VFX : Just to clear things up

Okay, I assume you guys have read the VFX project requirements from the intranet. If otherwise, here you go:
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VISUAL EFFECTS PROJECT BRIEF

This semester you will be involved in a photorealism project which will require you to create a 20 second video clip based on the theme 'Domino effect'. Each student is required to take a still image of a location of his/her choice, and create a believable cause and effect scenario using Rigid Body Dynamics.

Focus is given to the understanding and accuracy of the dynamic work, accurate modelling, realistic texturing and rendering techniques.

The main emphasis of this project is to demonstrate critical analysis on lighting and improve your observation skills. You are also required to include this in a Scrap book:
• A thorough analysis (written and illustrated) on selected image
• Project’s snapshots (in different stages), project’s development, experiments (photographs) and studies from other's work & references

Final video resolution should be at least 640x480 and compressed using Quicktime, WMV (Windows Media) or Divx (AVI) ONLY.

I hope this post will give you more imagination on what you're supposed to do. Here are some of the FAQs during Thursday's class. Credits to Jijoe.
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1. Pictures? Videos?
Yes, you can choose either one. For those who wants to use video, make sure the camera is locked. In other words, no cam movements.

2. No camera movements. But can I zoom in to focus on certain situation?
Jason brought this question up. Yes, you can zoom in, or pan, as long as the picture quality is good (your picture is big). The only downside of using these movements is that you're going to have to render the 3D objects at a really high resolution. Zooming and panning will also will make your final video looks fake because it's a flat picture, no parallax.

3. At least 5 chain reaction consequences. Can I do more?
As long as it fits the 20 seconds, yes.

4. Can I manually animate these consequences?
Nope. All dynamic events must be animated through dynamics.

5. What starts these chain of events? Accident? Triggered? (like the Rube Goldberg chain reaction machine)
The "trigger" for the chain of events could be anything, even if it looks like it's been set up (for example, a ball flying into the room through a window, or an earthquake tremor being the catalyst for the first object). The subsequent events must all be consequences from the first event.

6. Render resolution. 640x480 or PAL?
Minimum render is 640x480. You're even welcome to render it in HD! ^_^

7. For Tuesday's crit. What and how am I going to present? I'm not sure of my final pictures/videos/ideas yet, can I bring multiple pictures/videos/ideas?
Tuesday's crit is all about ideas and planning; so you can bring multiple ideas/photos, provided that you explain clearly what is going to happen in the scene (through drawings on the photo itself/a sequence of images/thumbnails/whatever/etc/etc). The point is to clearly demonstrate that you know what they're doing, and not make it up as the semester goes along. You can present your idea, as an image slideshow/video/flashfile/powerpoint... it's entirely up to you.
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P/S:

Faiz, your idea at the construction site is still pretty much lose, angle and planning-wise. You can still stay with your idea and probably scale it down, maybe INSIDE the construction site or somewhere just outside the building, not a long shot of it. But do come up with some more ideas and we could work things out from there.

Jason, your zooming in issue is pretty much answered ^_^

You guys would probably want to discuss among each other so that you won't have a same scene/ideas. Of course we don't want three guys with a same scene.

You guys have today, weekends, Monday and early Tuesday to prepare for this. Any doubts, you know what to do. You have four different people to ask ^_^

Cheerio