Animation and Video
Animation is an effective tool for pre-visualizing mission actions for the purpose of communication between various disciplines. I’ve also used it for customer instructions, meetings and public outreach. My animations have been used online, for television news, and outreach.
I rebuilt the animation services business at Swales Aerospace, during the company’s acquisition by ATK. My five-person team provided the promotional video above to NASA customers, after securing $100K in funding and resources for its development. This effort saw a return of $250K within seven months of its release, and approximately $400K in annual business over the next three years. I provided modeling, animation, editing, post-production, writing, and voice for this product.
Following the success of the visualization promotional video the team was tasked with creating the Hubble Space Telescope grapple and berth sequence (above) for servicing mission 4. It was used to provide pre-visualization for the Space Shuttle astronaut crew of what they would see through their cameras and windows during the mission. I was one of five cross-utilized on this project.
My industrial animation team, at Swales Aerospace, offered the Space Shuttle crew animations of tool operations, with captions, voice-overs, and music to enhance the formal instructions they received from NASA. Three of the sequences we provided are above. We were told the crew was appreciative of our efforts.
I provided animations to which presenters would refer during media briefings, then provide the footage to news agencies. These animations would deliberately forego the postproduction features. Such was the case with the media above.
The robotic tools fluid transfer video was a combination of animation and laboratory video footage used to make the public and administrative cases for what would eventually become the first Robotic Refueling Mission executed by NASA. This was offered to enhance understanding of the mission actions and objectives. These were team effort productions.
Sometimes customers needed quick animations to enhance presentations, for notional missions, plans, and activities, before committing funds. I provided the animations above working alone for further efficiency and cost savings.
This movie ran on a loop, in the satellite servicing booth, at an annual event for the aerospace community, on a large flat screen. Team members referenced it as they interacted with visitors.
The NASA customer chose to have a workshop schedule run on a loop, on a large flat screen monitor outside of the auditorium, rather than printing it. This created opportunities for face-to-face inactions.
“Santa’s Little Detour” was essentially a video Christmas card from the leadership of the satellite servicing group at Goddard Space Flight Center to their partners at the Canadian Space Agency, and in academic and industrial circles. I animated the first scene of this short movie, and did the postproduction work.
Video
I’ve captured video for the purposes of having records of manufacturing processes. Occasionally, I’ve shot footage and authored short videos for crew training as well as for public outreach efforts.
With the 2014 RRM Phase 2 Resupply Crew Training Video, I wrote the script, shot and edited all of the footage, directed the engineers, did all of the postproduction work, and performed the voice over.
NASA customers commissioned the video I produced for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics conference, in 2013. It ran on a continuous loop in the booth for attendees to view. I was provided with footage from multiple sources, edited it together, and did the postproduction work.