The most important issue and aspect I will need to take into account when I begin filming is the transportation of equipment, because of this I made the choice to use my Panasonic Lumix GH4 with an 18-25mm lens, I’ve used this camera many times before, both for volunteer and paid work I know it’s functions and settings quite well and it allows you to control almost all manual functions. I’ve also noted that I will be taking both a Video Rode Mic and a Zoom it’s always important I believe to have some sort of backed up audio just in case one of the two gathers an issue, in saying this I have also noted that the Zoom has a much better quality and manual control. Planning is working quite well, it hasn’t been too hard to plan how I’ll film Justines hanging as she has set a date and time where I am able to come.

The studio interview and her studio filming have yet to be locked in but I have put out dates where I hope she is available and once they are confirmed I will lock in a location and also hopefully a few crew members who will be able to help with audio. I think my main concerns linger with my confidence, I want to appear as professional as possible for Justine and to make sure I am in my best mindset when filming, I would rather overshoot on footage then undershoot for sure just so that I know when I’m editing I have a lot of choice to cut and manipulate everything I’ve shot in order to make the best piece.

I have an idea of the sort of tone I want, I’m quite interested in making a short biographical montage, this will ultimately have jump cuts from her hanging and studio overlays whilst she is talking to camera (eye line will be towards and interviewer but details on that have yet to be confirmed). I know editing is one of my strongest point so I am definitely not afraid for the post production, I have a monitor and laptop which would allow me to interchange between the two (which is really good for watching playbacks) and obviously having a larger screen will allow you to have a better outlook of what the piece would look like one a projector or at a screening. 

My pre-production research has been quite easy as Justine has given me a lot to work with and alongside that there is a lot of online content, I’m really thankful for that as it makes the process easier for me. Nothing isn’t ‘not working’ at the moment but as a I previously stated I really need to lock down rooms and studios for booking so that I am not left without a space to film in, this has me a little anxious as I’m generally one to plan in advanced but I’ve told myself I can’t really do much until my artists confirms when she’s available for filming.

Overall I’m ready for filming the hanging but will need to knuckle down in communication to make sure both studio shoots are ready within the following couple of weeks.

Lighting was the focus of Mondays class during Week 6, a demonstration on a three point set up was shown by Louise who gave us notes on how to match daylight (natural light) to studio lights as well as the different types of lighting there was (tungsten, LED, fluorescent, ect). Lighting is extremely important, it can add a dramatic effect or simply makes a subject appear clear and professional.

The most important reminder is for the crew (camera operator) to remember to white balance once they have set up. You also want to take into account if you would like a contrast between the studio lights in the foreground and the natural light in the background or if you would rather keep them similar and stick to a natural format (which would not include using the tungsten diffuses).

Wednesday was used as a reflection on our pitches, feedback was given by a professional who helped nail down any errors or sentences we may have left out that would ultimately make our pitches better and more likely to reach a higher level of standards.

My own pitch is coming along quite well, it has been easy to make contact with Justine which has made the process more enjoyable, we have now come to a point where I will soon need to reflect what I’ve learnt so far throughout this process which will be interesting, I feel as though I have planned quite a bit but still need to put in more effort to make sure everything goes to plan and that I am not left with only half a piece or a project that is below the standard that I would like.

Week five was again used to prompt practice by filming more for the street art vox pops, our group changed location to inside the RMIT cafeteria in order to create variation in the outcome of responses. Monday consisted more of a drill to nail in what we had learnt the previous week so that we would not forget it for the upcoming filming. It did make me change my mind for my audio source and I have now thought about hiring a proper mixer in order to gain the best possible audio. I believe I should book equipment soon as it will be tedious it items book out at the same time. Another focus is building a shooting schedule and planning for production for what I aim to shoot. A lot of class discussion centers around the ‘how‘ of what we will be shooting, I aim to use a Panasonic LUMIX GH4 (18-25mm wide lens) with both a VideoRodeMic and a separate Zoom. I also think I will shoot with 25fps and will be editing on Adobe Premier Pro CC. The first date I have locked in to shoot is Justine Khamaras hanging on the 29th of August which is approaching fast. There is not yet much time for reflection in this time of production unfortunately as much thought is going into pre-production and planning, I am however thinking about how what I will choose and how I choose to film will affect the overall outcome which I think is very important.

The week focused on Street Art Vox Pops as an introduction into film and editing with the RMIT equipment, this again meant being placed into groups to work the equipment. The Vox pops included having discussions with individuals on the street in order to gain their opinions on street art.

The question that our group reflected on in particular was weather street art was as valuable as the art placed within galleries. It was interesting to see the responses from subjects especially those who were less certain when speaking and those who had confidence.

We learnt that the type of response you will gain will be determined on how you approach an individual.
Tone is very important when asking someone to participate.
Meanwhile thoughts also lingered on our artists and our upcoming pitch, overall this week was quite laid back and more focused on us doing our own research for our documentaries.

Week 3 Studio classes focused upon the underappreciated artist as well as contemporary forms of art including street art.
It can be noted that many pieces of work we value now have only become noteworthy once the artist has passed away.
A famous painter mentioned was Van Gough, an example of why is because his work was not valued during his lifetime.
This was partly due to the fact his style was not recognised or appreciated, only once his demise did his pieces became renowned for their contemporary art form and later iconic. Our second class as a demonstration on the usage of camera and audio.
Cinematography was a key factor mentioned as well as lighting, mise-en-scene and shot sizes. We have been told by our tutor Louise Turley that we should be thinking ‘outside the box and our comfort zones’ when it comes to using new equipment. After all we are undertaking a Media course in order to learn new information as well as complete different types of challenges.
It was nice to have a refreshment on audio, most of what I had learnt from my Diploma came into play using RMIT’s cameras.
Notes would be to check the camera is on mic not line, also levels and finally playback audio before actually filming to make sure everything is working accordingly.

Imagined Worlds, Town Hall Gallery (Hawthorn)

Statement of Goals

My main goal for this second Semester (Media 2, 2016) would be to innovate my work with new ideas from the influences around me- including others, new media (incorporating concepts from current artwork), as well as modern societies views and values.

The collaborative work within this studio (Capturing Creativity) would help me to continue gaining experience building skills interacting and cooperating with others. My previous experience in practical work (Diploma of Screen and Media) will definitely help me more this semester as the skills expected will have grown from Media 1 (which for me is a good aspect as I will be able to utilize them to greater capabilities).

I also wish to enter into more discussions as well as learn to listen into student’s opinions and open free minded debate (It’s always interesting to see as to how opinions are formed; and especially if any cultural or personal influences shine through). Furthermore, building my mise-en-scene and cinematography skills as well as theoretical.

I’ve noticed with theoretical aspects I can find it hard to sit still as my mind is extremely hyper attentive at times and I feel the need to multitask or do more than deep focus. In saying this- for me practicing really engaging into what an individual’s saying or an action that is current will help any urges to get up and move (or to be practical) which I sometimes feel especially during the mornings.

Finally, I would like to work on my research skills and the sources I use in order to gain information, rather than ‘having’ to use books and journals I would like them to be resources I feel naturally inclined to go to- this just means understanding where to get information from the resources I need for the right topics.

Our ‘Capturing Creativity’ class visited Gertrude Contemporary for our Wednesday Studio session.  The first pieces of innovate art we saw was from a collection called ‘Octopus 16: Antiques Roadshow’, these pieces of work reflected the dawn of the internet and online era.

All artists aimed to encapsulate the changing views and values of our society by bringing together art forms (the majority) which were multimedia. The exhibition choose it’s title “from the long-running BBC television series of the same name as a means to consider how value and historical importance might be considered within the present moment” (Gertrude Contemporary, 2016). A piece of work I considered most interesting was a machine that consistently released a scent that was meant to encapsulate ‘opening a MacBook for the first time’. I thought this instalment was very creative, interactive and made the audience really think about the concepts of what is art especially within modern digitalised society,

Octopus 16: Antiques Roadshow will be open until 8pm on Friday 15 July and Friday 22 July during the Gertrude Street Projection Festival, which runs from 15 July–24 July.

Exemplary Posts
(As you can imagine most are from the later weeks when I really got a hold of the blogging and understood more in depth of what a critical analysis was, I still have quite a way to go but it is only Media 1)

Week 11 – The Walking Ads & Project Update

Week 10 – Self Expression (The Medias Influence)

Week 9 – Readings ‘Audiences’

Week 8 – Initiative ‘Royalty Free Music’

Week 7 – Readings ‘Non-Narrative Documentary’

As I reflect on my process of writing and competing blog posts I notice it is quite hard to pick out ‘exemplary’ posts. I believe each one of my posts is different and all are written with a particular thought in mind. I’ve chosen the ones that relate to either the courses structure or give some demonstration in using the terminologies learnt throughout the course into analysis.

I’ve enjoyed writing on this blog, especially the initiative posts- I find they have taught me to look deeper into the media I am consuming and to analysis it so that I am able to have knowledge about the techniques used. For me personally this has included looking deeper into artists choosing to make their tracks royalty free as well as film remakes and why different cultural media industries differ from our own. This includes differences between the American film industry, Bollywood and other European countries. I find these posts have made me develop a love for research especially due to the fact I know I am able to share my knowledge to others who will find it equally interesting.

My earlier posts are less critical analysis and more reflection, it’s interesting to look back at the writing techniques used and how they have changed due to feedback and development. The audiences reading and lecture has really helped influenced the way I am writing now, I have an in depth knowledge on the target audience who these posts will reach and that means I understand the style I must write in to reach and respect that audience.

The most challenging aspects in the course was originally writing critical analysis in regards to the readings, I found again as previously stated I was mainly writing in a reflective manner rather than argumentative.  My professional learning process including my work ethic and collaborative learning has improved due to being able to put theory into practice. I have found I have found it quite easy to have the creativity and inspiration to keep my blog consistent and up to date the only challenge would be a couple of weeks falling a few posts behind (which I caught up with during the weekend) as this was due to focusing on particular projects. Improvement

I have found I learn mostly through tutorials and practical settings; discussion is what makes me really focus. I love to input and really have a ‘full’ conversation, unfortunately although the ‘lectorials’ try to be as involved they aren’t able to reach the same collaboration as the tutorials are. My creative practice has definitely tapped into my passion within this course and media making. I have found the course suits me much better than the previous studies I have completed (Diploma in Screen in Media). It gives me an opportunity to really discover new theories and ways of thinking- time to think creatively and learn theoretically before putting work ethics and learning into practice.

Once an individual opens their eyes to each and every single aspect of media they are consuming (a consistent active audience) they can start to question biases. After set readings about audiences and media institutions I can see that a perfect example would be the use of newspapers.
I look at conglomerates that produce ‘The Age’ and ‘The Herald Sun’ and It’s important to note whilst consuming these pieces of media to think about who created them and if they have a set agenda. I dedicated a blog post to my thoughts on this and I still find it very interesting how blunt some advertisements and media propaganda can be.

My most challenging moment came about in the course with the audio essay, not because the content was hard or tedious but mostly because I love presenting and creating visual media especially my own media. Of course as a media student you cannot always do this and part of the learning process is to use material already available and to turn it into something new. I believe project brief four really changed my views and values as a media student as a lot of it was about taking media from different formats and places (either online or archived) and turning it into something else.

Overall throughout this course my professionalism has grown I felt as though it was something that had a constant flow. My technical skills have also grown although there were a few bumps in the road, during project brief three I needed to remember to choose my candidates carefully to make sure I contained clear narratives within stories I choose to convey. Again my conceptual thinking has always been growing I feel as though in general all the aspects pointed out as consistently heading upwards, there is no failing in learning only setbacks and this blog helped me realize that for even when there were days I fell behind I could always catch up, it was all opinionated and all down to me. Everything was able to be personalized and that’s what I loved about it.

Before I sign off for Media 1 2016 I’d like to thank my tutor (Brian Morris) for always being enthusiastic and making everyone in the class feel welcome as well as the lecturers who made my learning experience worthwhile and finally to the students in my tute for reading a few posts and encouraging me to actively keep writing a blog filled with passion, for me this became more than an assessment it was a fun and engaging project and I hope to do more blogging in the future.

Intouchables (2011) “After he becomes a quadriplegic from a paragliding accident, an aristocrat hires a young man from the projects to be his caregiver.”

The French foreign film ‘The Intouchables (2011)’ is one of my most beloved films; it makes me feel a range of emotions and the imagery and narrative are suburb. As I re-watched this film the other day with a friend who had not seen it before both of us picked up visual metaphors ‘motifs’ within the piece that I had not realized before. An example can be seen when Driss ‘Philippes’ caregiver (who throughout the film does not ‘see’ Philippes quadriplegic disability when being with him as many others do) leaves him only to later return stating that he is much more than a caregiver but a close friend. Within the time Driss leaves, Philippes character begins to grow a beard which represents neglect to himself and from others. When Driss returns and shaves it off it represents return of Philippes happiness and the need for a true friend. This film has so many beautifully set mise-en-scenes that represents, isolation, alienation and displacement the use of classical music Driss listens to within the projects represents his displacement within his previous gang related lifestyle.

The frame (and scene) below is one of my favorite mise-en-scenes/shots of all time, the isolation in this picture can be felt as a dim street light shines on Driss as classical music plays whilst the camera pans across all of the projects apartment buildings, This is a powerful shot also due to the fact the ones proceeding it involve a vast amount of wealth. The contrast is also represented with mood lighting, the blue hues bring out the loneliness within Driss’s life whilst walking into the light represents the friendship that has yet to come.

To my surprise when wanting to research this film more (as I found out the American film industry may be making a re-make which I am highly against- as remaking a film purely due to language barriers only builds segregation) I found out that there is a Bollywood version, in fact when researching many films I found out there is a Bollywood version for most famous films, this includes Pride and Prejudice which becomes Bride and Prejudice.
The styles of the film are so different and there is such an over saturation in Bollywood films that I believe in this case deter from the films narrative. The Intouchables deliberately uses a specific colour pallet to create moods and melancholy atmospheres. I believe the difference represent the film industries values. Bollywood centers much more around colour, laughter and ‘cliches’ or hero’s. This can mean that the true meaning of the story can become warped into a film for entertainment. Although I am saying this one of my favorite films is filmed within Mumbai, this is was only half created within Bollywood industry whilst the other half of the film is English, this means the characters speak both Hindu and English and it’s a beautiful mixture. The film is named ‘The Lunchbox’ and it has a very similar mise-en-scene and feel as the Intouchables has.

Feedback on our audio essay; Michael and I who were present exhibited our group collaborative work to Brian for feedback. We knew that the material we had put together would be over the five minute limit mark but myself and Michael weren’t too sure where to cut at present we wanted a little more time to discuss and think about the structure. I gave him some ideas although by Thursday we hadn’t fully applied all of them to the project.

A decision to cut out some of our research was made and our tutor (Brian) gave extra feedback in cutting out more ‘excess’ information that lead the narrative in a different direction which may make the audiences a little less engaged (this included talking about Facebook login security) whereas we just kept to security and location proximity settings in general.

We also needed to equalize the audio (another factor which was just not done in the draft due to lack of time) as well as re-record the narrative material Michael and I speak about as they were in different tones which didn’t quite meld together as neatly as we’d like. We needed to speak less conservative and more as though we were reaching out to a larger audience that were seated in front of us.

The background audio would also be changed again another factor which wasn’t set in stone during the draft- the current audio was too repetitive (another feature our tutor pointed out as well), thus we decided to change the music and make it sound more technological during the second half as the piece really shifts into the development of technology. We will possibly also include some electronic device sound effects to add extra pace to the piece (the sound of typing on an iphone or the buzzing hum of a device left by itself). All in all the feedback really helped us note what we needed to change and also made us plan out next meeting (minutes).