Provide the name of the practitioner, the title of the work, the date when it was made, and a link to the work.
#NGVEveryDay: Monet’s ‘Rough weather at Étretat is an IGTV video produced by the NGV. It was published on their Instagram account on July 28, 2020. The video work can be accessed here:
Provide some context on the visual content by summarising the content, the context of publication, and the audience it targets.
This video was produced as part of NGV’s #NGVEveryDay series. It is a guided virtual tour of Monet’s artwork, ‘Rough weather at Étretat (Gros Temps à Étretat)’. It is presented by Ted Gott, the Senior Curator of International Art. Through his audio narration, he illustrates the painting’s historical significance and the creative choices made by Monet in this artwork. The video is relevant to the NGV’s strategic aim of connecting audiences with art, knowledge and ideas, as it is an informative video snippet about the artwork. The NGV has over 355k followers on Instagram and as a result the reach of their content is quite wide. This video in particular targets fans of the artist Monet, existing patrons of the gallery, people interested in art and artists, those who are engaged by story and those following the #NGVEveryDay hashtag.
How was the visual content made technically?
The visuals have been recorded using high quality camera(s) to give the video a professional looking appearance. This indicates a level of refinement that the gallery can provide to their audience. It consists of sweeping pans across the artwork, and shots of the gallery space to display the painting within the context of the art gallery. Overall, the video has an austere atmosphere. The audio emphasises this as it consists of a piano soundtrack and narration from the Senior Curator of International Art. During post production, closed captions have been provided for the narration. The video is in the 9:16 portrait format which displays well on mobile devices. This would suit the context their audience will be accessing the video from.
How does this piece of visual content fit into the art galleries media and communication strategies? What is it trying to achieve?
In this video work, the device of storytelling is used to draw in the viewer and educate them about the artist and the painting’s context in history. In the NGV’s 2018-2019 Annual Report, the gallery states: “The NGV maintains a holistic approach to programming, customer service and audience engagement initiatives to empower audiences to engage meaningfully with art and design” (NGV, 2019). By providing connections to the artwork through virtual tours, the NGV is facilitating connections between audiences and the gallery space. It aims to invite their audience to contemplate the meaning behind the artwork. It also reminds them that the gallery is focused on their needs, as they are committed to genuine community engagement. The gallery recognises that the NGV Collection exists for the community to access and enjoy (NGV, 2019).
Why did you choose this particular work?
I chose this video work as I am a follower of the NGV’s Instagram and a fan of Monet’s artwork. I was immediately invested in discovering the context behind this specific piece, as I had this video appear on my feed shortly after its publication. I became immersed in the story behind the artwork through the narration and music. I appreciated the up-close detail shots of the brushstrokes within the piece. I believe that art should be accessible to everyone and even those with a casual interest in artwork should be given the chance to appreciate the history behind each piece. The video demonstrates the gallery’s commitment to building a relationship between its patrons and the artwork on display.
What do you find inspiring about the content and form?
Something that inspired me about this work was that the high quality production of the video made me feel like I was visiting the gallery myself, and I felt nostalgic about walking through the gallery space. The video went in-depth into Monet’s perspective of the seaside town, but presented the information within a very short time frame which captured my attention. The gallery is successful in using short format video to produce an analysis of the work in an engaging way. Having an expert (the Senior Curator) commentate on the artwork gives the audience an informed view on Monet’s work. I also believe using vertical video gives the content more of a visual presence in their feed and a larger appearance on audiences’ news feeds. This format is something I would like to explore in my own authoring of content moving forward into our collaboration with McClelland.
All images and/or screenshots used below are my own and were taken during the production of my work.
Introduce your video work in relation to responding to the conceptual brief and the guidelines on form.
This week, my Instagram post is inspired by our upcoming studio collaboration with McClelland Sculpture Park+Gallery. My aim is to respond to the conceptual brief to guide the content of video production which is ‘‘Space and time for contemplation beyond our everyday life”. For this piece of work, I have compiled stills from my visits to the NGV. This was inspired by our class discussions about how art can make us conscious of ourselves and the world around us. We have considered how art galleries can provide people with experiences they would not get through everyday activities. In this week’s studio blog post, it states that “… it could be argued that art through the way it transports our thinking to places we have not considered before, is often seen as providing experiences ‘beyond our everyday life’”. In terms of form, the guideline for this work was working with the process of sequential design. The prompt is to deliver a swipeable Instagram carousel that could be converted into a moving-image (or video) slide show, which has 3-10 photos that is published on Instagram in your account. My intention is to look back on my experiences at the NGV and how the gallery serves as a place that provides space and time for contemplation.
What did you learn from the authoring and publishing process?
While authoring this week, I selected still images from my Camera roll to be used in my carousel. I produced the carousel using the app Film Frames, which helps you create layouts for Instagram posts. I chose to use the ‘Seamless Carousel Pack’, using 4 carousel slides (with 7 images in total). After considering the placement and order of each still, I exported the carousel images in the highest resolution possible for Instagram (1080p). While authoring and publishing this week, my biggest surprise was the amount of photo editing software available for carousels on the App store- it appears that with every rollout of new Instagram features, developers are quick to produce tools that take advantage of these affordances. Film Frames was incredibly simple to use and I was able to produce the carousel without much trouble.
What went well?
I was really satisfied with the overall look of this carousel- I combined the images from the NGV with some related imagery from my Camera roll of clouds and a fluorescent room to fit within the overall colour palette of the post and my overall Instagram feed. I believe the visuals I chose work together in the sequence well in capturing the feeling of being at the NGV. I wanted to pay homage to the artists Rosslyd Piggott and Ross Manning whose works have been featured in past exhibitions. The Film Frames application really simple to use and was especially useful in seeing the overall layout of the images within the post.
What did not go well?
While producing the content to be published, I did not consider that manipulating images of the artists’ works in this way means they may not be presented in the way each artist originally intended them to. This presents an ethical concern in terms of use, which I will have to be sensitive to in the future while creating content for Instagram. I also had to ensure that I attributed all of the artists’ work in the caption (the original post has now been edited to include the titles of the work, dates of the work and artist names).
What could you do better?
In my final post I ended up only using 7 slides in my carousel; in the livestream presented by Instagram marketing expert Chris Do, he talks about how to maximise the use of carousels on Instagram. Instagram affords 10 slides in a carousel, so why not use them all? This would increase the amount of time spent on my post and direct viewers to my profile. Additionally, as I opted to use an app instead of Adobe software to create the carousel, I feel as though there are skills I could learn to produce more dynamic carousels. Creating a carousel in Photoshop would give me more control over the positioning and visual relationships between the images in each slide. I also feel some technical aspects of the post could be improved, for example, some of the images could have been in higher resolution. As I was only selecting images from my gallery, unfortunately, I did not have much control over this factor.
Respond to the studio prompt question ‘How do the affordances of Instagram affect the way video content is authored?‘ What insights can you add in response to this question?
Carousels are unique in that they are essentially an album of content. Albums of photos and videos can be found on other platforms like Facebook, however, on Instagram, there is a level of interactivity involved in swiping through the content. This creates large potential for creators and businesses to use carousels to get users spending more time on Instagram viewing posts on their home feed, before directing them to their profile. While authoring content for Instagram, there are a range of formats that can now be considered: Reels, IGTV, stories, story highlights, carousels, and generic photo and video posts. With this wide array of options available to creators, it becomes difficult to decide which is worthwhile using to author engaging content. The key with carousels is that it is possible to draw people in through the first few slides, which is when users will consider whether they want to engage with the entire post or not. One downside to using carousels is that later slides may not be viewed, and will essentially be hidden away in the main Instagram feed.
All images and/or screenshots used below are my own and were taken during the production of my work.
Introduce your video work in relation to responding to the conceptual brief and the guidelines on form.
This week, my video centres around contemplating feelings of longing for summer in a space away from home. My intent is to respond to the conceptual brief to guide the content of video production which is ‘‘Space and time for contemplation beyond our everyday life”. For this piece of work I have compiled a selection of footage from my trip to our house in Phillip Island, which holds memories of family and the sun. In terms of form, the guideline for this work was to use a combination of video and text to respond to the conceptual brief; the text should be used through the work to communicate my response. My intention is to combine text with visuals to create an atmosphere of summer that transports me back to this calming space. My work is presented in a series of snippets of short videos that create a sense of the larger environment of the house and sea.
What did you learn from the authoring and publishing process?
During my authoring process, I compiled videos from my Camera roll into Premiere Rush to edit. I chose to format the video using the 4:5 canvas, for ease of posting later to Instagram. After importing my clips I kept the length of each mostly the same as the original videos. While editing I kept in mind the overall rhythm, as though the viewer was witnessing a series of fleeting moments. I then exported the sequence to my Camera roll to edit in the Prequel app. A key piece of learning for me was not being afraid to experiment with the footage that I have to work with as a part of the sketching process. I attempted a few drafts of videos using filters that would accentuate the ‘summer’ atmosphere I wanted to achieve. I finally settled on the ‘Jewelry’ and ‘Super-8’ effects in my final video draft. Before publishing I moved to Premiere Pro on my desktop to add text graphics to the video. While uploading to Instagram I kept auto-play for my video on as the default which allowed the video to loop continuously for the viewer. In my caption I included hashtags as I have in my previous posts, which I am learning should be carefully considered to maximise their effect. For example, I combined hashtags with a smaller reach and those with a large reach to distribute the content in several channels.
What went well?
I am very satisfied with the overall look and feel of the video; I think that the Prequel effect ‘Jewelry’ adds to the warm, summer atmosphere that I intended to create. I also believe the framing of each clip works to create a ‘snippet’ feel as though the viewer is looking back in time. The ‘Super-8’ effect also gives the clip of the table setting a handheld or homemade feeling. I wanted the audience to feel the same kind of nostalgia through the colour grading and imagery I chose. I am also happy with the font I chose to use for the text- the italicised cursive font has a refined and relaxed appearance that aligns with the footage. I think that the video serves its purpose to transport the viewer to another place in time.
What did not go well?
Something I could improve on is incorporating more textual elements alongside the video to meet this week’s prompt. I did not register until after publishing that I had only included title text; if I were to attempt this again I would add more text that narrates the imagery of summer. This could be done in a poetic manner, with text relating to certain memories or sounds that I encountered- for example, the splashing of waves or the creak of the chair. This would help add more of a storytelling element to my work, which I believe is important to engaging the viewer in my work.
What could you do better?
Besides the textual elements, something I believe could be improved is the sound. I used the diegetic audio of each clip, to preserve the feeling of being in each space. Alternatively, to emphasise these different sounds I could have mixed them together a little to create a consistent soundtrack. I would also increase the audio slightly to highlight the different environments. Despite this, I am pleased with the way the visuals turned out alongside the audio.
Respond to the studio prompt question ‘How do the affordances of Instagram affect the way video content is authored?‘ What insights can you add in response to this question?
My production of content this week was guided by the idea that Instagram is a highly visual platform. There are several ways that content can be exposed to audiences: through their news feed, the explore page, from hashtags or from your profile. These many channels of publishing make it easier than ever for videos and images to be viewed. Instagram is constantly evolving. So when authoring, it is important to keep in mind your audience and how they will engage with the content. My intent was to take advantage of large format video (4:5) to take up a large amount of space in the viewer’s news feed. By experimenting with colourful visuals, my aim is to draw in the viewer and provide value by reminiscing about place.
All images and/or screenshots used below are my own and were taken during the production of my work.
Introduce your video work in relation to responding to the conceptual brief and the guidelines on form.
For my video work this week, my aim was to respond to the conceptual brief to guide the content of video production for this assignment, which is ‘‘Space and time for contemplation beyond our everyday life”. I have found myself reminiscing on travel as a way to escape our lockdown situation. I was lucky enough to visit Bali earlier in January, and looking back at the footage I feel as though I am transported back into those moments away from home. Being in nature was a way of reconnecting with myself and experiencing ‘normal’ in another country making it different from my everyday. Looking towards working with the gallery, I envisioned how I could explore the bushland environment in a similar way to address their mission statement of contemplating beyond the everyday. In terms of form, the guideline for this work was to create a video work that starts from an audio recording. My work begins by focusing on the sound of a waterfall which then leads into a voiceover about exploration. The intent of this is to draw in the viewer through creating a calming atmosphere that aligns with the scenery that is shown.
What did you learn from the authoring and publishing process?
During the authoring process, the main thing I learnt was how to be selective with the footage I had to work with. As I had a large volume of content and the videos were tied to memories of my trip, it became quite difficult to narrow down the shots I wanted to use. I collated clips from my Camera Roll and imported them into Premiere Rush on my mobile device. I began by sketching out how the sound would lead into the video itself. I chose a creative commons track that features Alan Watts, which is copyright free (licensed under an Attribution 3.0 Unported license). I created several videos with the voiceover track I had selected, with the waterfall sounds in different orders. In this way, I was able to experiment with sound. To amplify the sound of water, I represented this visually by layering the videos on top of each other within the sequence. I then cut together the rest of the clips to the duration of the audio track. I exported the video using the 1080p Match Framerate preset to then be published to Instagram. I chose not to go with heavy colour grading, instead I added a slight filter in-app in order to bring out some more of the environment’s green colour.
While publishing, I kept auto-play for my video on as the default which allowed the video to loop continuously for the viewer. I made sure to give credit for the sound used in the caption of my video, as instructed in the caption on YouTube and creative commons license. After my attribution information, I included hashtags to distribute the content further, such as #calming and #pandemic which are relevant to the context in which the video is being posted. My takeaway for publishing this week is to stay consistent with replying to comments after the video is uploaded, and to interact with others on the platform rather than simply broadcasting my content.
What went well?
I was fairly satisfied with how my video turned out this week, I think the audio added to the atmosphere of the final video as it has quite a motivational message. My aim is to encourage others to look back on their own lives and appreciate the opportunities they have had to explore outside of the house. I was able to incorporate the process of sketching into my making process, by playing with the placement and volume of sound at the beginning of the video. By focusing on one idea and exploring it multiple times, over and over, I was allowing myself to just be creative. Moving forward I like the idea of exploring trial and error within my own work. As a whole, I am becoming accustomed to authoring and publishing videos for the platform.
What did not go well?
I had some issues navigating editing on the Premiere Rush app itself, as my options were quite limited in terms of the effects I could use. There were some clips I was not able to motion stabilise as it was simply not a capability of the app. In addition to this, the app would freeze and crash a fair amount of times during the editing process. To navigate this in the future I may have to switch to desktop editing instead of mobile editing for Instagram or utilise a different post-production app. Some of the sound transitions were also a little choppy due to the limited options for sound editing, which hindered my emphasis on audio for this week.
What could you do better?
I believe I could have experimented with audio even further, by layering only sound from the original clips in an elaborate way but was limited by time constraints. This might be something I can explore in future video works. I also think that due to the popularity of Reels recently, the post could have gotten more attention if it were posted in that format on Instagram. I am able to change the sequence dimensions within Premiere Rush, so this would have been an easy fix.
Respond to the studio prompt question ‘How do the affordances of Instagram affect the way video content is authored?‘ What insights can you add in response to this question?
At this point in the course, I have familiarised myself with several of Instagram’s affordances. While authoring and publishing this week, something that stuck out for me in particular was that not only was I keeping the 1-minute time constraint in mind while producing the video, I envisioned how the cover I chose would look within the feed I have created. I have been continuing to publish a second picture each week to create a consistent aesthetic for my account, so the ability to select cover photos for my videos has helped me maintain an overall colour palette. As mentioned earlier, I also believe Reels is an excellent affordance that would be interesting to capitalise on moving forward.
To respond to the conceptual brief, my focus for this post is how stopping for 1 minute allows us to be present in time to contemplate the current pandemic. Last week, I said that I would like to attempt to author a video using one of Instagram’s third-party apps, to further explore the relationship the platform has with its partner apps to co-create for Instagram. For my third video post I have chosen to use Boomerang as the app I will explore. I also said I would challenge myself by producing some work within Instagram’s square format. I would like to combine the two to create something unique for my account this week.
All images and/or screenshots used below are my own and were taken during the production of my work.
How did you author the video you recorded for upload to Instagram?
To author the video, I first recorded this clip of the rain outside our window (41s) using my iPhone 6s back camera. While recording I sat quite close to the window to minimise reflections from the light in the room. I also moved closer to capture the rain droplets splashing on the ground. Although I authored the video outside of the Instagram app, I had the square format in mind which influenced the way I recorded- I made sure the most action was happening in the centre of the frame. I filmed one continuous shot and stayed quite still so the focus was on the movement of the water. I only needed a single shot as I was quite happy with how it turned out. I then brought it into the Boomerang app to create a 12-second loop, which muted the audio of the video.
With my finished boomerang, I decided I wanted to create more visual interest with the square format before uploading it to Instagram. I imported the video into Premiere Rush and selected the 1:1 scale. I imported a white square frame graphic to overlay which would complement the video’s framing. Finally, I exported using the 4k match frame rate preset for the highest resolution to upload to Instagram.
I chose to leave the default ‘cover’ frame to be the front picture of the video, as most of the video looks similar. During the authoring process, something that was unique was having to keep the finished edit in mind while framing my initial shot. If I were to do this again, I could have used the Instagram camera to shoot my video, however, shooting outside of the app gave me the freedom to change my mind and be creative with editing.
How did you publish the video you recorded for upload to Instagram?
While publishing, I kept auto-play for my video on as the default which allowed the boomerang to loop continuously. My intention was for the movement of the rain to imitate drawing and exhaling a breath of air. As I was writing my caption I had the conceptual brief in mind and aimed to instruct on how to use the video to be still. As with previous posts I included hashtags to distribute the content further (#selfreminder, #deepbreathing) which each had quite a large number of posts in them.
Concerning the course prompt, “How do the affordances of Instagram affect the way video content is authored?”, over the past three weeks I have been using the affordances of Instagram to create consistent branding and account aesthetic. I have been experimenting more with the story features, including stickers for questions, polls, music, and graphics. Posting while having a colour scheme in mind, and adding story highlight cover photos and a profile image has also helped to create a consistent image and voice through captions. By continuing to tag and follow accounts I have gained quite a few followers- at the time of writing this post I have 38 followers. I am excited to see how this account grows as well as how I can continue to use the platform to connect with similar accounts.
Provide some context on the video by summarising the content, the context of publication, and the audience it targets.
This particular work by Beau B. Frank is a time-lapse process video of an ocean painting, uploaded to his Instagram account, @beaubfrank in 2018. Beau routinely uploads videos and images of his artwork to his Instagram which has a 104k following. His content mainly targets artists, art fans, and art collectors. Beau also operates his practice through his website and YouTube account.
How was the video made technically?
While authoring the video, Beau has used a tripod and camera to record in the landscape orientation and has set up each shot in the room so that the painting and his process are visible within the frame. During post-production, jump cuts have been edited into the video to skip past some of the painting processes. He has also sped up some parts of the video to create a time-lapse effect. Beau has added title overlays with his name and website at the beginning and end of the video, and lo-fi music to give it a relaxing atmosphere. The work was uploaded to Instagram in the 1.91:1 aspect ratio which accommodates the landscape format. Before publishing he typed out his caption in order to share the significance behind his art process with his following.
What similarities and differences can you make with other forms of time-based media?
This Instagram process video follows conventions very similar to YouTube-style vlogs. The lo-fi hip-hop music in the background and footage of watching him drink his tea while painting feels casual and familiar to the viewer when combined with the high-quality resolution of the video. Having the title overlay of his name at the beginning of the video is also similar to YouTubers’ introductions. Beau additionally uploads his work to YouTube so it makes sense he has chosen to edit in this style.
The form of time-lapse video used in this instance to showcase artwork is reminiscent of Old-school art tutorials on YouTube and Vimeo, where creators would upload behind the scenes footage of their work. A pioneer of this style would be the YouTuber Mark Crilley and who earned his popularity by showing videos of sped up artwork and tutorials. Timelapses have especially blown up on Instagram’s explore page in the form of DIY videos and craft content (5-minute crafts for example). Unlike a regular tutorial, there is often no speaking and an accompaniment of music. This differentiates itself from a Podcast/audio-based format as time-lapses very much rely on visuals to demonstrate artistic processes.
What is innovative about this video?
In class, we discussed the meaning of innovation and its connotations. When describing innovation, the terms ‘useful’, ‘creative’, ‘resourceful’ came up as well as ‘exploring new mediums, materials, and techniques’. All of these ideas relate to the notion of building something unique upon existing work. In the context of Instagram, Beau’s time-lapse video is innovative as it distinguishes itself from the ‘DIY/5 minute crafts’ side of video practice through the professional way his work is filmed. The interesting subject matter (the talent he displays through his artwork), combined with his high production video style of filming is pleasing to the viewer. He is adept at his craft and gets candid about his experience through his caption. What struck me is the length of the caption, which goes into depth about his struggles and artistic drive. This adds meaning to the video and his authenticity as a person as he establishes a relationship with the viewer.
This week for my second video post, my aim is to experiment with the IGTV format on Instagram. I chose to shoot a time-lapse video in the 9:16 format to demonstrate how my hobby of painting is a form of self-expression that allows me to contemplate during COVID-19. I like this form of video as it has been popularised by artists such as @ivanalifan, @kelopsloops and @livingpattern to display the process behind their artwork.
I hadn’t used this feature on the platform before and was interested to discover the affordances of this layout. One thing I immediately noticed- it is quite straightforward to upload videos to IGTV! Unknowingly I had assumed the process might be difficult, possibly due to the length and often effort that goes into the videos.
All images and/or screenshots used below are my own and were taken during the production of my work.
How did you author the video you recorded for upload to Instagram?
To author the timelapse video, I used my iPhone 6s Plus front camera to record from a tripod I had positioned next to my desk. Using the tripod has its advantages as it allowed me to set up the shot from a high angle, creating a steady vantage point with the entire desk and painting in view. I liked using the front camera as it allowed me to see everything within the frame, its disadvantage is that the back camera records in higher resolution than the front. if I were to attempt this again, I would switch to the back camera. Viewing several other art time-lapses, I could have also positioned the camera differently so that the art is more clearly visible within the frame. Overall I didn’t mind the framing of the final video.
I set my Camera to ‘time-lapse’ and let it record for the duration of my painting process. I ended up with 3 videos of sped-up footage in total (15s, 27s, 24s) as I took breaks, which is just over a minute. One of IGTV’s constraints is a minimum video duration time of 1 minute, so I made sure to record long enough so that I would be able to upload my video.
During post-production, I imported the clips into Premiere Rush to compile them, muted the audio and added a copyright-free track from Audio Library on YouTube (Bet on It by Silent Partner). Bet on It is available under a creative commons Attribution license (which I later credited in my caption). After shooting I noticed I forgot to switch to the highest resolution for my camera which is 4K. As a result, the video resolution suffered a bit which is something I could improve upon next if I were to complete this again. I then exported my video using the 720p Match Framerate preset, the highest resolution available in the drop-down menu. Lastly, I cut some of the beginning and end of the clip using the in-app camera editor on the iPhone to make the video run smoothly.
During the authoring process, I liked the freedom of using my own camera outside of the Instagram app’s 1:1 square video constraint, which is not dissimilar to other photography and videography I have done. To challenge myself, next week I would like to produce some work within this square format.
How did you publish the video you recorded for upload to Instagram?
I published the video to IGTV and decided to create a preview post that would be displayed on my main feed. I used the ‘cover’ feature and chose a frame with the painting mostly completed to be the front picture, which aims to grab the viewer’s attention. Similar to last week, I added hashtags in the description that were relevant to my post- this time a little more specific (for example, #arttimelapse, #paintingtutorial). Finally, I typed out a caption that referred back to the conceptual brief (exploring passions as a means of contemplation). I was satisfied with the way the video turned out. One thing I would change is the ending of the video is a bit abrupt. I could maybe show some slowed down parts or a closer view of the finished painting.
To create more engagement on my profile, I have been making use of Instagram’s Story functions. By sharing content from similar accounts, adding to my story highlights, and promoting my IGTV post I am hoping to distribute my content more widely. I have also been posting a photo for every second post of quotes from similar creators. By tagging, following, liking, and engaging with these accounts I intend to increase my account’s reach over time and have gained a few followers as a result.
Next week, I would like to attempt to author a video using one of Instagram’s third-party apps, to further explore the relationship the platform has with its partner apps to co-create for Instagram. I am interested in the relationship Boomerang, Layout and Hyperlapse have with the app so will most likely be using one of these.
For my first post on Instagram for the Platform Video studio, I decided to create a small looping animation of a coffee mug. I chose this idea in response to the conceptual brief as sitting down with a drink or a book is usually my time to unwind and take a break from the pandemic in the outside world. I liked the form of blending photo with animation, as for this first video I wanted to create/edit outside of the constraints of the Instagram app (square format, not as much liberty with editing) to then post on the platform. I decided to name my Instagram @make.roomco, as I want to use my page to focus on wellbeing during COVID-19, to reflect the way we make room for reflection in our homes (physical and time-wise).
All images and/or screenshots used below are my own and were taken during the production of my work.
How did you author the video you recorded for upload to Instagram?
To author the video, I used my iPhone 6s Plus back camera to take a picture of my desk setup. I often find myself contemplating in this space and I chose to use my phone camera to capture it as it is a little less constraining than the app’s square format. This gave me more breathing room in terms of how I framed the image. I moved a little closer to capture both the mug in the foreground and the books in the background, taking a few pictures before I settled on one I liked. The final image was the most well-lit and included the entire mug in the shot.
I imported the photo into the mobile app FlipAClip to animate white steam lines above the mug at 7FPS, largely inspired by @keek_s animations on Instagram. I have used the app before creating short-form animations in the past and found it fairly easy to use it to export for social media. The only issue with the FlipAClip app is that it has dimension constraints for importing background images. To troubleshoot this, I resized the image using the app White Border which adds a white background to the image.
After exporting the animation to my camera roll, I imported it into the Premiere Rush app on my iPhone in order to increase the video length to fit within the time constraints of Instagram. To do this I duplicated the 1-second video to extend its length to 10 seconds. I then exported the final edit using the 1080p Match Framerate preset to preserve the video’s high resolution. Lastly, I removed the excess border from the video by cropping it using the in-app editor in Photos and resized the video to the 4:5 format for Instagram.
I went without audio for this animation as it is fairly short, and prior to uploading, I chose one particular frame of the steam to be the front picture in my video using the ‘cover’ feature. Compared to other photography/videography I have done, authoring this video for Instagram felt very natural, as the process was pretty much point-and-shoot and did not involve a tripod or staged lighting to capture the image for the video. I relied mostly on natural daylight which felt relatable to the audience and the simple animation conveyed this message nicely. Something I feel I could improve on for my next post is maintaining the video quality so that information is not lost as it is passed through different apps.
How did you publish the video you recorded for upload to Instagram?
To publish my video, I opened the 10-second animation within Instagram and prepared to post it. I skipped over adding any additional filters as I was satisfied with the way it looked with the natural colours. In the caption, I wanted to emphasise the importance of making time to look after yourself during quarantine and posed a question to the audience asking their thoughts on ways they are doing this for themselves. I left autoplay for the video on as the default as the looping function on Instagram helped to make the animation flow well. I did not include a location but I included hashtags in the comments of my post as I have seen similar wellbeing accounts on Instagram do, using tags such as #selfcare, #study, and #selfreminder as these had several million posts in each of them to distribute to these specific groups.
For my next post, I would like to try utilising another version of short-form video on the app, such as Instagram stories or IGTV. I have not had much experience using IGTV and would like to both learn how to use this feature and explore this affordance of the app further.
Roam and Return is a choose-your-own adventure story that seeks to invite the viewer into moments spent in intimate spaces. Take a journey through familiar environments, by moving through this interactive web installation. This work intends to explore the potential of intimate spaces to foster attachment, and enable the growth of experience, connection and identity within humans.
“These spaces we call our own; to which we return,
1. How did you author (the photo) you recorded for upload to Instagram?
Similar to my last photo upload, the constraints of Instagram’s square camera format influenced the way I recorded the image, as this forced me to consider framing within the shot. To capture the image, I moved closer to the doorway to carefully position the doorway within the frame. I authored this photo using no flash, and the rear-facing camera in Instagram on my iPhone 6s plus. The original image was extremely dark due to the low light in the laneway, so I used Instagram’s image adjustment tools to alter the brightness, lower the highlights, and lessen the shadows to reveal more of the image. I considered also applying a colour filter within the app, however I felt the original colours suited the image quite well. Therefore, it required a lot of experimentation to decide on a final image to upload. I think I have also gotten used to authoring images using this method as the process was a lot faster this time around than the first few times uploading images on the platform.
2. How did you publish (the photo) you recorded for upload to Instagram?
After finishing my image adjustments, I took a break before uploading the image and saved it as a draft within the application. When I was ready to publish, I opened the image, added a caption and relevant hashtags, and included the location the image was taken (Hardware Lane). As the image was also taken in the same location as a previous photo post, I added “1/2” to the caption to show that it was part of a photo set in the same row. I feel that the layout of my posts overall has turned out the way I intended, as each row includes 2 photo posts with a video post in the centre. I think posting in this way makes this post stand out a little as it mirrors the accompanying photo post on the right side of the page.
3. How did you distribute (the photo) you published on Instagram to other social media services?
For this post I distributed my photo to my other social media accounts, Twitter and Tumblr, posting in a similar manner by sharing simultaneously to Twitter and uploading a linked post manually to my Tumblr blog. I’ve found that while posting on this account I was able to increase the amount of likes, followers and comments I received by using the linked accounts feature and hashtags on the site. This is definitely something I want to explore in my own media practice in the future, as I feel it will help me to expand my audience when creating content.
