Integrated Media 1 – Participation Contract – Review & Reflection – Week 3

Thomas Hatchman – RMIT University S3381278
Integrated Media: Participation Contract – Week: 3
Review and Reflection:

Name: Thomas Hatchman – Student Number: S3381278
Teacher: Hannah

1. Taking time to do research outside of class time.

Measure – Spend two hours per week conducting research. Looking and responding to various films or essays. Taking time outside of class time to look at other online resources and Korsakow projects, to enhance my creative learning.

MY KORSAKOW FILM REVIEW WEEK 3:

Review & Reflection: Throughout Week 3, I spent a fair amount of time researching films as well as specifically looking at Korsakow films made by students from pervious years. Below you will see that I have chosen to reflect and review three different Korsakow films, which I watched as my research this week. I actually had fun doing this exercise, and I think it has really helped me understand the importance of interactive storytelling/filmmaking.

 Korsakow Film 1 – The City through a Window Pane

This was one of the first films that I watched on Korsakow and for those who haven’t had a chance to watch it I suggest taking a look. The film uses one main window interface to give viewers different experiences into the life of the Melbourne City Business District. I thought the film was well choreographed and each shot showed sophistication and thought. The interactive layout of the film was also an element that adds to the complex, creative and unique design that the film portrays.

Screen Shot 2014-03-23 at 7.39.33 PM

Visually, the film is impressive. The film uses a variety of different shots to create a complex piece of artwork that is captivating and stimulating. Each interactive interface has it’s own unique theme and genre to give audiences a vast look into the cultures that Melbourne offers. To support this change in interface, sound is also a key component here, and it actually helps to create a dynamic and engaging experience for the viewer.

Overall I really enjoyed this Korsakow film experience. I think the students did a good job. I hope to create something similar, and work on making the best Korsakow film that I can. I think it’s so important to have a strong idea about what message you’re trying to convey to your audience, and be able to express those ideas by allowing your audience to interact with your material on many levels.

See Link: http://vogmae.net.au/classworks/2012/TheCityThroughaWindowPan.html

Korsakow Film 2 – Life is a Musical

Throughout my research, I came across ‘Life is a Musical’. This film uses sound from everyday occurrences and puts it in a frame for observational viewing. This film was both good and bad in some ways. It had an interesting subject matter, but I think there was the potential for further exploration. The framing and visual aesthetics of the film were surprisingly good, but inconsistent at times. This was also a problem with the quality of the videos that were used. Some were better quality than others. The simplicity of each frame is something to appreciate, however I felt that the footage lacked creativity in some areas.

Screen Shot 2014-03-23 at 7.38.44 PM

Overall, I’m happy that I took the time to reflect on this film because it had both good and bad parts to it, so it’s a good way to learn about what to do, and what not to do when creating these types of projects. The interface was fairly simple, with one main interface, and smaller less detailed interfaces around it, which could be used for further exploration.

See Link: http://vogmae.net.au/classworks/2012/LifeisaMusical.html

Korsakow Film 3 – Dreamcatcher

One of the last films that I watched which I would like to mention is ‘Dreamcatcher’. I enjoyed watching this film, but it was definitely not as good as some of the others. Visually, it’s not as aesthetically pleasing as some of the other films that I watched. This was a problem for me because I’m a visual person, but for others it might not really be an issue, because the subject matter is left up for interpretation and imagination rather than told using visual stimuli.

Screen Shot 2014-03-23 at 11.42.52 PM

The film has a consistent rhythm and overall theme, which is represented through a series of short camera facing interviews from people who tell dream stories as if they were real life events. The students who made this film consider it “an associative narrative that uses the secondary revision of dream telling to generate stories from a variety of people”.

Stylistically, this film uses an interface that contains one main video window, which is then sliced into parts to suggest what the subsequent clips are. I think this interface layout works well and makes you want to continue your video experience, but the spoken material/dialogue is not that interesting, and the stories that are told could easily have been more creative or engaging.

From an editor’s point of view, the way this Korsakow film has been shot, edited and framed certainly shows a lack of maker’s experience. It was a quite a basic film and didn’t really show a level of complexity that I would have liked. Overall not a bad film, but definitely could have been better I think.

See Link: http://vogmae.net.au/classworks/2011/dreamcatcher.html

SCORING 1-10                                                    SCORED MYSELF: 9

I scored myself a 9/10 because I did a lot of research and exploration and put in the time and effort to do more work than was required.

2. Complexity and depth shown through analysis/summarizing of prescribed readings.

Measure – Show evidence of notes taken each week through summarizing set readings. Write and reflect on readings, post views and thoughts via blog.

Review & Reflection: This week’s reading was about Narrative. It provided some very insightful information about the use of the narrative in film. It helped me to understand how the use of narrative is essential, as it plays a fundamental role in helping people make sense of the world around them.

My Brief Summary:

In this week’s reading the term ‘narrative’ can simply be considered a ‘chain of events in a cause-effect-relationship occurring in time and space’. This reading suggests that a narrative usually begins with one situation, a series of changes occur according to a pattern of cause and effect, and finally a new situation arises that brings about the end of the narrative.

According to the reading, filmmakers incorporate the use of narrative into their works, because as an audience, people often have a high expectation that they will be lead along some sort of journey or adventure, in which they play no part. As the audience we often make bold assumptions that there will be characters and some action that will involve them with another. We also often assume that between such characters there will be incidents and obstacles that will connect them in some way. Likewise, we frequently expect that the problems or conflicts arising in the course of the action will achieve some final state, either they will be resolved or, at least, a new light will be cast on them.

SCORING 1-10                                                    SCORED MYSELF 7

I scored myself 7/10 because I did the required reading and actually took notes on parts that were new to me. I’ve actually done this reading before but took the time to read it again and to refresh my memory.

3. Collaboration of creative ideas and ability to use Korsakow Software.

Measure – Throughout the week record 5 x 10second videos for Korsakow, and analyze them. Imbed them into my blog. Show further exploration and develop creative ideas for future projects.

Review & Reflection: This week required me to take more videos for Korsakow experimentation. I tried to brainstorm a variety of new ideas that could contribute to my creative learning. I short-listed a range of polar opposites as a way to narrow the field of what creative path I wanted to follow this week. In doing so I eventually came to the conclusion of selecting fragile and sturdy as my polar opposite experimentation.

I’m not really sure why I chose to do polar opposites this week; I know we could select any type of footage for experimental purposes but I guess it’s because it’s in line with the constraint tasks we’ve been required to do each week. I also think it’s a fun and artistic way to be creative.

SCORING 1-10                                                    SCORED MYSELF: 8

I scored myself an 8/10 because like last week I have continued to experiment and explore my creative side. Overall, I’m very happy with the work I did this week. I find myself constantly learning more as each week goes past. Again, I also feel that I went beyond what I required and did the best I could with the limited resources that I had.

See Blog Post: My Korsakow Experimentation Week 3 for Videos.

4.  Contribution to class/group discussions and designated team projects.

Measure – Contribute regularly to class discussions at least once per class and to meet with group members one hour per week to work on designated group activities.

Review & Reflection: This week was thankfully much better than last as I was able to attend class. I made sure that I contributed to class discussions and did the best job I could to elaborate on any questions asked by the teacher. In class this week we reviewed one of the constraint tasks, and were asked to reflect on it, as well as give constructive criticism to other students work using the six hat measuring method. Personally I think I did my best to elaborate and give good feed back to other students. I also took the initiative to ask questions about the course and give feedback on my opinion around this week’s reading.

Furthermore, in continuing my reflection, there have been no set group tasks outlined for this subject. Therefore this part of measure is not necessary yet.

SCORING 1-10                                                    SCORED MYSELF: 8

I scored myself 8/10 because I asked more questions than most other students, and did my best to contribute to class discussion with the knowledge and understanding that I have gained so far in this course. 

5. Ability to take notes and list further areas of concern through using class time and personal time effectively and efficiently.

Measure – Have clear evidence of written entries for areas of concern. These entries have either been taken during or outside class time, for sections of the course that I found, interesting, were unfamiliar with, or that required further exploration. Or, write a blog post, which reflects on an idea, brought up in class. 

Review & Reflection: This week it was really reinforced to me that narrative is one of the most important elements in film. It provides the basic foundations for an audience, and allows people to understand, interpret and give meaning to visual stimuli/information. Throughout this week I spent a fair amount of time considering how narrative would play apart in my creative thinking process. I had to constantly refer back to this week’s reading to help me make sense of the Korsakow film experience.

It’s certainly something that is new to me and something I’ll have to get use to as the course continues. From what I know, it is reasonably clear that most Korsakow films have an underlying theme or genre to which they convey some type of story, or visual experience.

Overall, I think I have done well this week to read and make sense of the role that narrative plays in film. I have also taken the time to explore and test my creative abilities. I’m happy to say that I am pleased with the efforts I have made.

SCORING 1-10                                                    SCORED MYSELF: 7

I scored myself a 7/10 because I took the time to list areas in the course that I was unfamiliar with and which I struggled to understand. I also applied what I had learnt in the reading and did my best to use that knowledge and showcase it in my work.

Integrated Media 1 – My Korsakow Experimentation – Week 3

This week I continued my korsakow experimentation. I took me a while to try and come up some ideas about to do, but I eventually choose to do polar opposites, fragile and sturdy as my main focus. I just wanted to establish a close relation to the constraint tasks we’ve been required to do each week, most of which have been polar opposite pairs. As you can see my videos are fairly simple, this is because they are still just for experimental purpose.

Overall I’m very  happy with these clips, considering the limited amount of resources that I had available. Its safe to say that I’m pleased with progress I am making in this course.

Integrated Media – Sturdy Video 1

Integrated Media Sturdy Video 1 from Thomas Hatchman on Vimeo.

Integrated Media – Sturdy Video 2

Integrated Media – Sturdy Video 2 from Thomas Hatchman on Vimeo.

Integrated Media – Sturdy Video 3

Integrated Media – Sturdy Video 3 from Thomas Hatchman on Vimeo.

Integrated Media – Fragile Video 1

Integrated Media – Fragile 1 from Thomas Hatchman on Vimeo.

Integrated Media – Fragile Video 2

Integrated Media – Fragile Video 2 from Thomas Hatchman on Vimeo.

FILM TV 1 – Analysis & Reflection – Week 3

Thomas Hatchman S3381278 – RMIT University
FILM TV1 – Media and Communications

Analysis & Reflection – Week 3 Blog Questions & Responses:

1. In the film Clown Train how does sound contribute to the atmosphere of this film? Describe what you heard?

Response: This film was definitely an enjoyable film to watch! The concept and idea was clever and mysterious and leaves you on the edge of your seat. From a technical and stylistic point of view, I think the students who created this film have done a great job to create a dynamic relationship between what the audience sees (visual composition/framing) and the sound.

In saying this, sound is key concept here. During the opening scenes of the film, we hear quite a strong high pitch screeching sound. This automatically suggests to the audience that the film has some type of dramatic or mysterious connotation associated to it. There is no strong rhythm here, but perhaps a variety of distorted sharp high and low attacks. In the first frame, when the train begins to slow down, the sound spirals downwards and eventually stops. It is at this point that the sound reduces in volume and the atmosphere changes.

Visually, we see a young man and a clown secluded on a train carriage. It is here, where the audience is given some understanding about the situation at hand. During this time, there is a major shift in the volume, pitch and frequency of the sound. The screeching has stopped to a bellowing halt and the sound has become dry and saturated. It almost sounds muffled and grainy. As the film progresses and the story develops it appears the lights in the carriage begin to short-circuit. The lights begin to flicker fast as they loose power and we hear sharp bright crisp peaks, which are higher in pitch and volume. After the lights short circuit they stop flickering and become back to normal. The sound of the train screeching has stopped and the only sound we hear is verbal dialogue. However as the story evolves the atmosphere intensifies, and louder more mysterious sounds evolve.  This helps to keep the intensity and suspense of the film constant.

At the conclusion of the film, the sound changes quite dramatically for the last time. As the film ends and the credits begin to scroll. Dark mysterious piercing sounds are used as we assume the train has begun moving again. The sounds are deep, congested and aggressive.

Furthermore, I want to last of all, draw on other elements of the film, and how these elements contribute and support how the sound is utilized. Specifically the use of mise-en-scene elements such as the lighting and costumes, definitely contribute to how the sound in this scene has been portrayed. Due to the nature of this film, and the way it has been shot and framed, we can conclude that the sound most certainly helps audiences determine the circumstances and relationships within the film, as well as the genre and overall theme.

Can you make reference to another genre film and how they utilize sound to create tension and a unique filmic space?

The famous ‘shower’ scene from the 1960’s film Psycho, directed by Alfred Hitchcock was definitely a film that came to mind. Psycho was a horror film starring Janet Leigh as Marion Crane and Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates the killer. I choose this film because, of its suspenseful horror scenes, and because it uses similar types of sound to that of Clown Train. This particular scene certainly utilizes filmic space well to create suspense and to also increase the dramatic tension. It is filmed in a bathroom so it is a claustrophobic environment and the victim in the scene has no escape.

2. Select from one of the readings, up to but not including Week 5, and briefly describe two points that you have taken from it. Points that excite you, something that was completely new to you.

Response:

Week 3 Alten S. Audio in Media, (pg. 5-11, pg. 266-286). Belmont: Wadsworth, Sound Design, Creating Sound Design, 1994

POINT 1:

The first point which I took from this reading which was new to me, was the section on Sound Design. According to the reading, sound design is one of the most important elements when it comes to producing a film. Similar to that of a cinematographer, which is responsible for the stylistic elements of a film, the sound designer is responsible for sound. Most people who specialize in this area of filmmaking perform various tasks on a routine basis. This includes selecting and operating microphones, operating the production console, production recording, producing and recording sound effects, producing music, recording and re-recording dialogue, editing and mixing.

POINT 2:

The second point that I got from this reading, which was both new and exciting, was learning about the different functions of sound. I was never aware that in order to create a sound design, you have three elements with which to work, speech sound effects and music. This is because sound doesn’t have as many elements as pictorial design, however it is still considered a formidable agent in communicating cognitive and affective information.  Throughout history sound has not only had an informational role but has been a transcending spiritual necessity for the film industry.

3. Multiple Choice

In relation to script character can determine….

Answer:

C: The combination of qualities or features that distinguishes a person

4. In the tutorials this week we screened a short film called Rolling – a film made in Film-TV1 a few years ago.

In 300 words or less describe what you thought worked or didn’t. At this stage we don’t expect you to have a great deal of film knowledge or language. Don’t be afraid to use your own words. Things you could talk about – script, casting, timing, camera movement, location. You may not remember much detail, if so, it could be helpful to talk about your first impressions, after all this is what most of us are left with after one viewing.

Response: My first impressions of this week’s short film ‘Rolling’ were positive. I actually really enjoyed watching the film and thought the students who created it did a wonderful job. I think the film really set the standard for media students doing the course this year. I think this group did well at coming up with a simple and clever narrative structure where they were able to create complex characters in a fairly basic story outline. The script was well written and the story was engaging and creative. The relationships and circumstances were clear but not predictable, which meant there was always the possibility for change.

In terms of casting, I think both actors did a solid job at staying on story. I think the chemistry between them was definitely there, and it was nice to watch how their relationship evolved towards the end of the film. In saying this though, I do believe the male actor was perhaps a little stronger than his female counterpart. He clearly had more experience and did a superior job at staying on character.

Furthermore, I thought the way this film was shot and framed was also really good. It wasn’t a complicated piece of filming but each shot still managed to set the scene and tell the story. I think visually the film was aesthetically pleasing, well framed and choreographed, especially for a student production. The only part of the film that I would criticize would be the eye lines between characters. In some of the shots it appeared that the characters weren’t looking at each other, which made it difficult for the audience to understand what was going on at times.

Overall I think ‘Rolling’ is great example of what is expected from students in this subject. I’m hoping that our group can produce something similar, and really work together to showcase what we’re capable of creating.

Intergrated Media 1 – Participation Contract – Review & Reflection – Week 2

Thomas Hatchman – RMIT University S3381278
Integrated Media: Participation Contract – Week: 2
Review and Reflection:

Name: Thomas Hatchman – Student Number: S3381278
Teacher: Hannah

1. Taking time to do research outside of class time.

Measure – Spend two hours per week conducting research outside of class time using online resources and looking at other Korsakov projects, to enhance my creative learning.

Review & Reflection: Throughout this Week, I spent most of my time looking and researching different Korsokow films. I wanted to gain more of an understanding about how the software works and also develop my creative learning abilities. During this time, I happened to come across an amazing piece of work done by students from 2012. This particular project was of interest to me, because it happens to use similar themes to that of this week’s task, light. Bright Splinters is mainly a black and white film, but uses colour in a creative and abstract like form. Through its intricate use of shape and light as its main source, this film defines a sense of urgency and haste. It uses cleverly crafted static frames to draw the audience into its moving observational portraits.

Link: http://vogmae.net.au/classworks/2012/BrightSplinters.html

SCORING 1 -10                                                        SCORED MYSELF 8

I scored myself an 8/10 for this particular task, as I believed I did well to do some research into how Korsakow works as well as look at some of the other students work for previous years.

2. Complexity and depth shown through analysis/summarizing of prescribed readings.

Measure – Two hours taking notes each week through summarizing set readings.

Review & Reflection: Like most of my subjects for this course, I was required to read this week’s reading. I found the article very interesting, and learnt a lot about the growth of Interactive Documentaries.

My Brief Summary:

The required reading for this week, “Interactive Documentary, Setting the Field”, mainly talks about two practice-based researchers Aston and Gaudenzi, who both work in the area of interactive documentary. They are also two of the key people behind the very active and significant I-docs project.

This article looks closely at development and progression of I-Docs and how they evolved. It also focuses on the rapid growth of the interactive documentary world. Through this case study the reader is introduced to the study of this type of filmmaking and how it relates to the overall significance of the documentary genre. It also explains what these types of documentaries (I-Docs) are, where they actually came from, and what they could contribute to the world moving forward.

SCORING 1 -10                                                        SCORED MYSELF 7

I scored myself a 7/10 for my efforts around this week’s reading. I read the entire reading and actually really enjoyed it. I did the required task and it didn’t even take me the whole 2 hours to read so I was pleased that I was able to it read reasonably quickly.

3. Collaboration of creative ideas and ability to use Korsakov Software.

Measure – Throughout the week record 5 x 10second videos for Korsakov, and spend 20minutes per week researching creative ideas for future projects.

Review & Reflection: This particular task required me to take other videos of interest for Korsakov experimentation. I can safely say that I did take other videos for creative purposes and they can be seen on this blog. I tried to be creative as possible with these videos, and all my videos for that matter. Overall I’m pleased with my efforts for this task. I didn’t specifically record how long I spent looking for new ideas for future projects, but I’m most certain that it was longer than 20minutes. During this time I did some research and continued looking at the Korsakow website for brainstorming purposes.

A particular video that I would like to mention which influenced my creative ideas, was by a group of students from last year called “Autumn Sky”. This korsakow film cleverly uses pattern, symmetry and natural light to depict the season of Autumn. I really like this film because of it’s natural and harmonious components.

SCORING 1 -10                                                                SCORED MYSELF 8

I scored myself an 8/10 because I took time to make other videos and go beyond what was required. I also continued to develop my creative thinking and further my exploration of ideas.

4. Contribution to class/group discussions and designated team projects.

Measure – Contribute regularly to class discussions at least once per class and to meet with group members one hour per week to work on designated group activities.

Review & Reflection: Unfortunately, I was unable to make class this week. Due to this, I haven’t been able to contribute to class discussion. I would however consider myself a valuable team member when it comes to collaborative group work. This week’s contribution was out of my control due to a medical appointment. I will work on improving this throughout out the semester, as it is a crucial part of learning and engaging with the courses material.

SCORING 1 -10                                                        SCORED MYSELF 0

I scored myself a 0/10 because I was unable to attend class this week and therefore couldn’t contribute to class like I would have liked. I would have also like to have discussed the topics in class with other members on my table. I think communicating and sharing ideas is very important for your overall learning.   

5. Ability to take notes and list further areas of concern through using class time and personal time effectively and efficiently.

Measure – Have clear evidence of written entries for areas of concern. These entries have either been taken during or outside class time, for sections of the course that I found, interesting, were unfamiliar with, or that required further exploration.

Review & Reflection: Despite again not being able to make class this week, I still took time to make notes outside of class. Through my exploration of the course’s material, I began researching different korsakow films and tried to familiarize myself with the terminology used to describe these types of interactive projects. As such, I found myself trying to work out if there was a constant, or familiar theme, pattern, or structure amongst the vast collection of korsakow films that are presented.

It was only from further exploration that I could safely say that there is. Most of these films have been built on a linear media platform that collects and distributes visual information into separate components for interpretation. They are as I see them, an interactive variation of events and sequences that have been physically separated into portraits, but are spiritually, emotionally or visually connected in some way.

SCORING 1 -10                                                        SCORED MYSELF 8

I scored myself an 8/10 because I did choose to make notes outside of class. I worked on areas I was unfamiliar with, and also areas I knew nothing about. There were areas of concern and I did choose to act on them as best as I knew how.

 

 

Intergrated Media 1 – My Korsakow Experimentation – Week 2

Throughout Week 2 of this Course, I decided to do some of my own korsakow experimentation. After viewing a number of different films, I wanted to brainstorm some of my own ideas for possible future projects. I came up with a few shots surrounding the the theme of nature. As a child I have always had a strong connection to the natural environment.

As you can see, it is quite an interesting variety of footage. These film clips are just my way of experimenting, as well as  trying to develop my creative side. Most of this footage was inspired by korsakow films as well as my own interpretation of the environment where I live.

After editing these videos, I can really notice that my creativity has developed significantly since Week 1. It’s only a small difference but makes me excited to think about what I can produce as the course continues. My editing skills have improved as well, I have been able to add and manipulate sound in some of my videos, as well as begin to start using other unfamiliar features in Final Cut.

Integrated Media – Plant Video 1 – Experimentation

Integrated Media – Plants 1 from Thomas Hatchman on Vimeo.

Integrated Media – Plant Video 2 – Experimentation

Integrated Media – Plant 2 from Thomas Hatchman on Vimeo.

Integrated Media – Plant Video 3 – Experimentation

Integrated Media – Plant 3 from Thomas Hatchman on Vimeo.

Integrated Media – Plant Video 4 – Experimentation

Integrated Media – Plant 4 from Thomas Hatchman on Vimeo.

Integrated Media – Plant Video 5 – Experimentation

Integrated Media – Plant 5 from Thomas Hatchman on Vimeo.