Monday, December 3, 2007
Production Strategy
I have decided for Trek 03 to concentrate on the general area surrounding Riverside University High School. In my previous treks, I was able to find and capture various sounds, images and video that seem almost sci-fi or futuristic in nature. I want to return here in attempt to create a video of surreal abstract images that convey a futuristic and surreal theme.
I am going to limit myself to the same image capturing strategies as in Trek 02, as they were quite successful in conveying the specific "feeling" I am going for. Those strategies are:
- To utilize natural reflections and lense flares within the compositions of each still/video.
- To capture recurring man-made objects, such as windows, doors, fences, railing, etc.
As far as audio, I can't help but feel like the original audio from Trek 01 has been inspiring my choice of visual components during this entire project. I am going to return to the specific locations I originally went to, and attempt to gather similar discord, while attempting to improve upon my original strategies of recording with the stereo microphones.
I am going to limit myself to the same image capturing strategies as in Trek 02, as they were quite successful in conveying the specific "feeling" I am going for. Those strategies are:
- To utilize natural reflections and lense flares within the compositions of each still/video.
- To capture recurring man-made objects, such as windows, doors, fences, railing, etc.
As far as audio, I can't help but feel like the original audio from Trek 01 has been inspiring my choice of visual components during this entire project. I am going to return to the specific locations I originally went to, and attempt to gather similar discord, while attempting to improve upon my original strategies of recording with the stereo microphones.
Ten Questions
1. Would any of these areas take on different attributes at night?
2. How many different interesting sources of light could I seek within the limits of my trek area?
3. What interesting visual/audio relationships can I find and capture?
4. Where can I find the strangest sight within my trek area?
5. How can I use my camera to abstract an image to the point that it is no longer recognizable?
6. What kinds of futuristic or surreal images or sounds can I find in a somewhat common urban environment?
7. Can I find a subject to film that projects a sense of motion on its own, without me having to move the camera?
8. Can I capture images with the camera that are inside of opening too small to fit my head through?
9. Is it possible to concentrate on gathering visual and audio aspects of the project simultaneously?
10. Which area of my trek do I find myself most drawn towards?
2. How many different interesting sources of light could I seek within the limits of my trek area?
3. What interesting visual/audio relationships can I find and capture?
4. Where can I find the strangest sight within my trek area?
5. How can I use my camera to abstract an image to the point that it is no longer recognizable?
6. What kinds of futuristic or surreal images or sounds can I find in a somewhat common urban environment?
7. Can I find a subject to film that projects a sense of motion on its own, without me having to move the camera?
8. Can I capture images with the camera that are inside of opening too small to fit my head through?
9. Is it possible to concentrate on gathering visual and audio aspects of the project simultaneously?
10. Which area of my trek do I find myself most drawn towards?
Trek Assessment #4
My absolute favorite experience during all of my treks occurred during trek01. While searching for interesting sounds, guided only by what I was hearing through my headphones, I found myself inside of the lobby of a high school.
Above me was a series of bright iridescent lights, all emitting a boisterous hum. As I looked around at the various people occupying the hallways, perhaps heading to night classes or after school activities, I couldn't help but wonder how they could stand spending time in a building with such a loud, practically ear-piercing buzz. Perhaps after spening enough time here, people just adjust to the sound and don't notice it anymore.
Just then, a janitor approached me, weary of what I was doing in his hallway.
"Excuse me, sir, may I ask what you're doing here? There's no loitering allowed in this building."
I explained to him that I was only here for a school project, and I wouldn't be here long. He told me that in order to record here, I needed permission from the school's administration. I told him I understood, and began to pack my gear up to leave.
Just before leaving, I asked the janitor, "Doesn't that buzzing annoy you while you're working here?"
To which he replied, "What buzzing?"
Above me was a series of bright iridescent lights, all emitting a boisterous hum. As I looked around at the various people occupying the hallways, perhaps heading to night classes or after school activities, I couldn't help but wonder how they could stand spending time in a building with such a loud, practically ear-piercing buzz. Perhaps after spening enough time here, people just adjust to the sound and don't notice it anymore.
Just then, a janitor approached me, weary of what I was doing in his hallway.
"Excuse me, sir, may I ask what you're doing here? There's no loitering allowed in this building."
I explained to him that I was only here for a school project, and I wouldn't be here long. He told me that in order to record here, I needed permission from the school's administration. I told him I understood, and began to pack my gear up to leave.
Just before leaving, I asked the janitor, "Doesn't that buzzing annoy you while you're working here?"
To which he replied, "What buzzing?"
Trek Assessment #3
During all of my treks, I was most surprised by what I was drawn towards capturing. I've done lots of work with video before, but all of my projects have focused around some sort of narrative or human figurative subject. I decided right away to include as little human subject as possible in my field recordings and visual content.
What began to happen was unexpected... shadows, lights, patterns and textures in architecture and machinery began to take on a sort of life, becoming the "stars" of my films. The hums and buzzes of electrical devices became voices, characters acting out an abstracted dialog.
Editing these audio and visual components together was like directing a play or a film completely cast of inanimate objects. But I was actually able to animate these objects through the media itself.
What began to happen was unexpected... shadows, lights, patterns and textures in architecture and machinery began to take on a sort of life, becoming the "stars" of my films. The hums and buzzes of electrical devices became voices, characters acting out an abstracted dialog.
Editing these audio and visual components together was like directing a play or a film completely cast of inanimate objects. But I was actually able to animate these objects through the media itself.
Trek Assessment #2
During Trek01, I gained an unusual sense of peace with my surroundings. I chose an area not different from where I live and spend most of my time, yet I began to feel as if I was in a completely different world.
Sitting atop an octagonal stage in the middle of a park, I laid my head to rest on my knees as I listened into my headphones to what my stereo mics were picking up. Sounds of passing cars, children on a swing set, police sirens whaling in the distance, all seemed to blend into one unified, tranquil hum of urban life. A hum that I couldn't deny being a part of.
Later in my trek, I entered a small convenience store to see what sorts of discord I could find. Across an isle from me, not more than 5 feet away, two high school-aged girls carried on a conversation about what kind of energy drink best suited them. In most cases, I would have felt annoyed by these girls, seeing their sophomoric tendencies as ignorant and pathetic. But not now. No, in this moment, I saw them merely as two humans, bleeping and crackling and sending vibrations through the air to my microphones.
Sitting atop an octagonal stage in the middle of a park, I laid my head to rest on my knees as I listened into my headphones to what my stereo mics were picking up. Sounds of passing cars, children on a swing set, police sirens whaling in the distance, all seemed to blend into one unified, tranquil hum of urban life. A hum that I couldn't deny being a part of.
Later in my trek, I entered a small convenience store to see what sorts of discord I could find. Across an isle from me, not more than 5 feet away, two high school-aged girls carried on a conversation about what kind of energy drink best suited them. In most cases, I would have felt annoyed by these girls, seeing their sophomoric tendencies as ignorant and pathetic. But not now. No, in this moment, I saw them merely as two humans, bleeping and crackling and sending vibrations through the air to my microphones.
Trek Assessment #1
During Trek 01 and Trek 02, there were two persistent situations that stressed me and caused a fair amount of aggravation.
The first: Stills. I don't know why, but out f the hundreds of stills I took with my digital camera, I wasn't happy with a single one. I have had this problem before, and I think it's rooted in my frustration with two-dimensional media. I figured this would be different, though, for my goal for this project was to use these stills in a progression over time. But I found it irresistable to look at each captured image as its own piece.
The second: Ambiance. No matter where I went with my stereo mics, an ambient hum from various sources overrode any interesting sounds I was trying to capture. I quickly began to realize that my ears do a sort of "compression" when it comes to locating interesting sounds, as if I naturally phase out ambient sound. The mics, however, do not.... except for maybe when the recorder is on auto-volume mode.
The first: Stills. I don't know why, but out f the hundreds of stills I took with my digital camera, I wasn't happy with a single one. I have had this problem before, and I think it's rooted in my frustration with two-dimensional media. I figured this would be different, though, for my goal for this project was to use these stills in a progression over time. But I found it irresistable to look at each captured image as its own piece.
The second: Ambiance. No matter where I went with my stereo mics, an ambient hum from various sources overrode any interesting sounds I was trying to capture. I quickly began to realize that my ears do a sort of "compression" when it comes to locating interesting sounds, as if I naturally phase out ambient sound. The mics, however, do not.... except for maybe when the recorder is on auto-volume mode.
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