TED Talk Reflection

What I Knew:

    I knew the general state of the animation industry. Because of this, I knew there was a stigma against the medium that it was meant for children despite the many mature animated works. I was also aware of the general lack of respect animation faces at award shows like the Oscars and I also was aware that there has yet to be an animated movie to win best picture. Finally, I was aware of the rapid cancelation of many shows across streaming platforms as Inside Job, one of the mentioned shows, was canceled and I was very distraught.

What I DIDN'T Know:

    Most of my knowledge was surface-level. I was unaware of what made some projects more mature than others other than mature language or visuals. It is the themes and writing that make a series mature as well as language and visuals. I was also made aware of the true disrespect animation faces at the Oscars. The fact that animated movies can only be considered for their titular category and Best Picture which only three have been nominated for. Finally, I learned the reason behind the disrespect many animated projects face in the background through the mass cancelations across the money-hungry streaming services. 

Why I Chose This Topic:

       The topic of animation has always been important and of interest to me. Many of my favorite works of art are animated and I find it to be the most inspiring medium. I have always been inspired by the creative worlds, characters, and concepts the medium can take on. It is also a medium I hope to work with in acting and creation through a series I have been developing, called Shanzai: Dragon Arm. I originally wanted to cover why anime should be more respected, however when I was searching for that, I noticed many of the similar points that supported anime and was inspired to cover all of animation because of the medium's importance to me. I have been aware of the many problems that face animation, and I felt that this project was the perfect time to learn more about the issues and be able to share them. 

What I Learned-Research:

   

    Though I have known that animation is more than just a genre, it was great to truly learn why that is. The hard part was coming up with topics to speak about, but after that, the research was straightforward. What added to the simplicity of the research was the fact that it came from two primary places: different websites and YouTube. My favorite source came from YouTube and that video was Why Ratatoulli is Pixar's Magnum Opus by Schafrillas Productions because it was not only a deep dive into why the movie is a masterpiece, but also a commentary on why animation is so important to the movie and as well being a very entertaining video I have watched in the past and will watch again. To be honest, I did not spend much time in class on the project and was mostly working on other work during the granted time. I worked on the project on the nights before each part of it was due. But, I still believe that the work I did was good, and am satisfied with the work I completed my only regret was working on a schedule that put my sleep in jeopardy. 

What I Learned-Presentation:

  Due to my many experiences on the stage due to my many experiences in theatre, this presentation was not difficult for me to execute. However, I learned many things through the preparation for this speech. The first thing I learned was the importance of an informative visual aid that doesn't distract the audience. I believe I succeded with well-timed transitions and simple but effective pictures that emphasized my points. I also utilized notecards for the first time in a presentation and they allowed me to stay on track of my points and manage my slides. I did not practice for this presentation but my well-done note cards were able to alleviate this issue. Because of this, I believe the actual presentation went well, but I think that I could have prepared for the presentation better with practice. I think that the most glaring flaw with the presentation however was the time length. I believe I could have shortened some of my points to achieve a shorter time limit. I can work on practicing for my presentations to make sure that they are delivered how I want and reach my desired length.

What The Audience Learned:

    The audience learned why animation is cinema. I showed them elements of different pieces of animation that they may not have realized before through movies or TV shows from their childhood. I also showed them elements beyond the art itself; I showed how people treat art from the perspective of regular people, those who award the art, and those who distribute it. I introduced this new idea and from the talk after my presentation, I believe that I showed the class a new perspective they will not soon forget and through that, I achieved my goal. 

Advice For Future Students:

  My first piece of advice is to choose a topic that you are passionate about. This way, you might already have background knowledge on the subject which will allow you to streamline your process and also have more fun because you are learning more about a thing you really like. I would also say to make sure that your visual aid is simple and not distracting and to also keep track of it. ALso, make sure to practice your speech to make sure that you are able to master your visual aid and achieve the time you need.