My NMI Journey
I knew I wanted to join New Media freshman year. 3 years later my story is complete.... Strap in for the ride.
During the course we learned valuable life lessons and heard from fantastic speakers from every aspect of the new media world.
My favorite from event from the semester was NMI: Black Paint, where I met some of my first NMI friends and heard the story of two friends making their own way in the agency world
This course showed me a new side of the creative stack and intro into code beyond my cursory understanding. Through numerous projects I learned HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, and some Javascript. I worked on my personal portfolio and my podcast website worthpodcast.com
Project 1: Hand-Crafted, Organically Grown HTLM Website
My first site was created entirely with HTML and a bit of CSS with no template or formating help - a harder task than I imagined. I realized creating a digital product through code is incredibly rewarding, even if it's rough around the edges.
Project 2: The Bootstrap Triptych
A deeper dive into the possibilities of web dev through the help of those who have come before us. The Triptych was a process of creation, theme and customization, with the final product being something I actually sent to the band for their March 16th show (which never happened)!
I learned how to tread water in the new media world with production and TED at the same time. However there was somewhat of a catastrophe right before the event that delayed everything for a year...
disappointment
[dĭs″ə-point′mənt]
Defeat or failure of expectation, hope, wish, desire, or intention; miscarriage of design or plan
My Roles as Curator for Cristen and Caroline & Hospitality Director
During the crazy ride that was TEDxUGA 2020 I was assigned to Cristen and Caroline, the UGA alumni feminist podcast hosts who wanted to stay curious, build empathy, and raise hell. As a TEDx Curator I learned how a real presentation should be a perfect balance of passionate storytelling and nuanced examination of research. I loved working with the curation team and the hosts to build out their ideas and bring the presentation to life with visuals. However COVID-19 shut everything down two weeks before the event. We were disappointed to say the least.
The event was postponed to 2021, and I was asked to come back as the Hospitality Director, aka Green Room Dad. I got to see my presenters finally take the stage, as well as clam the nerves and prep all the others. It was a long wait, but worth it.
Go Bigger
Through all the changes in class schedule and teaching New Media Production stayed the same and kept me sane. The only specification for our final site was that it had to go bigger than anything else we had done before. I wanted to create a fully fleshed out site that I would be proud to direct people to and whole be easily update-able as new episodes came out. I am really proud of how this one turned out!
My final semester in the NMI was certainly an eventful one. I became a veteran in the TED world and started working with a new batch of presenters: Sudhan Chitgopkar and Grace Ahn, both came in with very technical and visual heavy talks. As a veteran I was able to hit the ground running on these talks. This year the class is formatted with the fall semester being the start of curation and spring is scripting, memorizing and the event. I joined the team and started editing full scripts only a couple weeks into the semester, a large change from the previous way of doing it.
At the same time I began working with the UGA Gymdogs to expand their AR instagram filters through my NMI Capstone Project.
After dozens of presenter meetings, hours of production training, and thousands of slides clicked, we finally made it to third TED event of my career. The two days in the Morton Theater felt like an alternate timeline, as I was in the back running production and slides for over 12 hours both days.
This semester of TED taught me how to make it all the way through to the end of a huge event from every angle. Since I was a member of the class and working for the NMI as assistant producer at the same time, I had a look into what goes on in TED world better than most people ever would.
Team Gymdogs Experience 2.0 designed incredible AR filters to be used by fans and recruits so celebrate some of the best gymnasts in the country. I was the project manager and chief technologist, a perfect role to bring together my business and creative skills.
Our team worked with Lijah Galas, Director of UGA Gymnastics Creative Services & Social Media, to continue the development of this project from the previous capstone team to further improve their year-round recruitment efforts and fan experience.
Through 4 checkpoints our team delivered new filters, presentations, a website, handoff tools, design guide, a project trailer, and more. None of it would have been possible without our tight nit group working together and our fantastic instructor Tyler Mazurek.
Anyone can now visit the ugagymnastics instagram and is able to access a real-life, adjustable sized confetti bucket or the 10 national champion trophies that the Georgia Gymdogs have won over the years. Both filters were produced through the 3D modeling software Blender, then imported into instagram's native AR development tool Spark AR Studio. Multiple static filters were also designed, including the Look-like-a-Gymdog Makeup and the SEC Spirit Filters, which were created through Photoshop and Spark AR. Now not only you can feel the spirit from the actual venue, but you can also see what it’s like to be a Gymdog on the mat with a realistic makeup filter!
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