A5.2 Reflection

Media Bodies

Our studio ‘Media Bodies’ explores how the mind and body work as one. This is examined through taking a closer look into our senses and how we notice them in media works. Our brain is what allows us as humans to operate, without a working brain, we have complications. However, if the brain is not assisted by our senses; smell, taste, touch, sight and hearing, we will also have complications. We want to be able to make media pieces that can present an embodied experience, which is a thought or feeling that is experienced physically.

 

An aspect that was explored through Dean, Emma, Sofia and Given’s work was colour. The project dives deeper into how colour ‘draws out, emphasises and guides our emotional responses.’ The group used three colours, red, yellow and blue, as well as having three different characters that represented the individual colours. Their idea is very much linked with embodied experiences. Colour is being recognised as a sense that our bodies carry and react to.

I found it interesting how they represented the colours chosen. All of the characters and storylines seemed to have an element of mystery and suspense, the point of difference came from the use of colour grading. To possibly highlight the different ways we react and consume colour, a stronger contrasting of moods would have been helpful. I reflect on this work and question my intake of the colours because I struggle to find a change in pace and emotions. A further description of the work may also be helpful in assisting viewers’ understanding of colour sense.

 

Kayla, Haley, Shuyu and Christina’s work, ‘Esscents’, is one that mentally and physically manipulates your senses. The group created a visual piece that displayed only blurred footage and clean audio. The visual was partnered with multiple different aromas that were in jars. The group members would open the jar that paired with the visual. For example, a girl peels an orange in the visual work, so a jar is opened for the audience to smell the orange.

This project goes hand in hand with our studio focus. In week 7 of this course, we discussed the topic of smell. Smell will bring forth memories and will make us think of moments in time and place where we associate the smell. 

The group was able to prove that by strengthening one sense, another does not need to be as strong. In relation to their work, the sense of smell and hearing is enhanced, whereas the sense of sight is physically weakened. Although the visuals are blurred, participants are able to associate the smell with the visual, or a visual of a place that they are familiar with, therefore the media work is clearer in their minds. 

This group produced an extremely creative work that linked strongly to the discussion of the relationship between our physical embodiment and mental selves. 

 

Ready Camera One

The studio that I have decided to report on is titled, ‘Ready Camera One’. Immediately when visiting the studio website I was guided by the clear formatting and structure. I knew that to get a nice and efficient overview of the studio, I would simply click on the page titled ‘About Ready Camera One’. From there, I was able to gather information on what the focus of the studio is. Ready Camera One explores the benefits and challenges of multi camera use within television production. The course takes use of studio settings and professional camera equipment in order to practice and learn the skills involved in multi camera production. They have also looked into how pre recorded content is intertwined with live shot television.

 

‘The Charlie Show’ is the final collaborative work that was made by the entire studio. The show is a two part talk show, each episode having a time length between 25-30 minutes. This work was filmed in a fully equipped studio with lavaliers, cameras and teleprompters, just to name a few. Though the show went for 25+ minutes, I remained engaged throughout its duration. The reason I could stay engaged was not because of the script or storyline, rather it was because of the shots that were used and the many segments that took place in and outside of the studio. 

For example, when Johnny or Stephanie are having a conversation with their guest, the camera does not simply capture the two people talking, instead, multiple cameras are used to switch between different angles. Camera one may be pointing directly at the host, camera two at the guest, and camera three centred with a wide shot of the stage. All of these angles draw the audience in and keep them fascinated in what is being spoken about. 

An example of a creative segment that was shot outside of the studio was ‘Ben on Bowen’. This segment allowed the show to have a life outside of the studio. Considering that part two of the show plays for 31 minutes, I believe that it could have been more beneficial to include the outside broadcast of ‘Ben on Bowen’, later in the piece. I only mention this because the rest of the show is shot in the studio. To mix it up, ‘Ben on Bowen’ could have been played in the middle of the show. Overall, the talk show really proved and used multi cameras to full potential.

 

 Another work that caught my attention was ‘Are You Smart, Even?’. This shorter video work acts as a satire quiz show. It has a host and two contestants who answer questions that are not very difficult to answer. This piece was able to highlight the way in which multi camera use can assist in creating comedic moments. The dialogue was humorous and the timing also really helped, but the way the different cameras were used was ultimate. Camera one would be on the host, then camera two would be on the contestant who has just guessed their answer. It is comedic because the zoomed shot on the contestant, especially contestant Lily, would show their reactions, which were often entertaining.

All of the works in this studio were great to watch and learn from. They all used multi camera production and a studio setting which is what is required from the studio prompt;

‘What are the creative possibilities and challenges of multi-camera television production, and how can the practices and processes of the multi-camera production be applied beyond the studio?’

Some feedback to the studio is that I would have loved to see some exploration of other genres or types of shows, even though I did very much enjoy the satire and dramatics.