Media project – Complete

So here it is, my media project. Taking inspiration from a computer game cut scene, I wanted to create a review of the Visual Communication Module in a Visual form. Using AfterEffects, I created a virtual Gallery, and zoomed the camera into a painting. I tried to journey through the theory of the module, its ideas and its application. As always I’m sure it could be improved on or I could expand on certain ideas, but I think at some point I had to just say, ‘that’s it’ or I would have never stopped tweaking. I am proud of it and I do think it is pretty cool.

I do think that I have tailored it more to film and how it relates to film, in its presentation. I have implemented many different techniques in my goal to visualise certain ideas and that in its self was the hardest part to do. Removing words and text and trying to convey an idea does seem to be reverting back to a more primitive way of communication, but because of the power of digital art (the wrapper so to speak) It still feels contemporary.

Thinking in the purely visual, does take effort but most of the rules and conventions are already formed in your subconscious. The art of Advertising on a subliminal level has been permeating through, after years of being a consumer of visual tricks and used in everyday life. Understanding these rules do bring these ideas to the foreground but as said before also take away the innocence of enjoying images for what they are.

Overall, I have enjoyed this module and found it very relevant to my course, and have also enjoyed exploring and evaluating the topics highlighted within.

Using around 20 images, 1 music track (‘come with me’ puff daddy – Godzilla track) 5 sound effects, 30 hours using Adobe After Effects, 2 video clips and my own brain, I have interpreted the Visual Communication module and presented it in the below Visual Form. Enjoy! (please be patient, its 720p resolution and was nearly 2gig before upload so does take a while to load)

Finish line

So, I'm trying to limp over the finish line with the blog count, having written my 20th blog last week after finishing my media product, and I have ran out of things to rant about. (must be the first time)

Looking at the overall importance of Visual Communication and a the phrase 'a picture is worth a thousand words' springs to mind. The importance of written word is ingrained from an early age, but is the visual image subconsciously greater?

Thinking of some images that can capture the mood, time and consciousness of the collective people is a much more powerful statement than the sum of numerous articles and text books. The right image at the right time can stand on its own without anchorage, which will live on and become to stand for more than just the original image. I tried to find some examples below.

The above don't need descriptions, as they have been subconsciously taken in by our collective minds and given meaning, meaning which would be hard to portray in textual form with the same impact.

Take the Che image below,

most younger people don't really know who he is or what he has done, (ill admit I only took the trouble to find out myself recently) but most people will associate the image with revolution (hopefully not just from the pub chain) as it is used in that context and subconsciously taken in. The image has grown outside itself to describe a mood, emotion and is now a lot bigger than what the original was taken for. The power of the image is that it cant expand and encompass, where as text is just text.

Having a bit of time off, I noticed that I have subconsciously taken in various images, like the art gallery I created in 3d, from a TV sit com I recently watched and it is extremely similar. How much we absorb without knowing it is actually quite scary.

Visual Communication - the future

So thinking even further ahead to filming projects and even after uni, now that I know a lot of 'Rules' and theories about visual communication I'm thinking how to implement these in the projects I attempt.

It is logical to employ the framing techniques established from Art such as the good old Thirds and Golden ratio, lighting techniques such as 3 point lighting and what not, but I have always been a bit reluctant to just follow the rules all the time. I have my own mind and maybe even my own way of framing things, or I may just want to avoid cliche. Looking at other media such as games, films and tv, I seem to have been playing the same game recycled over the past 10 years, same for film and same for TV.

Using things such as stereotyping, I want to film a sequence where an unknown bit part henchman actually takes down the SuperAgent spy, where people back the bad guy for a change, where the irrelevant is the main plot and main plot is irrelevant. Knowing these rules can open some fun, where to play on convention and twist it.

Playing with the lighting and costumes of certain roles following some rules to make things familiar but presented differently, would make good experiment. I have several sequences in mind and may attempt a few of them in the Summer Holidays.

Saying all that, I do think that Now I have a wider understanding in Visual Communication and will try to keep what I have learned in mind when filming.

CourseWork 2 - The essay

(I suppose this blog is just a few thoughts and processes looking to coursework2)

I have started to think ahead and how I am going to fit my Media Product into courswork 2, an Evaluation.

Following a simple structure of describing the product, the inspiration, the execution and how it fits and displays the theories of this module seems the safest bet at the moment. I am concerned though, that the evaluation will not be up to the same standard as the actual product. Having been diagnosed as dyslexic at Uni has confirmed a few things that I have always suspected, that I'm a more visual and hands on type of person than academic.

I suppose that is why I took the media product and executed it with passion, because even though I had no story board written out and no real plan when making it, I could visualise very clearly and concisely how to show some of the ideas I wanted to display.

Starting with the rule of thirds and visualising cutting up the painting, started the whole process and it kinda snowballed from there. Some of the sections are more successful than others, I think the 'tone' was a bit basic and I did want to show some of Dilan Cole's show reel showing how digital art is applied in films nowadays, but think that part is a little long and also feels a bit cheating. I am still happy with it the end result, but feel I rushed the end a little or lost a bit of inspiration.

I guess most Artists get self doubt with their work, although I'm not quite up to professional standard yet, I'm not too far off. I think ill have to stop watching my media project as I'm starting to critique it a bit too much. I guess that is my years of being in Quality Assurance and testing.

Power of Replication

Following on from my last post, and the question I failed to answer in 'is the Aura now redundant?' I thought I would look a bit more in depth at the flip side of 'Aura' which is image replication.

Today, Images are everywhere, piped onto screens, print and even the sides of building in advertisements. Does the constant bombardment dilute or enhance our understanding of images? I am guilty of this myself in my media product where I have taken established pictures or paintings and crafted them to suit what I want to portray.

I remember a quick Internet search for the Mona Lisa when trying to get an image for my art gallery, and the results were quite strange. several homages were also listed, for example below,

And I don't know if it is my old age but, I personally think it cheapens the original. I understand the humor etc, but it does dilute the image also. In this age where anyone can take ownership and modify an image it can also confuse or distract. I take an example where only just last Christmas an advertisement showed the 3 wise men using a sat nav to get to jesus' stable for Argos or something. In a quiz for primary children a few months later, children incorrectly answered that 'Sat-nav' was how the 3 wise men found Jesus rather than 'Followed a star'

Everything is now online, and even Art Galleries are starting to do 'Online virtual tours' so you don't have to leave your home to view art. Even though I'm a big Advocate of digital art, (seeing as I'm hopeless at traditional art) even I think that is quite sad. People are too 'busy' to want or care at seeing an original art piece, or even take in a beautiful night sky unless its on on the 'night sky' channel, (I don't think there is one but I could be wrong). I find it all quite disappointing and before I rant on again I think ill end this post.

Power of the Original

Coming back to this blog after a few days off, where I have had the time to think about certain aspects of Art, I tried to apply some of theories to my own experience.

I used to live in London and was fortunate to look around some of the major Art Galleries such as the Tate Modern, Tate Britain the Portrait Gallery etc. Reading through Walter Benjamin he talks about the 'Aura' of Original art, I wondered if in today’s age, is the Aura now redundant? From my own experience, I don’t think that you can underestimate the connection you form when you are in the presence of the 'Original'

I remember subconsciously being stopped in mid step by the portrait of Henry the VIII in the Portrait gallery.

(I think it was this one)

I think it was the fact that I remembered the image from my old history school books, and here I was stood in front of it. I cant say it is the most striking painting I have ever seen, but just to be at that moment the only person to be stood in front of that painting, which must have been locked away in my mind somewhere, was quite a strange feeling. In those few moments, it triggered thoughts of being stood in the same relative place of the Artist, the fact that the actual Henry the VIII was also in its presence and must of stood in front of the painting to view it, how small the actual painting was, how drab its surroundings was and how innocuous it was.

All these thoughts were triggered by the Painting 'Aura' I guess, not a replication of it on Google Images. I don’t think that you can quite get the connection with a work of art if you are not in its presence. I'm not really stopped in my tracks often to be honest, but I thought I'd share my thoughts on it.

Media Project - Stage six

After locking myself away in my room I have made good progress on my project. I have re-ordered some of the clips and added a section on digital composition/matte painting after I decided against it before. I tried to input some stereotyping ideas in as well. I'm still struggling with visualising the ideas of semiotics as in I cant really put my own style on it.

Using the rose example from Will's lecture seems the only way but I cant think of a way to explain the idea without using text sign, signified and signifier.

Using Will's method My media project is now done. I Think I have covered most aspects of the Visual Communication Module that had the most impact on me and the relevance to film and my course MTP.

I have enjoyed creating this project and the time spent on it. I will review and showcase the final product in blog 20. I think that reviewing the module and creating this film have cemented the main ideas in my brain.

Moving on with my remaining blogs I will try a few drafts of my essay for coursework 2 and tidy up some of the ideas I haven't got round to talking about, but for now and with a week left and the amount of time spent on the media product, I think I deserve some time off to shoot people online.

Media Project - Stage Five

Thinking about this section, I went back to the beginning of the module and decided to include some of the Theory text. Using the YouTube clips posted on Blackboard, I downloaded the video 'ways of seeing' part 4. I captured this video and used it in the new section, with text explaining the context. I also found images of Roland Barthes and Walther Benjamin. After arranging them using various framing conventions and creating the zoom effect with the camera, after watching the video through I also thought I should expand the Anchorage section.

I also added a lighting section which is incomplete at this stage. I used Caravaggio's supper at Emmaus, which I masked out the background and added a simple background. Using After Effects lights, I tried to get the shadow of the figures to cast on the simple background. I think while the effect is good, it is still lacking something. (see last posting for a link to the video)

Thinking ahead I think I have a few sections left. Must do a semiotics section, I'm thinking of leaving out Matte paintings as that did not really feature within the main module frame work, but It may depend on the length of the film piece. I'm aiming for 2 Min's or there abouts.

I am still wanting to expand on the perspective section, using a layered approach like in the Game titles. I maybe could cut up an Escher like false perspective thing. I will have to look into that and do some research.

Media Project - Stage Four

I'm half thinking that once again I have given myself too much work to do. The thing is, is that I'm enjoying making it. Using a lot of tutorial knowledge I have accumulated over the last few years, I finally have chance to use it.

So my next section was going to be Anchorage. I started out looking over my blog and decided to use the same images of the picture of the explosion by Goran Tomasevic and how the different newspapers used it to report different things.

Taking the image I duplicated it and then cut the 'cloud' part away from the foreground. I further cut the cloud down into different parts so I could animate them separately.  So as the camera arrives at the image it is animating out, and I put in a camera flash and sound. Overlaying the different Newspaper heading and Text it shows the difference.

I also think I have to expand each section, to 2 item maybe. So I have put the image Will used from his anchorage lecture, and animated different word appearing on it.

I'm also thinking of doing a semiotics section, expanding the perspective section, a Light and dark  painting section and a section for the 3 main texts for the module.

I have also found some music I like to put over the video, but music and divide people. Different tastes can put people off so I may try and find some neutral music also.

Anyhoo as usual progress so far is posted below.

Media Project - Stage 3

Stage 3 of my media product and I wanted to link the intro to my Review movie to starting to Visualise some of the key parts of the module. I remembered that a website http://www.wordle.net/ can create a visual word cloud by entering a url or paste some text. I create a word montage using my blog website as the base, and created the following.

Using this as a base, I thought id use the 3d camera to zoom into the word 'Thirds' then zoom out visualise the 'Rule of Thirds'. To demonstrate this, I re-used the Cezanne painting from our previous lecture and blog, and decided to actually split the painting into the rule of thirds spacing.

Thinking ahead, I decided that I would zoom on through split image and move on to Perspective. Having free styled this project, I came across a bit of a creative block on how to present perspective. I thought I would use the same images from my blog again, but how to visualise 1 point perspective drew issues.

After a few experiments, I drew various masks over the painting and cut it into concentric squares. Moving each section on the z axis, gives depth effect to the painting further illustrating  1 point perspective.

So section 2 is now finished and I will have to think on what other illustrations I wish to present. Top of my list so far is Anchorage and using some of the Ways of seeing footage.

See below for a link to section 2.

and a combination of stages 2 and 3 with a few sound effects.

Media Project - Second stage

So I decided to make a start on my media project. Not having too much of an idea of what I wanted to make, I thought it would be appropriate for a Visual Communication sequence to follow the main threads of my blogs. I decided to start the sequence within an art Gallery, so using texture images of Bricks and a wooden floor, I started to build my first set in After affects.

(so using the elements above, I created the 3d room below)

I re-used some of the images from my blog and placed them on the walls to form a virtual Art gallery. I thought id use the Mona lisa as the first image the camera would zoom into. Thinking back to my blogs on lighting and contrast, I tried to light the room in a contrasting way by adding 2 spot lights focussed on each image, and brought the ambient lighting down.

Seeing that my inital set was contructed, I set about creating the main intro text. I used an online tutorial to create a 3d glowing text effect with reflection, to be placed at the start of the film.

Using a suitable position to start the camera in, I lowered the lighting of the entire set, then used a camera movement to fly from the start position to ending on a close zoom of the mona lisa.

Below is a link to the 1st attempt. (poor quality version because I skimpt on render time.)

I think it needs some sound effects and maybe slowed down a little.

So scene one is in the can, It took approx 4 hours to make, and I think im quite happy with the result.
For the next sequence, im thinking of showing the Cezanne painting and the rule of thirds by virtually slicing the painting into thirds with maybe text or some choice words for anchorage.

Anchorage

I have touched on already the manipulation of an image to convey a meaning or mood a little before, but having just read up on Roland Barthes Rhetoric of the image it re-enforced and added greatly to what I was aiming for before.

I noted that Anchorage plays quite an important part role in today's society, weaving its self through newspapers, news reports and advertising. The basics are, adding a caption, word or line of text to show meaning. Its a simple trick, but once text has been implemented to an image, it is hard to unconnect the forced meaning.

I searched through this months front pages of the main newspapers/tabloids to find examples of where one image has been laced with different meaning and came across a recent example.

Daily mail has a clear message, where as...

the Scotsman disagrees, and ..

the mirror goes for the sensational.

So the same image is shown three times, and each has a different way of shaping opinion. I personally don't read any newspapers any more because I don't want to have my opinion shaped by anyone.

News papers are not the only ones to sensationalise events. I discussed in one of the seminar how moving images can be used totally out of context to make a completely different story. I'm a big fan of Charlie Brooker's views on TV and the media and below is a clip showing media coverage of the Haiti earthquake back in 2010. Around 2mins 30 he explains how disconnection between the footage and the narration is the main cause of misunderstanding the context of the actual story.

So this post may have turned into a bit of a rant, but I like to form my own ideas and thoughts on issues, take up some time to analyse all points of view then arrive at a decision. I do understand why and how anchorage is used but it is something I disagree with if using it with intent to create falsehoods. The image is innocent in all of this, just a re-interperation of an event that happened, although as said before in this age you have to question everything, research, and not take the 'hollywood' mode of history where things are shown more for the sensational effect rather than factual.

lighting in movement

While searching the t'internet about the links between paintings and film lighting, I stumbled across an article from the film industry network here. It's an interesting read where it talks about Cinematography (literary translated as 'lighting in movement')


The main focus of my interest laid with this quote.


The Influence of Rembrandt : For cinematographer like me, as well as generations of art lovers, Rembrandt is the acknowledged master of light and shadow. His chiaroscuro technique has influenced some of the most important light-cameramen in cinema history. In her study of the relationship between painting and the cinema, ‘Moving Pictures’, Rajiv Jain argues that without the paintings of the 17th century Dutch master, many of the masterpieces of the cinema would not have been possible.

I had discussed in our seminars the influence of Caravaggio's high contrast painting style between light and dark and it seems that there are other influences  as well. I thought id look into a few Rembrandt paintings.

Obvious attention has been paid to light sources and shadow but I still prefer Caravaggio and seeing as he was around before Rembrandt, Caravaggio wins. 


Looking into the role of Cinematographer, or Director or photography, does seem like a modern day painter, so many things to think about. They shape the whole look, feel and mood of the film using colour and lighting.

I had to leave this post and sleep on it for a while as I ran out of things to write about and didn't just want to re-hash bits of the article. All I can expand on is that lighting is not an area I have really given much consideration to, which I see now was a short coming on my part. I have always thought that even now where digital manipulation and special effects are mainstream, it would be foolish to forget that sometimes its the things that you cant see, that are only hinted at and left for our imaginations to fill in the blanks are important. Use of light of what you reveal to the viewer is very important and a device that horror movies have used for years.

Semiotics

Ok, so I'm finally going to tackle the topic of Semiotics in a mostly text form where I'm trying to explain to myself.

So what is Semiotics all about?

Using Will's lecture notes, Semiotics was first defined by Ferdinand de Saussure as ' a science that studies the life of signs within society' back in 1916. So what does that all mean for us.

Well the sign is broken down further into two parts, the signifier and the signified. The example we were given was a rose. The signifier (Rose) signifies the meaning of Love.

So how did a rose come to mean love? It does tie in with my earlier post about stereotyping, as this is one of the earliest symbols to pertain love. It has appeared in numerous paintings, poems and films. I must say, I do fight this symbol as my association with roses are somewhat different, thinking of pain. Is this because I was once hurt by love or more to do with the fact I fell into a rose bush and it hurt like hell? (I suppose nowadays an Apple is a sign of ones cool-ness if iPhone would have you believe.)

The rose is an Arbitrary sign as no actual link is present between a plant and an emotion, but instead built up through repetition and we are taught the link through images gone by and commercial greed which is Valentines day. (I really don't get Valentines day and a quick wiki search suggests that there is no real St.Valentine as many as 13 are disputed and it did not exist until Geoffrey Chaucer's Parliament of Foules was written about made up traditions.)

Anyway, Iconic signs are obviously different, as in they actually have that natural link such as a Crown is actually linked to Power, rule etc. Or Blackpool Tower is an iconic sign of Blackpool.

I suppose it more on the side of Arbitrary signs that most Stereotyping is rooted in. Watching QI on TV regularly debunks these common misconceptions. A quick example I can think of is that the idea of Napoleon Bonaparte being a small man is entirely false. He was 5"7 which was average height for the time a full 2 and a half inches taller than Nelson. Many images from the British press depicted him as small to lessen his power at the time. (See Below)

From one image a myth is born, which is very showing in today's age. Political Correctness is dominant with wars nearly started with disparaging depictions of religious figures, so now you have to be extremely careful in the images and words you publish.

Looking forward, I wonder if its possible in the age of Brands and Brand management to create an arbitrary symbol that has no meaning and construct in an Emperors new clothes type of way, something that everybody recognised but did not understand what it is.

Media Project - first thoughts.

For the second part of this coursework we have to create a 'media product' . So far I am putting ideas together and I am currently torn. I discussed with my lecturer the possibility of creating a storyboard for a short film sequence, reflecting on what I have learned in the module  and implementing it into the storyboard.

So set on that idea I was starting to formulate a plan of attack, and in some rare free time started to play a new PC game Called Dragon Age 2. I was inspired by the stylised cut scenes that told the story of the hero.  (see below)

Now I am thinking if I could do something similar, a story based version of what I have learned in this style. Giving an overview of either the main points of this module or some of the thoughts I have constructed, coupled with some of the images I have already used.

I have already thought how I could link one image to another by zooming the camera through one painting into another, dodging though either text or quotes from the module.  I could use it as a review of the visual communication module or a 'Promo' style movie image.

Using a combination of Photoshop and my previous after effects knowledge, I think it could be really well done and I am already excited about what it could look like. It would be an extention of my previous blog with the matte painting and motion with the train.

I think the first step should be to draft the concept, ideas and images I want to present and how I could mechanically link this ideas using a visual form.

Using Artwork in films

After some time looking at still images and paintings, I tried to see the relevance in my area of interest, namely film. Remembering  a star wars exhibition I attended years ago at the Media Museum, I saw many matte paintings used as backdrops in the original films and recall how beautiful they were as standalone works of art.

Original matte painting from IML on glass.

A quick search on the internet brought up another artist called Dylan Cole, who has done matte paintings for lord of the and The Chronicles of Riddick and are stunning works of Art. (see below)

It is easy to forget that while paintings are a more traditional medium, their relevance stretches throughout all others. Advertising, newspapers and moving images all conform to similar conventions of paintings, (rule of thirds, composition, lighting and so on).

In this age of digital manipulation the viewer of films and images cannot be sure that what they are viewing is actually the original image. The old saying 'seeing is believing' is harder to qualify these days.

Here is a before and after image from Frederic St-Arnaud for work on the film Wind in the Willows.

Only the middle section of the house remains, but re-textured and rebuilt using other image components.

Using another of Frederic's images

I thought I'd try and compose my own version of this train scene using different image components within after effects and add a little motion.

(my rough attempt)

After a lecture from Will Godfrey about form and structure, I wanted to research a little deeper about Ritual Condensation. Using different framing and symbolism, the images shown to a person can shape how the viewer interprets them.

The image that Will used was this one.

Using what we can see and what we already know, assumptions are made about what is happening in this still frame.

People generally see the character wearing black as the bad guy. The camera position is close to the ground looking up at the 'bad' guy which also creates a feeling of intimidation. Our subconscious pieces this altogether in an instant automatically after years of stereotyping through film imagery, and photography.

If you remove the stereotyping and look at the image in its simplest terms, it looks like the guy in white is about to shoot the guy in black in the back, which in this instant make the guy in black the victim rather than the bad guy.

While thinking of possible short films or sequences, I constantly think of playing with these set image 'Rules' and turning them around.

A short example of how sometimes not conforming does add different moods is good old Star Wars.

Here Luke Skywalker (forward figure in white) is shown as the hero, dressed in white. Using white again shows many stereotype meanings, Innocent, pure etc.

In this image,

Luke is wearing all Black. At face value, it is hard to decide who is being presented as the bad guy. They are all wearing similar tones. Is this signifying that Luke has joined them, he is conflicted whether to be good or evil, or just that he has lost his innocence that he had in the previous films? Or could it just be that wearing Black is cooler that white?

So where do these stereotypes come from? Well I’m glad you asked because semiotics will be given its own blog post.

Perspective

My last lecture featured a lot of images explaining perspective. This reminded me of an Art lesson many years ago when I was still at school when we were shown the painting below.

The Battle of San Romano probably about 1438-40, Paolo Uccello

This painting was one of the earliest examples of One point perspective using the lances and body of the soldier in the foreground. This was an early experiment of creating depth and presenting a 2d image as 3d to the viewer.

Different techniques can be employed to present an image which is flat to appear more like something we would see ourselves. Moving on from the above 1 point perspective came 2 point perspective.

2 point perspective also gives depth and as we the viewer recognises the lines shown, we interpret this as depth, accepting that objects get smaller the further away they are from the foreground.

Knowing how a viewer 'sees' and how images are interpreted by the viewer, artists can manipulate and confuse the viewer by breaking these conventional 'laws'.

The most famous artist to play with perspective laws was Escher, who must have studied perspective intensively.  Below is an example of his endless stairs.

Although he did toy with his false perspective, he did produce some exquisite studied works such as the hand with reflective Sphere which I do think is amazing.

On reflection, I'm starting to re address my previous ideas on Art. In today's time, images are everywhere. We are constantly bombarded by images in newspapers, TV, posters and online, and I used to take everything at face value. Actually 'Seeing' an image is totally different from viewing an image.

Deciphering what the Artist is trying to show you, the rules of form and the subtleties of manipulation is 'absorbing' the image, where previously I just classified the images I saw instead.

Composition

Following on from one of our previous lectures about composition and form, I thought I would analsye some paintings and apply some of the theories to them.

In this lecture we were shown this picture.

This painting conforms to the 'Rule of Thirds'  (nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines) shown below.

The image is separated by the foreground (forest), the subject matter (buildings) and the background (mountains). Other separations are present though, namely the tones and colours used in each section. The foreground uses dark tones, subject warmer colours and background uses washed out blues and colder tones. The eye is drawn to the subject matter.

One of the posted clips on blackboard Ways of Seeing, had a painting by Caravaggio. I remembered a recent documentary I watch about his life, and started to look on the Internet at other Paintings by him.
I started to notice a pattern in his works.

He uses diagonal right angle lines a lot in his work to construct a subtle impression of symmetry.
(Update: further research shows that I stumbled upon a form technique called the 'Golden Triangle/Ratio' which would take another blog in its self to explain. Interesting though.)

(this painting always made me feel uncomfortable, mostly that due to the fact I thought the fruit bowl would be falling off the table at any moment. Im guessing that its a symbol for the precariousness of the life of Jesus at that time)

Caravaggio uses light and dark contrast to bring his subject matter to the front of view, hiding most of the background in darkness. Some may say that that reflected his life style, but I would say it just provides a striking, sharp, beautiful but always sinister mood to all of his Art.

Visual Communication - The Beginning.

This is Post one of twenty, in a series of blogs connected to Visual Communication. In these posts I will be investigating the theories and various ideas connected to Imagery, semiotics and composition. Using material from my module lectures, reading lists and my own research, I will be composing my thoughts within these pages.

Firstly, Using the reading lists I shall start to understand some of the established theories, and hopefully find some examples to either back them up or give evidence of my own thoughts.

So, I have just finished reading and watching extracts from Ways of Seeing by John Berger. There were many ideas to think about from just this small amount of material. What connected with me the most was how original works of Art, or Original images can be manipulated through either editing, taking smaller sections out of context or application of other media such as sounds / music.

  

In this clip,Berger toys with this theory of how various works can be manipulated to 2 different moods, using a Caravaggio painting of Christ. Using 2 different music scores, 2 different stories are presented.

This prompted me to experiement with this idea and create the video below.

Using this painting (John Everett Millias' Ophilia), I created 2 clips using different portions of the image, set to 2 different pieces of music.

For the 1st video I brightened the image and used music with a warm feel.

In the 2nd clip I darkened the image to give a more somber feel and also added more sombre music. This time allowing the viewer to see the body of Ophilia in the water.