Monday, April 28, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Production Strategy
1. I want to explore an area that almost combines my first drift and second drift, So I would like to stay around the Capitol and Oakland area. For my third drift I want to concern myself with lights and sidewalks, and other forms of reflection for the video, and long and quick durations in sound, and I think this area is the best place to do that.
2. One of my image capturing strategies shall be to film images with reflections or shadows such as sidewalks, glass, or water ect. Another one shall be to film multiple man-made lights at night such as stop-lights, lamp posts, car lights, store signs, ect.
3. For one of my sound capturing strategies I will focus on short hard sounds such as types of construction work, car horns, dog barking, bird chirping. Another strategy shall be to record long soft sounds such as, certain types of cars passing by, running water, airplanes flying over head, ect.
2. One of my image capturing strategies shall be to film images with reflections or shadows such as sidewalks, glass, or water ect. Another one shall be to film multiple man-made lights at night such as stop-lights, lamp posts, car lights, store signs, ect.
3. For one of my sound capturing strategies I will focus on short hard sounds such as types of construction work, car horns, dog barking, bird chirping. Another strategy shall be to record long soft sounds such as, certain types of cars passing by, running water, airplanes flying over head, ect.
Ten Questions
1. Is there a location where something seems very out of place, or does not fit with its surroundings?
2. Is there a location that has great movement and natural rhythm, other than cars or water?
3. Where is there a natural looping sound, or a consistently repeated sound other than cars?
4. Where are there interesting locations that create wonderful contrast viewed from close up to far away?
5. Is there a location with great depth and layers in sound?
6. Is there a location with great depth and layers in video or still pictures?
7. Is there a location with visual contrast between nature and man made objects?
8. Is there a location which has long and short duration of sounds melded together?
9. Where is there an object that visually changes in a short amount of time?
10. Where is there an object that changes in audio in a short amount of time?
2. Is there a location that has great movement and natural rhythm, other than cars or water?
3. Where is there a natural looping sound, or a consistently repeated sound other than cars?
4. Where are there interesting locations that create wonderful contrast viewed from close up to far away?
5. Is there a location with great depth and layers in sound?
6. Is there a location with great depth and layers in video or still pictures?
7. Is there a location with visual contrast between nature and man made objects?
8. Is there a location which has long and short duration of sounds melded together?
9. Where is there an object that visually changes in a short amount of time?
10. Where is there an object that changes in audio in a short amount of time?
Drift Assessment #4
4. Describe your favorite experience, situation, place, or recollection from either of your Drifts. Be specific about what happened, how you felt, how you reacted, and why you think this particular experience affected you so much.
My favorite experience so far has been recording down by the Hospital loading dock. It was around 2:00 pm so the traffic was pretty steady and I stood right across the street from the south end of the hospital which was under construction, but currently not being worked on. I started to record up and down the street with the sound of passing cars echoing off the unfinished Hospital, I remember feeling very relaxed and comfortable not only with recording but with other people noticing me as well. I also thought there was such an excellent sound that was being recorded, but if you listen to it it sounds very much like regular cars. However, if you listen closer you begin to pick up this excellent echo that makes the sound much more dynamic. I think this experience affected me most, because it made me comfortable with the uncomfortable and it also forced me to really listen and focus not only on the dominant sounds but what is behind that sound as well.
My favorite experience so far has been recording down by the Hospital loading dock. It was around 2:00 pm so the traffic was pretty steady and I stood right across the street from the south end of the hospital which was under construction, but currently not being worked on. I started to record up and down the street with the sound of passing cars echoing off the unfinished Hospital, I remember feeling very relaxed and comfortable not only with recording but with other people noticing me as well. I also thought there was such an excellent sound that was being recorded, but if you listen to it it sounds very much like regular cars. However, if you listen closer you begin to pick up this excellent echo that makes the sound much more dynamic. I think this experience affected me most, because it made me comfortable with the uncomfortable and it also forced me to really listen and focus not only on the dominant sounds but what is behind that sound as well.
Drift Assessment #3
3. Describe three surprises or unexpected situations you encountered on your Drifts and in the days that followed. The surprise could stem from your expectations that conflicted with "on the ground" realities, cultural or social issues of which you were previously unaware, feelings and reactions that you did not expect to have, appearances and soundings of things you did not expect, good or bad outcomes of "on the spot" decisions you had to make, or the discovery of "deeper" realities in the materials you brought home. (Again, skip anything technology-related!)
For my first Drift I originally thought that the more sounds I could pick up in one area the better. I was surprised to find that this strategy didn't work as well as focusing in on one sound and recording that. The mics are sensitive enough to always pick out other sounds, and if you focus on one sound you will get this wonderful layer with sounds that has more depth than if you attempt to just record, a bunch of sounds with no real focus. Also for my first Drift, my expectations were to capture quicker sounds with more attack and shorter duration, because of the location that I would be in, which was mostly around busy streets. While I was recording and after I realized that what I recorded was the exact opposite of my expectations. I ended up recording longer sounds in duration and they weren't as forceful, or loud as I would have expected, many sounds were more soft and peaceful. In more quiet areas I found that the dominant sounds that were picked up were quick and loud. In either case what I recorded in the foreground was usually great contrast from what was going on in the background. On my second Drift, my greatest surprise came in the way I started to view things, I began to realize that when I'm normally walking somewhere I no longer see my surroundings, I just concern myself with getting from point A to point B. I also thought that odds are after I finished my Drift 2 walk I probably would go back to the way I was. However, while doing that walk I started to focus on things I normally wouldn't and it felt like being exposed to a new world, and so far to this day I find myself really taking notice of my surroundings that I just tended to ignore in the past.
For my first Drift I originally thought that the more sounds I could pick up in one area the better. I was surprised to find that this strategy didn't work as well as focusing in on one sound and recording that. The mics are sensitive enough to always pick out other sounds, and if you focus on one sound you will get this wonderful layer with sounds that has more depth than if you attempt to just record, a bunch of sounds with no real focus. Also for my first Drift, my expectations were to capture quicker sounds with more attack and shorter duration, because of the location that I would be in, which was mostly around busy streets. While I was recording and after I realized that what I recorded was the exact opposite of my expectations. I ended up recording longer sounds in duration and they weren't as forceful, or loud as I would have expected, many sounds were more soft and peaceful. In more quiet areas I found that the dominant sounds that were picked up were quick and loud. In either case what I recorded in the foreground was usually great contrast from what was going on in the background. On my second Drift, my greatest surprise came in the way I started to view things, I began to realize that when I'm normally walking somewhere I no longer see my surroundings, I just concern myself with getting from point A to point B. I also thought that odds are after I finished my Drift 2 walk I probably would go back to the way I was. However, while doing that walk I started to focus on things I normally wouldn't and it felt like being exposed to a new world, and so far to this day I find myself really taking notice of my surroundings that I just tended to ignore in the past.
Drift Assessment #2
2. Describe, with details, two situations during Drift 1 and/or 2 in which you felt unusually peaceful, at ease, or contemplative.
While I was walking closer to downtown on my first drift, I though everything would be hectic and busy, and that I would stick out like a sore thumb just standing there recording sounds. However, I was surprised to find that it was exactly the opposite there were a lot more cars and people and the streets were much busier, but I seemed to blend in well and specifically when I was recording around St. Mary's Hospital loading dock, I felt very comfortable recording the surroundings of the cars and people passing by, more so than I ever would have thought. Also in my Drift 2 walk while shooting video of the trees I discovered how easy it was to tune myself out to other things around me, and focus in on what I was shooting to see things like the small differences in the shade of bark and tiny notches in the wood things that I would not have noticed just passing by. I became very relaxed with what I was doing, and was able to focus in more, without being distracted by cars and people passing by.
While I was walking closer to downtown on my first drift, I though everything would be hectic and busy, and that I would stick out like a sore thumb just standing there recording sounds. However, I was surprised to find that it was exactly the opposite there were a lot more cars and people and the streets were much busier, but I seemed to blend in well and specifically when I was recording around St. Mary's Hospital loading dock, I felt very comfortable recording the surroundings of the cars and people passing by, more so than I ever would have thought. Also in my Drift 2 walk while shooting video of the trees I discovered how easy it was to tune myself out to other things around me, and focus in on what I was shooting to see things like the small differences in the shade of bark and tiny notches in the wood things that I would not have noticed just passing by. I became very relaxed with what I was doing, and was able to focus in more, without being distracted by cars and people passing by.
Drift Assessment #1
1. Describe two situations that aggravated, bothered, shocked or otherwise stressed you during Drift 1 or 2. (Please note that the situation CANNOT be technology-related.)
For Drift 1, I noticed that when you are taking recordings in suburban areas and not in busy streets and intersections, many people notice you a lot more than they would closer to downtown. After the 5th or 6th time of explaining what you are doing, it tends to get a little aggravating. Yet, it is still interesting to find out which people are suspicious and which people are just plain curious, on my walk it ended up being about half and half. On my second Drift walk my strategy was shooting video of tree trunks close up, and since I wanted to use video instead of a still shot it became frustrating to find the right balance of steady movement with the camera. However, while I was editing I was surprised to find that I actually liked the shakiness of the camera to a certain point, more so than editing still shots to make the appearance of movement, it makes everything seem to linear. So my main struggle in Drift 2 was to maintain a good balance between shaky and linear movement.
For Drift 1, I noticed that when you are taking recordings in suburban areas and not in busy streets and intersections, many people notice you a lot more than they would closer to downtown. After the 5th or 6th time of explaining what you are doing, it tends to get a little aggravating. Yet, it is still interesting to find out which people are suspicious and which people are just plain curious, on my walk it ended up being about half and half. On my second Drift walk my strategy was shooting video of tree trunks close up, and since I wanted to use video instead of a still shot it became frustrating to find the right balance of steady movement with the camera. However, while I was editing I was surprised to find that I actually liked the shakiness of the camera to a certain point, more so than editing still shots to make the appearance of movement, it makes everything seem to linear. So my main struggle in Drift 2 was to maintain a good balance between shaky and linear movement.
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