I found the abstract video and sound recording really interesting. I have to admit I was caught off guard when we were supposed to head out to capture our abstract footages because I wasn’t used to it.

Amy and I headed out to shoot with no plans at all. However not long after we came across a spider web that was swaying about mid-air. Intrigued by it, we stopped to try and capture that particular shot. It was particularly tricky due to the lighting and the movement of the web. In the end, we left it on the tripod and hit the record button. The footage actually turned out way better than what we expected. I realised sometimes the best shot isn’t something that we plan. It was a good exercise to be able to observe my surroundings and to be intentional about the different shots that I can get. Having walked that path almost everyday for the last one and a half years in RMIT, it was good for me to stop and be more aware of my surroundings.

In another class we started learning about sound recording. We used the zoom H4n that I’ve used a long time ago in Writing Media. Fern and I went out to record different sounds around uni. It was a very different experience for me as we had to fully concentrate on getting the sounds we wanted. Having been so used to looking out for framing and shots for videos, I found that having a good audio recording was equally important in making any film.

Through this two exercises, I found out that I’ve always put more focus on the visual side of things and have lacked attention and detail on sound recordings. While looking back at my footages, I realised that even a simple sound recording requires good planning. It’s easier to manipulate a bad footage, but with a bad audio there is simply no way to edit.

Abstract from Allison Teo on Vimeo.

During another class, we had to form a group to start our shoot. I had been toying with the idea of a POV shot before class, and I was glad that the group was open to my idea and even gave more suggestions to further improve the shots. I think this is the advantage of working with people who are able to communicate and bounce off ideas with each other. Working with people allows me to widen my thinking and expand my own boundaries in filmmaking.

The biggest issue was definitely the audio and the movement of the camera, especially for the last two takes. The end product wasn’t as perfect as it was in my brain but I felt like I learnt a lot from it. Moving on from here, I realised that filmmaking isn’t so much a solo thing. Working with like-minded people will allow me to explore different areas in filmmaking and be able to further improve myself.

POV Exercise from Allison Teo on Vimeo.