Final Video

Click to Play

 

Stop-motion Animation

Click to Play

 

abstract video

Click to Play

 

Theme Sound

Click to Play

 

Abstract sound

Click to Play

 

Environmental Sound

Click to Play

 

Final Reflection.

1) What is the most surprising thing you learned about yourself,
whether it is a new interest or an old interest made new, this semester?

I discovered that I love working with video. I have had no prior experience, and surprised myself in how much I liked it. I especially liked working with the still pictures and coordinating them with the abstract sound pieces. The ambiguous sounds left the doors wide open for interpretation. I felt that the video pieces we worked on were a great creative outlet for me amidst the other very structured foundation courses of freshman year.

2) Write a short narrative of where you began in Time Arts, the
conflicts you faced, and how you resolved them.

At the beginning of the semester, I was unsure of my abilities pertaining to both audio and video pieces. After viewing and listening to some student examples on the first day, I was a little nervous. I thought that these examples were way above my abilities; however, I have discovered that I am able to rise to the occasion and figure things out. Time Arts has posed a challenge that I have willingly accepted and enjoyed, and it has helped my time management skills greatly. I quickly learned that procrastination is not an option for this class because a disappointing piece was sure to follow. I resolved this time issue by starting to work on the next assignment that Thursday night. This helped me remind myself to not put it off all weekend, and also allowed me to have more time to go back and rework details throughout the week. 

3) What 3 time arts concepts (think of our formal vocabulary
like pitch, tone, constancy, variation...) are most apparent in your final
video?

Graphical editing: "making transitions through attentions to patterns of light and dark."

This editing concept is the main focus of my final video. I have decided to get rid of the geometric aspects that I had in my rough draft video and focus primarily on creating smooth and interesting transitions between scenes. 

Constancy/variation: "same vs. different."

Constancy versus variation is present in my video through the natural shots of the outdoors on a windy day and the ambiguous snow globe that I use for various transitions. The outdoor shots are easily recognizable, while the close-ups of the snow globe may leave the viewer unsure of what they just saw. 

I have also utilized "rhythmical editing" (making transitions through attention to rhythms, pace, beat, and tempo) in my final video. The sound piece that I have created changes tempo with the corresponding image. 

4) What was the most challenging assignment for you? In what
ways did that assignment challenge you?

The most challenging assignment for me was undoubtedly the final project. This was simply because I was at the mercy of the weather. I had originally planned on making a completely snow-focused video, and thought that this would be easily completed in December. However, Syracuse has surprised me. Although I am still in the process of figuring out my final project, it is challenging me in ways that I would not have been challenged if the weather had cooperated. I am looking at this situation as a valuable learning experience. I am now being forced to work with the footage of a windy day I caught at home over Thanksgiving break. I still wanted to incorporate the idea of snow, which is where some extra creative thinking became involved. I had the idea of doing my project solely on the collection of snow globes that my mom always takes out after Thanksgiving. After looking at these, I decided that too many had a strong Christmas theme; I did not want the focus of my movie to be on Santa Claus. I finally came up with the idea of making my own snow globe out of a salsa can and glitter, which played with the sun beautifully when I filmed it on camera. Although I am unsure if my audience is able to tell what this makeshift snow globe is, it is a good contrast in its ambiguity next to the nature shots I filmed. These challenges have forced me to come up with many different solutions, and this whole project has been very hard for me to plan out. However, I feel as though I have learned a lot, and I am hoping that my final project will have a good outcome. 

5) What assignment came most naturally to you? Why?

The assignment that came most naturally to me was the abstract video piece. I am a naturally rhythmic person, and really enjoyed creating a video that focused on this aspect. The sound piece I chose to go along with my video was very rhythmical and a lot of fun to work with. I love manipulating pictures, and had a lot of fun with the different effects. I find that when I really enjoy something it comes very naturally to me. My abstract video is still my favorite project we have completed. 

6) What does your analysis of challenges and natural
inclinations tell you about your future educational path, and/or your career
choices? 

I am honestly unsure at this point if these natural inclinations I have discovered will benefit me in studying interior design. I know that this major uses the computer a lot in putting together interiors, and the knowledge I gained this semester about my computer will benefit me greatly in my future courses. I also discovered that I am a good problem solver, which would be beneficial in any major. 

7) What have you learned about your creative process? 

I have learned that I am able to stretch my creative skills in ways I did not before think possible. I have always been a hands-on type of artist, and had never worked with a computer other than a rather pointless graphic design class. As I stated above, I was a little nervous about this class and if I would be able to adapt to my computer. I had just bought my Mac a few weeks before, and had no idea how to use it. This class helped me become much more familiar with my computer, and made me interested in looking into other computer-related art and design classes. 

8) Have you learned anything about facilitating and
participating in a creative group?

Participation is key in a creative group. The whole point of groups in these art and design classes is to converse with one another. Exchanging ideas with others helps the creative process by coming up with new ideas, solutions, and opinions from different perspectives. It is also important to provide leadership while allowing others to do so as well. Strong creative personalities are essential in classes such as Time Arts. A group participant must be able to balance the group so that everyone gets a chance to express their ideas. These skills are essential in the art field.

Learning Reflection 12/3

What I learned in class today:

While in the group critique for my rough video, I learned that it is better to focus on one "theme", such as geometric patterns or transitions. At the moment, my video incorporates both of these components, and will be much stronger when I change the focus to only one. Class today made me realize that a narrow focus will allow me to delve into this project in more depth. As of right now, I am thinking that I will focus primarily on the transitions and playing with light in my final project. I received a lot of positive feedback on the beginning parts of the video from my peers, and I, too, like the transitions better than the geometric forms achieved by the mirror and n-square effects. 

Another valuable piece of information that I received in this crit is that I should create a subtle sound piece to go along with this video. I have started the sound part already, and have been keeping the sounds soft as to not distract from the visuals. However, it is good to have ideas reinforced in critique.

I think it is best for my video to concentrate on the natural colors created by the light rather than messing too much with the tempting color effects of iMovie. My theme is a very natural topic, so I should not attempt to put any neon colors or other types of effects in my project. I realized this today after looking at my peers' projects, and how the altering the color changes the mood of the video drastically. 

I realized today while looking at other people's projects that everyone's project is so drastically different. This always fascinates me with any type of art. I am looking forward to next week to see everyone's completed projects. 

"Film Reel" Response

This 1975 film by Ante Bozanich depicts a man sitting cross-legged in a corner, and reaching up to pull out film from a film reel out of our view.  This man does not appear to be aware of the camera recording his actions.  This is the best option for this video because if the man gave any of his attention to the camera, it would change his position that he holds constant through the entire movie. 

This film portrays the man as almost diligent in a way.  He holds the same upward-gazing position, and pulls the film from the reel constantly until it covers him completely.

The first thing I noticed about the video was that it was in black and white; the second was that the frame was upside down. This composition caused me to take a second glance in the beginning of the movie because I was unsure on what was going on. I also noticed that the man was slightly off center to the left of the frame. 

I like the subject of the video because I too have had fun pulling film out of a tape.  It made me smile when I realized what he was doing.  I also liked how the film was shot upside down; this made the piece much more abstract.  

I disliked the quality of the video; I was unsure whether the change in the contrast was intentional.  However, I realize that this was shot in 1975, and it could have simply been the technology. 

I think "Film Reel" would be classified as a straightforward documentary.  This is because one action is documented for the entirety of the movie.  The camera angle also made the film more complex. 

"Golden Gate Bridge Exposure" analysis

This video did not contain any people, but I need notice how abstract this piece was. The colors are originally sepia and earth tones, but eventually transition into abstract forms brighter colors. I also noticed that this piece did not contain any sound. This caught and held my attention from the beginning because the colors and shapes were more ambiguous. This is one aspect that I really liked about the video. The silence contrasted with everything else going on around me, and held my interest for the entire time. 

I think that the incorporation of simple abstract forms would have made the video more interesting in the beginning, but Kirby plays with the shade and speed of the colors during this time. 

"Golden Gate Bridge Exposure" is undoubtedly a color temperature-themed project. This same video

would have been dull if it was shown in only black and white. The color has the potential to peak the

interest of the viewer.

Learning Reflection 11/19

I definitely noticed the different camera angles that each person used in their videos. This makes me realize that camera angles add a lot to a film, and really help in relaying an idea or strengthening the story line. My camera angles were often looking up, so I am looking for change this a little to make my video more interesting. Suddenly changing the camera angle in a way that makes sense in the piece is something that can really strengthen a movie. 

I want to concentrate on formalism in my final project. I already have some footage that I know I will be able to use, such as the shot of the blinding sun through the bare branches of a tree. I need to continue this idea in filming the rest of my footage. I need to keep in mind the transitions that we learned about in the abstract video to keep my film flowing.

The most important thing that I learned in class today was how I need to budget my time. I need to do a lot of shooting over Thanksgiving break. I will be using my family's video camera for this. Unfortunately, I also learned that I will not be able to get my footage done before break for the 10% increase in my grade. This is because I want to wait until over break to see if I can wait for some snow for my film. 

"Video Weavings" Response

In this video, there aren't any people or objects that are aware of the viewer's presence. It simply consists of small rectangles of colors and how they move to form patterns. 

"Video Weaving" personifies color and pixelated computer-generated textiles. This is achieved by the movement of the colors into new patters and diamond shapes. 

I notice the rhythm and movement of this video. It almost makes me dizzy because the shapes are constantly moving, and the colors are always shifting. 

I like the many colors of this video, and how they create different shapes and color relations. Even though the squares themselves do not shift color, the speed and similar colors around them create the appearance of a gradual shift of color. 

I don't like how it makes my mind hurt after watching a little over a minute of it. It is almost too much at once. Perhaps slowing the movement down a little would allow my mind to adjust better, therefore letting me focus on the shapes for a longer time. 

I think that this movie displays color temperature. The colors tell the entire story of this video; it is the focus coupled with the shapes they make. The colors draw you into the piece, and force you to follow the shape as it shifts and disappears. 

Video Training

Name three techniques you can use when trying to shoot steady shots without a tripod.

Grip: the grip you use on the video camera can affect the amount of shaking in your video. It is important to securely place your right hand in the grip strap, and steady the camera with your left hand.  The left hand should be under the lens, where it has access to buttons to control the camera.

Stability: If you are standing, use a wide, secure stance and keep your elbows close into your body. If kneeling, use the raised knee as a resting place for your elbows. Use a solid, vertical surface to lean against to take the shot.

Lying down on the ground, using elbows as support is also useful. Use this for a low camera angle shot.

2.      How can you minimize camera shake when walking and taping?

Keep legs bent and your body low. Concentrate on a gliding-type of walking by setting down your feet softly. This is exactly the same for walking backwards. Crabbing: cross leg in front or behind; let the leg anchor before moving again. If sitting in something moving, use your knees as a resting place. Always support the camera when moving.

3. What camera movements mimic the way the eye moves? 

Panning: moving from right to left or left to right.

Tilting: moving it up or down. Camera movements are ideal when you cant include the entire object in one shot. Action sequences: marching or showing speeches. Always slowly pivot and move smoothly. Tilting:  hold static shot at beginning and end for about 3 seconds.

4.     Why is it important to consider how long you remain on a shot and how quickly you move the camera?

It is important to have static shots at the beginning and end of each shot to make sure that your shot flows smoothly.

5.      Give at least two examples of how they suggest you can avoid causing seasickness.

Do not use panning or tilting too often, or in quick succession. This could cause the audience to feel dizzy.

Also, do not pan and tilt in the same shot in order to cover everything. Break the action into more than one shot.

 

Extra Credit Questions:

6  How do they suggest you avoid lighting problems?

If it is dark, open up the aperture to take in more light. Do the opposite if it is too bright. Manual exposure will override automatic exposure. Always white-balance your camera. Interior lighting usually produces an orange tint, while daylight is usually blue.

 How is proximity used?

Proximity helps tell a story and get a point across. If something is closer to an object, the focus is shifted. This technique can be used to strengthen your video and making the focus even stronger. 

Raw Footage

Click to Play

Concept Brief

WEATHER: 

One of my ideas is to interview many different people on the subject of weather. This could involve a story, definition, or opinion.  I am interested in how people feel about different types of weather, and the affects of this on their moods and emotions.

Another idea I am considering is focusing solely on good weather; this is because the weather has been beautiful for the past week when I have been shooting. I have plenty of footage for fall trees, crisp, sunny days, and people walking around campus. However, I feel as though this angle would not be as interesting as my final idea.

My final project idea that I intend to pursue is analyzing the "bad weather" part of Syracuse. I was thinking of perhaps making this video into a somewhat abstract piece with an ongoing weather-related beat that corresponds to the video.  I want to incorporate small clips of nice weather throughout the movie, and change the sound accordingly.  This would show the contrast between the sunny fall days we have had for the past week, and the cold, snowy weather that is sure to come. 

My location so far has been the quad; however, I am hoping for snow over Thanksgiving break, so in that case, I plan to film at my house.

The quad:

I will be using the natural light outside for shooting long shots. There will be a variety of long, medium, and close-up shots. The close-ups will require an extra light source to bring out shadows.  I will be shooting at a high camera angle if I am able to capture snow falling.

If I decide to take the interview approach for this project, the permission of each of the people I interview would be necessary to get on tape. However, if I continue with this plan of shooting the landscape and different aspects of the weather, my focus would not be on any particular individual. Permits and permissions would not be necessary for this. 

My major issue at this point is not getting the weather I want. I have enjoyed this past week of wonderful fall weather; however, this came as no help when I went out with my video camera this week. I got some good shots of the sun through the bare branches of a tree, and I know that I will use that. The rest of the footage is very bright and colorful with the red leaves and bright blue sky; this will be useful if I decide to place these shots in my video to provide contrast. But my original final project idea was going to focus on snow. I am realizing now that I will most likely have to discard this idea as my main focus, but I am still holding out hope that the typical Syracuse November weather will pull through for me very soon. If the forecast does not show any sign of snow in the next week to week and a half, I will have to drastically change my video idea. A lot of my footage that I have already taken focuses on the sun through trees, and the different colors generated from this.  

Over the next few weeks, I am going to keep an eye out for snow in the forecast. I realize that I am unable to count on this at this point because the deadline is drawing closer. I am planning on using my own video camera when I go home for Thanksgiving break, and am planning on doing the majority of my remaining footage then. That means that I will have to adjust my focus of the video depending on the weather in the next week.

Learning Reflection 11/12

I had several issues uploading my videos from the video camera. The cable was not working, so I had to do this in the beginning of class. I learned how to successfully import my video directly from my video camera into iMovie. I was unsure how to use the particular camera that was given to me to import my film, but I eventually figured out how to use the different settings. After importing each separate clip into iMovie, switched the format to Quicktime full quality. This was done after dragging the clips into the bottom editing section of the screen. 

Troubleshooting was the main focus of class today. We learned that it was essential to uncheck the "Automatic DV Pillarboxing and Letterblocking" in the iMovie preferences in order to avoid the program crashing. This happened to several other people, and I was fortunate to catch this trick before I tried to compress my video. 

I also learned that lighting has an even more profound affect on video than I had realized before. I feel as though my movie in particular would have been rather weak if not for the drastic change in lighting that occurred over the five minute span. I had not realized the change to this degree until I watched the footage in full while I was uploading it to iMovie. I realized today that I want to focus more on the light contrast in respect to weather. I am hoping that it snows when I am shooting footage for my final theme video.

Question of the week:

Is it important to learn to make contemplative videos?

I think that contemplative videos can be very simple, but are essential to understanding film and its various aspects. Contemplative videos force you to open yours eyes to everything that is occurring around you, from the beauty of the natural objects that surround you every day, to the change in pace of the people on campus. I really loved this contemplative video project because it allowed me to build off of little things that I notice while walking around campus. 

BS-ing.

My theme is WEATHER. 

Homework Questions.

The Human Skateboard video utilizes interesting camera angles to catch the viewer's attention. The camera angle is from the level of the person personifying the skateboard looking up.  This angle is rarely used in commercials.  This angle makes the viewer look at the human skateboard directly, and makes it the focus. This focus, in turn, causes the viewer to listen more closely to the sounds because they relate directly to the position of the person on the ground.  If this commercial were shot from only one camera angle, it would not have been nearly as strong of a piece.  This is because there would have been less of a focus on the human skateboard, which is what makes the commercial so eye-catching. 

After watching the video "Moth" without sound for the first time, I could still tell what the clip was designed to be. However, the title of the video gave it away. But the way the clip moved was exactly like a moth, from the attraction to the light to the sudden flitting movements. Even the frog as the tape dispenser was easy to understand without sound. 

Watching the video with sound was easier to understand, although not essential. The sound gave more information about the wings and the speed of which they were moving.

"Acausal" refers to an event or situation that does not have a certain cause of effect. Two situations are put together that might not have anything to do with each other. Einstein's article defined this for me through the many examples of two separate situations described back to back. For example, the situation with the man who is depressed and without company, as well as the same man acting rude and antisocial. Although these events seem like they could be closely linked, it is impossible to tell with just the excerpts given. 

Learning Reflection 10/29

Today in class I learned how to create a stop motion video using the new iMovie.  These types of videos are created using many photographs taken with a digital camera and are placed sequentially, one after the other, to create the illusion of movement.  The length of each picture should be about .05-.10 seconds to keep the movie running smoothly. 

It is a good idea to import the photos into iMovie rather than dragging them.  Do this by going to File>import.  This is so that there photo settings are available for each picture. I found that if a picture was simply dropped into the photo library, the Ken Burns effect would automatically play; this setting has the option of being turned off when the pictures are actually imported.  Also, this allows for the adjustment of the time of each picture. 

ALWAYS SAVE and RESTART your computer if iMovie is crashing frequently.

While working with our stop motion videos, it is possible to record a story line or sounds right from iMovie. However, it is important to check the sound quality before proceeding.  This can be done by going to Desktop>Apple>Preferences. Click on Sound, and change the setting to internal, or built in, microphone. 

Speed.

1. How does Sacks describe conscious perception as it relates to frames?

Sacks states that conscious perception is not fluid as most would think it to be; in actuality, it is made up of many "discrete frames" that usually make up a movie.  These frames are then blended together to give us the smooth continuity that we think we experience. This means that smooth movement is actually an illusion.

2. How could you apply this concept to controlling the pace at which your viewer experiences your videos?

Using this frame method gives the artist a lot of control over the speed at which the viewer experiences the video.  Longer frames create the illusion that the image is moving slowly, while frames with images that change at a fast rate indicate a faster speed.  This technique will come in hand when working with stop-motion video.  The artist has so much control over the pace of the video through the rate of change in the pictures. 

3. What does the power of intense attention have to do with the rate at which we experience time? Give an example.

Intense attention slows down the duration of time of each individual frame.  This makes the experience seem as though it is occurring in slow motion.  This is what happens when athletes are "in the zone," or even when there are emergencies.  Intense concentration makes the person focus more on the individual frames. 

4. Does the description of the power of intense attention recall concepts of previous articles? Give an example.

The power of intense attention directly relates to article "Into the Zone."  This article described the type of meditative state that removes you from the stress and pressure of the situation at hand.  This is the type of concentration that slows down frames to create the illusion of time passing slowly.  

Learning Reflection 10/23

Three things I learned:

I learned yesterday in class that there are several steps to take when creating a video, or any work of art for that matter. The first is paying attention to details such as visuals and feelings. The second is accepting what unfolds as you work on your project. The third is rapid cognition, or letting thoughts and feelings develop naturally. The fourth is nurture; this means that it is important to accept your project and move forward without harsh judgment or goal orientation. The last step is to create action, or moving forward based entirely on what is offered.

Another thing I learned in class was that it is important to have a graphical focal point, as well as high contrast. Having a smooth transition between pictures in an abstract video is essential. This can be achieved by having similar shapes in each picture.

there are five different things to keep in mind while editing an abstract video. 

1. Relating sounds and images.

2. Having a focal point.

3. Having high contrast.

4. Syncopation/ Asyncopation.

5. Take risks. 

Transition Slides.

The beginning and ending image are very different from one another; although both are abstract, the first one is a human figure, and the last almost looks like the inside of a computer. In between these two shots, there is a picture of a group of clansmen on horseback. Transitioning from the first picture to the last picture would be very difficult without this common ground picture in between them. This way, each picture has a relation to the other, and the transition is smoother and more interesting. The playing with the abstract shapes and lines are also a good transition technique because it is easier to incorporate a little of the next picture at a time so the shift is more gradual. 

DJ Spooky

DJ Spooky treats his visual projects like any artist would treat their artwork. He looks at every transition between images, and is interested in the relationships between people. In the interview, he states that any kind of interaction is some kind of relationship. He gives the example of the conversation that he is having with the interviewer right then, and says that this interaction could be symbolized as a line between the two people in one of his pieces. He deals with abstract forms and subjects that catch people's attention, such as the KKK in his "Rebirth of a Nation."

Repetition of certain images gets the point across in DJ Spooky's works. These images include the member of the KKK on horseback, waving. This image is disturbing because it is in slow motion, and makes me think of the gesture as calm, confident, and regal.

 Squares, triangles, and boxes often symbolize relationships and communication between people in his works. This is a very abstract way of telling a story and focusing the attention of the viewer to a certain situation on the screen.

 Transitions are very important between sounds when creating a sound piece.  Ambient noises keep a constant background, which could relate to the themes of each of DJ Spooky’s pieces.  The theme holds the video piece together as the ambient sounds create a solid ground for the other noises to work off from.

 DJ Spooky’s goal of this film was to highlight the issues of race in the past, as well as remake a very controversial film into something that people can relate to today.  This relation is created through the use of abstract forms and transitions, as well as the synchronization of the parts of the motion picture to a mixed beat. Many of the “blacks” in the film are white people in blackface in the original film, and Spooky uses these clips in his movie to show the relationship between the two races.  Upper class white families sit around and laugh at people in blackface putting on a clown-like show.  DJ Spooky shows the relationships between people by encircling them with eye-catching geometric forms. Lines such as these draw the eye to what DJ Spooky wants the observer to focus on.  In this way, we have been subjected to exactly what he wants us to see because he controls where our eye lands.  This is the case of any type of creative piece: the artist has the power to convey an idea and control, to a certain extent, what the observer takes away from the piece.  DJ Spooky also uses the negative effect to flip the skin color of the plantation owner and the slaves picking the cotton.  He wants people to be unsure of the media environment around them.  He achieves this by creating an abstract film on a controversial subject based off of one of the most controversial movies ever created.  Many still images in the film are disturbing; these pictures have the potential to hit close to home for anyone no matter the background.  These images are so unsettling because it is uncomfortable to imagine the atrocities human beings are willing and capable of doing. 

Learning Reflection 10/15

I learned the meaning of "graphical editing" today in class. This term means "making transitions through attentions to patterns of light and dark." This is used in video for transitions between two different images. 

I re-learned the importance of "constancy and variation" in Time Arts pieces. This means "same vs. different. Transitions are a great way to achieve this important aspect. Constancy and variation make a piece more interesting.

I also learned the term "rhythmical editing." This means "making transitions through attention to rhythms, pace, beat, and tempo."

Video

Theme Sound

Click to Play

Learning Styles

Three things I can do to learn better:

Based on the results of the test, I am primarily a visual and sequential learner. To help me study, I should draw diagrams and pictures that help me relate to the material. It is also beneficial to me to learn things in chronological order, so skipping around while trying to learn or study would be detrimental. I am also an active learner, so it is good to participate and so activities that relate to the situation being discussed. 

Learning Reflection 10/8

I learned that there are several different types of sounds pieces: environmental sound, a documentary, abstract sound (montage), and narrative. Narrative has several different types. These types are linear (with an intro, climax, and conclusion), a circular narrative (begins and ends in the same place), and non linear (which often relies on list structure).

I also learned that every person has a different style when creating an abstract piece. Although this occurs with any type of art, I still found it very interesting. Each piece said something about that individual.

While editing my theme sound piece, I found it very helpful to just throw sounds into sound studio and start editing. I was unsure on where to start when I first sat down, but placing several sounds randomly turned out to be a great introduction to my piece. I now have a good idea for what I want the whole piece to sound like. 

Zone

What is the zone?

The zone is a type of meditative state that removes you from the stress and pressure of the situation at hand and allows you to imagine yourself being successful. It is an intense state of focus. The zone if often utilized in sports and the use of creativity.

How can you enter the zone?

The zone can be entered by developing "mental toughness." This toughness can be achieved by taking yourself out of the moment, and imagining completely the task at hand. This "in the zone" technique is most often used in sports. Many competitive big-league sports teams hire a sports psychologist to help the team get in the zone.

Have you ever experienced it?

I have experienced the zone in a few different instances. One is playing volleyball. I have a ritual, similar to the ones described in the article, before i serve the volleyball in a match. I must breathe consistently and bounce the ball at least 3 times, spin it in my hands, and toss. This ritual allows me to focus on my placement of the ball. I also "enter the zone" when I paint. this only happens in a quiet environment, but when it does happen I do not notice anything else going on around me. I wish I could enter the zone when doing homework.

How does this concept of the zone relate to our current assignment?

I want to create a soundscape that allows people to enter the zone. I want to make my theme sound something that you can dive in and listen to, and just let the sounds take over your mind for a couple of minutes. I have listened to other works that allow me to do this, and I always think of them as very successful pieces. 

Learning Reflection 9/29

Three things I learned: 

I learned that I have even more options when it comes to making an audio recording with the theme of weather. I knew I had many before; however, I had not thought of putting words into my audio to describe weather and people's emotions.

Recording interviews with people about weather would be a great aspect for my video piece. I could just use the audio.

I also learned more about other people and their topics. A topic says a lot about a person, and it was interesting to hear what everyone had to say about their theme and why they chose it.

How I Will Begin. 9/29

I have already started recording sounds, such as rain from the gutter and thunder. I plan on going out as soon as possible to record winds. I want to record a nice day, also, because a nice day has laughter, voices, and other sounds such as birds outside.

Weather is very important. It controls what we decide to do in our day. Rainy, gray days can cause sadness and loss of energy. Snowstorms don't allow people to go outside. Nice, sunny days can cause a person to feel happy. I want to investigate the words that are associated with different types of weather and how they make people feel.

I plan on recording stories and people saying weather-related words and emotions. I want to record the sound of snow because it is a crisp, silent sound. I am hoping that I can film snowfall and the sounds associated with it for my video. 

I am thinking of doing weather related poetry with words integrated into the sounds of different types of weather phenomenon. 

Learning Reflection 9/24

I learned several vocabulary terms that will help in the layering and editing of my abstract sound piece. Tone is electrically generated. Pitch is the highness or the lowness of a sound. Rhythm is the repetition of a recognizable beat. 

Ambiguity is not something to shy away from in an abstract piece. Unlike the environmental soundscape piece, this new project does not need to have a definite location that can be described in detail.

It is important to try and focus on one side of the scale. This way, the abstract piece would not fall in the center in between rhythm and pitch/timbre/tone. 

Learning Reflection 9/16

Yesterday in class, I learned that ambient sounds are very important to an environmental soundscape piece. After looking through my collection of recordings, I discovered that they are the key elements that were missing. I plan to go out this weekend and record background sounds to make my piece a lot stronger.

I also learned how to use Sound Studio. Several shortcuts make the cutting and pasting very easy and quick. 

By pooling all of our sounds together, we can create a diverse sound library that we can select from. I really like this idea of community sounds, because others have different visions from me.