Evaluation (CM)

PHVP 3412 Creative Professional Practice

Hannah Thorpe

P0925888X

06/01/2014

Converging Media Assignment: Evaluation

The aim was to create a multi-media, audio-visual piece. To use the combination of still images in video format, including our own soundtrack. I chose to create a fictional piece through the medium of photo-narrative. The story I aimed to create would follow a young, mistreated mannequin, alone in the streets. My intention was to draw in the audience with a strange tale, whilst leading them to connect and sympathise with the characters and the world they live in. The story ought to give some resolution, but in this unfair world I wanted to keep to some realism – that suffering and loneliness is a forever-continual event. So the story may finish off for some characters, but it continues for others in a circle.

My inspiration drew from an existing photo narrative, Cardboard Box Head, created by Richard Ventielcke. I knew, when choosing to create a fictional piece, that I wanted to go at it from a bizarre angle, so naturally I thought back to this video I have previously seen. Much of his work focuses on the use of shadows, light and night photography –this I incorporated into my own work, focusing on the light setting the mood. In terms of framing and planning shots, much of my work is inspired from current cinematic mechanisms – of which prove especially helpful when immersing with the character. One example being, capturing lower shots at the same height as the mannequin, so the audience is at the same view point, leading to empathy.

What I learnt from creating this piece was that creating multi-media work requires much more planning – planning the story, specific shots, lighting and mood - and in doing such speeds along the creative process. For the most part, I stuck to my shooting schedule, leaving myself plenty of time in the editing process to think over pacing. Of which, is another very important component to narrative video-making. Storyline is the backbone to any plot, and if one leads nowhere, has a weak resolution or follows weak or unrealistic characters – the viewers attention is soon lost. 

I feel very pleased with the outcome, feeling especially successful with character empathy and plot, creating an effective looping storyline towards the end of the piece. In terms of fulfilling the brief, I also feel pleased with the result. The chosen audio, rather than duplicate the imagery, compliments the visuals as well as the very pacing of the video. The soundtrack holds a steady rhythm with 3:4 timing, yet the smooth hypnotic vocals keeps the music mellow and slurred – complimenting this surreal story of re-animated mannequins. However, I did find difficultly in effectively inputting my own recorded audio, without it overpowering the soundtrack. After trying to layer purely just externally recorded sounds without the music, although creating an effective eerie soundtrack it still felt lacking in pace or rhythm that an actual music piece would give. I decided to compromise in keeping the music soundtrack and adding in small sound-bites instead, to keep to the brief of including recorded sound. However, I personally feel the video is better without additional sound-bites, the audio being too ‘messy’ which draws too much attention away from the narrative.

If I were to re-do a project similar to this, I would take focus and challenge myself into recording more original audio pieces. Although I do not specialise in the creation of soundtracks, especially using digital software, I feel it is more so becoming a necessity to diversify our skills as image and video makers, becoming more self-reliant and employable.