Brandon Reiss

Some of my earliest memories illustrate my tremendous sense of awe for all things science‐related. I still remember trying to fathom large numbers at the beach while sifting grains of sand through my toddler‐sized fingers. My elementary school teachers inspired me to complete wonderful science experiments so that I was bursting with excitement and eager anticipation for the next class session. I still remember the strangeness of seeing a thorny stalk of my own hair under a microscope for the first time. From then on I was irreversibly convinced that there was nothing more exciting than exploring the mysteries of science.

My first experience with computer graphics was in high school programming a 2d pong game in Pascal. I learned how to manipulate pixels to create a real‐time computer game. It was fun to play and to show off amongst my peers. It was that same summer that I was introduced to 3d computer animation for the first time. For all four years of high school, I helped produce 30‐second animations for a competition sponsored by AutoDesk using professional grade 3d animation software. I learned about parametric modeling, lighting, textures, and the calculus of motion curves used to animate the shapes.

Computer animation became my way of life in high school. I often joked that the models that I created were more real than the things in the physical world that I measured painstakingly to the thousandth of an inch while creating them. Hundreds of hours of effort reduced down to the 30‐second finished product. I learned that computer graphics are time consuming.

Visual art itself is a challenge for me because my mind works in a more procedural and orderly fashion. It is difficult for me to capture the organic qualities that make art relatable. In my career, I am a software developer for a markerless motion capture company. In many ways, I have kept my history with graphics and animation close at hand.

In taking Computer Graphics at NYU I hope to gain a very solid understanding of the fundamentals of computer graphics. I hope to understand finally so many of the techniques and operations that I had the luxury to take for granted while creating my animations during high school. I hope to gain knowledge that will help me become more effective in using GPU hardware for general computation. I hope to learn about IK and to become even more comfortable with linear transformations and other mathematical building blocks of computer graphics. Lastly, I hope to explore further my creative potential and make things that are both visually compelling and fun.