What do I want my work to do?

I’ve decided to focus on my pillow as my object of choice. This is a material item that I spend the most time with every day. For almost 8 hours of my day, it is probably one of the only external things that remain close to me for a long period of time. Given the relational proximity this pillow has to my body, I thought it would be interesting to explore how the pillow feels my body and interprets my sleep. Sleeping is the point which activates my pillow into a working object. Until I lay on my bed, it remains docile for the whole day. It seems easy to think about how this pillow exists during the night time, something that I want to explore through the piece as well, but, how does this pillow exist without me? Obviously, the value that I associate with it comes only from when I am present with it. When I remove my body from the situation, does it still exist in the same way that it does during the night? How does the pillow respond to the world when I am not there, does it still function as a pillow, or does it become an anchor for something more profound? Perhaps my body is a disruption to the peace that resides in the pillow during the day. Does the pillow view itself as a tool for myself, at night time does it see my body as a sign that work has begun? Or, does the pillow simply register my touch, another form of stimulation that exists throughout the day. Perhaps my pillow simply doesn’t sleep, it is awake, present to every moment. It could be that the value of the pillow comes not from the work we prescribe to it, but its ability to remain present throughout the day. Is this a presentness that all materials have? What framework does my body exist within, in relation to the pillow?

This is the main overview of my first piece, which will inevitably expand as it takes shape in film form, however, if I were to narrow this down into a set of concise points of what I want to achieve, it would be this:

1. My work will explore the relationship my pillow has with the environment around it in a 24 hour period.
2. My work will aesthetically represent what it is like to be a pillow in relation to the world around it.
3. This work will explore the relational value my body has to the pillow in an attempt to capture conflicting nature of anthropological assumptions to material things.
4. This work will aesthetically represent the conflict that exists between my perception what the pillow functions as.
5. This work will draw on other relations that exist around the material nature of the pillow and my body.

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How would you know if it has done this?

I think the easiest way to know if I have completed the first round of material is if I give myself a set of criteria to mark myself on.

Criteria for the first project:

1. There are at least 4 different relationships explored through the film.
2. The film is aesthetical creative in the way it approaches the material.
3. Does the material represent a 24 hour day?
4. Is there a sense of conflict between the materials?
5. Does the audio track enhance the value of the video and provoke thought about other relationships?
6. Does the video explore these relationships without always explicitly utilising the pillow all the time?
7. Is this video at least 1 minute in length?
8. Does the video critically engage my body in the film?
9. Is this film list like? (In audio form or video, does this film embody a sense of a list? It would be better if it combined both in list form?
10. Does the film offer new opportunities for the camera to record material? Have relationships been explored between the camera and the materiality of the objects on screen?

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Where to from here?

I’m not sure if this list will remain the same throughout the project or if I will change it. However, one thing is for certain and that is the amount of work I need to complete by next week. This is an achievable but slightly daunting task as the workload of all these projects gradually approaches as deadlines gain continuous momentum!

I have outlined what I need to do, all I need to do is devote my time to these tasks and complete the project!

 

 

Things I need to do by the end of the semester to reach my desired result:

 

• Write up various synopsis’ on the different themes and forms of media I am going to create (At least 10 different themes)

 

• Narrow down the synopsis and allocate levels of importance to the different media outcomes that you wish to create. (A least 3 different themes)

 

• Gather information about relevant readings that could help you understand the list of themes that you have chosen.

 

• Use these readings to expand on the different themes you have chosen to create a set of guidelines and criteria that will form that basis of your video.

 

• This set of criteria will become the backbone of the project. The research accumulated from the readings will be used in a practical way by incorporating different elements of the readings into the final video work.

 

• Sit down and think about the various things you need to create the film, and then brainstorm on the various things you would like to include in the piece.

 

• Gather all materials required for shooting. Gear, people, places, items.

 

• Once I have completed the shooting, assemble the footage in a way that looks closely at the specific readings you have found in relation to themes you have made a film on.

 

• The editing process could take a long time, so make sure you have reasonable time selected for the end of the task.

 

• This assessment requires a written component, which should be easy given the allocated time to readings in the first place.

 

• After writing down the different written components of the task, this process should be complete!

 

• Re-read, simplify, expand and create!

 

There was a sentence in my histories of cinema reading this week that I found really interesting and relatable to this class. The context of this quote comes from the first chapter of Kuhns novel, Women’s pictures: feminism and cinema. Annette Kuhn asserts that “it seems important to emphasise that the text is but a single element in a series of social relations of cultural production, all of which need to be taken into account in any work on presentation”. This statement reinforces the nature of a text and how its meaning extends beyond the control of its initial intention. Once published in a public sphere it is open to a wide range of different interpretations. When and where a text is shown becomes more important than the actual content of the work given the impact spectators have on placing meaning on different texts. What was interesting about this discussion is the way that Kuhn connects femininity to the disruption of institutionalised cinematic conventions and social values. By disrupting cinemas ingrained beliefs and work processes there is a feminine quality that arises by undoing the masculine tendencies that the film industry give privilege too. In our media works, we are effectively undoing the conventions of cinematic narrative in favour of an alternative process, therefore prescribing to a set of feminine ideals that go against systems that have become inherently masculine.

I have never thought of femininities potential of undoing the established cinematic systems we have grown accustomed too. However, in retrospect, it makes perfect sense that in order to think of alternative ways of making films, we must look at the opposite, misunderstood link that lies beneath a mainstem value. I thought perhaps this idea of feminity could be introduced into aspects of our work. By including a direction in our work that relates to a broader set of feminine relations, this could lead to an interesting outcome that comments on the current shift we are experiencing in cinema.

I would like to explore this area further in another blog post that goes into more detail, however, for now, this is just “food for thought”, something I will be mulling over for the next few days!

Frankham’s reading, Complexity, flux and webs of connection, really hit home today, bringing together a bunch of ideas and thoughts that have been sitting with me since the beginning of the semester. The reading gives a clear example into how list formations are able to capture a broader set of connections inherent in any object. I thought I was beginning to have a better grasp of these theories and concepts, yet each time we have been asked to look over our work and find new ways to interpret the information; I have always found myself stuck.  However, I have come to realise how much knowledge I actually have in this course, now realising that contemplation and confusion are not signs of being lost, but rather an indication that I’m heading in a clear direction.

Frankham outlines the balance of the spectator and author, highlighting the varying levels of interaction that are “activated” by works distinctive of de-formulated structures. Like the spectators he is talking about, I too have been “activated” by thought as I have attempted to bring together the various connections present in the process of this course. This chapter has come at a very important time as the semester reaches its close. This chapter reinitiates key conversations that we were having with Bogost at the start of the semester when lists were framed as a potential solution for documentaries that were trying to present “ideas, examples, feelings, sensations” through a network of interconnected elements in a media work. Despite gaining necessary clarity, it has dawned on me that the process I have finally come to understand is only one of the potentially many different ways to created documentaries. Listing is a process that “can” enable different groups of connections to be formed, however, there is a suggestion that this is not the only way to do this. This process is the starting point of our media creation, it forms the groundwork for what we have been doing, but opens up new doors of opportunity to explore different techniques of capturing the web of connections inherent in our life.

There are two things that I remain curious about and it is the observational qualities of a listing and the sense of the poetic and the aesthetic. In terms of the poetic and the aesthetic, I wonder what this actually entails? Is it all the different elements utilised to capture certain connections, such as lighting, sound and camera movement. Or is there more to this process that I’m not quite fully grasping? Perhaps I’m overcomplicating quite a simple word that could be employed to denote the certain arousing qualities of works that sustain connection within the spectator.

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The second, more important thought I had when reading this chapter, was the way Frankham revisited Bill Nichols and his search for the observational ability of cinema to capture reality. Nichols establishes how the observational nature of documentary films embodies “a mosaic” structure in which the wholeness of a media piece has potential to be superseded by the infiniteness of “paradigmatic relations” that makes it impossible to offer any resolution. It is the way that exploring multiple connections opens up new facets of possibility, highlighting the lack of understanding as each previous facet openings up more avenues to explore these relations. Although there is a distancing effect in “relational aesthetic” documentaries, there is a closeness that forms around the microscopic viewpoint of listing different things. The “mosaic” offers a redefinition into the meaning of a montage, upon which media makers are able to use the new techniques of montage to explore the complexity of life. Ross Gibson offers a very important point that makes me wonder about the ability of “relational documentaries” to capture reality in a way that other ways of media making simply, cannot do, “a process that grants you access to a clearer sense of the governing codes of an emerging actuality”.

In cinemas obsession with obtaining the actuality of human experience and other forms of life on this planet, does this emerging brand of “relational films” offer a much-needed redefinition into how one might be able to capture the “truth” of life? The infinite complexity that is explored contains glimpses into the inner workings of our life on this planet. Our material beings and our relations to the different processes around us are in constant “flux” much like the way these new documentaries delve into a seemingly endless variation of connections that surround us. It might be overwhelming to suggest, but there seems to be a goldmine of unexplored creativity that could give rise to a definitive “truth” of media experience, something that all of us crave.

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As we begin to understand our relationship to the world around us, we begin to form a different view of our reality and its impact on us. This movement marks not only a radical shift in our creative processes but in our understanding of our entire existence. Without the backbone of solid reasoning and safety cruxes to hold onto, we remain feeling eternally lost in the complex world we live in. There is a sense of acceptance that comes with being open and aware of the magnitude that surrounds us. This shift comes only when we begin to accept that we are not the centre of the universe. When we accept that there are many different angles and connections to every living and nonliving thing, there comes a truth that cannot be ignored. The messiness of our being is brought to light as we delve deep into the shield of comfort we have built around our being for so long. Perhaps it is time to reinitiate a conversation into what “truth” means and redefine our values and decisions based on the “relational aesthetic” we are privy too everyday.

 

Upon revealing the inner flesh of a banana, the fruit takes on a different texture, soft and delicate. The inner flesh remains the same as the form it once took before its exterior was stripped back. The banana is a very common fruit found in many households, but has anyone taken the time to examine the external shell that encases the inner goodness that we desire? Often we throw away this bit of skin before giving it any consideration. Our impulse to chuck the skin away is so strong because we can’t imagine a purpose for it in our life? If I am unable to see the use of this external exterior, why bother with the same level of value that I place on the eatable bit inside?

The skin plays an important role in protecting the tender flesh of the banana that lies underneath. Without this shell, the banana would remain a casualty to the many things that could harm it. Have you ever noticed how perfectly the banana peels back to reveal the fruit underneath? Peeling the banana comes at an immediate convenience due to the natural way its shape unfolds. The new form it takes remains practical and intuitive to the needs of the user, a non-messy way of contributing to a healthy diet in human life.

In my attempt to bring meaning to the banana peel in a new way, I decided to film the banana in slow motion. By editing it in a way that is repetitive, it reinforces the purpose of the skin that often goes unnoticed. There is a certain level of importance that is placed on the way the camera can capture every small detail of the banana as it moves. There is an awareness that comes from looking at an object so close in detail, especially when its movement it repeated.

I chose to place narration over the video because I thought it would at the context to what the audience was looking at. Below, is the video and narration that I included in the one minute clip.

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Narration:

Slow motion captures each minute detail of the banana as it is transformed into a lively rhythm. Each gentle flick of my hand makes way for gradual swirls that bring the banana to life.  Rhythm makes its way into each sway of the peel as it moves against the lifeless background of the table and computer. This contrast that is posited through the framing of my phone as brings a gentle awareness to the banana as a life form rather than a static being. Digital flaws are rendered through tiny grains of noise formed around my hand as I move the banana.  There is an eagerness that forms between the noise and the banana, reinforcing the life that the camera brings to the otherwise lifeless nature of a banana skin.

Video:

Banana from Lucas James on Vimeo.

 

Editing is an aspect of human experience that can be extended beyond our creative projects. Throughout the time humans have occupied this planet, editing has become inextricably linked to the material objects we can see, hear and feel. External entities such as poetry, storytelling and painting have become sacred virtues of humankind. These material things are created around what is important. Editing is the omission of things that are not in line with what we want something to be. The eventual outcome of a project of any kind is linked to the importance of an object belonging to the process. A sentence is discarded because it isn’t relevant to the overall structure of an essay. The colour purple is sacrificed for blue because it doesn’t match with our expectations of a sky. The rhythmic beat of a snare is replaced in a composition because it distracts the listener from the overall song. Our main aim when creating pieces of work, whether it be in art, politics or general society is the pursuit of a polished outcome that reflects a subtle sense of beauty.

The greatest pieces of art have received accolades for representing the natural features that define something as wholesome and complete. Take one of the most famous artworks ever created, the Mona Lisa. This painting was applauded for its use of subtle colour tones to depict a woman that is beautiful and enriching to the eye. Viewers are mesmerised by the piercing stare of the woman’s eyes. As a viewer, we are captured by our own wonderment, a perfection that can only be achieved through the artifice of this painting. This visual masterpiece is constructed on the omission of things, a process that relates to an overall ‘finished’ piece. A sense of importance is given to realising the realistic beauty of the woman, rather than documenting the inevitable flaws that are hidden behind her still facade. The use of dark colours is a subtle decision that reflects the realism da Vinci was trying to achieve. What comes out of this process da Vinci employs, is the goal of capturing a realistic portrayal of a person. All pieces of work, whether it is an art piece or a functional object, are substantiated by a goal that emerges through the editing process an author employs. This sense of a goal plays an important part of allowing us to understand the editing process that exists around us every day.

To bring an object to life, there is a sense of importance that is placed on the eventual function the object is going to serve. Whether the object is functional or simply existing as a beautiful artifice, we, as humans, have an internal editing process by which all these creations are made. It is easy to see how editing becomes an important part of our everyday lives when we attempt to create our own object. Upon trying to create an individual object, we are met with a barrage of incoming messages about how to edit the object and bring it into our lives with some sense of importance. When I am creating a piece of media work,  whether it is a film or a photograph, the editing process is always present even if I am not aware of it myself. The choices I make are inbuilt within my subconscious. One of the important things I am trying to explore here is the way that editing can extend beyond the materiality of objects that exist around us. It is this point about the subconscious parts of the human mind that leads into the idea of editing that exists to create importance within our inner self.

All humans use editing to filters parts of our own existence, aiming to create representations of ourselves to the outside world. There is an editing process that lies behind the mind of every person living on this planet. Each person holds different ideas and goals that carry varying degrees of importance. This creates an internal editing process which people use to reach the desired result. The result is often hidden by the material outcome that we hope to see, however, it is important to delve into the mind of our own psyche to understand how editing can be a useful word to describe our own experiences in life. Editing an object is similar to the way we edit ourselves. We omit information about ourselves we perceive as unimportant. Our internal experiences are governed by the way our thoughts and memories shape the way we perceive the world and react to it. Our thoughts edit out the parts of ourselves we want to remain hidden. There is an entire array of internal representations that exist within us each day. An internal monologue exists 24/7, even if we are mostly unaware of it. This monologue is the editing process by which we craft ourselves in life. With little investigation into this monologue, we accept this editing process as a part of our being and who we are in life. There is a strange dichotomy between the lies and truths that exist internally within our mind without us realising the implications they have on our actions. It is important to identify the chaos and complexity of our minds. Acknowledging this internal turmoil gives us greater context to how we behave in situations and the way in which we interact with the world around us.

The reason I am discussing this process is because it relates to the way our media projects can be created within the framework of this class. In this class, we are attempting to give new value to story, a tool that has become the accustomed way of explaining the world. We hold onto editing like we do a story, blindly accepting it as the only way of creating pieces of work and understanding ourselves. When looking into an editing process it is easy to see how bewildering this process actually is. Once finishing a project and an object has been created, we often forget about the editing process that got us to this conclusion in the first place. The editing process is made up of a bunch of different material related to the object that never makes the final cut. We discard the messiness and embrace the perfection that comes from the external outcome that everyone can see. A common analogy for this process is the way the tip of an iceberg represents a fraction of what we actually see. A finished product only represents 20% of what has occurred during the process of creating the final piece. Like our minds, we forget that our actions are occupied by an array of thoughts and emotions we don’t actually acknowledge.

In the media pieces we are trying to create, we are attempting to look into the complexity of objects and the messy space they occupy. This messy space is at the forefront of understanding the hidden beauty of an object and the way in which humans come to conclusions about things in the world. Perhaps creating media works that are unfinished and less polished, could capture the confusing process that all objects exist in. A polished piece of work does a good job of making something look refined. However, an unpolished piece of work could allow the audience to draw greater meaning from the complexity of an object. By taking editing out of the equation, we allow the natural muddiness of objects to emerge. If editing is a natural part of our human experience, wouldn’t it be necessary to focus on the editing process rather than the outcome in order to create a deeper appreciation of a work? Why not make the editing process the actual piece? Why not show how we got to the final outcome in the first place? Allowing the editing process to take shape in a film or a photograph could reflect that way we naturally edit our entire existence. I think there is something alluring about using editing as a tool to bring the vague nature of our existence into the forefront of our media works. A sense of natural completion arises from the disorganised chaos of an edit.

I had a thought the other day about the possibility of seeing our bodies as entirely separate beings to ourselves. This is a concept that has been explored throughout the course of spiritual practices, however, in relation to this course, this concept has sparked new interest.

Last week my dog slammed into me whilst I was walking up the stairs, causing me to lose my balance and fall hard on the floor. I layed there for a good 5 minutes, mildly concussed. As I regained my focus, intense throbbing began to kick in, reigniting my awareness to the painful gash on my forehead. Knowing this wasn’t something a bandage could easily fix, I took myself up to the doctors where I receive three stitches for the open wound. Upon leaving the doctor, I received a detailed guide on how to treat concussions and look out for signs my body was not coping. Despite waking up the next morning with a throbbing headache, my mind began to wonder to the relationship that concussions have to our consciousness and body. Although I was experiencing mild confusion and lack of consciousness, my body remained functional. My lungs continued to expand with the rhythm of my heart as it pumped blood through my body.

Although the mind might shut off when exposed to a serious impact, it still manages to keep functioning in accordance to the bodies needs. Despite our consciousness often disappearing from head injuries, our bodies usually continue to operate on their own accord. The separation between the mind and body becomes apparent when we consider the ways our bodies still work without us actually being aware of its functions. When we sleep we are not actively trying to keep ourselves alive. Our bodies internally perceive the world on an automatic mode as a means for survival. Our heart doesn’t stop when we go to sleep because it believes that we are a bad person. Our lungs don’t resist the urge to expand and contract because they don’t like the colour we painted our room. Our blood doesn’t thicken because it can’t stand the smell of deodorant we choose to wear every day. If these automatic functions exist outside of our consciousness, then how much of a stable connection do we really have with our bodies?

Our lives are centred around the idea that we are one with our bodies. Cosmetic companies suggest that our bodies make us who we are. If we have beautiful skin, that must equate to some kind of displayable personality trait we can showcase to the world. Our internal understanding of ourselves is shaped by our perception of our body. Our bodies act much like tools for our consciousness to use. If our consciousness is taken away from the body, does our body still retain the same radiant life it had before? If everyone was left in an automatic mode of functioning, would we all be the same, or would our bodies somehow determine why we are different to each other? Is our body an individual entity in its own right. We preach to others that society must respect our bodies. We have rights to our personal space concerning individual autonomy with others. We have a choice in what our bodies do and what we say about our bodies. However, are the values that we place on our bodies merely assumptions about how our bodies should behave. When we move our arm or stand from our chair, is it our consciousness that is telling our bodies to behave this way, or is it an automatic function that we mistake for our own. Where does the line form between whether our bodies are reacting to our thoughts and whether our bodies are simply taking action for themselves? If anything is clear from this disjointed and brief discussion about bodies, it is my main concern about exploring how separate our body and mind is. Does our consciousness mistake the automatic functions of our bodies as our own, or are our bodies truly connected to our consciousness in a way that we don’t yet understand?

 

These are the main points I am trying to explore here:

• The idea of consciousness and its impact on our bodies?
• Do our bodies act in accordance to our needs or its needs?
• If our consciousness constitutes as who we perceive ourselves to be, then do we merely inhabit a body as a way to communicate ourselves to the world, or do our body and mind go hand in hand to create a concrete level of self-awareness?

This week has been fairly productive in terms of getting on top of my readings for this class. I have been able to set aside time to smash out chapter 3 of Ian Bogost’s dissection of how the world works. I really feel I have been able to get a better grasp onto what I am learning in this course, which should be evidenced by other blog posts I’ve completed this week, detailing my thoughts towards these concepts. Honestly, it has been challenging to get to his point of realisation. The concepts in this class question what we have learnt for so long in our life and it’s been difficult to grasp and see the potential of how these things can benefit my studies and media practises in life.

I’ve really enjoyed completing blog entries this week also. I have found it to be a great way to analyse some of my thoughts in a more concise way that gets them out of the tangled mess that my brain often becomes. I have found the informal nature of the blog to be really satisfying. There are no specific guidelines to how this blog should be structured, and unlike a formal essay, there is no mark. This fact is relieving because I find it easier to travel through my pattern of thinking in more complex ways when I’m not so concerned about specific ways of structuring what I am saying. In a sense I reach a semi-flow state within these blogs posts, allowing me to pour out my ideas without much resistance.

So far this week has been a good start to the habits that have been gradually forming over the past month.

Redefining the way a documentary is constructed has been a challenging task. However, after analysing this task today, I have found more clarification to what direction alternate documentaries should be taking. Like any new approach this class discusses each week, there is a common thread of concern that leads us to the causal relations between humans and objects. This relationship has obviously been a key thread from the beginning, but redefining this relationship has been a challenging aspect to grasp. Despite the challenge of this task, I feel like there is new ground for me to form a coherent explanation surrounding the objective of this class. From what we have learnt so far, I feel like I have a general understanding of what this class is trying to achieve. As an overview, our class is attempting to explore the multicausal relationships that exist within the complexity of this world, aiming to give voice to non-human objects, allowing them to offer a new perspective of their existence. We are attempting to illustrate the perspective of non-human parts and their relationship to the world around us. The redefinition that comes from this clarification is in the switch between perceiving humans to be the centre of all communication, to viewing our species as a mere speck in the world around us.

This leads to a second key component of what we are learning, which is the reviewing of story solely as a tool for humans to contextualise the world. It is easy to see how limiting our definition of story is when we explore the density of all objects that exist in our world. By looking at other forms of communication around us, it is clear that there is a far broader level of dialogue that exists beyond our species. This point hints at the multi-casual nature of this world. These relations exist within all aspects of our life, from living to non-living entities. The task at hand is attempting to view these relationships from the perspective of the object, rather than filtering it through our human lens. The distance that is implied through this task is the exact reason why this process is so alien to our class. It is a process that goes against our established way of interpreting the world. Stories have been inbuilt within us from our very conception. It is a natural way of cultivating a sense of peace within ourselves as we attempt to navigate the complexity of life. Therefore, when altering our approach to documentary films, we need to be asking ourselves this one question; What does it mean to move into a space that acknowledges other points of view?

Last week’s class prompted me to think about the way ideas are materialised. Our discussion was centred on how the relationships that exist around us are all premised on the existence of something material. Materiality, in this case, has come to mean the evidence of any relationship existing between two things. Whether it is a relationship between a human and their dog, a dog and the grass or the grass and the sun, there is something inherently material about these bonds. All these relationships are centred on the material outcome of something else, otherwise, a material link would not be possible. With this in mind, we extended this idea to our creative output in class and beyond what we have been learning.

There is a feeling of power that comes from the formation of an idea. However, an idea or thought are mere links to the material outcome that is at stake. There is a certain urge that must be acted upon in order to materialise this idea, which only then secures the link that existed between two material objects in the first place. In regards to our projects, for instance, we might come up with wide-ranging concepts surrounding a topic. We would write these down on paper, discuss them in class and offer prompts to each other. Although there is a material link between us and the ideas that have been formed on paper, there has been no actual outcome in the final result of our discussion. All that has been delved into are the many potential links that could be formed in relation to the material thing we are trying to produce. In order to see the complexity of a relationship, there must be two material things existing in the first place. Although important, the density that exists between all things doesn’t come from these links. It is the objects themselves that give merit to the link that binds material things together.

This discussion prompted me to start treating our projects in the same way. Knowing that ideas are only a starting point to the eventual outcome makes me want to focus on the material outcome rather than continuing to deliberate on ideas. There must be some point in a project where an idea is settled on and action is taken to materialise the idea. Knowing the complexity that arises from a material outcome is something that should garner more of an effort to produce work. There is a certain level of satisfaction that comes from realising you have been able to contribute to the complex web of material relationships within our world.