First Blog Post DS106

Hello everyone, my name is Jack Belodeau, I am a Junior Digital Studies and Communications major at UMW and this is my blog for my Digital Story Telling class. This blog will be used only for class related posts. My twitter is Jack Belodeau you should follow me to see my updates throughout the remainder of the course.

 

Heres a little about me, I currently play on the University of Mary Washington Men’s Lacrosse team, and I have been playing Lacrosse my whole life. When I’m not down in Fredericksburg I’m living in Northern Virginia with my family and my one year old Bulldog named Nigel, heres a picture of him.

Final Portfolio

For my final portfolio I decided to work with my favorite assignments this semester, I chose to update my Twitter bot, my remix project, my glitch art and my screensaver. I wanted to work on these projects because I felt that I could really get creative with each of these assignments.

I decided to work on my Twitter bot because I felt that it did not contain enough source material to work with. I went into the Cheap Bots, Done Quick website and I edited my code for the bot. I decided to add to each of the origin words, as well as creating a new part of the tweet, now my bot tweets out several things that Squidward hates and one thing that he loves. I wanted to make Squidward tweet that he loves terrible things like not washing his hands or the DMV. The Twitter bot gave me lots of opportunities to be creative, I wanted to stick with Squidward because I thought it was funny. Here is the link to the bot. Here is my code.  Here is my original blog post

The second project I decided to update was my remix project. I choose to do this one because I was not satisfied with how it originally came out, the code worked the way I wanted it to, but the source material was not giving my code enough to work with. I decided to completely delete the original txt file, (I had to keep the file name as Diners.txt in order for my code to work), once the file was clear I started to compile over 500 lines of rap lyrics to use as my source material. I had to meticulously go through every line to make sure there was no punctuation or swear words.  I am very happy with how the project turned out a second time, the poems created are a lot more interesting than the original poems were. Here is a link to my original blog post. Here is a link to my code

Poem 1:

top wolf

suck sky

cute satchel

top frisbee

green barrel

different taste

alive cream

nose toy

Poem 2:

pregnant kill

super speed

crazy party

cute slap

free one

little money

full soul

young day

Poem 3:

strange lord

hockey talent

crazy clean

free lady

lord meat

automatic gun

super plate

child vest

The third project I updated was my glitch art. This was by far my favorite project we did this year, and I wanted to give it a second try. This time I decided to work with 8 images of cartoons that I watch because of the colors and wacky art style. I really enjoyed creating this art, and I needed to showcase my skills in my final portfolio. This time around I tried to experiment with Audacity as much as possible because I was interested as to how the sound effects changed my image. I am very pleased with how these came out, and I will definitely be creating more glitch art in the future. Here is a slide show of my updated glitch art. Here is a link to my original post where you can find some of my other glitch art.

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The last project I decided to update was my Screensaver made with p5js. Originally I was very happy with how my project turned out, but after I looked at it for awhile I realized that it was extremely violent and too bright. With this in mind I decided to go back into p5js to see how I could make the screensaver more appealing towards the eyes. While I was working with my code I was inspired to turn my screensaver into something more appropriate for this time of year. I decided to change my firey explosion of a screensaver into a gentle snowflake.

Here is a link to the full screen view of the screensaver.

Here is a link to my code.

Here is a link to my original blog post.

Looking back on my semester in Creative Coding, I have came along way from not knowing anything about coding. I can now successfully write code, I have experience using programs like Python and P5.js. I really enjoyed how this class allowed me to be creative when completing a project. After many long frustrating nights I am happy with how far I have came since the beginning of the semester. Thank you Dr. Whalen for everything you have taught me this past semester, you have truly sparked my interest in coding.

Creative Coding: Clock

Working with the p5.js web editing software, I was able to create an analog clock that displayed the hour, minute and second of time. The inspiration behind my design came from my fathers wrist watch, it has a very minimalistic clock face and the only numbers visible are 12,3,6,9. I enjoy the minimalistic look because I think it looks very classy, and I wanted to make the clock look like something that I would want to wear on my wrist.

Here is the link to my clock:

https://editor.p5js.org/JackBelodeau/full/ByP379NkV

Here is my code:

	function setup() {
	createCanvas(450, 450);
	background(255);
	}
	function draw() {
	strokeWeight(2);
	translate(width/2, height/2);
	background(255);
	var radius = int(min(width, height) / 2);
	var numPoints = 60;
	var angle = TWO_PI/numPoints;
	var secondsRadius = radius * 0.72;
	var minutesRadius = radius * 0.60;
	var hoursRadius = radius * 0.50;
	var clockDiameter = radius * 1.8;
	fill(1);
	noStroke();
	ellipse(0, 0, clockDiameter, clockDiameter);
	var s = map(second(), 0, 60, 0, TWO_PI) – HALF_PI;
	var m = map(minute() + norm(second(), 0, 60), 0, 60, 0, TWO_PI) – HALF_PI;
	var h = map(hour() + norm(minute(), 0, 60), 0, 24, 0, TWO_PI * 2) – HALF_PI;
	strokeWeight(2);
	stroke(400);
	beginShape(POINTS);
	var i = 0;
	while (i < numPoints ) {
	x = cos(angle*i) * secondsRadius;
	y = sin(angle*i) * secondsRadius;
	vertex(x, y);
	i++;
	}
	endShape();
	strokeWeight(1);
	line(0, 0, cos(s) * secondsRadius, sin(s) * secondsRadius);
	strokeWeight(2);
	line(0, 0, cos(m) * minutesRadius, sin(m) * minutesRadius);
	strokeWeight(4);
	line(0, 0, cos(h) * hoursRadius, sin(h) * hoursRadius);
	fill(600);
	textSize(20);
	strokeWeight(0.1);
	x = cos(PI + HALF_PI) * secondsRadius – 10;
	y = sin(PI + HALF_PI) * secondsRadius – 10;
	text("12", x, y);
	x = cos(TWO_PI) * secondsRadius + 10;
	y = sin(TWO_PI) * secondsRadius + 5;
	text("3", x, y);
	x = cos(HALF_PI) * secondsRadius – 7;
	y = sin(HALF_PI) * secondsRadius + 20;
	text("6", x, y);
	x = cos(PI) * secondsRadius – 25;
	y = sin(PI) * secondsRadius + 5;
	text("9", x, y);
	}

view raw

Clock

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Project:Bot

For this project our class was tasked to create our own Twitter bot that is able to post at least once a day, as well as produce 100,000 different tweets. I decided that I would create a Twitter account that would tweet out things that Squidward hates. My original tweet was Squidward hates #apples. Squidward also hates #cars. Squidward hates #soda. Squidward hates #dogs, #cats and Spongebob. I hand picked every word for the substitute list for each of the things that Squidward hates, except for Spongebob. To create my bot I used the website cheapbotsdonequick.com.

Here is my code:

https://cheapbotsdonequick.com/source/SquidwardHates

Here is my bot:

https://twitter.com/SquidwardHates

NaNoGenMo

For this project our class was tasked to create a code that would write 50,000 words. I recently watched the film The Shining and I drew inspiration for my project from one of the scenes. During the film Jack Nicholson is working on a novel while he is living in a remote empty hotel with his family. Throughout the film Jack loses his mind while he works on his novel, and his wife eventually finds his work and discovers that he’s only typed the phrase “All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy” over and over and over again. This is where I found my inspiration from and I decided to create a code that would write this phrase 50,000 times.

Here is my PDF:

All Work and No Play

Here is my code:

	import random
	novel = ''
	for i in range(50000):
	novel += "All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy "
	r = random.randint(0,100)
	if (r < 5):
	novel += ".\n"
	elif(r > 90):
	novel += "."
	print(novel)

view raw

NaNoGenMo

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Creative Coding: Screensaver

For this project our class was tasked to create an interesting looping screensaver using the program p5.js. I wanted to make my screensaver look like an explosion, and after much trial and error I finally created something that looked how I wanted it to. To create my final product, I began by looking through some of the examples on the p5.js website and decided that I wanted to base my project off of the lerp color example. Once I had the code I started to play around with the frame rate, colors, size and width until I was satisfied with my screensaver.

Link to fullscreen view of screensaver: https://editor.p5js.org/JackBelodeau/full/r1eammFhQ

Link to my code: https://gist.github.com/JackBelodeau/5bba7703814819c95291305169244358

Project: Glitch Gallery

This has been my favorite project so far. I really enjoyed creating my own glitch art, I found this whole project to be a lot of fun. I had trouble using the avidemux program on my computer, I downloaded at least five different versions of it including 2.5,2.5.4 and 2.7 but none of these programs would work. I decided to look on the class’s general slack page and one of my classmates posted an alternative method to creating a datamosh, and I used it to create four gifs. I really enjoyed using the hex fiend method to databend images, I ended up creating sixteen images using this method. The theme for my project revolves around rappers that I listen to, I downloaded sixteen images of my favorite artists and used hex fiend to create something new. Using the photomosh tool that I was recommend I created four gifs that were originally from music videos from some of the same artists. I liked this program because it allowed me to do more with the videos than avidemux program. I drew inspiration from a popular music video “Yamborghini High” by the A$AP MOB for my datamosh gifs. I experimented with avidemux for several hours but the programs kept crashing and eventually wouldn’t even open. I searched the internet and found several tutorials for the program, but never made it far. Eventually I decided that I would complete my project using Audacity to databend three images because I never got the avidemux program to work, I enjoyed using this program because I liked the effects added to the images.  I have attached my work below.

Hexfiend:

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Photomosh:

 

Audacity:

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More Poetry Oh Noetry

For our third project our class was tasked to create a code that produces lines of poetry. I had a very hard time completing this project, but after much trial and error I finally created something that worked. I decided that I wanted to create a two line poem because I thought that it would work the best for my code. This is because I used a file off of Github that contained a list of words that were already grouped into pairs based off of rhyme. The template for my poem was “I believe that I am a star, so look for me in the sky”. Here is a link to my code. Below I have included some of the poems that my code produced:

I believe that I'm a box
so look for me in the stocks

I believe that I'm a sprout
so look for me in the trout

I believe that I'm a pack
so look for me in the snack

I believe that I'm a clerk
so look for me in the work

I believe that I'm a punch
so look for me in the brunch

Week Five Summary

This will be my final blog post that I make, seeing as the course is coming to an end. I found that this course was pretty challenging, and it was hard to keep up at times. Most of the assignments were very interesting but figuring out how to complete them was difficult. I would say that the most difficult week was the first, I had no idea what I was supposed to do, and I wasn’t used to the speed of the class, but as the weeks went by my work got better and better, and I was enjoying myself. My favorite week was week four, because I really enjoyed using video editing software, and I liked creating my own videos for class. Before this class I had little experience with any of the online media programs that we used, but the more I worked with the programs the better I got. Something that I would do differently if I had to take the class would be planning out when I am going to complete my assignments, rather than waiting till the weekend to cram all the work into two days. Overall this class was a challenge for me, but I enjoyed it, I liked how it allowed me to use my creativity for the assignments. Jack Belodeau signing off.

Here is a link to my final assignment.

Here Is a link to my tutorial.

Tutorials for Hoop Dreams

1. Highlight video

Step One: Find clips off of Youtube.com.

Step Two: Convert and download videos.

Step Three: Add selected videos to iMovie to edit into tape.

Step Four: Find audio track.

Step Five: Download track and add to video.

Step Six: Save and export as file.

Step Seven: Upload to Vimeo.com

 

2. Making the flyer.

Step One: Find image you want to edit and download.

Step Two: Open GIMP and open as layers to remove text.

Step Three: Open as layers and open the same picture but select a red square to use to cover up white space.

Step Four: Open as layers open the original picture and add the red squares to cover the white space.

Step Five: Export as .jpg and save, then go to aviary.com to add text.

Step Six: Add text and download.

3. Interview with myself

Step One: Record all video off of an Iphone, and airdrop files to mac.

Step Two: Add Files to iMovie to create interview.

Step Three: Search intro video on youtube.com and download file and add to video.

Step Four: Add intro to video and save as file.

Step Five: Upload to Youtube.com

4. Starting lineup announcer.

Step One: Find background stadium noise.
Step Two: Download Audio.

Step Three: Add files to Garageband.

 

Step Four: Record voice track over background, and fade background audio out.

Step Five Upload to soundcloud.com

Links Used.

Highlight Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRNt997Kbp0

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJV_Gw0mpWE

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA91R9HJn50

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWU5or05_zw

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHMebeKHpRc

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1pViB-lWPo

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMOGJOelTDU

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcZjL_E1dvk

Interview Intro:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABgOYE-0XIw

Audio crowd sound effect:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FLgShtdxQ8

Hoop Dreams: The Jack Belodeau Story

Sometimes in life things don’t always go just as you plan, but that doesn’t mean that everything won’t work out in the end. This is the story of Jack Belodeau, a true underdog. Jack was an incredibly talented basketball player, he had set numerous records while playing basketball in high school, and was recruited to play at Duke after he graduated. Jack had started at the shooting guard position at Duke for two years, by the time he was a sophomore he was averaging over twenty points a game, with seven assists and four rebounds. Jack had hopes of one day entering into the NBA draft after college, but he suffered an ACL injury in the beginning of his Junior year at Duke and soon after he quit the team. Fast forward three years, and the once college star was working as a waiter in an Irish Pub back in his hometown of Sterling Virginia. Even though his college career was cut short, he is still considered to be one of the best college basketball players ever, and his college highlights are still shown years later on ESPN.

Jack Belodeau Highlights from j belodeau on Vimeo.

One day in mid June, Jack’s life would change forever. For the first time in history the Washington Wizards were holding open tryouts to the public, they had sent out flyers a few weeks before the actual tryouts. Jack had shown up to work like every other day, when one of his coworkers gave him the flyer about the tryout. At first Jack didn’t even consider showing up, because he didn’t believe that he had a shot of making the team. But after some convincing from his family, his friends and his coworkers, Jack decided to quit his job and begin training for the tryouts. He would spend six days a week in the gym practicing and working on his game to make sure he was ready to go. The day of the tryout was finally here and Jack was very nervous, but once he stepped onto the court he was locked in, and began to play out of his mind. He had drawn the attention from all of the coaches after he had dunked on star John Wall during a scrimmage and he was asked to return the next day for another tryout. Jack was the only player called back. Just like the first day, Jack was playing incredibly and he had drawn the attention of not only the coaches but the actual players on the Wizards rooster. Once the tryout was over, Jack was pulled aside by head coach Scott Brooks and was offered a spot on the team. Jack couldn’t believe it, his childhood dream of playing in the NBA had come true, and to make things even better, he a member of his favorite team The Washington Wizards.

Jack’s life had completely changed that day, he was no longer a washed up college player, but now he was an NBA player, playing on his favorite team. Immediately after he was offered a spot onto the team, he was doing an interview with Comcast Sportsnet Washington.

Jack would train with the team for the rest of the summer, and earned his spot as the 6th man by the time the season had rolled around. He would begin to average 20 points a game coming off the bench, and he began to start at the shooting guard position after playing a few games. Jack’s dreams had come true, and now he is working towards his new goal of bringing a championship to Washington.

(if the audio isn’t playing follow link) https://soundcloud.com/user-272127057-774740976/the-pride-of-sterling