Final Pre-Capstone N420 Blog

This will be my final entry before Winter Break and when I actually start my Capstone semester.  (With my car dying, this may be up in the air... but anyhoo ...  I wanted to address a few things that have happened in the recent weeks and the things i have learned in Beth's class.


First I'd wanted to say how pleased my 30 sec pitch turned out.  (For those unaware of what this is: http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/05/mastering-business-elevator-pitch.html).  I am also proud to say that i was on of the illustrious few who had enough time and foresight to create a business card as I had to take the bus to class that day because my car is dead.  (I'm currently looking to buy)  I planned my pitch perfectly and rehearsed the time frame.  About 23-27 secs because once you get into the room, time becomes incredibly short.  I looked up a few things on presentation and body language online. I also realized that I talk fast in that situation, but I had my game in mind, my target audience, a way to distribute my game and it would be cheap to produce because my idea is digital.  I was afraid that my pitch would come off too 'business-y', but that was sure fire way to go. Also, after the fact I was lucky enough to have to leave with my babydoll so that we could catch the bus together.  That was when beth asked everyone who had brought something to leave, to stay behind.  We had chance to have a person to person chat about our reviews, what we did right and wrong.  I even love how Beth let two people who had wrote a business card in there.  She scolded them a bit, but also kind of rewarded them for having that foresight.  And I feel for one guy who hand wrote his because he was in my boat dual wielding jobs (for you non-LARPers/gamers that means working two jobs :p)

I would love to hear from people who do this first hand, for me this was rather difficult for me.

Second
Fall capstones:

I was amazed how long that I stayed there.  Again,we had to take the damn bus, but we got there pretty early (me and my babydoll) And we asked a series of questions to a few students;

Nate Moody Christina Chapman Salvador Santiago

1) Why did you choose this for your capstone?
Further develop skills in storytelling 

I've been doing stories forever since I was little.  She was finally able to exspress her vision in illustrated and literal form.

He wanted to use his capstone for his ultimate goal of traveling and making it in L.A.

2)  What are some of the changes that you made between the original idea and what you are presenting today?
tried new things, def accomplished that

I wnated to have a tent, but she had to changer her room several times.  She only received plans for her room a week ago, so she recently had to change it again.

He scrapped the documentary he wnated to do because it was too large to do in a semester, it was also too expensive.

3)  What is your opinion of the timeline, and did it help?
 It was more guidelines that stirct.  It helped but he had to make many changes in the end.

Plan extra time !!

 It didn't work for him at all.  (He did completely scrap his documentary and redo his idea,)  He said his dates were too rigid.

4)  If you could change anything about your capstone what would it be?
 I wnated more physical materials, but it was 30$ for some of the art work alone.  (He had a number of computers set-up to show off his digital storytelling.  He also reserved his room early, he had the sign in front of the lobby.)

She had spent alot of money gathering the props for her capstone.  She had boxes and vials and a handmade map, and an expensive set of steam punk watches and keys. (Def for me part of planning is budget!)

He would have gotten more help from faculty and students

5)  What advice would you give to those planning their capstone?
He reserved his room almost on day one.  Don't overstretch, pick something your good with.  His friends did the 3-d work (which was a 3-d concept sketch of his characters in his comics.) 

She wnated more finished art work, more posters  (She spent at least 40$ on one).  be adaptable, don't expect anyone to help! Even for reserving a room from profs.!

He said to think more about the final project than the process.  (I took that to mean to not stress about all the small details.)

re AFTER CAPSTONE

I felt that going to capstone for the final was an awesome final project!  It was enlightening to see and talk with the other students, and to see what they have accomplished.  And because of Beth I noticed only FOUR of the capstones students out of many I talked too (I got a ton of extra credit (<<< also a good idea)) had bus. cards or anything else to take away form their exhibit!  

i definitely noticed a few things that I want to do for my particular presentation.  I want to create displayable art and bus cards (that I can get for cheap... I should make a blog about networking).  It was very inspirational and I think I took a lot more with me than just a business card.

I also really enjoyed Christiana's presentation.  It gave me a few ideas that I would like to see in Jes's presentation.  I hope we could afford to put it together, but I have plans, and we could beg borrow and steal stuff for it :)

W INTER BREAK and HAPPY HOLIDAYS~~!!