Kyle Occhicone
New Media

After reflecting on my experiences at the University of Tampa, I look back at many different occasions that helped educate me to become who I am today. Starting as an Animation major, I found that my potential was better suited in New Media. In classes such as FMX 210 (focus on Adobe) and 310 (focus on HTML5), I realized early on how intriguing these programs are. Using these tools I was able to create moving and interactive pieces. Also, classes outside the path I thought I would follow stuck with me most. FMX 463 (focus on projection mapping) allowed me to explore outside of the programs that I had grown accustomed to. After experiences like these, I know I will be able to add to my skills. 

A class that I previously mentioned that has stuck with me is FMX 463. When first introduced to projection mapping, I did not see much personal potential. However, I could not have been more wrong. Through this medium you could share works easily while also making it so the scene you have as your canvas comes to life. While taking the class I enjoyed figuring out MadMapper and the capabilities of it. This process was difficult at first, but after some tinkering and using other applications such as premiere pro to make more appropriate edits, I was able to make something that popped. Projection mapping is very challenging, but the end result is most often worth it. 

While looking back on my time, there are a few things I was hoping to master more thoroughly. One discipline that was most difficult to grasp was coding, more specifically Python. I specify Python because when coding in HTML5, I felt it was much more intuitive and interesting. I have taken a few different coding classes attempting to find my stride and work through it, but unfortunately it seems the errors would compound themselves and I was left with a mess of code. The only way to remedy this, I believe, would be to dive back into it and keep on going. Which I am pursuing in my senior year. 

After I graduate I hope to find my way into a projection mapping studio, like Ursa Major AV, a production company. I had the opportunity to talk to the owner of this studio and he gave me many tips and helped with explaining some of the setup process of a production. There is much more that goes into this process than editing together the projection. After much small-scale experience, I can not wait to be able to tackle some larger projects.