MAPPING THE CITY – AN ALGORITHM
During our tutorial in week 1 we were asked to follow an algorithm, which involved mapping the city in pairs. This is a photo series of the pictures as a result from the assigned task. The most interesting part of this exercise was the communication between other classmates afterwards and viewing their images, giving me an understanding of how they view Melbourne CBD and their surroundings.
During my time experimenting with my final project I experienced large obstacles that would not be an issue if using only new media concepts and principles. However, objective to this opinion I have gained insight into many different ways of using creativity and thinking that I would have never previously explored. I noticed that my connection with my creative process automatically become more prominent when challenging myself to use old media platforms, this is for various purposes and reasons we have explored throughout this semester. Individually I find a strong connection to older media equipment and styles because it demands such a strong thought process. When exploring a larger thought process for a long amount of time I begin to think more in depth about the work I am producing and how I want to communicate that with myself and whatever my targeted audience may be. Without this process I believe this is where a cause for my lack of creativity can occasionally come into play and I do not produce what I would consider my highest standard of work. Exploration plays a large role in this long process and requires you to think deeply and communicate with the devices and surroundings you have to use. As an example of this different way of thinking and communicating I have chosen to write the introduction of this reflective piece with only pen and paper, this is solely to create a boundary between myself, computer screen and keyboard. This along with many other forms of communication and media that I have been exploring becomes a much larger question in my mind and the sizeable question commonly asked throughout the semester: Is old media better then new media? The comparisons are vast and questionable due to such a broad variety of equipment, utensils and media platforms available. Drawing my own conclusion from these questionable methods I have concluded the presented theory. Old media and new media are both prominent denominators for my creativity and growth within this industry.
As I have underlined my process of this project in previous blog posts/reflective pieces I will now go into more detail about the challenges and experiences that arose during this project. When selecting different media methods from the beginning of this project I was excited with the ideas and philosophies I presented myself with. After selecting these, I knew I could have possibly given myself an overload of work that would require a lot of effort when trying to finalise my other projects for other classes I am finishing this semester. That being said, this project is what I considered to be the most creative and wanted to put in as much effort as I could into an overall production of a music video made up of small components of old media. I will display my final reflections below in sections of tasks I undertook.
Script on typewriter: When writing the script on the typewriter I started with a basic treatment. I had a location picked and organised and had brief contact with some actors. The hardest part of this process was the use of the backspace button. I think that it would be easier to handwrite a script, this way you are only using pen ink and paper, and not wasting valuable typewriter ribbon and time. The time it took was what was one of the hardest obstacles. I’ve only ever used a typewriter for creative pieces before that were extremely simple and well planned out. Trying to type at a fast pace and keep to the rhythm of your thoughts with a typewriter is a obstacle within itself, I ended up confusing myself a lot, using the typewriter a lot and using a lot of typewriter ink and paper.
The music for the video: The process of trying to engage with somebody who is writing a piece of music for you becomes difficult when you are challenged with lack of communication. In the beginning, the communication between Louis and I was a difficult obstacle to overcome. I don’t think I connected or explained correctly to him exactly what I was hoping to hear. He produced a song for me that I really did not think fitted the aesthetic of the video I was producing; however, this was entirely my fault as I did not sit down with him professionally. After making a time to sit down with Louis and take a professional approach to the project he was involved in, things became much easier. I showed Louis examples of what kind of the genre and feel I was hoping to portray, along with images that went with the aesthetics of the video and jotted down different words that would also match the feel of the music. After working with him and his enthusiasm to help me, what was produced was something we were both very pleased with.
The music video/production process: The hardest part about producing the music video was having an actor who agreed to show up on the day cancel last minute. This caused me another ordeal with using the typewriter to adjust the script. Fortunately, I had secured an exceptionally good location aesthetically that really had a great old feel about it that fitted perfectly with the music created. This meant for most of the video we were just shooting random objects. This however was okay because I wanted to focus a lot on the music produced and how it fitted nicely with the aesthetics chosen, along with my own prop of the static TV, which was worked very hard on, which I wanted to make a prominent figure in the video. Luckily enough the location had an old piano we were able to experiment with, that tied in with old media. And thankfully we had the of Louis’ guitar that he made the music on which gave us an opportunity to film parts of the guitar.
Overall this was a very challenging process that I learnt a lot from. I am fortunate that I could learn so much about old and new media and will continue to use these different mediums in all projects I undertake in the future. I am satisfied with the outcome of my project and the many things I learnt during all project briefs that lead up to this final one.
GOOGLE DRIVE LINK TO MUSIC VIDEO:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzhjzrrzJz1OcV9YMEROd2dkcVE
TYPEWRITER SCRIPT:
LOCATION AGREEMENT:
I have successfully completed the song for my music video collaborating with my previous interviewee Louis Quinn. This was a long process as we had to work together to examine the correct sound and feel I was trying to explore through the music he was producing. This process involved a lot of team work, expression and communication. We spent a long time working on it and I am extremely grateful for his time and putting up with me pushing back certain ideas and mixing and matching concepts. It was almost like a giant puzzle we were both putting together. However, in the end the music came out exactly how I wanted and Louis was happy (and tired) from our collaborative experience. This really taught me how to interact better with musicians and gave me a huge insight into the old and new media devices and tools we were using.
Writing the script/treatment on a typewriter was extremely hard and I’m not 100% sure I am completely happy with the finished product. My thought process without being able to press backspace as much as I needed was tiresome and a little frustrating. Although I really enjoyed the connection between myself and the keys, and the wonderful sound the typewriter produces, I think this experiment was fun, but in the future ill stick to traditional script writing software. A lot of planning and paper went into this process before the script was completed.
Wiring an old black and white television so that static could move with the sound of the music was probably a little dangerous… The technical process that went into this was very confusing for me but having someone else to help me made me extremely lucky to achieve the final product for my production.
Hiring equipment from RMIT for my shoot was easy. The guys in building 9’s loans room were extremely helpful and catered to my needs for all required equipment.
Unfortunately, after a long back and forth between actors I had nobody available on the day to use in my shoot. This is where improvisation came in to play and also a trip back to the typewriter for a script change was necessary. This was probably the hardest ordeal during the production process.
Luckily on the day of shooting I had Nicholas Paton as my DOP. He worked well with the camera and followed my directions extremely well. We also had Louis on location too so we were able to get a great shot of the inside of an old piano playing along to the song he produced for me. Production went smoothly and the owner was nice enough to give us space and shoot anywhere we liked within the location.
I am now up to the post production process and will be editing this video clip myself. I am happy with the shots we got on the day but may go out alone to film some extra shots that relate to the video/genre. If so, back to the typewriter again (oh no).
Project brief 4 Work in progress:
As a result of my academic progress throughout the semester I have chosen to collaborate a cluster of ideas I have been sitting on for the past few months. In this project we are asked to use only old media or a mixture of old and new media. I have chosen the latter as I believe its important to contribute to both ideas as old media is dying out, why not use it in areas that we can no longer with newer technology and ideologies?
Overall I am hoping to produce a music video based around old aesthetics, music, technology and new technology. Yesterday I had an appointment with the owner of North Melbourne’s Lithuanian club to view the interior and architecture of the space I could potentially work in for my music video. This was a huge success as I underlined I was a student filming a low impact film clip, he agreed to let me film there next Wednesday morning, empathizing with me as he is a previous student of RMIT and wavered any fees. The architecture and interior design at this establishment was old and a little medieval looking and reflects Lithuania well, also contributing to the aesthetic of the old feel I am looking to create in my film clip. I have also hired a camera, lighting and dolly tracks from RMIT and have ask Nicholas (Max) Paton to assist me in the production of this video.
I am producing music with my former project 3 interviewee Louis Quinn as we both bonded over the process of creating music with a mixture of old and new technology. We will be creating music on an electric guitar, hoping to create a spooky and surreal sound to match what I am hoping to produce physically and creatively that till mesh well with what my audience will be viewing with their eyes.
I now need to produce a short script which I am hoping to create on a typewriter. As I’ve only ever used script software for all my productions it will be interesting to challenge myself by using a typewriter and seeing how my thought process changes when typing on a completely different device with no other distractions besides the object I am using in front of me.
Now thinking more deeply about my music video I will possibly have some actors involved, but mainly want to focus on old aesthetics during the filming process. For example, I am hoping to place emphasis on an old Fender guitar and the small intricate details that make up the guitar itself. I am also going to re wire an old television so that static moves on the screen with the music, adding to the old aesthetic feel, and the mixture of old with new.
During the editing of this video I am hoping to have a lot of long shots with not much cutting, and possibly adding filters or even black and white to attribute to the old feel I am looking to re create. Overall this project is still young and a large work in process that I need to put some deep thinking into.
A pie chart mapping out yesterday’s day.
A word map of common different words I’ve used in the past couple of weeks.
The debate over which medium to store, record and listen to music is as relevant today as it was when the distribution of music on the compact disc was popularised. With today’s listener’s sensitivity to ever lowering bit rates and harder compression thresholds sub consciously or almost by choice disappearing, the general population, not including audio enthusiasts or ‘audiophiles’, are choosing convenience over listening aesthetic. However, there is a rapidly growing movement into the re-popularisation of purchasing and releasing audio on vinyl [1], with the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) revealing that in 2016, 2.4 million pounds were spent on vinyl in the UK, vs 2.1 million pounds of digital sales [2].
The methods of recording audio with either analog or digital equipment, can drastically alter the creative process [3]. When using a Digital Audio Workspace (DAW), the musician has a large amount of control over every aspect, making takes, effects, editing to the millisecond etc., allowing even beginners to create. DAWs are very flexible with mistakes made during recording, ‘punching in’ (recording at specific score moments) of songs by allowing endless amounts of tracks and time control. Whilst extremely efficient and convenient this can significantly harbour a musician’s creativity, by almost artificially forming an instrument part, piece by piece, and not experiencing it as a string of emotional experiences. The analog process is completely different, with luxuries such as endless tracks, time control and hardware limited. This forces the musician to carefully construct their piece, from considerations of instrument tone to assessing the instrument’s overall contribution. It forces the musican to slow down and to consider their piece, as would a painter etc. This process is lost in digital environments where the possibilities are endless.
Recording and listening to music pressed to vinyl or released on reel to reel recorders are subjected to an uncontrollable introduction of impurities, such as vinyl distortion (popping, crackle), audio tape warping or warbling and subsequent frequency dynamic range (the “warm” feeling). These impurities are not necessarily a bad thing; they provide the music with character introduced by the hardware, which to some is a pleasing, more organic result.
This short music piece aims to explore and utilise the aforementioned benefits and limitations of recording analog hardware. It was recorded solely on a Tascam TSR-8, 8 Track 1/2” Reel to Reel tape recorder, using Roland Juno 106 and Casio CZ-5000 vintage synthesizers. The piece is highly influenced by David Bowie’s Crystal Japan. It attempts to convey the physical struggle of adapting to the more difficult medium of analog hardware, yet the euphoric experience of the recording method and overall sound, through moments of both sad, nostalgic and uplifting emotions. Extreme care was taken when crafting the synthesizer tones and their overall contribution to the piece, as there was not external equalisation or compression etc. hardware and little control over the flow of the music. Tape hiss and warble was left deliberately to provide the listener with the experience of aesthetically pleasing impurities, and the instruments were recorded ‘hot’ to achieve natural tape compression and extra hiss.
When you listen to the piece, please take care in considering each instrument and appreciate its organic response to tape and harmonic blend with the other instruments.
[1] Brands take a spin on vinyl’s comeback: Retailers and marketers want to get in on the good vibrations as record sales surge. Poggi, Jeanine. Advertising Age; Chicago84.34 (Sep 30, 2013): 12.
[2] The State Of Music In 2016: Vinyl Vs. Digital. Hasse, Javier. Benzinga Newswires; Southfield [Southfield]08 Dec 2016.
[3] ED on Audio: Speaking in Tongues: The Analog vs. Digital Debate Tidemann, Pete. Entertainment Design – The Art and Technology of Show Business; New York, N. Y.36.9 (Sep 2002): 34.
Flickr link: https://www.flickr.com/gp/153140530@N03/61PsC0
As soon as I finished shooting the intriguing Tokyo sky rise in front of me I immediately began questioning if that particular photograph would turn out the way I planned, will this moment be lost due to over exposure? Was I holding the camera correctly? What exactly will this photograph look like? These are the most exciting yet nerve wrenching aspects of film photography. Many people would argue that this is superfluous yet for me, it is worth the experience and time because of the sentiment tied to film photography.
Some argue digital photography to be less interesting then film [1] however I still continue to use digital photography for its convenience. The main reasons why some find digital photography inferior is because of hardware limitations for example maximum resolutions, bit depth, lenses and how many digital cameras can be poorly designed [2]. Similar to audio tape, as mentioned in my reflective piece on sound, film has some “good” impurities. These consist of grain (which is very evident in the photographs I have chosen to present), color saturation, which is due to the film that is used and the type of camera. Another thing I find so interesting about shooting on film is how unrealistic perceptions of objects, places and people can be warped due to the crystals in the film’s reaction to light.
An important attribution to the methodology of photography is what photographers call “the decisive moment”. This is so important when shooting with film as one roll contains only 36 photographs. The photographer wants to capture exactly what is in front of them at the most optimal time. As well as capturing the photograph, most professional film photographers will spend long periods of time processing and physically editing their photos. This is a large part of creativity and demonstrates the importance of the creative process and understanding of creative thinking as a whole. Many photographers argue that digital photography does not allow the creative individual to consider or plan for the decisive moment [3]. This is solely due to the fact that using digital allows the photographer to snap as many photographs as they please without careful consideration and preparation, therefore less time and effort has gone into the creation of storytelling. Admiration for the digital photographs produced becomes less prominent rather then the physical form.
This photo series attempts to utilize the aforementioned impurities and limitations that force a photographer to preside over the photo. It also attempts to capture the beauty and organic nature of the film stock by shooting only in Tokyo and Osaka cities at dusk/night. The camera I used is an old RICOH 35mm Auto Half, half frame camera with a maximum ISO capability of 200. I used this camera because it shoots a single photograph onto half of a frame, combining two photographs together. I had to consider what photograph would appear more favorable and aesthetically pleasing next to each other forcing myself to consider the similarity of the images and tell a mini story in one photo. Because the camera has complete control of itself and is relying on its old light meter there is a high chance of miscalculations and “happy accidents”. To manipulate these properties, the photographs are taken at night with 200 ISO film to enhance the gain and intensify the already intense lights of Japanese cities.
[1] Digital photography vs. film: What works for you? Mikle, Toby. Inside Photoshop; Louisville 5.12 (Dec 2001): 11-12.
[2] Ongoing battle: film vs. digital photography. Nelson, Sally. University Wire; Carlsbad [Carlsbad]09 Feb 2012.
[3] The decisive moment photographs and words. Henri Cartier-Bresson 1908-2004. 2007
Flickr link: https://flic.kr/s/aHskRHugek
Nostalgia is an emotion when someone experiences a wistful or melancholy desire to relive or feel the emotions of a period in their past. These memories are not necessarily of happy time periods but can also be associated with feelings of sadness, melancholy and times of struggle [1].
To someone who has never used or even seen a typewriter can find it daunting or intimidating when faced with its numerous mechanical parts. However, after much patience and experience with this machine it can almost become meditative [2] due to the rhythm of the operational methodology and the byproduct of it’s sound and mechanical pulse. The Courier font produced from most standard typewriters, the line spacing and inconsistent print of ink could evoke nostalgia; of the machines smell, sound and environment whether it be work, café, or a lost or changed personal environment.
Many journalists and novelists of the pre digital era who have since merged to the modern computer still romanticize the times where typewriters were the default word processing equipment. Some find themselves idly oiling and feeling the texture of the keys levers and rollers [3]. Creative individuals such as authors, poets etc. may have found it difficult to transfer their writing methods from typewriter to a computer as it may have blocked their creative and imaginative process. This is because a computer allows a high level of rewriting, editing and compulsive writing. A typewriter forces the writer to consider each word and sentence before writing as the processes of actually writing, and fixing a mistake are time consuming. Using a modern computer holds no consequences for constructing a bad sentence.
This piece is a memorable quote from To Kill a Mockingbird. It was written on a 1960’s Adler Tippa Typewriter. The quote was chosen to provoke nostalgic memories as many people have read this novel in their youth and is still highly relevant to modern social issues. The quote, which to someone who has not read the book can be perceived as something written today; combined with the utilization of a typewriter, demonstrates the binding and relatively of old and new media, providing nostalgia to those who have read the book. The random splatters of ink, slight misalignment of words in sentences and corrections of were intentionally left in an attempt to evoke within the reader, memories of their own experiences and methodologies using this machine. In parts of the ribbon, the ink has either dried or become solidified in clumps due to aging of the ribbon itself and the spools, resulting in inconsistencies in the font print depth and form of the letters. Some letters reacted with different sections of the ribbon to produce ‘splotchy’ printing.
When reading, please observe and enjoy the uneven text, chopped off tops of capital letters, inconsistent ink markings, and original font.
“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”
[1] Humble typewriter makes a comeback; College students like the simplicity, nostalgia fans collect them. Witherington, Laurence. Edmonton Journal; Edmonton, Alta. [Edmonton, Alta]28 Mar 2008: I.2.
[2] Me & My Typewriters – a meditation. Anthony Toner. Available: http://anthonytoner.net/anthonys-blog/2012/6/30/me-my-typewriters-a-meditation.html
[3] Recalling the days of the typewriter. Wolper, Allan. Editor & Publisher; New York. 129.48 (Nov 30, 1996): 40.
Although not lucky enough to be alive when Twin Peaks was released I still feel a large nostalgic connection with the program. I remember 4 years ago spending a very cold winter watching back to back episodes of this show. I don’t know how, but David Lynch and Mark Frost really take us to this special little town. Every time I want to go back to the world of Twin Peaks, I can do so. This is my favourite type of Nostalgia. I am excited to be taken back again during the new release this year, 20 years later from the last episode. Watching the new season will also really give me a good example of the contrast between old and new.
