The
Advanced Learning Center (ALC)
is a one-of-a-kind joint high school and
college facility set to open in the 2004-2005
academic year on a college campus in Martin
County, Florida. The ALC was looking for
a powerful web presence that would showcase
the intensive IT and graphic arts skills
its students will learn.
Students will
attend the ALC for their junior and senior
years will have the opportunity to graduate
with an Associate’s degree or at
least 24 college credits. ALC’s
intensive curriculum and $6.6 million
facility will prepare its first 200 students
to advance to the local community college,
pursue two and four-year degree options
or move directly into the workforce with
high-tech skills.
Think
Technologies was given one main criterion:
The site had to pop. Moreover, it had
to look futuristic and high tech, with
the ability to command the attention of
serious students of graphic arts, animation,
and information technology.
Think Technologies
set about making an animated trailer or
“teaser” using a best-of-breed
mix of 3D Studio Max, Flash MX, Adobe
Photoshop 6, Adobe Illustrator 9, Bryce
5, Swift 3D, Poser, and Acid Pro 3.0.
Originally intended as a short Flash web
introduction, the presentation took on
a life of its own resulting in a cinema-style
trailer featuring a high-speed virtual
flight into the future.
The
trailer is built primarily in 3D Studio
Max, which drives the animation sequences.
A sound track Barrett wrote in Acid Pro
3.0 undergirds the visuals. “I wanted
something that would reinforce the look
and feel of the animation, which is driving
and frenetic,” Barrett explained.
The graphics team built other elements
using Bryce for the clouds, Adobe Photoshop
for object textures, and Macromedia Flash
for timeline sequencing.
The
Think team produced the ALC website presence
with style and flair while adhering to
strict theme guidelines and color requirements.
The site currently features visualizations
of campus architecture and labs, sample
curricula, and video describing the ALC
program. Visit the ALC at www.advancedlearningcenter.org
and get a taste of the technology high
school of the future.
