Having listened to the recorded audio I was pleasantly surprised from a technical perspective in that the separate elements (such as sounds of leaves rustling, wind, high pitched ring of the pole) within the recording compliment each other so as to create a naturalistic atmosphere. I wonder however, the potential to experiment with the microphone perspectives from alternative distances between different elements to create a more dense atmospheric sound. From a poetic perspective I consider the rhythm of the different rustling leaves and rings and the way in which it can offer a musical element to the recording and how that musical characteristic influences the listener’s experience. It is interesting how the sound immediately resonates with the memory so that I can visualise a natural earthy atmosphere with swaying trees and passers by. Interestingly, although we manipulated the rustling of the leaves to establish a windy environment, it sounded as though there were footsteps which added another layer of complexity to the recording.

This listening experience for me was very unsettling. The conglomerate of voices that continually overlapped in a manner that inhibited an ability to focus on a single voice was disturbing difficult to understand. It reminds me of the concept of psycho-acoustic experiences in which the audio track offers a psychological experience for the listener. I do however, appreciate the rhythmic nature of the piece. It asks you to remain open-minded to the way in which dialogue itself can be manipulated in manners that resemble music through phonetic syntaxes that involve elements such as beat and tempo. I found it clever to alter volume levels so as to bring dominance to specifc words/paragraphs as opposed to others.

Watching Brian Hill’s ‘Drinking for England’ was a very intriguing experience in that it was such a novelty in regards to my limited knowledge and experience of Documentary. The musical explanations which replace the dialogue offered an interesting albeit jarring experience. It certainly drew my attention to the potential ways in which real events can be presented in creative manners, which encourage a borrowing relationship between Documentary and Fiction. The direct engagement with the camera by the protagonist of the documentary, created a specific association which encouraged me to feel connected to this human being, as opposed to a fictive character. However, this also puts into question the blurred line between documentary and fiction, and documentary’s claim to reality.

Coming into this semester I want to be able to confidently transform my ideas into an actuality through the process of making our collaborative documentary. I would really love to push the boundaries of the somewhat ‘traditional’ documentary filmmaking referred to as the ‘essay documentary’ style in Bill Nichols taxonomy of documentaries. I want to become more comfortable with all sound and visual equipment and gain a much more practical knowledge of final cut pro so that i can sufficiently satisfy the film making areas that require the use of the program. I want to have the ability to critically evaluate my work and if need be, re shoot until the footage is satisfactory. Similarly, I want to take more risks with editing, and explore the concept of cutting footage together without an initial idea and seeing where that will lead me and to what end it will inspire my team and myself.

Michelangelo Antonioni’s ‘Blow Up’ (1966) features a scene, which illuminates the importance of elements discussed in the week 9 Film- TV lecture regarding choreography of actors as working in unison with the camera. When directing actors David Hemming and Vanessa Redgrave, specifically in the more extended scene inside the upstairs studio, Antonioni would have had to guide them through an extensive blocking plan that compliments the camera. For instance, when conversing, Redgrave and Hemming remain approximately 6 feet from each other so as to reveal the set around them. This would have been a conscious decision as it is clear that these characters fit within this studio setting. Furthermore, Antonioni would have needed to block the movement so that at no point, another from within the frame blocks one actor.  This choreography is supplemented by Antonioni’s utilisation of mid/long shots that reveal the depth of field within this scene. As the camera technique employs continuous usage of pans, the director would have needed to guide the flow of the actors’ movements, for instance, when Hemming dives to answer the ringing phone. Furthermore, the choreography of the actors’ movements needed to supplement the framing of the characters.