For this week’s activity, Danial and I decided to watch and write about The Final Quarter and The Australian Dream.

What textures are these films assembled from?

The Final Quarter was composed entirely of archived footage from TV broadcasts of matches, interviews, reports, and commentary. It also utilized other types of media, such as photographs and newspaper articles/headlines.

The Australian Dream was also made similarly with archived media. However, unlike The Final Quarter, it included additional footage that had been shot for the purposes of the film, such as interviews and observational video.

Was one approach more successful than the other? Why?

I believe that both approaches had their merits, but I personally enjoyed watching The Final Quarter more. While The Australian Dream was definitely more intimate and emotional, and undoubtedly provided more in-depth information, I found The Final Quarter to be a lot more engaging. As both films used similar material, I can only pin it down to the edit. The edit done for The Final Quarter was truly masterful, with really good usage of sound bites greatly complementing the well-structured video.

Was one scene/event more memorable in one than the other? Why?

In The Final Quarter, I found the events that followed the revelation of Adam’s hiatus to be really memorable. The scene built up beautifully, with many shots capturing the people’s support for Adam. Then it totally flipped on its head just “1 week later,” and Adam was booed once again. The way this was edited really emphasized how short-lived and fleeting the moment was and prompted me to think about similar events in our present day.

Initially, I had pictured our A4 documentary looking quite similar in structure to The Australian Dream. However, having done this activity, I will definitely be giving it more thought and will probably take a quick look at the other documentaries that were shared.

Pre-Production

1. Fully inform the participants about the intentions/distribution of the film
2. Understand what topics/locations are off-limits/sensitive during filming
3. Reach a consensus on the time/location for the shoot and honor it
4. Give the participants sufficient notice prior to the shoot to prepare
5. Maintain a good relationship with the participants from here on out

Production

1. Turn the camera off at the request of the participants
   – Rachel Boynton, DOC NYC, 2018
2. Love the people that you film
   – Rachel Boynton, DOC NYC, 2018
3. Ensure that the participants are comfortable with what you are filming
4. Do not push for a sensational narrative that is untrue/misrepresents the participants
5. If filming exceeds the duration that was agreed upon, check that the participants are still happy to continue, otherwise reschedule and make plans for another day

Post-Production

1. Show the participants the finished film before the public
   – Rachel Boynton, DOC NYC, 2018
2. Double-check that the edit has not warped the views of the participants
3. If there are any changes to the distribution of the film, inform the participants
4. Give the participants a copy of the film
   – Rohan Spong, RTR TUT, 2020
5. Thank the participants for their time and assistance with the project

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References

1. DOC NYC PRO: Casting Case Studies 2016, Streaming Video, DOC NYC, New York, Viewed on 10th August 2020, <Link Here>.
2. Spong, R 2020, ‘MODULE 4 – Molly Dineen – COVID19’, PowerPoint Slides, BP221, RMIT University, Melbourne, Viewed on 10th August 2020, <Link Here>.

‘Woodshed.’

This word likely means nothing to the average Theo, but to a musician its connotation is sacred. In musical slang, it is a term used to describe a beloved place to practice instruments privately.

For my A1 submission, I had initially planned to rework my photo essay from Week 1 but changed my mind upon reaching my cousin’s home.

I arranged the shots in a way I felt best told the story of Sapphire and her woodsheds: the garden outside and music room inside her house.

Internally, I tried to create a rhythm by having both the garden and room sequences unfold in a similar pattern. They both start off by establishing the location, move on with shots of Sapphire setting up and finish with a montage of her playing the harp.

I placed a lot of emphasis on the wooden folding table as I wanted to use it as a plot device that linked the sequences together. I decided on this while filming when I saw how much the bright red audio interface stood out from the locations. As a transition shot, I used a long clip of her carrying the table away.

Through my edit, I hope to bring across the peacefulness I experienced in her woodsheds. I believe that the ambient noises of birds chirping in the garden and the white noise from the air conditioner in the room really add to this feeling of serenity.

I also hope that Sapphire’s passion for the harp shines through.

(Word Count: 250)

 

For millennia, mankind has been fascinated by time.

Since the early days of civilization – when humans first noticed the cyclical patterns of our Sun and Moon – we’ve greatly advanced the ways by which we measure, define and understand time.

However, today, even with innovations like atomic clocks being immeasurably more precise than sundials – which were in essence just some sticks or stones shoved into the ground – there remains so much unknown about time. Still, no matter where you are in the world, time exists, and by extension, so do the devices we use to keep track of it.

This week, Britney, Jessica and I decided to photograph clocks for our shared collection of like-objects. At present, I’m in Singapore and my group mates are in Melbourne. However, time is universal, and clocks can be found anywhere.

Amidst the global pandemic, I find myself with more time on my hands than ever before.

Some days, time feels as though it’s stopped. I often worry that I’m getting left behind – a little like these old historic buildings from the colonial era of Singapore: dwarfed and antiquated by the newer high-rise buildings that surround them.

As I walked about the city, I could clearly see the bruises from our battle against COVID-19. I saw row upon row of shuttered shops and boarded-up restaurants, some to never open again. Everywhere I went I was met with empty streets and sidewalks.

The only real signs of life came from the fluttering of red and white flags, all put up for the recent election. Having grown accustomed to a fast-paced life in Singapore, it was seriously disorientating and surreal to experience.

I did occasionally come across some passersby. For the most part, they were adults seemingly on their way to work. They were reminders that even in these difficult times, life goes on. (This song by Fergie sprang into my mind while writing this.)

As cliché as it may be, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I’ll definitely try to make the most of the time I’ve been given and will continue to look forward to the day a vaccine is produced.

For Part 2 of this exercise, I’ll write about this photo I captured at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

In the photo, a couple is seen walking away in a navy blue suit and white ball gown wedding dress. This signifies that they are soon to be married. Walking alongside them is a man dressed casually in a white shirt and jeans. A black camera bag bulges out at waist-level.

Given what we’ve seen, he is likely to be a photographer, and the trio are presumably out on a wedding shoot.

The bride-to-be is also wearing a mask, suggesting that this picture was taken in a place where masks are required to be worn outdoors. Except for the trio, no one else can be seen. This reaffirms our idea that the Coronavirus might still have been at large when the photo was taken.

On their right, a large clock tower sculpture can be seen. It displays different times on its visible faces and has labels which indicate that the clocks are displaying the time in Tokyo, London, Vancouver and Singapore respectively.