Theme Sound : Insomnia

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Theme Sound : Insomnia

Theme Video : Insomnia

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theme video : insomnia

Five Things

1. While learning about iMovie '09, we made maps of the program. [will be the following post].

2. We also began editing for our final video. I made progress and decided what direction I want to go in. I collaborated the videos that I had filmed and made them black and white with a high contrast to make it more dramatic. I also decided to remove the audio and add my own audio in [looming, monster-like sound, subtle but it adds a nice effect].

3. Meeting with Anne

4. After editing and meeting with Anne, I decided to do a bunch more filming. I will do similar things I did last week including more still videos of the alarm clock, but will also do more still videos of the things I do when I am up all night.

5. Announcements:

Due Next Week

1. Final Blog Review writing assignment

2. Meet with Anne to discuss your 3 minutes of video footage

3. Begin and try to complete Video Analysis (Getty) if you need a break from editing

4. Work on editing your rough footage

5. Sign up for an individual meeting if you would like one during finals week.

6. Your final project exported as a full quality Quicktime Movie or Mpeg4 on your External Hard drive as you walk in the door.

7. Final Portfolio Disks - final files only as a data disk - please do not make an iDVD:

- Best documentation available of your Performance Art work

-Performance Art Formal Proposal (as a PDF)

-Performance Art Documentation Blueprint (as a PDF)

- Abstract or Environmental Sound

-Theme/Research Sound

-Abstract Video

-1 minute 20 seconds of Contemplative Video

- Final Video

-Final Blog Review (as a PDF)

8. Video Analysis (Getty)

Due by Dec. 13 , noon.

1. Create a final Project Grade Portfolio blog at a separate URL containing only the works listed as due from your final Project Grade Portfolio.

-Post only the assignments listed as required for your final portfolio above.

2. Email me your final Project Grade Portfolio blog URL when you have posted your files successfully.

Peer Critique

abs_vid_aryan.dv

Does the video maintain continuity by editing for graphical and rhythmical relationships to create successful transitions among different image frames? Give examples of this using a minimum of 5 screen shots that move us from frame to frame. Provide a written description with consideration of at least 3 of the following:

1. Color temperature(s) or degrees of black and white contrast
2. Graphical layout and composition of frames (the 2D layout of the picture)
3. Proximity (closeness of camera to subject)
4. Pacing
5. Repetition
6. Synchronization or asynchronization with the rhythm of the soundtrack

This student maintains continuity within his video through successful graphical and rhythmical relationships and transitions. Below are six frames that exemplify graphical editing:

This section begins with this image which has strong verticals

Similar movement is continued in the next frame, although it is a different picture

In the previous frame, the verticals descended to the right, while this one descends to the left, although the verticals are continued.

The student repeats the second frame, with the verticals descending to the right again.

The last two frames are repeated from earlier, but continue to display graphical editing as the student kept the theme of verticals that looked similar with different images.

He also uses color repetition and contrast in these frames. The student begins with a rainbow of colours and then juxtaposes that image with monochromatic images.

Does the video include non-linear structures (i.e. structures other than linear narrative)? These might include acausal structure, list structure, and cyclical/circular structure? Please describe the structures within the video.

The student does use non-linear structure; his composition displays list structure [listing vertical images, listing circular images], and also cyclical structure [he begins and ends with the same images - the verticals].

Does the video modulate in pace so that it has sections of slow and fast time? Please describe this in terms of constancy and variation over the course of the entire work.

The image transitions shift from very quick to slow, depending on what part of the rhythm the student is deciding to focus on. This is an example of variation. He also shows variation with directional eye movement; the position of the pictures [mainly the circular ones] brings the viewers eye across the page in multiple directions. However, he shows constancy with the repetition of images and how he always goes back to the same pattern of images.

How does the artist break patterns to avoid monotony? Give an example.

The student breaks monotony in his video through the usage of both geometric, vertical pictures, with more organic curvilinear ones. He alternates them depending on the changes in the sound's rhythm, allowing for them to still work together and not make the piece too constant and expected.

Mind Map & Questions

Questions

1. What is your research topic?

Insomnia.

2. What research will you do?

I will probably go to psychology related websites [psychology.com i already know is a good source], because they have articles by doctors, therapists, etc, who talk about how and why a lot of disorders exist and how people deal with or are affected by them [including insomnia].

3. What is the idea behind your piece?

The idea behind my piece is to take the viewer through the different stages, emotions, reactions, etc of an insomniac's night. Starting with when everybody else goes to sleep, the initial realization of being alone, which at first is not bad at all, it's quite calming. The next is trying to keep occupied by constantly doing something [i like to draw, paint, create, make lists, organize, etc]. The third stage is when the mood shifts. When I run out of things to occupy myself with I literally hit a wall and I realize the most literal, dramatic silence you could think of. Initially my thoughts begin to race but I am no longer moving around and then those halt as well and my emotions take over. Basically, I want to [in five minutes] go through these transitions and show the effects of them.

4. Why is this of interest or of importance to you?

This theme is obviously important to me as it basically controls my life, and therefore, is my life. I have had a strange relationship with insomnia and continue to both appreciate it and be terrorized by it [shown in various stages of the night].

5. What will it look like?

I think the best way to portray my idea is to set my camera up on a tripod in my room. The room will be dark with one bright light [my desk light] to create dramatic lighting, and all that will be moving is me. I'm going to leave it on all night, or at various moments of the night because I don't think I can tape that much, and in my final project I will have fast-forwarded it and then gone to normal speed at key moments. Time is an important aspect of this project.

Five Things

1. contemplative video intro & tech demo

• art as process
• series of ongoing events
• movement, effect, building of
• didactic art [response, critique, education, propaganda]
• to the point
• political/social/etc purpose
• central park gates
• art as formalism
• concerned about shapes, colour, light, image itself

2. Theme Sound Critique

After discussing the next video assignment, we continued theme sound critiques. I was satisfied with mine as I was listening to the feedback. Although no one said "insomnia" outright, they were talking about a sense of building anxiety and even dream like, which is what I was trying to portray insomnia as. Considering I had circa ten times more sleep than usual that week I was working on the project, I surprisingly was able to create a project that defined insomnia for me.

3. Practicing with Video Camera

For the five minute still camera shoot, I decided to place the camera low to the ground next to a bike rack [you can see the bike rack but its to the left]. I was interested in this spot because there were huge waves of people going to the bus stop, but there'd be breaks with just a few people. I just liked the variety of people walking, running, biking, etc, and thought it'd turn out well.

4. Mind Map & Q's [following post]

5. Peer Critique [following post]

Five Things [Friday, November 12, 2010]

ONE : NOTES

Power lies in appealing to sensory perception.

Graphical Editing

• editing graphics to fit rhythm
• edit from frame to frame based on visual patterns within the frame or breaks in those patterns [emphasized or changed up from frame to frame] - balance what stays the same and what changes [constancy & variation]
• where something is placed within the frame
• colour / colour temperature
• degree of focus
• proximity

Rhythmical Editing

• editing rhythm to fit graphics
• editing using rhythmical patterns or breaks in those patterns [constancy & variation]
• for eye & ear

2. "Gardyn" / "White Magic" / "Give a Minute"

After learning about Graphical and Rhythmic Editing, it was interesting to analyze these videos and pick out subliminal details that I once overlooked. For instance, the "Give a Minute" campaign commercial exemplified all of the rhythmic and graphical editing techniques for me. It managed to keep some aspects the same while varying others, such as moving the post it or keeping it in the same place. It also employed the "list structure" at one point when it kept the post it in exactly the same spot while changing the background [to the beat of the music- similar to the rest of the piece]. Then in the finale, there was a variation in the colour of the post it which is unexpected yet non-disruptive.

3. [Already Blogged : "Inception Trailer"]

by the way, here is the link to that trailer : http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=inception+movie+trailer

4. iMovie & Project

• film strip
• frames [individual image]
• clip [series of frames]
• time code [how you locate things along the film strip; frames per second - 29.97]
• 00:00:00:00
• hours:minutes:seconds:frames
• not telling a story
• focusing on patterns, variation & consistency

DJ SPOOKY [alternate video: Inception Trailer]

^ Photo for Q1 & Q2

1. Does the video maintain continuity by editing for graphical and rhythmical relationships to create successful transitions among different image frames? Give examples of this using a minimum of 5 screen shots [ctr+shft+3] that move us from frame to frame. Provide a written description. In the beginning of the trailer, verticality is emphasized and allows for continuity and successful transitions. Thefirstframe shows Leonardo DiCaprio [as the focus]; he is positioned vertically while also gazing upward. The second frame continues the verticality through the tall buildings and the city in the background lifting upward, mirroringthemovement of DiCaprio’s head in the first frame. The third frame becomes overwhelmingly vertical as all you can see are the lines of the building, with no horizontals. The fourth frame shifts to another scene yet carries the vertical theme; DiCaprio, again, is portrayed vertically [on the left as in the first frame], looking out a vertical window. The clip quickly transitions to the fifth frame, which has the same exact vertical line as the window in the previous frame, therefore, connecting the two together perfectly.

1. Does the video include non-linear structures (i.e. structures other than linear narrative)? These might include acausal structure, list structure, and cyclical/circular structure? Please describe in detail.

This movie trailer contains non-linear structures including circular structure. The trailer starts with an emphasis on vertical lines such as in the buildings. The trailer ends with the same emphasis with DiCaprio standing vertically, directly in the center, then the title appearing from a familiar building structure. Between the beginning and the end, there is a shift in directional emphasis that begins with a shaking glass of water to suggest instability; it begins to emphasize diagonal movement instead through various frames including a train moving diagonally toward the camera, two people mimicking the same movement, DiCaprio falling over in a chair, and the addition of diagonal text; but then finally returns back to verticality creating a circular structure.

1. Does the video modulate in pace so that it has sections of slow and fast time? Please describe this in terms of constancy and variation over the course of the entire work.

The entire work has a successful balance between constancy & variation, not only though directional movement [as mentioned in question 2], but also in pace. The beginning is slow and quiet, but as it gets more intense and the music gets faster, so does the pace of the clips; they start to move by much quicker to create a sense of energy and power. However, it circles back to the initial pace at the end with a slowing of time in the last clip [Leonardo DiCaprio standing in front of the blasting water], and then the title slowly morphs out of the buildings, and then finally halts.

1. Can you see the artist paid careful attention to changes in graphical layouts and rhythmic repetitions in relation to the audio patterns that occur in the sound track? Give an example of how patterns of sound and image work together.

As the music in the trailer heightens and becomes more intense, the rhythm of the graphics also gets faster, proving that the artist paid careful attention to the changes in layout and repetitions in relation to audio patterns.

1. How does the artist break patterns to avoid monotony? Give an example.

The artist breaks patterns to avoid monotony in almost every aspect of graphical and rhythmic editing to keep the viewer completely engaged. He changes up the speed of the graphics as the music intensifies and switches between emphasizing directional movements [either vertical or diagonal], which is also connected to the change in speed. Diagonal movement creates more energy and is incorporated with heightened speed, and vice versa.

1. Did the artist try abstracting at least some of the images beyond recognition a.k.a. wreck the images? Give examples.

The artist abstracts images in the beginning and the end when he morphs the buildings from and into a digital image. So, initially we do not know what the image is, but then it turns into something recognizable.

1. What additional formal aspects are emphasized in this video? Analyze the following:

1. Color temperature(s) or degrees of black and white contrast
1. Almost every frame emphasizes darkness and contrast so when the artist changes it up and uses light [mainly when water is incorporated in the frame], it is clearly emphasized and shows variation.
2. Graphical layout and composition of frames (the 2D layout of the picture)
1. The layout of the frames mainly focuses on the center of the image, but occassionally shifts from left to right to create variation.
3. Proximity (closeness of camera to subject)
1. Proximity is also emphasized as the subjects in the frames often move diagonally forward across the screen to create movement & energy.
4. Pacing
5. Repetition - Diagonal movements are repeated as well as vertical panning upward.
6. Sensitivity to lighting and shadows as graphical elements - The frames are mainly dark and in shadow, yet there are instances of bold, contrasting light to keep the viewer interested.

Five Things

1. [Notes]

sound structures & genres

[narrative]

introduction, conflict, resolution

circular narrative : begins & ends at same place

nonlinear/a-causal : non-sequential, forces you to piece it together, anxiety provoking

[list]

[montage]

[documentary sound]

[abstract sound]

[voice as an instrument]

monotonous : allows sound to come through

thinking critically about research

[RIM]

recognize good first steps

intuition & analysis

marriage of form & intention

touchstone: what are you doing & why

2. [RIM for my theme]

recognize good first steps

asked questions, expanded my p.o.v., collected relevant sound recordings

intuition & analysis

intuition: i want to bring the listener into the experience of insomnia through sound

analysis: the experience consists of silence, isolation, anxiety, & panic. i should take the listener through each of these steps in my theme sound piece and really emphasize each part so that they are clear in emotion & purpose.

marriage of form & intention

the form should reflect my intention and therefore be hectic, overwhelming, yet be juxtaposed by isolation and uncomfortable silence. i think abstract sound would be best to convey this because i can create and mold sounds in a unique way that suggests certain sounds but are not explicitly labeled as such. the emphasis of beat and rhythm would also be important in my intention because that is a part of the experience.

3. [Examples / Analysis]

my favorite theme sound example that we heard in class was the ADD piece [voice]. it captivated me and made me feel like i was experiencing the definition of ADD [which adheres to the M part of RIM, marriage of function and intention]. it also mirrored the idea of provoking anxiety in the viewer to emphasize the emotional aspect of the theme. on the other hand, my least favorite was the vocal narrative piece with environmental sound. [the first one we listened to i believe?]. i thought it was creepy and off putting how monotonous the voice was; i didn't really want to pay attention, and the environmental sounds were just too obvious that i didn't have to think to understand what they wanted me to think and experience.

4. [Working on Theme Sound]

when i began my theme sound piece today i knew i wanted to stick with abstract sound because a) it interests me and b) is relevant to my theme. this time, however, i want to emphasize rhythm instead of timbre because the feeling of repetition is an aspect of insomnia. i started off with the base of the piece by taking the "lighter" sound which sounds more like a ticking clock; it is repeated [like a clock] throughout the entire sound. then, instead of starting at the beginning, i started at the end because i knew how i wanted to conclude: with an overwhelming accumulation of sound and then sudden silence. this was accomplished by creating a "heart-beat" sound coupled with a siren that quickens exponentially until the end when the piece ends with two last [loud] "tick-tock"s, bringing it full circle. then i experimented by manipulating various sounds to create "psychological" effects to reflect hectic thoughts, torture, and the feeling of being trapped in your head [warping, static, abstract]. then i went back to the beginning, starting with the ticking, and created beats/rhythms around it with sounds of light switches, locks, and doors [the final door slams echo emphasizing isolation]. the piece then moves to silence and slowly incorporates those "psychological" sounds that all climax at the heartbeat/siren combo-sound.

5. [Next Step]

after experimenting with my idea for my theme sound piece, i realized that i should work on emphasizing rhythm because right now i don't think it's that clear because i also use timbre. i also should collect some more sounds including whispers, dripping water, tapping figures, and other similar sounds. then i'll come back to it and see what i can do to perfect it.

Abstract Sound Necklace

Five Things

1. First of all, for homework we were supposed to read "the art of creativity" which explained the four steps that lead to the "flash of inspiration", or that moment that a solution or an idea comes to you, even though you don't even know why or how or where it came from. the first step is preparation, or when you "let your imagination roam free", you gather facts but are open to any possibilities. the second step is percolation which is the act of going through repetitive or routine activities that allow you to fall into subconsciousness [where the flash comes from]. the third step is illumination, or the "aha!" moment, when you actually experience the flash of inspiration. this is a product of the percolation stage. the final step, which is crucial, is transformation : when you take the inspiration and you look at it in different point of views and question it or juxtapose it with unusual things [you must stay away from functional fixedness which is your initial, rational thought process].

2. This idea of the "flash of inspiration" led into the next part of class which was looking back at our free writing from last class [writing about things that interest us]. I looked back and initially questioned my idea; i wrote about being an insomniac and how i strangely like it; i like being awake at late hours of the night and early hours of the morning. so, i created a list of other things that interest me including : silent snow, the sense of home, heavy rain, people watching, graveyards, empty streets, parisian cafes, etc. but, in the end i came back to the idea of insomnia, because it was my initial inspiration. i started making a list of the connections i have with insomnia : silence, tranquility, experiences that no one else has - sights, smells, sounds, morning fog, sunrise - sudden transitions from day to night to day again, being in a different world than everyone else, time going by fast & slow, isolation, tension, torture, what i do when i'm awake, subconscious is awake while conscious is asleep, etc. this inspired me further and convinced me that insomnia was a good topic to stick with.

3. the reason we had to choose a topic was for our next project : theme sound. after reading the project description over, i gathered that we are supposed to connect our personal interest with our work, even if it may seem to have nothing to do with sound. we have to experiment and take risks; i'm excited to begin this project because it's so open, there are virtually no boundaries or restrictions which will allow our creativity to really come through. we also have to allow our intention for the project to be evident; listeners should be impacted by our visions. after hearing the project, i began to think about how i could associate insomnia with sound art. do i want it to be abstract or environmental? my initial thought was that i could begin with loud, simultaneous sound, representing the hustle of people in the awake world, then transition to people slowly drifting away to sleep, while i am awake, causing quiet, ambient sounds. i want to bring the listener into "a night in the life of an insomniac" basically. the end will circle back to the beginning as people wake up and begin the day again.

4. to further inspire or expand our ideas of our themes, we began an exercise in which we adapted a character [i was obama] and we had to make questions that pertained to other people's themes. [this is an example of changing the point of view, which is a part of the transformation stage]. i blogged the questions that people made for me. some of them really stretched my mind and made me think of even more questions. examples: "how does insomnia effect the way you approach sleeping?" - at first, i dreaded insomnia, and it felt like torture; however, strangely, i began to enjoy it, i began to dread sleep instead. although sometimes i still do hate it, most of the time i appreciate the experiences that are exclusive to me. "how does it effect me as a person?" when i go a day [or more] without sleep, insomnia often leaves me in a strange "limbo", or zombie-like consciousness, as if i'm still stuck in that other world. "how does environment play a role in insomnia?" changes in environment definitely alter my insomnia; when i'm somewhere i'm not used to or uncomfortable with, it triggers my insomnia even more. it makes me scared of sleep; i feel like i can only sleep if i feel safe.

5. the final part of class was the critique of our abstract sound pieces. i loved hearing a lot of other people's works. it was intriguing how different they were and really reflected the personalities of my fellow students. when i brought mine up, i got few, but interesting responses. one thing i could fix is making it even clearer that my focus was on timbre, tone, and pitch, and not rhythm. otherwise, i think that the critique went well.

Brain Storming

Topic : Insomnia

1. why do my thoughts keep me up all night?

2. do you feel like there is a resolution?

3. when is it most important to be awake?

4. how does my inability to sleep affect me as a person?

5. how long will it take me to sleep?

6. what would i be doing if i was awake all the time? productive?

7. do different or certain environments provoke insomnia?

8. what keeps me up all night?

9. when is sleep important?

10. does human interaction aid to being awake or is it unnecessary?

11. is insomnia contagious?

12. was it triggered by something in particular? haunting?

13. do i feel in control? out of control?

14. how do i feel about sleeping?

15. why is it difficult to fall asleep even when i'm tired?

Five Things

1. We started off class today with a five minute free write on something that interests us; difficult as the topic is little ambiguous i thought, but i just started writing and ended up surprising myself with what i chose as an interest: my insomnia. i don't know why or how or where i got that topic from but i started writing about how i enjoy being awake at the early hours of the morning when everyone else is asleep because i have the world to myself and nobody else gets to experience the night-exclusive sounds, sights, ambiance, and thoughts that i do.

2. Immediately after the free write, artist, Rob Sheterly, came in to speak about his work. I previously reflected on his visit in a post, but wanted to add that his short explanation of the surrealism that he used to do inspired me to sort of do something similar as my own personal project. I want to study certain artists that I emulate and appreciate, and paint a response to one of their paintings, or the message in the painting. Just a thought.

3. My favorite part of class : The Jam Session. I was so surprised that all of the varying "instruments" that we were using somehow collaborated and created a unique and interesting sound that had a beat, rhythm, pitch, tone, etc. I liked experimenting with timbre, because I never really understood what it meant, and now i do.

4. Then we talked about abstract vs environmental sound. I think i prefer abstract sound because it's so obscure and complicated and you don't even know how the sound was created or where it originated. It was really cool to see the uses of abstract sound in the media, or commercials such as the kit kat or nike commercial [ i can totally understand why they used abstract noise as a marketing tactic]. there is a fine line between sound and music; music incorporates harmony, melody, and rhythm, where as sound only emphasizes one or two of these. i think its interesting when you can't tell whether something is sound or music, it makes you really pick it apart and pay attention to it.

5. finally we ended the class with learning how to edit and put together sounds to create our project. we also started experimenting with the sounds we accumulated as a class and that was really fun and i continued playing around with the software when i came back to my dorm. i know that i prefer abstract sound now because those were the kind of sounds i ended up creating. i'm really looking forward to doing this abstract sound project.

Jam Session

Discription

Ambience – the “natural” sounds within any given environment

Acoustic Space – echo/vibrations in the drum and "hollow" sounds

Amplitude - at times it was very loud, others very soft

Pitch – huge range of pitch, with low pitch in the drums and high pitch in the "plucked" instruments, and in between were the instruments that had beads on the inside that were shaken.

Frequency – rate at which sound waves occur. It determines pitch.

Tone- tone did exist as some instruments had a constant tone, as they did not vary in pitch, creating the same sound throughout the jam session.

Dynamic range – there was a high range of volumes, to emphasize certain sounds at different points

Harmonics: it worked more with rhythm and variation in pitch that did not create a harmony; there weren't any harmonies [pitches that are exactly evenly spaced]

Melody – the constant rhythm from the drum was melodic because it very distinct and unchanging throughout the song.

Timbre – the qualities of the sound that each distinct instrument made were emphasized at certain points; instruments changed their rhythm, tone, pitch, amplitude, etc at these points to alter their quality to stand out.

Noise: There was a multitude of frequencies from each of the instruments original sounds which distorted the sound in a unique way.

Rob Shetterly : People Who Tell the Truth

Rob Shetterly's short visit was surprisingly insightful; he had a lot of philosophies and opinions that were really bold and unconventional. Initially, he talked about his surrealistic origins in art, which is what initially grabbed my interest as he spoke about how he had conversations with art and artists, responding to their intentions and meanings of their work, through his paintings. He then went on to explain his "People Who Tell the Truth" project, that portrays many historic and current social activists or leaders that change the wrongdoings that America has created. They are raw and express the individuals views and goals. In contrast to traditional portraits, it leaves out the unnecessary elements such as decoration or possessions that the person had, proving their high class status. That direction is not what he was going for as the actual person, their soul, and their mind is much more important. Another interesting statement he had was "don't be impatient", relating to the process of art. He explained how inspiration comes from this process and therefore produces something more meaningful and powerful.

Listening Exercise

The first place I chose to sit and listen to was kind of a strange choice, because most of the time when I am there I feel there is a lack of noise, or silence. This place was the on the stairs in front of Day Hall, specifically at two or three a.m. Focusing on the sounds of this environment made me realize that it isn’t very silent at all. Though loud or acknowledgeable sounds are rare, such as people, cars, buses, etc, the subtle noise is intriguing once I listened to it. The farthest sounds were resigning sirens and similar commotions of downtown Syracuse. More audible was the surrounding natural ambiance which acted as a middle sound, including the wind or trees. The loudest or most pervasive sounds were the few exceptions of subtly such as a bus [which is painfully loud underneath the overhang actually], or the horn of said bus, or the slam of a car door.

The second location I chose for the listening exercise was the dining hall [Graham]. I purposely went there at the busiest time of day which I have found to be around 6:30 p.m. When you focus on the diversity of the miscellaneous noises generated by the process of hundreds of students dining, it’s a little overwhelming. It was hard to pick out specific sounds, except those that were right in front of me such as the sounds of my own silverware, plate, and glass, and the closest voices and movement. After getting past those, I noticed the strangest sound which is a collaboration of each student and therefore is a constant incoherent mumble, fluctuating in volume and tone. It was kind of creepy when I listened to it for too long and began to sound demonic, as simultaneous voices combined to create a layer of voices, similar to that of many exorcism movies.

My final destination for this assignment was at the College Place bus stop. The outcome of my audible observations, was similar, yet very different, to my expectations. I was anticipating many loud sounds of transportation such as the passing buses, cars, trucks, etc, which obviously existed here. However, I was also expecting a lot of layering of student voices, similar but less overwhelming as those at the dining hall. Contrary to this assumption, voices were quiet, if even existent at points which is probably due to the students anticipation for the arrival of their bus to get where they need to go, and halts a lot of conversation that would normally be going on. Therefore, the noise environment was dominated by the sounds of transportation : wheels rolling at different speeds, opening and closing of bus and car doors [which are very different], horns, and motors.

Blogger Sound Questions

Listen carefully to the Lyre Bird sounds. What do you notice?

While listening to the Lyre Birds, I noticed the broad variety of sounds they are able to produce. Also, they are constantly making sound, being different pitches, amplitudes, and length, it seems; there is never a moment of silence. Their sounds are much more complex than those of other species of birds as they sound like they are whistling, screaming, and talking at points. complex sounds. The most fascinating characteristic of the Lyre Birds however is their perplexing ability to impersonate the sounds that they hear including animals, cameras, car alarms, etc, all sounds that we hear, but often overlook.

Lyre Bird sounds: which sounds are interesting to listen to? Why? Describe in formal terms (rhythm, pitch, timbre etc.). What do you like or dislike about these sounds? Why?

The Lyre Bird's most interesting sounds are the ones that it makes when impersonating the sounds that it hears around it. The recreated sounds have incredible clarity and they are easily recognizable as what they are supposed to be. The bird also creates an obscure mood in the forest, unlike any other animal, as it is constantly audible especially when there are a lot of them together. The ambiance of the Lyre Bird's environment fluctuates from calming and tranquil with its whistling or chatter, to bold and intrusive with its high pitched and amplified sounds of the car alarm or the destruction of the forest.

Describe the sound example in terms of who is singing or making the sound(s), why, and where. What can you tell us about the sound maker’s choices or freedoms to make sound? How empowered is the sound maker to effect change, or keep things in his/her/its life as he/she/it might wish?

The sound example takes place in the forest, the Lyre Bird's environment, where the birds are making the sounds for multiple reasons, including attracting a partner, and wanting to repeat the sounds they hear. From this information, it is assumed that the Lyre Bird first of all uses sound in function, or mating, while also using it to express a freedom as it is able and allowed to recreate practically any noise. The Lyre Birds mystifying sounds provide them with the power to change exemplified when the bird produces the sound of the destruction of the forest. Seeing this, the audience eyes are opened to the adverse and depressing environment they live in as they provide us with evidence of the often overlooked caused by humans. Their sounds, whether the birds are aware or not, act as cry for help that one day may cause a positive change. Additionally, the bird may create intimidating sounds, including those of other animals or loud pervasive sounds, to keep certain animals, or people, away. On the other hand, the Lyre bird has the ability to keep things in its life that it appreciates such as other Lyre birds, mates, or perhaps certain wildlife, probably either the harmless or helpful creatures, as they may be attracted to the familiar sounds it mimics.

The Lyre Bird practices perceptual acuity, and attention to the formal aspects of sounds, in order to mimic sounds in its environment. Some would say it performs sound Foley. It sings with bias toward complex sounds, but without critical judgment of the sounds value to the society/community/species of Lyre Birds. What are the implications of this?

The Lyre Bird's bias toward complex sounds and lack of judgement toward what their value may be, is apparent in its imitation of the surrounding intrusive destruction machines and people. These sounds are strange and complicated in pitch, tone, and rhythm, interesting the bird. However, the bird is unaware of what those sounds represent and their unfortunate consequences that will in fact affect the existence of the entire Lyre Bird community and the rest of its environment.

How could you as someone who can design sound for use sound in media, projects, or environments, make sound interesting to someone else? How could you do this even with a sound that the person hears everyday and fails to notice, or a sound someone might usually tune out? Describe your concept in detail. For whom, where, what, when and how would your sound design exist? (You might consider this in terms of your intended major. Extra credit for provision of how sound is relevant to your intended major)

Through the application of sounds, even those that are overlooked as they are apparent in our everyday lives, still has the ability to interest people in media, projects, or environments. Even common sounds that are seemingly dull [doors, cars, people walking, even the wind, etc], can be altered and manipulated through editing. Combining sound clips can be used to establish an interesting rhythm or beat that actually takes once boring noise into an intricate and innovative piece of art. I could an design a sound project, that would interest people and disprove their notion that everyday sound is boring. For example, I would take recordings of the often over looked unprompted sounds, specifically nonvocal ones created by people, that are products of our daily lives. The recordings would embrace the sounds of our modern society, exposing society's audible diversity existing in the artificial sounds of technology, machines, and a hectic lifestyle. Examples are : opening and closing doors, cars or buses, people walking, running, biking, etc, and sounds produced by machines or monumental creations of man. I would transform the "noise" into a rhythmic and entrancing stream of sound that evolves and alternates between contrasting beats, volumes, and tones. This sound production would be reminiscent of music but reinterpreted artistically, providing an audience with an experience , not just a "song". The purpose of my idea would be to illuminate the significance of modern noise, which rarely receives recognition, let alone acknowledgement, as the exposition of our development and progress, as the two change simultaneously. Finally, modern sound is a product of society’s helpful and detrimental impact on the world, and my concept for this sound project would both demonstrate these ideas and provoke interest in something that is commonly neglected.

* an expansion of this idea that I just thought of : maybe I could go farther with this project and juxtapose these modern sounds with the sounds of nature, further proving our impact on the world.

Project Photographs

URL for my project blog where you can see all of the pictures and reflections :

http://hellomynameisstranger.blogspot.com/

Here are some examples of the people I photographed.

Project Reflection

1. If there was on thing you got out of the experience designing or performing your piece, what was it?

One thing I got out of performing my piece was how unexpectedly simple it was to approach [some] people and break that stranger barrier with a five minute conversation. Although I obviously wasn't successful every time, there were a group of people that really effected and impressed me. I never thought I'd find some of the people I did, and realized if I never did this project they would all still be strangers.

2. If you could eliminate or change one step in the process what would it be and how would this change the process?

If I could change one thing about my project, I would have allowed much more time for planning. My initial idea was a lot more complicated than what I ended at. I would have loved to have been able to display my project on something more public than a blog so I could effect more people. However, then I would have needed to speak to many more people and gotten more permits, which I did not have enough time to accomplish.

[1-6 images from blog]

Today's Class

I already wrote about one of the major aspects of class previously [our discussion with Bill Viola], and after that I feel like I could ramble on forever about it because it really inspired me and made sense to my own views on art. Besides that portion of class, we also got to play around with the recording devices and learned how to record sounds without distortion by altering the settings and upload them onto the computer. After being introduced to the sound project and getting to use the recorder, I got really excited to start exploring sounds, both abstract and soundscape.

Bill Viola

When we went to go listen to Bill Viola today I was expecting to maybe hear about or see some of his specific works in art. However, although that would have been interesting as well, I was really pleasantly surprised with what he had to say. He spoke more about the philosophies or basis of creating art and how you can't focus on being successful and pleasing people because then you will lose yourself. Something that stuck with me in particular was his idea that creativity comes from those moments when you're alone or in your own private place which allows you to listen to the little sparks of inspiration [a thought, impulse, or feeling]. In this time of solitude, you aren't actually alone he said. When he began explaining the idea of Darshon [or when you are physically alone, yet there is another greater element that is beyond you that is necessary to create art]. In these moments is when you listen to your subconscious instead of your active mind which I can agree is a necessary ability in art. All of these balances between self and outer self both fascinated and confused me, yet it does all make sense. He mentioned that this is the only aspect of art that is left out of art education. And though that is true I thought that it is impossible to teach something like that; you can speak about it and philosophize about it, but if someone is truly focused on success and praise, they will never be what he described as a true "great artist". He stressed that you should not over analyze your work because then the initial idea that created it will be lost and that is the most important aspect of art. He talked about how art is a life long journey, not a job, which is why it doesn't matter if you're world renowned or not. The journey is not about knowledge, but about the question or mystery because once you arrive at an answer, the journey is over.

Project Update

So, I have been planning my project all week and decided to start it before Thursday by meeting people around my dorm. I then plan to do the same on the quad in a couple days. I will post the photos and reflections of what I have done so far by tomorrow. I'm definitely getting into this project surprisingly due to the fact I had to craft it in a week. I think it's going to turn out really well though.

We'll see.

Three Things From Class

1. One of the most important things I learned today in class was about filming. It was really interesting experimenting with angles, point of view, proximity, etc. with the cameras. In my group we filmed Sam trying to escape from Shaffer. It ended up being really interesting and funny when we played it back, and it made me want to explore film more. I feel like I understand how to successfully document my project next week to compliment the final product.

2. Also after class today I established a base for a more reasonable performance art project to finish by Thursday. I already posted the proposal and I hope it's successful because I think the final project could be really powerful.

3. Finally, I learned how many issues people can run into when trying to create a performance art piece. I had no idea the amount of time it takes to just get a space to do it, get the permits, and permission from so many people. Since there's only a week left until the project is due, I really will have to manage my time [i'm sure like everybody else] so that I can produce the project I wanted.

Final Performance Art Proposal

I edited my proposal to make it more realistic to achieve by Thursday. I think it is still as powerful, if not more because if it is successful I plan to continue it after the project is due.

Performance Art Project Proposal:

Hello, My Name is...

Mary Luke

Project Components

• walk around with a digital camera taking pictures of the “strangers”
• flyers to explain the project and where to find the results online [blog]
• someone to document the event/project
• a busy area with a lot of foot traffic
• Thursday October 6: collect the photographs
• collaborate the photos on the blog over the weekend and display the results
• students of syracuse are the target participants

Project Description

The “Hello, My Name is...” performance art project will begin on Thursday October 6th, I will go around campus one day while wearing a “Hello my name is...” name tag and introducing myself to people. I will approach anyone who sparks my interest and if it is okay with them, I will photograph them and give them a “Hello, My Name is...” name tag to wear during the day so they remember that any stranger can be a friend. I will explain what it is for and why I am taking on this project with a flyer. On the flyer they will also find information on how to follow up on the project (it will be posted on a blog the following weekend). After the photographs are taken and the photo release forms are signed, I will set up a blog online describing my experiences with the people I randomly met.

Philosophy

The idea for this project stemmed from my observations of people walking around campus every day. I see dozens or hundreds of people I’ve never seen and probably will never know. And yet, it is so simple to get to know them if you just approach them. This project will prove that and bring all those strangers together, creating a sense of community and a piece of art that everyone can be a part of. Finally, people who would never acknowledge each other as they’re walking will be brought together and will learn from the experiences that I will blog about and the photos that I post. Hopefully, this will make people more confident to approach people and find that they’re not that different from each other. The wall will be a constant reminder that we are one. If it is successful I may even continue the project and update the blog regularly.

Budget Information & Supplies

• Hello, My Name is... Name Tags [10.00]
• Digital Camera [no cost]
• Paper for flyers, copy machine cost [10.00]

The total cost of this project is estimated to only be around $20.00.

Education

Graduated New Canaan High School 2010

New Canaan, CT

Current Painting Major at Syracuse University, Class of 2014