Reflection:
In creating my self-portrait video, I was really stuck when it came to deciding what I wanted to show. My aim was to move beyond a basic ‘likes and dislikes’ video that only showed hobbies, sports and so forth- I’m more than what I simply do and don’t like. I eventually landed upon the idea of the people around me as they’re the ones that have so greatly influenced my path in life and have shaped myself as a person.
In my short video, I wanted to communicate the importance of these people and I thought the most effective way to do this was by taking short, candid, POV videos of them in order to place the viewer in my position. Despite the average shot length being roughly five seconds, I wanted to create a continuity in the short to highlight the fact that, while these are different people that facilitate different aspects of growth, they are all significant to me. In order to construct this continuity, I layered sound over each clip to create a flow on effect; while having a continuous soundtrack to truly piece together the haphazardness of the video.
What I view as the most successful part of this piece is its flow, which in part is due to the audio, but also the repetition of specific clips throughout. That being said, in future, I would want to further my skills when it comes to titles as I believe it is hard to read what is on screen at times (eg. ‘My Amalgamation’ as it is displayed on the photo). The audio quality is also lacking at points, making it difficult to hear what is being said. This can frustrate the viewer as they strain to understand words and also wince as certain sounds are too loud and unleveled.
Overall, I would say that I am happy with the work I have produced as I feel I have been able to convey the value of people in my life. I love that I created an upbeat and humorous piece that displays a part of who I am.
