I spent the last few days learning new effects in After Effects, specifically how to modulate various aspects of an effect using key frames generated from an audio waveform. From this i realiesed that I’d have to apply it differently to how i was imagining. Depending on the audio track it can generate really intense jumps in effect progression, or not much at all. At my current understanding of how it works I can apply as more of cosmetic, to add more character to footage. Though I am still learning about how to apply them to their maximum capability. I realised whilst learning how audio can be used to affect the distortion of an image that I have been focusing wholly on the visual aspect of the project, neglecting the audio aspect. Horror is heavily reliant on the build up of tension through audio ques, cosmic horror is no exemption. In prior projects I have experimented with deep droning noises to build atmosphere, but for this project I am trying to supersede what I’ve made.

I spent some time re accustoming myself to Adobe Audition. I have experience using it because I co-made a short film in my last degree for an assignment, and the mixer had recorded the levels too low, no fault to anyone specifically. When i bumped up the audio it was so close to the sound floor that the grain was far too loud. I had to learn how to use Audition in order to clean up the audio. I had never fully explored the full capabilities of what distortion it could achieve. I knew that I wanted a droning sound, but i didn’t want it to be too glitched out or distorted. My goal was to make something that provoked a sense of magnitude and expanse, with a heavy foreboding feeling of dread. I used the audio from  J. Robert Oppenheimer’s interview about the first test of the atomic bomb, where he references Vishnu becoming his destroyer form. The audio and pauses were already representative of the emotion i want to portray, so my hope is that would remain after i distorted it.

The following below is the audio track that I ended up with. I played around with various forms of reverb and echo, with a few distortion effects over the top. The second to last iteration kept the track in it’s original speed, meaning Oppenheimer could still be intelligible enough to hear. It sounded fine, but when ever I’d wait for the sequence to render during the creation of the visual part of the video it would slow the audio. There was something about the slowed version that produced a greater feeling of dread, not something I can explain quite yet at the moment. It almost sounds primordial. The visual aspect was only used to practice with the effects some more, though i do like how the threshold effect gives the image another dimension of character; so I will explore this further aesthetically in future experiments.

 

I think I’ve reached the point in experimentation where I can begin to build a catalog of videos that aesthetically aren’t too dissimilar to feel fragmented in juxtaposition. I want to explore more into Other ways i can use audio to distort videos, other than key frames. I am going to see what programs there are to generate images from audio, then use these as another layer of distortion. My inspirations are rooted in Glitch art and the Punk/Industrial scenes aesthetically; but i don’t want them to be defining classifications. My aim is to venture into new territories creatively. My goal is to create at least two new videos a week minimum from this point onward, experimenting with audio and image.

https://vimeo.com/445457272