This blog entry is to support the design and production of the PROJECT THREE sketches.

Working from the hypothetical example ‘concept statement’ blog entry that I used earlier to explain the process for producing the sketches in PROJECT TWO.

If I was continuing iteratively with what I learnt from the @555uhz project . I would have completed multiple sketches that deconstructed this work. These sketches would help me get a good sense of the ‘form’ of this work. These sketches would have also raised some interesting ideas in relation to what could be explored in PROJECT THREE.

An ‘idea’ or ‘ideas’ in this context is something that I discovered through the sketching process that could be examined further, or in other words extended into a practice-led inquiry that leads to the development of a more substantial ‘prototype’ in THE 40% PROJECT FOUR.

A prototype in this context is a major step on from a sketch.

…a prototype can vary in terms of scale and quality, depending on how it is developed to meet a design brief, but even in an under–developed phase a prototype serves a different purpose to a sketch. A prototype is more pragmatic and defined, with the specific intention to model and test an idea, whereas a sketch is exploratory and disposable.

References:

Keen, Seth. “Netvideo Nonvideo Newvideo Designing a Multilinear Nonnarrative Form for Interactive Documentary.” Doctorate. RMIT University Print.

Dunbar, Michael. “Beyond Skin Deep: Exploring the Contribution of Communicaition Design within Interaction Design Projects.” Doctorate. RMIT University, 2009. Print.

Also refer to the Buxton sketch reading.

Speculative Sketching:

So, in regards to nominating an idea/s to put through the next stage of sketching, I am aware: firstly of the approach taken towards this phase of the sketching (which is all about experimentation, trying things out to make discoveries…), and secondly that the end point is a ‘prototype’ – an example of a hybrid form of narrative/non-narrative online video practice, thirdly I am thinking about form (or materiality) over content (more on form soon in another blog entry).

If I was visualising what that might be in regards to presenting it to my peers in the studio and other studios at the end of semester) it would be something that boldly explores new territory…it could even not work properly or fail, but most importantly it demonstrates that I have an understanding of specific types of online video practice and what potentially could be conceptualised.

Here are some hypothetical ‘ideas’ that are made up, as I have not actually gone through the process of making sketches in PROJECT TWO – they are taken from the hypothetical example ‘concept statement’ blog entry.

First I would make up a list of things of interest (this may involve asking myself some questions):

1. Service/tool hack – In the @55uhz project the programmer/artist works with a social media (new media) service in a way that it was not intended to be used. How could I use a service or tool in a different way from what was intended?

2. Historical/New Media hybrid – The @55uhz project reduces a moving-image work down to still frames and takes a historical approach towards the creation of moving-image, through the use of a flipbook technique. What examples of early moving-imagery technology or techniques could I integrate with contemporary examples of (digital) new media practice? Could I work in reverse and take the digital to analogue – off the computer entirely?

3. Granular Extremes – The @55uhz project reduces video content down to a highly granular form (1 film frame). If I was taking micro-video like Vine to an extreme – What would happen if I work with video at a 1-2 second duration? What online video service or tool could be used to support this type of experiment? Is it already happening elsewhere?

My hypothetical is situated within what I call the ‘experimental genre’, so the prototype I envision will be an experimental form of online video practice. Your prototype will potentially (in most cases) be experimenting in the first instance with the genre you chose to examine in your case studies (i.e video review, skate video, game videos, cooking shows, comedy etc) – your aim will be to create a hybrid form of narrative/non-narrative within these genres or even mix them up.

Next process:

This is enough ideas for the moment. The next step is to decide what to explore. You may do some research and thinking before making this decision – but the important thing is to (I would suggest) pick one idea and work on it extensively.

So, say I chose no. 2 for example. The next stage is to put it through the speculative sketching process. The aim using this process is to see what I can discover using the questions I have put forward – What examples of early moving-imagery technology or techniques could I integrate with contemporary examples of (digital) new media practice? Could I work in reverse and take the digital to analogue – off the computer entirely?

Please note depending on your idea these phases could be reversed?

Phase 1

To do this I would devise a number of criteria to inform my sketches (this is the groups own criteria that is used to inform the creation of seven sketches, as the first phase of the sketching):

1. Make 3 sketches that refer to historical developments connected to the invention of the moving-image or cinema as we know it today? Use research into theory and practice to inform these sketches. ie in this case the camera obscura, the phenakistiscope (zootrope), the magic lantern).

2. Take one of these explorations and apply it to three different tools and services – to produce 3 sketches.

3. Reverse the @555uhz project concept by taking film frames (a digital images) into a hardcopy flipbook, or better still, work with one of the examples above in this case the camera obscura, the phenakistiscope (zootrope), the magic lantern).