Since physical production was not possible for competition this year, we decided to shift the focus of our Production Coordinator’s role. Our Production/AR Coordinator, Nicky Sandoz, facilitated the implementation of augmented reality elements in our journal using app-based AR powered by RealityBLU®. 

 

We learned about RealityBLU® through one of our Graphic Communication professors, Donna Templeton, who talked with the team and connected Nicky with M.J. Anderson, co-founder and Chief Experience Officer of RealityBLU®. Nicky worked with M.J. to understand, troubleshoot, and create AR experiences to expand on the student-created illustrations in the journal.

 

Nicky guided the AR team through the process of creating animated AR experiences. Through weekly Zoom meetings, Zoom
one-on-ones, and short, self-created tutorial videos, Nicky and the team successfully produced seven animated AR experiences. The team used Adobe Illustrator to manipulate the illustrations to prepare for animation in Adobe After Effects, and used RealityBLU to bring the illustrations to life. AR elements were designed by Nicky, Aidan Nesbitt, Zara Iqbal, Caden Kerr, Isabella Walker, Kylie Wong, and Karen Zheng respectively.