Tibetan Buddhist Culture

A necessary trip to the Indian Embassy at Edinburgh ended in a day-trip around the tourist spot as well. So, we went to the National Museum of Scotland. I cam across a section that was devoted to Buddhist Tibetan Culture. Since, Sheng's film is based on a love story in a Tibetan Monastery, I turned this visit into research. I took some pictures of the Prayer wheels installed there.

 After going through the description, I understood the importance of the prayer-wheel in Buddhism and its true essence.

I have already made the prayer wheels. However, i would like to remodel them to look somewhat like this. I want my models to look as realistic as possible.

This might be helpful for the texturing of the prayer-wheel.

The different details and carvings around the Prayer-wheel station that are part of the Tibetan culture. 

There was also a place where we could make a prayer-flag. I made a Prayer Flag too. Below is a video that was at the museum describing every bit that goes in the making of a Prayer-wheel and also its importance in Buddhism.

Research Paper and Presentation

I had started writing the research paper quite early on. My language was more conversational as I was putting down my thoughts at random. What was the germ idea behind this research? What made it so intriguing that I wanted to research on it? These became part of my introduction.

As I proceeded further, I had to mention the source inspiration behind my thought process. Then I headed straight into the Behavioural Psychology Theory. It was the basis of my research. Explaining it in detail was necessary to show that I understood it well.

Then, I wrote in the details showing the depth of my research regarding specific bird species going extinct and how I was planning to make them a part of my film. Further, there was a chapter on the Focus Groups that I had conducted followed by its results.

I had changed the templates for my presentation. I created a timeline with pictures that were symbolic of the development of my research which appeared with each slide as its header, completing as a set only in the end. Below are the slides that I used for my presentation.

Transcribing Focus Group and Results

Transcribing the Focus Group took a lot of time as I had conducted two focus groups and I had to transcribe audio worth one hour forty five minutes.

 Part of transcription from FG1

Part of transcription from FG2

Results

Both the Focus Groups had five participants. Focus Group1 had one pet owner and Focus Group2 had four pet owners. It was seen that despite the number of pet owners being higher in Focus Group2 they were less sympathetic to the cause of wildlife preservation than Focus Group1.

The order in which the two animatics were screened also affected the participant’s opinion. It seemed that the participants from Focus Group1 were more involved due to the Gain-Framed Film being shown first while Focus Group2 Participants seemed disinterested after the Loss-Framed screening. Focus Group1 participants appeared to have watched the Loss-Framed Film attentively as they had been drawn in by the narration of the Gain-Framed Film while Focus Group2 Participants were impatient at the Gain-Framed Film’s screening.

After the ‘preaching’ as one of the participant remarked, they seemed distant to the cause of the animals. In fact, they found the dog to be ‘stupid’. One of them said, “Why was the bird still hungry after eating all the biscuit....the biscuits were almost the same size as the birds? They were still in the mind frame of facts and statistics of the Loss-Framed Film and could not accept exaggerated animation. Also, Focus Group1 found the ending of the Gain-Framed Film to be ‘good’ and the one that ‘restores balance to the nature’ while Focus Group2 thought that it made the animatic ‘boring’ and ‘it was not required’.

Four participants (all from Focus Group1) thought that both the animatics carried different messages. They said that the Gain-Framed Film did not show the impact on humans while the Loss-Framed showed not only the impact on humans but portrayed them as the actual cause of the problem. While the rest of the participants thought that both the film carried the same message of ‘caring for animals’ and ‘saving nature’. Focus Group1 Participants also felt that the impact on human beings was under-represented.

Four out of ten participants said that they found the Loss-framed Film baffling as their focus kept shifting back and forth between the monologue and the graphics.

Participants from both of the Focus Groups seemed to agree unanimously that the Gain-Framed Animatic was entertaining and thus more memorable than the Loss-Framed Animatic. It can be also deduced that narration can help in forming an opinion over given matter as the participants could relate to the characters. 

Focus Group

Since my research involved showing two films to the participants in a different chronological order, so I organised two focus Groups. One on Saturday(22.02.2014) and the other on Sunday(23.02.2014). On Saturday, I planned to show the Gain Framed Film first and then the Loss Framed Film, and on Sunday I showed the Loss Framed first and then the Gain Framed Film. I had invited 6 Participants for each Focus Group. 

On Saturday, however, only 4 turned up. I went knocking doors in my student accommodation to find participants. I found 1 student who was available and happily agreed to become a part of my research. As I could only find five people who were available on the day,I decided to carry on with the Focus Group. 

I asked them to sign the Participant Consent Form and then told them about Animatics and how it might differ from their viewings of an animation. Then,I showed them an animatic from Despicable 2 as an example. Further, proceeded with asking some general questions. Then I showed them the Gain Framed Film. I asked them several questions around the film. After that the Loss Framed Film was shown and questions were asked around the same. Further, questions were asked around both the films.

On Sunday, 5 turned up. So, I had equal participants on both the days. As mentioned above I showed the films in reverse order.Also, I followed the format as on Saturday.

Loss Framed Animatic

As I am busy modeling Lily, George agreed to help me with the Loss Framed Animatic to get it ready in time for the focus groups.So, after I completed the story boarding for the Loss Framed Animatic I handed it all the details to him.

Lilly was kind to voice over this animatic. Here is the completed animatic.

Loss-Framed Story Development

I had  a meeting with Sharon regarding my focus Group Questionnaire. I took this opportunity to show her the almost finished animatic of the loss framed film. She really liked George's drawing. He has actually done an amazing job.

I have done its narration and story-boarding. Somehow, I was not happy with the finale scene. I wanted it to not only look grand but have an impact on the audience. However, the scene that I had in my mind looked simple and not graphically or artistically exciting.

Originally Planned

I relayed it to Sharon. She came up with this brilliant idea of zooming in to the windows of the cityscape and then sketching the food chain chart that I intended to make. I think it will be a smooth transition to the next shot. Then,there was this another amazing idea of switching off the window lights would signal the end of a line of specie. I intended gradual fade out to black. However, now I would prefer the lights to switch off abruptly and then the screen would be pitch black.

Final Story-board

I have relayed the entire concept to George after the meeting. He is also happy with this. We intend to get the polished animatic ready in time for my Focus Group tentatively on this Saturday(if I get my Ethics Application approved by then). The deadline of the polished animatic is Friday according to my Production Schedule. So,everything seems to be on time at the moment. 

I think. Therefore, I am!

After Jeanette send me a feedback of my Ethics Approval Application,I sat to ponder over the questions that I intended to ask my Focus Group Participants. I thought I might have not understood what a research involves so I participated in a psychological research myself. Experience? It was informative but I found it to be really entertaining too.

First set of proposed questions

After returning from it,I tried to get a meeting fixed with Sharon. It took over a week. I tried to do some more research and think around ways to get the most out of the focus group fro my research study. Then,I thought, that by the following questions I will just get a generalised overview of the audience. So, I thought it best to get a personality trait questionnaire from which I could categorise them into groups of people that had similar traits/preferences that might/might not result in their behavioural change. I formed some questions and I also undertook many online personality tests to find what other questions I could ask that were relevant to my research study. It took quite sometime to form a questionnaire. 

Personality Trait Questionnaire

Then came the challenge of evaluation once the Focus group was done with. Since, I had made the questionnaire in the form of a Likert Scale,I decided those behavioural traits that were positive would score the highest and the ones that were negative would score lowest. For example, on the question of 'I actively participate in recycling', if the participant ticked on Strongly Agree, he/she would get 5 points. However,if they ticked on Strongly Disagree he/she would me marked 1. Likewise, for Agree, Neutral, and Disagree he/she would be marked 4,3, and 2 respectively.

In this same fashion all the traits would  have been evaluated. However,Sharon enlightened me that since I have had no experience and there is no theory supporting my evaluation it would not hold much water. In fact,she said it would be really a waste of time to categorise as I wanted to know what the general audience feels about my film and not some specific group.

So,my week long reflection and research went down the drain. Currently, I am organising two focus groups. In the first one,I will show the gain-framed message film first and then the loss-framed. Likewise,in the second group, the loss framed film will be shown first and then the gain-framed. After each film same set of questions would be asked regarding the specific film just shown. Then,at the end,with the help of Sharon I have prepared a set of questions that are over the differences/similarities of the two films.

Revised Questionnaire(Still waiting approval)

Reflecting again!

Lately,I have been having trouble taking my research project ahead.It seems as if I have reached a point from where I can go nowhere. I have done a lot of research on the Psychological Theory. I think I understand it well. I think the method I am using to integrate with story-telling is fine too. Still,somehow,when thinking of questions that I intend to ask to my focus group participants,I am not on the right track.

Jeanette adviced me to have a talk through with Sharon about it. I am yet to get a meeting date with Sharon. However,in the meantime I decided to participate in a Research Project conducted by a 4th year Psychology Undergraduate Student whose advertisement had come up in Hermes,so that I get an overview of what might happen at one.

Her research was on how video games might affect aggressive behaviour in people. I was first asked to fill up a questionnaire regarding my general behaviour traits. Then,I played two games. Again,I had to fill up questionnaires between the two and fill up blanks of several words. The two questionnaires had almost the same questions but rephrased differently.

After participating in this I realised that, I was asking those questions to the participants that would answer the main findings for my research. Instead of digging in their psyche indirectly, I was directly asking those technical questions to them that would make no sense to them. If I would have asked such questions to my peers it would have made more sense. They would have known the technical aspects.

However,my research is audience-oriented so it will be better if I find ways to go about this research differently. Currently,I am thinking of showing my films to two different set of participants and then comparing their reviews. 

Narration of the counterpart film for my research

It took quite sometime and a lot of Research work to get together a piece of narration that might be the base of graphical images for the second film of my Research. The tone that the narrator must use for this should spell doom all over it. It reads thus:

Today, local wildlife is being squeezed into even smaller spaces as man’s unfathomable need to acquire more space for himself is greater than ever before. Incessant cutting down of trees for urbanisation has led astray birds of their rightful homes.

According to the Common Census several species of once common birds are becoming extinct.

An ecological cascade effect of secondary specie dying because of its dependency on the first is obvious.

If we don’t do our bit today ecosystems collapse and a higher rate of extinction of overall specie is imminent. 

Moodboard for story

In our last meeting with Sharon, we were asked to make a few moodboard for the animation art style that we would like to pursue. I checked and searched on Google and have come with these ideas.

Since,my research is based on the birds going extinct, after much research I squared on these three birds that  are not only beautiful but would make a good study for the character designing on Sheng's part. The first ones for each are life pictures while others are their caricatures taken from various websites.

We have been considering what form of Background Art style we might go for. So,I got together this one that might be of some help.

Planning the Focus Groups

Research Question- Can the integration of traditional story-telling and a Human Behavioural Psychology Theory generate a positive lifestyle change in its audience?

Pre- Focus Group Plan

Duration (Approx 45 Mins.)

• ·      Apply for Ethics Approval
•        Invite 8-12 Participants
•        Age group- 20-35 years
•        Invite through        -An Advertisement, Printed Pamphlets around the college, Word of Mouth
•        Booking the Facilities     – Room
•        Booking the Equipment -Recorder, Projector
• ·     Inviting the Participants formally by Email
•       Arranging for Moderator and Assistant
•       Arranging for Refreshments

Objective of the Focus Group

The psychological theory (The Strategic Use of Gain‐ and Loss‐Framed Messages to Promote Healthy Behaviour: How Theory Can Inform Practice) primarily involves framing of a question where the expected outcome might be gain or loss in association with an advocated behaviour. So, it will be beneficial to my research if I conduct a Focus Group before the actual making of the films as I will be able to incorporate the results of the Focus Group into those films. It will help me ascertain what the audiences prefer between different variables. For Example, tone (colour/sound) of the film, presentation of the underlying theme/message, might affect how the participants/audience would feel about the film and its message. These will be some of the main findings. The participants suggestion on what the films might showcase that would motivate them to change their behaviour would also be sought.

Research

We have squared on that we would like to make two animatics for my research with two different tone style to bring out the Gain and Loss Framed Messages clearly. The gain framed film is based on a story and the loss framed is in the form of an informative monologue.

Lilly is directing the Gain-Framed Film while I will be directing the other. Currently all of us are concentrating on the script and story-boarding of the Gain Framed Film. I am doing my bit of Research on the Loss Framed Film. I need to congregate all the facts and data of what is happening and what needs to be done in a narration. The films are on taking care of the local wildlife esp endangered birds. So, far I have sent an email to Dundee RSPB on their advice of the plight of the Local Birds. I am waiting for their response.

Some of the birds that I did find interesting for our animation are 

Bullfinch: Declined by 53%(Common Bird Census between 1970 and 1999)

Song Thrush: Declined by 56% (Common Bird Census between 1970 and 1999)

Starling: Declined by 76% ( Common Bird Census between 1970 and 1999)

Not only are they beautiful and need to be saved but i think they will prove to be good examples for Sheng's Research on 'paranoid' characters.

Ref: http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/decline/nationaltrends.aspx

Reflection on Practice

Some exercises in Sharon's first lesson actually made me aware of some of my strengths and weaknesses. I usually do a lot of reflecting in my personal life but that lesson made me stop and think whether I was doing it the correct way or was I just over thinking and calling it reflection. It made me think whether the thought itself was worth reflecting or not.

First,she asked to think how we really reflect on our practice. For me its usually trial and error method- just clicking various options and then going with the best permutation and combination that brings about the desired result. Sometimes, this doesn't work either. So,I just put it in the back of my mind and keep thinking- bringing it to the forefront only when something close to what I need might be available. 

One of the exercises that really clicked with me was talking with some other individual in my brain and what would they reply in turn to my ideas. I think this exercise helped me to ascertain things that I already knew about my project or some weakness that I knew of it but was too afraid to say it to myself out loud. Now, i believe, I might be able to focus on it and do what needs to be done.

Then,there was this other exercise where she asked us to use a methodology of 4 R's- namely, Recall,Relive, Reinterpret and Respond. During this exercise, we were asked to Recall a moment in the past semester that might have been a 'Eureka Moment' or 'Nothings working Moment'. Then,Relive what we felt at that moment- how we could we Reinterpret that situation and now what should be our Respond to it. I found this exercise to turn some of my negative moments to positive ones as it made me realise that I can cope or help is almost always available around me.