LIS5313

Theo Thomas

The Sword

The Sword is a video by Theo Thomas, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

Synopsis

A young adventurer named Thistle sets out on a journey to retrieve her late mother’s legendary sword, but is met with an unanticipated obstacle.

Assets I created

(see Credits for full citations of linked pictures)

Software Used

  • Kdenlive – video and audio editing
  • Apple Voice Memos – audio recording
  • Pixlr – image editing

Credits

Visuals from Pexels – Pexels license

Visuals from Flickr

Audio from Freesound

April 8, 2025 by Student Posts 0

Alien Contact

Alien Contact by Theo Thomas is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

Software

I used Kdenlive to edit this video.

Music

into you feat. missjudged by madimpactunit

Images

A Boat on Water by Rahime Gül
A Man Swimming next to a Whale by Elianne Dipp
An Underwater Shot of a Woman Diving by Polina Tankilevich
Close-Up Photo of Jellyfish by Hung Tran
Clownfish Under Water Near Coral Reefs by hille brand
Divers Swimming Over the Corals by Tom Fisk
Gray and Silver School of Fish Underwater Photography by Peter Simmons
Man Diving in Darkness by Jake Houglum
People Diving at a Coral Reef by Leonardo Lamas
Person in Black Wet Suit Swimming in the Sea by Frank Cordeiro
Photo of Woman Swimming Underwater by ArtHouse Studio
Pink Fish Swimming in Dark Water by Aleksey Bystrov
Reservoir with Fish by limoo
Stingray in Blue Water by W W
Underwater Photo of Air Bubbles by Francesco Ungaro
Underwater Photography of a Stingray by Elianne Dipp
Underwater Picture of Man Diving by Jordi MB
Underwater Picture of Man Diving [different from the first] by Jordi MB
Unrecognizable man snorkeling in azure seawater by Kammeran Gonzalez-Keola
Vessel on Sea Coast in Storm by Pok Rie
Water with Bubbles by Francesco Ungaro
Woman in Gray Wetsuit and White Flippers Swimming Underwater by ArtHouse Studio
Woman submerged Underwater by Polina Tankilevich
Yellow Fish in Nature by Victor Suarez

March 4, 2025 by Student Posts 3

Chance Encounters

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

I struggled quite a bit with writing a script I liked and then figuring out what assets to use. I still could not come up with a sound effect or an ambient sound to use, so if you have a suggestion, that would be greatly appreciated.

This podcast is called “Chance Encounters” as a reference to the way that Surrealists drew inspiration from the magical feeling of a particularly strange coincidence. As someone who studied both art and philosophy, I have complicated feelings about logic and common sense, and I thought that a podcast where I could talk about anything nonsensical could cover most things I might want to discuss. In general, I wanted a podcast about the ways that people throughout history have responded to and expressed realities that defy explanation. My idea for a first episode, for instance, was on the origins of Dadaism and what it does and doesn’t have in common with Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha humor.

Credits

Menu Music by Serge Quadrado on Freesound. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

February 18, 2025 by Student Posts 3

The Taj Mahal, 1945

The original photo (left) is called Taj Mahal, India, 27 July 1945, by Norman Herfort, from The State Library of New South Wales. It is in the public domain.

My derivative (right) is called “Group in front of the Taj Mahal, 1945,” by Theo Thomas, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

When I saw the original image, I was immediately drawn to the group of people in the corner because of how brightly they were lit. Luckily, the scan of this photograph was very detailed, so I was able to zoom in and crop the scene to see them better. I consider this crop to be changing the focal point.

I love that the figures here are semi-transparent yet sharp, letting us know that they were probably sitting there for a while during a relatively long exposure. I don’t know if they were posed by the photographer or not, or if they simply saw the camera and decided to get in the shot. I don’t know if they were friends or coworkers or strangers. I just like that there is a sense of both movement–they had to have moved at some point in order to be slightly transparent–and stillness at the same time.

I thought it would be fun to try to very strongly emphasize the thirds in the picture, with the palm tree and the ground roughly aligning with horizontal and vertical thirds, and the standing man’s head falling at the top right intersection of the thirds. My goal with that was to enhance the feeling of stillness, especially with the bold, vertical line created by the tree and the standing man. I don’t know if that was necessarily a good design choice, but I sort of like how it turned out.

February 4, 2025 by Student Posts 3

Apocalypse at the Ballet

Apocalypse at the Ballet by J. J. Grandville, from Un Autre Monde, Public Domain Worldwide.

2024 remix of Freesound [424626[424420]] Problem Child by Timbre, from Freesound, Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

This combination is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

Behind the Scenes

I studied art history during my undergrad, and the movement I came back to over and over again was Surrealism. It spoke to the part of me that has always been fascinated by dreams and everything that remains mysterious about our experience.

Although Surrealism proper started in the 1920’s and probably has quite a few works in the public domain, I wanted to look further back, partially to be sure my image would be copyright-free and partially to find some art I had not seen before. I was very excited to find out about J. J. Grandville, a French illustrator who lived during the first half of the nineteenth century and inspired many artists and authors who came after him.

The image you see here is called “Apocalypse at the Ballet,” and I love it for a number of reasons, the primary one being that it’s just fun. Everything in it seems like it’s in motion, and I get the sense that Grandville genuinely enjoyed playing with similarities in forms here. It seems like the kind of fun you have when you let your mind wander while doodling on the side of your notebook. Another reason is that I love seeing different interpretations of an apocalypse. Whether it’s literal or metaphorical, it’s always revealing.

When looking for an accompanying sound, I started browsing freesound.org’s “weird” and “experimental” tags to get some ideas. I figured I would find something in those places that could compliment surreal imagery well. Timbre’s “2024 Remix…” really emphasized the movement that felt so strong in Grandville’s illustration. I’m struggling to find the words to describe the music other than “fast-paced” and “electronic.” It reminds me of hyperpop, but I have no idea if that label is correct. Overall, I think that when the music is added, it makes the whole thing feel less like a strange night at the ballet and more like a wild rave.

January 23, 2025 by Student Posts 3

Hello, everyone!

My name is Theo, and I’m in my final semester of the Master of Science in Information program. I currently work as a graduate assistant for Special Collections and Archives at FSU, which I’ve actually written several blog posts for in the past year. During my undergrad, I studied art history with a minor in philosophy, and I’m very passionate about the importance of the arts and humanities in all their forms (especially popular/internet cultures).

I have picked up a lot of different creative hobbies over the years–my favorites being drawing, writing, and crocheting–but my special interest remains the Sims franchise. This will certainly not be the last you hear about it from me. Last semester, I wrote a paper about archiving Sims 2 machinimas, and a couple semesters before that, I used Dublin Core to organize sims. I mostly play Sims 2 and 4, and I love learning about the franchise’s lore and its place in gaming history.

Here’s a house I built in Sims 4 recently.

When it comes to making things, I’m much more used to working with physical formats, so this class will give me an opportunity to practice and improve my skills in digital art (broadly defined). I’m also eager to improve my knowledge of copyright, which I think will be good to know in general.

I look forward to getting to know you all through your creations!

January 14, 2025 by Student Posts 6