Reflecting on my project work I feel that I have been mostly successful in responding to the prompt of tuning. My intent was to give the viewer the opportunity to contemplate nature through shifting between clarity and vagueness, and to notice unseen qualities within the park setting. I feel that I was able to achieve this, as focusing and blurring certain aspects of the frame worked to draw attention to certain stimuli. After looking at media inspiration such as the film Her I felt that this was the best way to tap into certain details that would otherwise go unnoticed.
I feel that the framing and composition of the shots was effective, as the use of mostly close up shots captured the noticing practice of tuning by amplifying the diegetic sounds that accompanied each shot. I picked this up during my test production, and the Robert Todd film Cove which demonstrated this technique effectively. I also liked the use of both static and dynamic shots, and how the use of static shots allows the viewer to notice more movement within the frame, as the work of James Benning explored. Planning my shots beforehand helped me establish what sort of footage I wanted to get and how much I needed.
I am satisfied with the equipment and location I chose; the setting let me tune into subtle elements of nature and the equipment let me get the best quality with what I had in terms of visuals and audio. Shooting in the early afternoon definitely helped get better lighting than if I had filmed later in the day, however if I were to film again I would aim to capture more footage in the morning for the best exposure. I tried to use as much of the footage I shot as possible, and didn’t cut out any more than I needed to so as to respond to the feedback I received. I also attempted to edit in a way that created a steady flow and aligned with the movement in each frame.
Areas I feel could have been improved upon are some technical aspects of the work; there were some shots that were out of focus where they could have been more clear, and the shots without the tripod were a little bit shaky which had to be fixed in post production. I also feel that I could have experimented more with the title font and colour grading to achieve a consistent visual aesthetic.
Something I learnt about noticing through this project was that tuning allowed me to perceive changes in the environment around me, such as the subtle movement of leaves or clouds moving over time. Although the location was familiar to me I found myself noticing qualities I usually don’t, through tuning into certain details and tuning out the bigger picture. I also built on my knowledge of nonfiction, documentary and avant-garde filmmaking. I aimed to record events that occur in reality while also presenting them in a unique manner.
In assignment 4, I would like to further refine my concept to explore the relationship we have with nature, and the interactions people have with their surroundings. One possible way of doing this is by drawing attention to the contrast between manmade and natural landscapes.
Before finalising my edit, I sought out some last feedback from peers in terms of what I could improve. Overall my piece was well received in terms of its approach to noticing, and my peers liked the framing and construction of each shots. They also felt the soundtrack complimented the diegetic sound in terms of creating a serene atmosphere. The criticism I received was that I could refine it further by quietening the volume of the music, making some of the transitions smoother and letting some shots run for a little longer. This would to give the viewer more time to take in all of the elements of the frame. As my aim is to produce a piece of film that uses tuning as a means of attuned noticing, I found this feedback helped me to identify areas I where could intensify this type of noticing.
I was inspired by the quote from the Uriel Orlow reading ‘Chris Marker: the archival power of the image’, which examines the work of Chris Marker, a filmmaker and photographer. Orlow states that Marker “present[s] films as archives, as collections and collages of visual, auditory and textual documents which themselves thematize the archival” (p. 438, 2002). I think that this summarises the kind of media that I aimed to produce, as I want to give the viewer an insight into nature through tuning into both audio and visuals. As a non-fiction piece, I would like my work to document real life, and emphasise the unseen qualities of the space I have chosen (a park setting).
Having now completed the final edit of my piece I have begun to think about what I want to do in terms of assignment 4. I would like to further explore the relationship we have with our environment in our everyday lives, and delve into how we interact with nature. I feel it would be an interesting idea to explore the patterns of noticing that are associated with this topic, as we often overlook the impact we have on our surroundings.
Throughout the editing process I have been keeping a few key concepts in mind. One of them is the idea of the ‘avant-garde’ documentary which is explored in the Scott MacDonald reading Avant-doc: Eight Intersections. In it MacDonald reflects on the ways in which documentary, a form of non-fiction media, is linked to avant-garde film. Macdonald describes both documentary and avant-garde film as “alternative practices to commercial and narrative cinema” (p. 50) with long-standing and evolving traditions. The experimental or avant-documentary will often delve into the ideas of city symphonies, visual poetry, personal and family histories, or contemplate nature. This informs my piece as I would like to use the noticing practice of tuning to contemplate nature, and draw on conventions from both documentary and avant-garde film.
As part of my research I watched an experimental documentary by Robert Todd. His 2012 film Cove is documentary as it depicts the real life figures of a woman, a boy and his dog living by the river. The film uses serene images of nature, flowers and trees to showcase life in the countryside, and paints it as lazy and idyllic. One way he does this is through using close up shots with a short duration. The quick pace offers the viewer little glimpses into his surroundings and creates a steady rhythm. An interesting aspect of his film is the way he demonstrates nature’s relationship with weather and time- Todd does this by filming the rain and the eventual setting of the sun.
By using techniques such as changing the film’s orientation (from vertical to landscape) and its aspect ratio, Todd follows conventions that are typcial of the experimental or avant-garde film. He plays with darkness, shadows and reflections to add a meditative quality to the piece, and enhances this by colour grading certain shots. Another quality I noticed that was similar to my work was the way he used the camera focus to shift between certain elements of nature such as the water and the trees. I would like to edit my work in a similar manner, that emphasises this relationship between nature, time and the weather. This could be done through colour grading and altering shot duration.
After collecting all of my footage, I have started to think about how I will edit my piece to best reflect the noticing practice of tuning. One way in which I have begun formulating ideas is through an editing exercise:
In this exercise I experimented with different techniques to influence what the viewer might pay attention to within the frame. An example of this is the graphic match, which uses shape to create an eyeline match. I used this technique to encourage the viewer to notice the similarity between two shots with similar colours and shapes, and create a flow between each shot. Another technique I used was creating a metric montage by having each shot the exact same length regardless of its content. For this exercise I had each shot run for 6 seconds to fit within the time frame, however in my final edit I could employ this concept by keeping each shot at its original duration of 15 seconds. This would give the viewer time to tune in to different aspects of the composition in each shot.
The exercise also gave me the opportunity to manipulate the audio from the footage, and select a soundtrack that would enhance my noticing practice of tuning. I found that by having the soundtrack at a very low volume I was able to create a calm atmosphere while allowing the viewer to focus on auditory information from the shot. This will most likely be an idea I will explore in my final edit as I am pleased with the effect it has created. I was also able to experiment with a number of audio fades as well as visual fades (e.g. cross dissolves, fades to colours). I feel that having cross dissolves creates smoother transitions between each shot, and does not distract from the focusing of the lens. I am intrigued to use these techniques to tune into the unseen qualities of my surroundings.
My decision to tune into various aspects of nature in particular was informed by my test shooting for the tuning prompt. I found that nature was an interesting concept to tune into as it is always shifting and changing, and we often ignore certain sounds and other stimuli in our surroundings. I particularly liked how the scene in Her tuned into a beach setting, as the sun and water are elements that are constantly shifting (i.e. the lens flare on the camera and the camera focus on the ocean). After receiving feedback on my equipment for the test, I am interested to see how filming on a DSLR camera will produce a different kind of tuning into the unseen than that of a phone. I also like the idea of being able to focus in and out using a camera lens, and how this can draw attention to- or away from- certain elements.
My recipe was also informed by the constraints I tested for each consideration. Here is the list of constraints I will be following, in order to allow what I make to ‘tune’ effectively:
Equipment–
Use a DSLR camera- Allows me to to focus or blur out certain information in the frame so as to ‘tune’ in to certain elements
Use an external microphone- Better tune into certain sounds, as my camera microphone could have sound interference such as wind or not pick up certain noises
Framing-
Use a number of close ups (x6). This is because in my test production I found close ups most emphasised my tuning practice
Include some long shots (x4)- Allows me to tune into a broader range of movement within a frame
Sound-
Include diegetic sound- Draws attention to auditory information
Include ambient soundtrack- Sets a relaxed tone for the viewer to tune into sounds
Location-
Film at a park- A range of visual/auditory information to tune into
Film a diverse number of stimuli in the location.
Duration-
Each shot approx. 15 seconds- Time for the viewer to observe and tune.
2 mins and 30 seconds total.
Camera movement-
Use static shots- Reinforcing James Benning’s principle that static shots will allow the viewer to tune into subtle movement within the frame.
Include dynamic shots to add diversity and flow to the piece.
An idea I would like to incorporate into my assignment from the film Her is the concept of tuning between different elements in a frame, by focusing on some stimuli and omitting others through blur. This is seen when the people in the foreground are out of focus, whereas the ocean is in clear view in the background. I think that this creates an interesting relationship between the character and his surroundings.
A technique I would like to use from the scene from American Beauty is the use of the static shot, which creates a lingering effect on the two characters and the video of the plastic bag they are watching. It maintains the viewer’s attention as the only movement in the shot is coming from the television screen. This idea of movement and attention would be interesting to explore in my own work.
After evaluating my initial testing, finding media inspiration and testing constraints, I have selected the prompt word of tuning. My recipe for noticing is as follows:
Aim– To tune into various aspects of nature, through shifting the focus on visual and auditory stimuli.
I will travel to a park that is familiar to me, with the intent of discovering unseen qualities in my surroundings.
I will record a combination of static and dynamic shots whenever I notice an aspect of nature that is interesting in terms of either visuals or sound. I will use my camera lens to focus or blur out certain information in the frame so as to ‘tune’ in on certain elements.
My footage will be comprised of close ups (x6) and long shots (x4) that will run for approx. 15 seconds, some more or less depending on movement in the frame. This will give me about 2 mins and 30 seconds of footage to manipulate in total.
Sound– A combination of diegetic sound from microphone + an ambient soundtrack to be chosen at a later date.
Having completed my two noticing tests for lingering and tuning, I now have a clearer idea of the kind of media I want to produce and the style of noticing I wish to undertake in my assignment.
As I was completing the test for lingering, I experimented with shot duration and let the camera roll for the time it took for people to pass from one part of the frame to another. This allowed me to closely observe the movement taking place within the space, and my use of long shots gave the footage a voyeuristic quality. I found that static shots worked best for this exercise as they allowed me to maintain attention and audience focus on an event, as demonstrated in James Benning’s work.
I feel that to improve in response to this prompt, next time I would film for longer periods of time. This would give me more opportunities to edit in an interesting way. Feedback from my peers showed that I could improve by incorporating transitions such as fades into my edit to allow for a better flow in my work, as well as cleaner sound editing.
In my tuning exercise I used a lot more close ups, which let me focus on specific stimuli in my surroundings. I was more drawn to using dynamic shots such as pans in this test as they slowly revealed the environment to the viewer. For both exercises I captured the footage on my phone, which I felt that it would allow for a more authentic version of noticing within each space- however, I feel that this equipment is more suited to the lingering prompt as opposed to tuning. If I were to respond to the tuning prompt in my assignment, I would use a camera instead which was an idea supported by my peers. This way I would be able to focus and unfocus on objects in the foreground/background to ‘tune’ more effectively. As I was editing I was also able to make use of crossfades and other transitions, as well as zooms to zero in on objects.
In class we have been examining the work of James Benning- it is evident in his films that his approach to noticing is driven by his intention to ‘actually look’. This is relevant to my own production, as I intend to create non-fiction work that is observant of reality.
Panse attributes this quality of his work to its evolving from an external structure rather than a preconceived idea (‘Land as Protagonist’, 66). By having a focus on the landscapes themselves, Benning demonstrates the relationships between nature, humans and machinery. In his interview with James Benning, Panse analyses Benning’s creative choices. One way in which Benning shows he views the sites as protagonists of their own is by listing the names of landscapes in the end credits of his films. He also encourages dropping subjective narrative in favour of looking at things, as it allows the filmmaker to focus on their environment.
An interesting point Benning makes is that the static camera allows for more focus on movement within the frame. By having a fixed viewpoint instead of shifting the camera, there is room for more attuned noticing of changes. New digital media is especially useful as it allows us to film complete stillness unlike film, as there no grain movement. He does this well in his scene from Ruhr, where a fixed camera documents cars as they pass within a tunnel. I would like to explore this in my work by including a number of static shots in addition to some mobile frames, to produce a more diverse representation of reality. I believe this will assist in creating an atmosphere of anticipation.
A quote I also particularly liked from the interview was his quote from Home Improvements [1985]: ‘Maybe nothing is true, except what’s out there and what’s out there is constantly changing’. I believe this best summarises his realistic approach to noticing with media.
For this assignment, I will be thinking about in particular how noticing can be used as a media practice. I aim to create an audiovisual piece that focuses on drawing attention to unseen qualities, and expand my knowledge on media production and nonfiction media. In class we have begun to explore how media can be used to linger, tune, wonder, encounter, vanish and prime. So far I am intrigued by the idea of media pieces that linger and tune into surroundings, and I would like to further delve into these concepts.
Lingering involves being present in one place, without the intent of going anywhere. It is somewhat voyeuristic, and I imagine it will involve observing people or events. If I choose this as a prompt I also feel that it will give me the opportunity to hover in one place, and create an atmosphere of anticipation in my work. Tuning is similar in that it has a sense of focus on certain stimuli. Work that tunes has the ability to shift between clarity and vagueness, or intensify something through focusing, blurring or magnifying the image. I like the idea of tuning because it plays with attention and closeness with certain places. I feel that both prompts involve a level of connectedness with a location and it would be interesting to demonstrate this relationship in my own work.
To begin developing my ideas, I am going to bring 4 pieces of media (2 inspiration pieces and 2 tests made by myself) that respond to two of the prompt words (lingering and tuning) for this assignment. I will also be paying close attention to equipment, framing, sound, location, duration, and camera movement as I complete these tests. I believe that by taking these restraints into consideration, I will be able to formulate an idea of a recipe for my audiovisual piece.