IM1 Reading 06

A few notes I have taken directly from this weeks reading, “Making (with) the Korsakow system” by Matt Soar.

I would like to say that this was actually an interesting read, specifically because we are able to relate to this topic extensively (after all we are using the program). However, I feel like this would have been more insightful if it were given to us at the start of the semester, when we were all asking; “what the hell is Korsakow?”

Anyway, the article was written by a co-developer of Korsakow, so not only is the knowledge provided extremely correct, it’s also straight to the point. Soar describes the Korsakow system as “an open faced application” which was originally launched”…for the authoring of database narratives: primarily documentaries” (154).
It was interesting to read that Korsakow was specifically built for filmmakers, and that Soar states that “…what the web offers is an opportunity to examine and understand everyday details of our lives” (156)
Within the first few pages of his document, Matt raises the issue of being aware of how much longer the current range of ‘web based documentaries will be functional and able to played and viewed (157), i.e. flash not being able to be viewed on apple products such as i-pads and macs being built without disc drives.

WORKING WITH KORSAKOW (158)

Soar states that Korsakow was created in Macromedia Director (adobe director) which was actually designed for making multimedia presentations instead of software application.
– Making a K-film is an “exercise in interactive spatial montage” 158
– Spatial montage = multiple different images/videos of different sizing/content appearing on the screen simultaneously.
– Narration is offered through the interface – the design and layout and linking specifically
– What is different about K-films is that the program is downloaded and installed to the computer, and when the video is being played, it can do so offline without relying on outsourcing any links in order to play.
– You can’t (yet) insert/embed online content into a K-Film
– K-films can continuously be updates with new material and/or creative refinements – 160

Something that Soar covers that would have been extremely helpful at the beginning of the semester is the idea of SNU’s and ‘SNUifying’. As Soar states (and of course what we all know now) SNUifying is “adding metadata to each short film including key-words, probability, lives, etc and then refining this assemblage based on repeated viewing and test screenings” (163).  Throughout the document, Matt addresses multiple features of the Korsakow program, including limits and advantages of using the program.

There were also other points throughout the article I found interesting.
Like every tutor that’s spoken at one of our lecturers, Soar reaffirms the idea that an audience will never get the full concept of a Korasakow film – they will interpret it differently to what anyone else does, including the filmmaker.
However, Soar also states that; “…if you have to explain the logic of your editing choices to you audience, your work is failing” (163).
I agree with this statement to an extent. You are always going to have to explain your work to an audience no matter what. This is because, as we have been told time and time again, no one is going to understand your work the way you do – so how can you expect them too grasp the full intentions behind the placement and arrangement of videos without being able to justify your decisions?
I also believe that Korsakow isn’t just about the links and keywords. Yes, they are what push the project forward, however, it is possible to make a k-film that isn’t simply about relations. Yes, the relation and keywords are there, but their linking is not the soul definition of the project.
As an audience member watching a K-film I have had the idea of keywords drummed so thoroughly into me that I will be watching and simply looking for possible links rather than taking in the true meaning of the content. Such as; how does the text relate to the image/video being presented? What is actually being presented in the video?

Overall this was a very insightful document that I would have liked to have in my grasp sooner!

 

>>> http://cdn.dropmark.com/4931/14c37bc66be87058de187d01a18b5aa57b0c43ea/06%20Soar%20Korskow.pdf