Quantitative Questions | Player Psychology

y/n questions

Did you get 8+ hours of sleep prior?

Did you get enough to eat?

Were you slightly injured?

Scale of 1-10:

How much energy did you have?

How did you feel at the beginning of the game?

How did you feel at the end?

Phenomenalogical Questions | Player Psychology

How did the game go? Give me an overview from your perspective.

Why do you think it went that way?

How did you contribute to that outcome? How did you contrast that outcome?

What were you feeling at that moment?

How do you think others could have done better?

How do you think you could have done better?

Do you need other’s help with that?

Can you help others with their own struggles?

When were you most excited?

When were you most lethargic?

Weekly

• Create recap vid using game footage
• Create 1-2 posters using images from practaces/games

Questions? Feedback?

Identifying and targeting sources of negative Psychological Momentum within players will increase their performance. Teams with more resistance to negative Psychological Momentum will perform better in comparison to teams with low tolerance.

Project Goals | Background

Psychological Momentum is usually described as having a ‘hot hand’, or being ‘in the zone’. Typically, the athlete or team with a positive PM will experience a significant increase in feelings of control, confidence, optimism, and energy.

Under a sports psychology lens, momentum is a battle of attrition. There is little evidence that shows quantitative, positive effects after increasing momentum, but its loss can be devastating.

Justification

• 70% of young athletes left sports by their teens, often because of a toxic or negative experience*. How to we compete in a sportsmanlike manner, building up team and sport culture?
• SHS Ultimate is a young program, how can I grow it?
• Preserve Ultimate Frisbee Culture while enhancing my team's ability to compete

*National Alliance for Youth Sports

End Goals | Effect on Team

Media Generated:

• 1-2 posters per game, ~22 total
• 1 recap video per week, 4 total (in capstone)
• Order high quality flag/flagpole for team use

Outlooks Shifted:

• Measure 1 player's outlook over the rest of capstone via interview, 8 games/interviews total

Plays created:

• Create 3 plays to generate momentum, observe in games

Ideally:

• Increase in interest in frisbee at SHS
• Increase Somerville's "spirit score" at tournaments
• Increase performance at games

Project Goals | Methodology

Coaches & Athletes | Psychologists | Media

Improve in-game strategy

Improve out-of-game hype

Improve player responsiveness/psychology

Coaches/Athletes

Psychologists/Athletes

Media Generation

Precedents | In-Game Strategy

Most plays that shift the momentum in a game were created with scoring in mind. The plays that I create will be based on generating tactical momentum.

Trick Plays - Shift Momentum

"Flex" Plays - Maintain Momentum

3 Man Weave - Tactically sound, good looks

"Old Reliable" - Risky, but if successful lots of momentum

Tactical Momentum | In-Game Strategy

“Tactical Momentum” - A plan for subverting or maintaining momentum/morale/energy/PM during a perticular moment during a match or tourney

Current Applications

Traditional plays, shifting the momentum by creating tactical success on field via ‘big plays’ or moments of mastery

Sideline plays, shifting the momentum via sideline engagement off field. Cheering plays/active sideline

Reward players who do the ‘dirty jobs’ on the field. Good defense, stuff that won’t make the highlight reel but is crucial to overall advantage, ect.

Traditional and sideline plays should be blended for maximum effect

Example Play | In-Game Strategy

Split Stack | Flex Play

Malloy's Play | Big Play

This was the initial idea for the project. I want to create material that draws fans in, creating a strong base for our players to get excited from.

STILL HERE: Patriots Super Bowl 53 Hype Video

Precedents | Media Generation

Red Sox Instagram account

Team Unity | Media Generation

Outcome: Success! Flag generated significant spirit, with many players attributing positive momentum shifts to it.

• Create pride within athletes through symbolic unity

• Generate anticipation for the season
• Provide material for Villen social media accounts
• Generate ancipatoon for future matches

WE ARE VILLEN | Media Generation

Initial Posters | Media Generation

• Working with

• Create anticipation for the coming season by capitalizing on the "Edit" trend.
• Clips from first tournament
• Mostly Big Plays

• Posted to social media, positive response.

He's Back! | Media Generation

• Convey a sense of how the tournament went to JV and outside world, build interest.
• Congratulate players who had a great tourney!

• Posted to social media, positive response.

Danvers Recap | Media Generation

• Increase team connectivity through humor
• Vent negative experiences/celebrate successes through media

Memes and Inside Jokes | Media Generation

Player Interview | Player Psychology

Objectives - primary

• Find areas to improve PM and negative resistance
• Identify team weaknesses/strengths, interview others accordingly
• Flex goal, user specific

Objectives - secondary

• Form a closer friendship 
• Create a supportive network for venting within team

Quantitative Questions | Player Psychology

y/n questions

Did you get 8+ hours of sleep prior?

Did you get enough to eat?

Were you slightly injured?

Scale of 1-10:

How much energy did you have?

How did you feel at the beginning of the game?

How did you feel at the end?

Phenomenalogical Questions | Player Psychology

How did the game go? Give me an overview from your perspective.

Why do you think it went that way?

How did you contribute to that outcome? How did you contrast that outcome?

What were you feeling at that moment?

How do you think others could have done better?

How do you think you could have done better?

Do you need other’s help with that?

Can you help others with their own struggles?

When were you most excited?

When were you most lethargic?

Weekly

• Create recap vid using game footage
• Create 1-2 posters using images from practaces/games

Questions? Feedback?

Abstract

• AI is a large part of our future

• If used in the right setting it can help students develop important cognitive skills

• This project aims to design classroom materials that integrate AI into a Montessori curriculum



• Involves doing classroom observations and interviews

Background

• The 4PADAFE instructional design matrix illustrates a practical application of AI in education, enhancing understanding and engagement through personalized assistance.

• Generative design utilizes AI to enhance human creativity rather than replace it, fostering innovation across fields.



• The Montessori curriculum which emphasizes the development of core cognitive skills, should be used as a framework for AI in the classroom.

CS50 Duck

Generative Design

Moflin

Dash

Our vision is to inspire kids of all ages by giving them tools to imagine and invent the future.

"

"

• Designed for the elementary age range
• Emphasizes Movement in Play
• Easily adaptable with different kits and objects
• Responsive to its environment

Precedent

Advisors

Robert Sisson - Expertise

Keith Schacht - Expertise

Thinkery

Artificial Intelligence

Product

Design

Montessori Curriculum

Technology Education

Writing

Data Analysis

Client Interaction

Prototyping & Design

Research

3D Modeling

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Collaborators

Lexington Montessori School

Cambridge Montessori School

Wildflower Montessori

Methodology