Month: September 2017

Biggest Thing: This project aims to achieve an in depth level of noticing on individuals; the project wants to en-capture someone’s nature and routine and present it in an experimental form that creates and emits the emotions that- that individual possesses. Are we able to display and present a piece that is a reflection on someones character? And do our habits create the basis of our character and they aspects we can change or are some strongly inbuilt into our nature?
Big Things: In order to accomplish my goal I will need to both observe and film a subject whilst recording their habits via audio and visual media formats, then I will present this research in a video-film based format.
Small Things: Timeline (Due Date October 20th)

Week 10 made me reflect on what I will be learning from the final project and to make sure that I don’t block myself off into thinking one particular aspect  and detain myself from being open to new ideas.  Emotionally I’m feeling quite down, although my project will help me learn more about noticing individuals I do feel like it doesn’t have as much passion in it as I would like. I wonder if I should continue to my original plan or make small alterations to make sure I’m content in what i’m creating.

The Artist Is Present (Marina Abramovic)
On a final note, I wanted to take the time to talk about an artist who has inspired me for this project, Marina Abramovic. Abramovic does performance art, her body is the canvas and her movements tell a story.

The piece below is a project that particularly inspires me. In this performance Marina Abramovic gazes into a strangers eyes for however long the stranger chooses. The purpose is to demonstrate the importance of presence, human connection and especially the connection we have when we look into ones eyes as this is the gateway to the soul and presence. We can reflect this back to our fast-paced society and how we tend to brush over intimate connections such as taking the time to appreciate and notice one another.

Creative Possibilities (Looking into Soundscapes)
ft. ‘Ken’s Last Ever Radio Extravaganza’

Wednesdays week 9 class focused on the different creative possibilities we could do for our projects. This included soundscapes, art installations as well as other innovative and creative new media art projects.
During this class we listened and examined samples of sound collages and analysed the techniques used to create them. Many included rhythmic and repetitive chimes that embedded a sense of surrealism. We also examined the ‘networkeffect.io’ which is a platform that continuously adds media to it’s archive to create an ever growing platform of experiences from people. I’ve found inspiration from these layered montages (both audio and visual), I find them engaging and immersive. As I want my final project to focus on the montage of habits I found examining montages this week quite helpful. I have also decided I would like to experiment with my own soundscape. I want to record the audio of everyday activities and create something surreal out of it. I would like to be able to immerse audiences into this warped sense of reality that layers everyday sounds into something abstract. I think it could create intense emotions and transform everyday sounds into something more unique.

Kens Last Radio Extravaganza: https://wfmu.org/  

The above piece I have created has taken inspiration from Ken’s podcast although I have added more layers to create a more disruptive piece,  the piece also has a narrative as each sound effect layered has been recorded by me and represents the habits that I am talking about (within the soundscape). It has been fun experimenting and recording with audio layers and I want to create an in-depth soundscape for my final experimental piece. I think the repetitive audio in the soundscape would re-enforce the elements of routine and daily activities that the habits filmed will visually present.

The conclusion of my experiments and feedback from the pitch have given me more depth into what I want to set out and achieve for the final project. I am quite happy with my introspective idea as I feel like it is unique and relates to my own characteristics of curiosity and observing others. I did find I brushed over my pitch a little too quickly when presenting not touching enough on my learning but I did have a confident idea of what I wanted to do which I believe came across well and that was the most important aspect that I set out to achieve.

Feedback from the panel included helpful tips and debate into how deep I should film with my introspective ‘lens’. Paul discussed examining a single individual rather than multiple to make a more in-depth character project. He also added to keep my content open whilst filming, for example filming multiple people and then potentially only choosing a single individual to go into more depth or if all individuals present enough habits to add all the footage into the final project. I liked that the panel endorsed that I don’t have to be deadest on the production of my final project and to rather let it bloom and flourish naturally so that it will turn into a piece that evolves rather than having an idea in stone that has to be set out and completed.A final piece of advice given was to focus on what ‘I’ want to achieve and not what I think will please an audience, this is my own project and should be for my own development.

If I was to do this project again I would like to use my media skills earlier on in the experiments. I used media less than I thought I would as a lot of my experiments were a learning process and I only documented more with my camera as they progressed- when I knew what I wanted to capture and record. I think for my final there will definitely be more media in my portfolio now that I know exactly what I want to work on. I also believe this will help me experiment more with the type of piece I want to create (as practice of course leads to a better product).

Finally I will still be observing other individuals habits for the development of the final project. This will make sure I keep my awareness of habits and behaviors so that when It comes to filming I will be able to look into ones character easily without having to dig and film habits that aren’t true to an individual.

Pitch Audio Recording:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_dPAyrVV0qpOUdhd2lSUWtGVkU

Refining (building and reflecting upon the portfolio of experiments)
After completing these experiments I’ve got a confident idea of what I want to accomplish for my final project, they’ve given me a sense of direction which I wasn’t sure about when first starting, I enjoyed that each experiment built upon the other to gradually become more complex. I also found these experiments on noticing have helped my skills in creating a layered experimental montage and observing peoples character, I’m excited to build upon this project with the help of feedback from the pitch panel and continue to develop what type of ways I might film to make my presence when filming less direct.

Taking from this portfolio of experiments and feedback, I’ve drafted some ideas and notes for the final ‘Noticing’ assessment:

• A video project focusing on several individuals habits, what they believe they are and what I am able to notice and record.
• The video aims to reveal habits and behavior that people aren’t in tune or aware of.
• The relationship between the camera and the individual; how much are they aware of themselves being filmed, does this dramatically change their habits- catching the individuals off guard and contrasting that to when their aware of filming.
• Do their habits match up with the behaviors they notice about themselves.
• Both visual and auditory dynamics to create a layered montage that present a ‘piece’ that as a whole represents the individuals habits, this way (through using media) we can have an understanding of how they might feel and what they might notice through their perspective.
  

Noticing in an Introspective Manor
“What do I notice when I turn my attention to myself, what habits can I reflect upon, do I understand my own behavior?”

For my third portfolio post I want to examine myself, habits and routines in an introspective manor.

I want to question if I am able to notice habits good and bad about myself. I think a lot of the time we don’t view ourselves in an in-depth manner, we don’t question our actions enough and when life becomes busy and day to day becomes routine we forget to nourish our self and work on habits that bring mindfulness into our everyday lives. For the past few months I have been working on doing just that- noticing my habits through meditation and mindfulness, through this final portfolio task I want to include a visual montage of habits that I have become aware of when re-examining my routine, they aren’t necessarily bad or good but they will give insight into my behavior and why we do certain things, at the end of this post I will give an overview of my thoughts when reflecting on the actions that I have recorded. I want to see what habits I can observe within myself, how these habits affect me and If I am able to change them once I have understood them through noticing. My main question will be If I am able to change my behavior through noticing and working on the parts of myself that need work. I can already imagine attention when working on university projects as a main issue as generally sitting down for long periods of time can make me feel unsettled and uncomfortable but I haven’t truly viewed my habits and some related behavior in a way that really looks deep and introspective.

Recipe: The recipe for this task is simple, for a few hours or a day become very aware at noticing habits (good and bad). Record these habits with a camera, edit it into a single video and reflect upon the actions that have been recorded.

Method:

1. Carry a camera around during a day that isn’t too busy so that becoming aware and noticing can be the main focus
2. Record data and any habits that arise when you notice them
3. Upload the data into a montage and comment on the results.
   

Ingredients: A camera (Panasonic LUMIX GH4), myself, a single day with spare hours and awareness.

Results: Most of my shots were close ups, I realized it was more obvious to see habits I do with my own body  rather than those that I do with other objects. I believe this is because I can notice behaviors when they’re more in front of me rather than around or surrounding me. For example it was easier to notice and be in tune with the fact that I chew gum but it was harder to notice changes I do to my environment- like closing the curtains in the evening. I believe this is because it’s less of a direct habit.

I also want to state that the way I view myself has a bias, as the habits and behaviors I notice are from my own perspective and may not be the same as what other individuals may see. This is really important because the relationship between myself and the camera differs from other individuals, studying a media subject and using the camera regularly creates a dynamic between myself and the camera that is different to other individuals. This means that when the camera is present my behavior can shift into a more ‘presentable’ manner that differs from the raw forms that I’m trying to capture. It means that I think for my final project I will want to record others rather than myself to get rid of this bias and to use media to my advantage rather than disadvantage.

Intentional Noticing & The of Bias Recording with Technology

“What do I notice when I am intentionally recording and what do I notice when I am not, does technology make a difference in the way I record data?”

I also have questions if the way I record can create a bias, focusing in on one particular aspect and not recording others that other individuals might record. Do I notice differently to others?

Recipe: Record data with camera, write up the results of what you noticed in two separate environments, sit in the environments for a specific amount of time that allows you to capture the elements and aspects within it. Record the data then write up the results.
Method:

1. Enter a quite space and record the space using a camera whilst describing what you notice about the space whilst looking through the cameras lens. Record what you notice without recording and see how they differ.
2. Complete this experiment twice with a second location that differs to the first. Understand how media changes the way we notice and record data.

Ingredients: Myself, Panasonic LUMIX GH4 and a laptop

Noticing Through a Camera Lens Media1

Noticing Without A Camera – Taking Notes With Pen & Paper, Media1
I definitely feel like I have a ‘wider’ perspective without the lens in front of me, there is a certain feeling when you can sense your peripheral vision compared to when you can’t and that adds to how you describe a space.The space is quite dark due to the heavy concrete walls that seal in most natural light, The only natural light emits from the electric doors further up the buildings main foyer. The lights hanging in the new building are bright and direct. The light gives off a very ‘clinical’ feeling. I feel quite cold due to the heat being absorbed by the concrete bricks whilst there isn’t much furniture to bring a sense of homeliness. The walls have geometric patterns whilst the floor is plain and clean. The chairs down the foyer are multicolored, the space feels very empty. The space is calm and would be an area I can study in but after spending more time writing I realize how cold the area feels and notice the cold more when writing compared to filming.

Noticing Through a Camera Lens Media2

Noticing Without A Camera – Taking Notes With Pen & Paper, Media2
Droplets of rain from the tree above me keep falling onto my head and the piece of paper in front of me, I was lucky enough to not have to deal with this when recording but now that i’m trying to find a place to sit I’ve become aware to how wet it is. Again it’s cold but this time I don’t feel it as much, I definitely find it harder to write, I find when i’m noticing with pen and paper I don’t want to pick out aspects that are obvious. I still notice how dull the day is and how there is a massive lack of color in the environment i’m currently in but it’s not something that I feel the need to present like I did when filming.

Results: Without a camera I am able to describe more aspects related to how I feel. As I use film as a way to record and view a space ‘through the lens’ I start to focus more the visuals and audio elements within my environment-  leaving the other senses to become weaker. Despite this I think using media has a longer lasting effect because you can go back and revisit the location without physically being in the space, each time you go back you can set yourself to notice something different but in saying that again It has a very strong visual element. With media you can only go back and re-notice both audio and a visual image you can’t record and return to the way the space made you feel, it’s temperature, the atmosphere as well as other senses including touch.

It would be interesting to see if this differs when recording ourselves, showing senses like touch may become easier to record when we visually represent a description of a feeling most have felt before and can recall (like rubbing hands together with soap, a sense most of us have felt before so we are able to recall how it might feel). I think taking from this experiment I would like to focus the attention on myself and the way i’m able to record and notice aspects about myself. I would like to see how recording makes me feel and if I notice anything different and become more aware due to recording. I believe this experiment has opened up the way I think about media and it’s influence over our senses and how it’s a very visual dominant format in our current society. I also enjoyed with this experiment using first person perspective whilst filming as I think it adds an element of intimacy which could be interesting and a potentially concept for my final project piece.