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)
11 Apr 2011
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.
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,
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.
10 Apr 2011
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.
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.
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.
8 Apr 2011
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,
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 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.
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.
3 Apr 2011
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.
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.
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