Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Also--I've just added links to two archives for downloading film and still photos. The first is Prelinger Archive--lots of educational films from 40s and 50s--everything from atomic tests to what color to dye your hair--all public domain and waiting for you to collage into a found-footage project. And the Library of Congress, which has enough historical still photos to create your own Ken Burns-style Americana mockumentary. Enjoy.
Recently assigned projects: 1) Short (2 min) "Story You've Never Told Before." Screened Monday 17 May. 2) 3 min. Beginning/ Middle/ End Project--Video should have beginning middle and end of three different stories. Test Screening (rough 2 min segments) Wednesday 19 May--look for feedback. All production done by Thurs 20 May, so we can begin editing.
Today: Screened a few more "Never-told-before" videos, discussed ways to strategize visual aspects of projects (storyboards, overshooting). Discussed potential problems with sound capture and how to avoid (use no sound, use external mikes, re-record sound) and importance of headphones to monitor sound that's actually being recorded. Screened "Box" from last summer and introduced class collaboration to start Thurs.
Friday: Trip to Spokane (Gary Hill) is on--we will leave at beginning of class.
Today: Screened a few more "Never-told-before" videos, discussed ways to strategize visual aspects of projects (storyboards, overshooting). Discussed potential problems with sound capture and how to avoid (use no sound, use external mikes, re-record sound) and importance of headphones to monitor sound that's actually being recorded. Screened "Box" from last summer and introduced class collaboration to start Thurs.
Friday: Trip to Spokane (Gary Hill) is on--we will leave at beginning of class.
Thursday, May 13, 2004
First Post for Summer 04 Class: Assignments so far.
1) Tuesday, 11 May. Video Portrait of the Self. 2 min. maximum length. Create some sort of self-portrait without using a direct image of your body. We will screen these Wednesday, 12 May.
2) Wednesday, 12 May. Typology. 2 min. length. Use camera to collect 60 examples of a "type" (type of object, color, mood, etc, etc). This averages out to 2 sec. per example. Think about composition of each shot, and how an audience will relate to the video (for example, do we "get it" right away, or is figuring out the "type" part of the experience. We will screen these Thursday, 13 May. Four "video points of view" introduced: 1st person ("I am doing this..." POV); 3d person ("He/She/They are doing this..." Mainstream narrative approach); 2d person ("You are being watched..." Surveillance mode); Impersonal point of view--Pure image.
3) Thursday, 13 May. 6 Cuts, 1 Subject (group project). 3 min. length. Working in randomly assigned groups of three, you will until Monday to make a video dealing with a single subject, composed of 7 unbroken takes (so, 6 cuts). Think about compositional strategies (centered, 'rule' of thirds, eccentric), whether shots are Long (Wide), Medium, Close-up, Extreme Close-up. Remember, video is NOT film--it conforms best to conventional moving-image aesthetics in CU and XCU--looks most "video-like" in Long Shot. Also consider camera motions--Zoom/Dolly; Pan/Track; Following/Moving with. Screening is Monday, 17 May. I will assign a short (2 min) individual project on Friday, also to be screened Monday.
1) Tuesday, 11 May. Video Portrait of the Self. 2 min. maximum length. Create some sort of self-portrait without using a direct image of your body. We will screen these Wednesday, 12 May.
2) Wednesday, 12 May. Typology. 2 min. length. Use camera to collect 60 examples of a "type" (type of object, color, mood, etc, etc). This averages out to 2 sec. per example. Think about composition of each shot, and how an audience will relate to the video (for example, do we "get it" right away, or is figuring out the "type" part of the experience. We will screen these Thursday, 13 May. Four "video points of view" introduced: 1st person ("I am doing this..." POV); 3d person ("He/She/They are doing this..." Mainstream narrative approach); 2d person ("You are being watched..." Surveillance mode); Impersonal point of view--Pure image.
3) Thursday, 13 May. 6 Cuts, 1 Subject (group project). 3 min. length. Working in randomly assigned groups of three, you will until Monday to make a video dealing with a single subject, composed of 7 unbroken takes (so, 6 cuts). Think about compositional strategies (centered, 'rule' of thirds, eccentric), whether shots are Long (Wide), Medium, Close-up, Extreme Close-up. Remember, video is NOT film--it conforms best to conventional moving-image aesthetics in CU and XCU--looks most "video-like" in Long Shot. Also consider camera motions--Zoom/Dolly; Pan/Track; Following/Moving with. Screening is Monday, 17 May. I will assign a short (2 min) individual project on Friday, also to be screened Monday.
