Brief Interpretation & Ideas

BRIEF INTERPRETATION

EPHEMERAL:

For this brief, I could create something quite artsy with layers of meaning that isn't obviously clear. I think this would be best achieved through a short film or music video, as they have more creative liberty than with something like a documentary.

The words 'momentary' and 'fleeting' make me think of montage sequences, or fast paced cuts between shots to reflect the temporary nature of the theme. Thinking about photos and experiences reminds me of family history or local legends, which could be used in a short documentary. However, 'visual chaos' may be more achievable in a music video.

For this brief, I would want to create a piece of audio-visual media around two to five minutes long. I think that this would give me enough time to explore the themes without lingering too long to lose the 'fleeting' effect.

I like these examples, as they play around somewhat with time. Having a timelapse of a plant growing turns days of change into a moment. In comparison, the slow motion shots of the music video turn a fleeting moment into a fuller experience. i also like Rima Day's art, as it links to the human experiences and further reminds me of history and ancestry.

COLLECTOR:

This brief may be suited to more straightforward short films or documentaries. I was inspired by the image of plastics from the ocean, as this brief would be good for a short doc following someone who picks up plastic from beaches and what they find. It could also be good for a short film with similar themes, following one character and how they interact with what they collect.

I would want to create a short film four to five minutes long to properly explore the collection and the themes around it.

I particularly like the words 'arrange' and 'accumulate' as it reminds me a little of biology, This could become a short film or doc about a collection of cells, like a tumor.

SIMPLIFICATION:

I think this brief would work well for a short film. The words 'narrow' and 'refine' make me think of a character trying to perfect a process to be the most efficient it can be, or a mindset narrowing or focusing on something specific.

I would want to create a four to five minute short film for this brief, to properly see the development and changes in the character and what they're doing throughout the narrative.

I think that there is an opportunity to be quite creative with colour and lighting to create meaning, while keeping the aesthetic minimalist and clean.

I like the idea of using simple graphics and plain locations to reflect the simplification theme, and the development of the character as the narrative plays out. The locations could go from cluttered to sparse over the course of the film.

REFLECTION

After looking at the briefs, and thinking about what i could make for each one, I have decided to use the 'Ephemeral' brief. This is because i think it gives me the most free reign over how i interpret it's themes, and i think i could make an interesting and visually striking music video using cinematography and editing techniques to reflect the brief. i found that i wasn't as inspired by 'collector' as it felt more rigid or specific. 'simplification' was a little more interesting, but I just didn't have as many ideas for this brief. The reason i am choosing to make a music video is because i feel that i can be fully creative and use more artistic cinematogrpahy and editing techniques, as well as performance in this form of audio-visual product.

INSPIRATIOn

Feels like we only go backwards - tame impala

I really like the animated graphics used to construct this music video, and the bright colours and swirls within the simple shapes. It creates a trippy yet geometric effect, and looks really cool. I would like to incorporate some similar elements in my music video, perhaps with overlays or backgrounds rather than the whole thing.

Gladiator - Jann

I like the cinematography in this music video, as there is constant motion. The editing furthers this by cutting on the beat throughout the song. I would like to use these elements in my own work to keep it visually interesting and creative.

I also like the performance, as the movements combined with the shot types are almost unsettling and meant to make the viewer pay attention. I like the use of performance and abstract styles bing used at once, and would like to try to do something similar.

un chien andalou - Luis Bunuel & Salvador Dali

I would like to use the Kuleshov effect in my work, similarly to this opening scene from Un chien andalou. The eye and the moon are implied to be the same thing in the man's mind. The shot composition keeps the audiences focus on the moon and, respectively, the eye. Additionally, the mise en scene of the cloud and the razor create a graphic match, as the cutting motion continues from one shot to the other.

I like this use of editing and shot composition to create meaning, and to link separate images in the audiences mind, and would like to try something similar in my own work.

MINDMAPS

IDEAS

IDEA ONE - Sufjan stevens - the hidden river of my life

My first idea is to create a music video exploring a post-apocalyptic world, after all humans have died out and only the ruins of builds remain. This would be an animated music video, with digital landscape paintings of the scenery, like a ruined building or a fallen pylon. It would hint at what killed humanity, and what was left behind after everyone died. I would also include a simplistic, cartoonish main character that would be easy to animate in the timeframe, who explores the landscapes and interacts with the ruins. This links to the brief with the words 'fleeting' and 'preserve' as it plays into the end of humanity and how our run on earth is just a blip in time in the grand scheme of things. I think that this theme and narrative would work well with this song, as the lyrics are quite vague and almost abstract, and are about the things that make up the singer as a human. The tone is quite calm and peaceful, which would fit my idea very well.

advantages and disadvantages

+ no need to plan or shoot on locations

+ don't need to rely on actors

+ don't need to book equipment

- animation would take a long time

- could get boring throughout the song -- not much happening

IDEA TWO - Mikky Ekko - who are you really?

My next idea is another music video about human history or ancestral lines that make up a single person. It would involve a lot of movement and fact paced editing to reflect the brief in the words 'fleeting' and 'momentary'. I would also use a projector to put animated graphics over the performer, especially during the chorus. This would add more movement and chaos, reflecting the themes of my idea and the brief. In terms of costume, I would keep it quite simple to contrast the camera movements and rapid cuts, and to keep the focus on the main character when there is a more chaotic background. I think this song would work well for this idea as the lyrics are clear and easy to understand especially in the chorus. asking 'who are you' relates to the idea of family trees and what actually makes a person who they are - genetics or environment.

the narrative for this music video is that the main character is beginning to unravel, and we, the audience, see what they are made of. this includes their biology, their experiences, their family and genetics. I would want this music video to be quite abstract, and include some form of dance to artistically express the character's feelings.

advantages and disadvantages

+ broader theme to explore

+ live action -- don't have to animate the main character

+ more visually interesting

- have to plan and book locations

- may have to rely on other people

final idea

Who Are You Really? - Mikky Ekko

Brief: Ephemeral

I would like to use my second idea. This is because, after evaluating the disadvantages, I think it would be more realistic in the timeframe, as it doesn't involve animating the entire thing. While I would like to use some animated graphics, i don't believe i would have time to animate an entire music video. i also think that this idea has more potential, as it is a deeper topic to explore. I want to to include biology, history and environment into what makes up a person, and I think this gives me more opportunity for creative shots than my first idea. I also think it will be more visually interesting, as my first idea could just end up being hard cuts between scenes, which would get boring. The song And idea I am choosing is shorter and has a stronger beat, giving it more appeal to an online audience as it will be snappier and keep people's attention better. This idea links to the brief well, through the words 'Momentary', 'assemble' and 'resonate' through the idea of life cycles and history.

For this project, i will need to develop my skills in animation to create the graphics that would be projected over the performer. I would also like to use slow motion in this project, so I would need to learn how to do that smoothly and cleanly on the DSLR cameras. i will also need to make sure my time is organised very effectively, as I will need to choreograph and practice the dance elements.

narrative planning2.pdf

IDEA DEVELOPMENT

mood board

While making this mood board, i wanted to think about the colour palette, potential images and themes that i want to incorporate into my music video. For example, I would like to use a red white and black colour scheme to keep it simple and have most of it black and white so the red really stands out. I also want to include biology and human form through microscopic images or dance. i have also included historical photos, as i would like to explore human history or family trees in this project. overall, I'm happy with this mood board, as I think it reflects the colours, themes and emotions that i want to portray in my music video. It also relates to the brief through the words 'assemble' and 'document' as it is thinking about what goes in to create a person, and looks at historical documents to do so.

sketch designs

When starting my sketch designs, I wanted to think about playing with gender roles and stereotypes, juxtaposing dance and ballet -- a typically feminine, elegant theme -- with bared teeth and unsettling images such as the eyes. This also gave me the idea to include grit or dirty makeup to contrast the dance shoes as part of the costume.

I mainly wanted to come up with some ideas for projections over the main character, which would be used in the chorus. As i want to animate some of these, i wanted to start out with some sketches of what should be projected onto the character to plan out the composition. i also thought about some transitions or editing effects, and how they would work within the song, as well as the performance and movements within the shot. I found this to be a helpful starting point to plan out my music video shot by shot.

swot analysis

Strengths

I THINK THE STRENGTHS OF THIS IDEA ARE my experience in dance, as I can put together a simple piece for the music video, and can do it safely in pointe shoes. this also provides some of the costume through dancewear and shoes.

weaknesses

A weakness of this idea could be that the narrative is quite abstract and implicit through the performance and animated sequences. This could make it difficult to really get the brief across and execute my idea in the way that i want.

opportunities

opportunities for this project would be the projectors in classrooms. This makes it easier to access and use one while in school, so I won't have to source a projector by myself.

threats

A threat to this idea could be room bookings and availability. I could struggle to get a classroom to film in on the days that I want, or they may not have a projector in them. This would make a lot of my music video much more difficult.

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