Picture = 1000 words ∴ 4 seconds of 25fps video = 100,000 words.

Project Brief 3

 

Reflection:

I decided to experiment with a format of interview that seemed to be less conventional; the walking and talking interview. I decided this because I wanted to attempt to attempt a departure from the conventional ‘sit-down’ interview format. This technique did turn out well in my opinion; giving the engaging aspect of movement to the sequence. I count this as the most successful aspect of the exercise.

Due to the nature of the interview, I could not ask Caroline the questions as we went, as that would require sign-language. Since my hands were engaged in controlling the camera, and there were no other crew members, signing the questions to Caroline would have been impossible. Because of this, the questions were decided upon earlier and written down on a sheet of paper which I wore stuck to my shirt. The biggest issue I had with the interview was dealing with Caroline’s understandably slow vocal pattern. Caroline and I decided that her speech should be heard along with her signing, and this meant that the pace at which she communicated was slowed. The fact that not enough was touched upon in the way of her other interests, thoughts, etc. became the least successful aspect of the process.

In the editing, I incorporated around 15 separate ‘found footage’ shots from copyright free and Creative Commons sources, together with the interview and various cutaway shots of her doing the things she described. Because of the nature of the content, ‘found audio’  was also used extensively with around 20 separate elements used in the opening. Originally I had these dispersed evenly throughout the interview but then realised that a more interesting thematic device could be established through presenting a large group of them in a boisterous crescendo of the everyday sounds Caroline cannot hear at the very beginning of the clip. I decided to end the racket with a fade to silence coupled with found footage of an audio waveform gradually reducing to silence. With this ‘act one’, comprised only of found footage, I set out to do two things. First, to set up the idea of Caroline’s inability to hear most noises and simply to set up sound as a theme. Secondly, I wanted to make the audience feel disoriented and uncomfortable with the thick, unintelligible layering of multiple audio tracks. I wanted the audience to feel relieved and relaxed when the loud and perplexing tangle of sound fades into silence. In this way I wanted them to be made more comfortable with the very idea of hearing little or no sound; paving the way for Caroline’s introduction. The biggest discovery gained was the proof of the feasibility of a ‘walking and talking’ interview type format.

One thing that I never did before this exercise was organise suitable documentation. The proper preparation in this respect was the biggest and most beneficial learning curve I experienced in doing this project; a skill that will be invaluable to my development and activity as a media practitioner.

 

 

Found footage Sources:

Hymn of the Nations – Toscanini 1944  by FDR Presidential Library- Usage CC0 1.0 Universal

https://archive.org/details/gov.fdr.127 20/04/2016

Soundie – A Little Robin Told Me So by the Three Canadian Capers – Usage Public Domain

https://archive.org/details/soundie_7

1956 Episode of “Super Circus” 1956 Usage Public Domain

https://archive.org/details/Super-Circus_1956

Sound Nature of 1948 – Coronet Instructional films usage Creative Commons

https://archive.org/details/ Sound Nature of _1956

all other stock footage and sound purchased royalty free from Videoblocks.com and Audioblocks.com

Created by Michael Firus

 

PB3Project Brief

michaelfirus • April 20, 2016


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