This project was quite a learning experience for me, and it was completely experimental because I had never worked with real film with my hands before, so trying out a number of ways to modify it was intriguing and something I hope I can use in the future. I found myself constantly thinking thoughouut the coruse of the project about ways I could use the skills we were learning and incorporate them into films that I shoot myself- animating over my own footage, coloring my own footage, etc. -but after seeing the finished project I've sort of come to the conclusion that while these forms of manipulation mix with each other quite well, they might not mix with actual video footage unless the filmmaker is a true master of manipulation, which I am not.
Working with Tasha helped this project go smoothly because we were both curious about the different types of media and both wanted to come up with something that really looked cool. It was a good partnership because we both experimented a lot and if I tried something that didn't really work, Tasha's version of the same method looked great. For instance, her rayograms were stellar, they were exposed just right and had tons of contrast which made for a cool look. Meanwhile, mine were basically black. But my paints and oils ended up looking really cool (completely by accident) especially the ones where I layered paint and oil a few times and got rich colors.
Something I realized during that phase of the project is that film is sort of resistant to paint, so you have to be persistent in getting it to stick, letting it dry and then getting more on there. The oil helps to make each frame have kind of a lava lamp look, and if you mix the right colors, the final product will be awesome. Painting film is something that I probably will go back to in the future, because 1: it's relaxing sitting in a room with some music playing and painting whatever you feel like on the film and 2: watching a projected image with all those colors moving around is a surreal experience. Someday I want to pick a musical score and paint a film to go along with it.
Monday, April 9, 2012
48 Hour Film Race Eye-DeeAhs
Having never been in any kind of video race before, but always being intrigued by the idea of it, I think this ought to be a good way to start, because if you can make a film in limited time without a camera, anything in the future that involves a camera will be that much easier. The idea of using my phone to make this thing is funny because my phone was probably designed around 2003 and is far inferior in video technology (does it even have video?) to some of the phones that are out today (i've heard of studio-quality films being shot on iPhones) but that might be a good thing, it sort of parallels our use of the super-8 to get a certain grainy, imperfect look. We'll see if I'm willing to risk using my phone and having a tehcnical mishap of some sort ruin everything (that's what film races are all about right? Risky business!)
I've got some experience in animation from classes I've taken the past few semesters and might see if I can include Flash or some sort of computer animation to do at least part of this film. I've been hoping for a chance to do some kind of dream sequence or trippy aside to a film that involves flash animation, so this might be my chance.
As far as content goes, I have no idea what I want to make this about, which is probably fine, because when I find out what the mystery prop is I'll have a clean slate and can really make it fit around the prop, rather than just have the prop randomly pass by in a movie that's completely about other stuff. I think that with the format we're given, comedy or disaster are the genres to stick with, and I'm not big on disaster, so I think I'll end up doing a comedy of some kind. One thing I'm worried about is sound, and doing a comedy might help avoid any sound problems because it will allow me to add the sfx in post and if they stick out as added sfx that's fine for the sake of comedy, if that makes any sense.
I am pumped about the idea of doing an entire project on my own, not that I don't like working in groups, but we do it so often in this major that sometimes I wonder exactly what I'm bringing to the table, so having the responsibility of the whole thing on my shoulders will be a chance to see if I suck or not.
I've got some experience in animation from classes I've taken the past few semesters and might see if I can include Flash or some sort of computer animation to do at least part of this film. I've been hoping for a chance to do some kind of dream sequence or trippy aside to a film that involves flash animation, so this might be my chance.
As far as content goes, I have no idea what I want to make this about, which is probably fine, because when I find out what the mystery prop is I'll have a clean slate and can really make it fit around the prop, rather than just have the prop randomly pass by in a movie that's completely about other stuff. I think that with the format we're given, comedy or disaster are the genres to stick with, and I'm not big on disaster, so I think I'll end up doing a comedy of some kind. One thing I'm worried about is sound, and doing a comedy might help avoid any sound problems because it will allow me to add the sfx in post and if they stick out as added sfx that's fine for the sake of comedy, if that makes any sense.
I am pumped about the idea of doing an entire project on my own, not that I don't like working in groups, but we do it so often in this major that sometimes I wonder exactly what I'm bringing to the table, so having the responsibility of the whole thing on my shoulders will be a chance to see if I suck or not.
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