Friday, December 5, 2008
Coming Home – Project 3
Coming Home from Calvin Yeung on Vimeo.
Design Statement
This video was created using simple sketches done on thin strips of tissue paper, then filmed and synced to the narrative. This method allows the viewer to experience a sense of warmth and intimacy, much like someone telling a childhood story. The lack of specific detail in some parts is intentional, as it allows for a stronger sense of relation and understanding from the viewer, much like a blank slate (No names, dates). The key message suggested by the video is to appreciate and cherish the value of determination and family unity, which I gained a better understanding of through this event.
Special Thanks to my Mom, who flipped the pages in the video, and my Dad, who did the filming after I couldn't get it right.
Creative Brief – Coming Home
Title - Home Sweet Home, Coming Home
Overview - A story of a toy beaver which got lost and due to the care and determination of my family, is found again.
Audience - People who had childhood toys that they cherish; people who can relate to the strength of family unity and how they will go out of their way to help you, even if the situation seems bleak.
Key Message - I want the audience to understand the value of family and not giving up, even when things seem out of your control. My mom could've easily went and told me that it was just a toy, but they stayed with it and kept on looking for the lost beaver. Determination and family unity can go a long way.
Content Planning - The images will be small, simple sketches that will be done on tissue paper, giving a childlike, instantaneous feel to the video. It will be filmed with someone flipping the pages, matching the narrative with the images.
Resources
Background music is John Mayor – New Deep.
Overview - A story of a toy beaver which got lost and due to the care and determination of my family, is found again.
Audience - People who had childhood toys that they cherish; people who can relate to the strength of family unity and how they will go out of their way to help you, even if the situation seems bleak.
Key Message - I want the audience to understand the value of family and not giving up, even when things seem out of your control. My mom could've easily went and told me that it was just a toy, but they stayed with it and kept on looking for the lost beaver. Determination and family unity can go a long way.
Content Planning - The images will be small, simple sketches that will be done on tissue paper, giving a childlike, instantaneous feel to the video. It will be filmed with someone flipping the pages, matching the narrative with the images.
Resources
Background music is John Mayor – New Deep.
10 Objects
Headphones
These are professional headphones that I had lying around my house from a while back. I use them because my ears are weird and the tiny ones tend to fall out more often than not.
Cellphone
Used for communication, spontaneous black and white pictures (the only way the photos don't turn out like crap is if you switch it to black and white, so it hides the poor colour detection), and alarm clock. Don't really care how it looks or anything, as long as it works.
Wallet
My wallet carries everything I need when I'm out – keys, money, driver's license, GO bus tickets, etc. It's a pretty big, dark green Lacoste wallet that I got from Japan. Sometimes the keys hang out from the back of my pants, and it looks like you can just snatch the wallet, but the thing is big enough that it's hard to dislodge without considerable tugging.
Little Mac(book)
My MacBook that I've had since the start of this program. The hinges on the screen are kinda loose, and it has no more battery life of its own so it has to be constantly plugged in, but it still works and I don't know what I'd do without it. It's named Little Mac because I recently got an iMac (Big Mac) but I rarely use it since it's upstairs in my room, and I prefer to work downstairs.
Lists
I make lists of anything and everything, but mostly on my computer. I did make one on a napkin yesterday though. It helps me keep organized. I've got lists of movies I need to watch, music I need to acquire, things I intend to do but never get to, and so forth. The more temporal lists are usually of the next few days and what I need to get done and in what order and priority.
Spalding "Infusion" Basketball
Basketball's my favourite sport to participate in. A weird love-hate relationship, as I can probably go the rest of my life without watching it, but playing is an entirely different matter. It keeps me close with friends, since we get together every week to play at a community centre. It has helped me keep fit, make new friends as well as stay in touch with old ones. I have this indoor basketball that looks like it has never been touched, although we've been using it as the game ball for the better part of 3 years every time we play indoors. It's soft enough for indoor play, but it gets a tad slippery after a while so it provides some challenge to handle smoothly.
Bapesta Skate
My mom and I used to run a shoe store selling mostly rare and hard-to-find sneakers in Hong Kong, which has a huge market for that. We were doing great until we had to sell everything to bail out my uncle, who was in major debt. It was a huge part of my life for those 2 years. I still have a personal collection of shoes amounting to approximately 60 pairs, although I usually wear the same few pairs. My favourite pairs of shoes are a pair of snakeskin patterned Bape skate shoes, which is the only colourway released of this style to my knowledge. The style got discontinued shortly after it was released, and virtually no one remembers it. I've wore my pair to death, but they're still my favourite and I'll probably go looking for a replacement pair when this one calls it quits.
Couch
My workplace and bed. I usually sleep on the couch more than in my bed, especially during the school year when I'm working through the night. The whole area (with a TV and coffee table) is basically my home inside the house; It's where I'm most comfortable and relaxed.
Tile & Leaf
I've recently moved from my old home, which I've lived in for 8 years, to a rental house, before moving again in April to a new house in Aurora. I had many great memories in that house, and before I left, I took a piece of it to keep with me. I took an unused tile, along with a leaf from a strange plant that was in my front yard. The plant has a funny story behind it, as it used to be in a pot, but it was very small and on the verge of dying. Instead of just deposing of it, my parents planted it in the front yard to see if it would do better there. Strangely enough, within a year it had grown to massive proportions and more or less dominated the whole front yard, so much so that it had to be trimmed regularly in order to
Big Cup
I have this big mug that my girlfriend bought me. The lip of it is uneven, like a pottery project; she says that it's just me. I go through a rotation of 3 cups because I'm always drinking something, but this one is my favourite. It's the cup that is featured in my previous video.
Tea
As noted in my previous video, I drink tea almost constantly at home. I notice that other people have tea as one of their objects as well, so I guess I'm not alone. It helps me both relax and focus, and keeps me awake during late nights/early mornings. I drink either Chinese tea, milk tea or lemon tea, depending on my mood/availability.
Beavers
I have two toy beavers from when I just moved from Hong Kong to Canada, and they're very valuable to me. There's a whole story behind why, but they represent the strength of perseverance and family to me.
These are professional headphones that I had lying around my house from a while back. I use them because my ears are weird and the tiny ones tend to fall out more often than not.
Cellphone
Used for communication, spontaneous black and white pictures (the only way the photos don't turn out like crap is if you switch it to black and white, so it hides the poor colour detection), and alarm clock. Don't really care how it looks or anything, as long as it works.
Wallet
My wallet carries everything I need when I'm out – keys, money, driver's license, GO bus tickets, etc. It's a pretty big, dark green Lacoste wallet that I got from Japan. Sometimes the keys hang out from the back of my pants, and it looks like you can just snatch the wallet, but the thing is big enough that it's hard to dislodge without considerable tugging.
Little Mac(book)
My MacBook that I've had since the start of this program. The hinges on the screen are kinda loose, and it has no more battery life of its own so it has to be constantly plugged in, but it still works and I don't know what I'd do without it. It's named Little Mac because I recently got an iMac (Big Mac) but I rarely use it since it's upstairs in my room, and I prefer to work downstairs.
Lists
I make lists of anything and everything, but mostly on my computer. I did make one on a napkin yesterday though. It helps me keep organized. I've got lists of movies I need to watch, music I need to acquire, things I intend to do but never get to, and so forth. The more temporal lists are usually of the next few days and what I need to get done and in what order and priority.
Spalding "Infusion" Basketball
Basketball's my favourite sport to participate in. A weird love-hate relationship, as I can probably go the rest of my life without watching it, but playing is an entirely different matter. It keeps me close with friends, since we get together every week to play at a community centre. It has helped me keep fit, make new friends as well as stay in touch with old ones. I have this indoor basketball that looks like it has never been touched, although we've been using it as the game ball for the better part of 3 years every time we play indoors. It's soft enough for indoor play, but it gets a tad slippery after a while so it provides some challenge to handle smoothly.
Bapesta Skate
My mom and I used to run a shoe store selling mostly rare and hard-to-find sneakers in Hong Kong, which has a huge market for that. We were doing great until we had to sell everything to bail out my uncle, who was in major debt. It was a huge part of my life for those 2 years. I still have a personal collection of shoes amounting to approximately 60 pairs, although I usually wear the same few pairs. My favourite pairs of shoes are a pair of snakeskin patterned Bape skate shoes, which is the only colourway released of this style to my knowledge. The style got discontinued shortly after it was released, and virtually no one remembers it. I've wore my pair to death, but they're still my favourite and I'll probably go looking for a replacement pair when this one calls it quits.
Couch
My workplace and bed. I usually sleep on the couch more than in my bed, especially during the school year when I'm working through the night. The whole area (with a TV and coffee table) is basically my home inside the house; It's where I'm most comfortable and relaxed.
Tile & Leaf
I've recently moved from my old home, which I've lived in for 8 years, to a rental house, before moving again in April to a new house in Aurora. I had many great memories in that house, and before I left, I took a piece of it to keep with me. I took an unused tile, along with a leaf from a strange plant that was in my front yard. The plant has a funny story behind it, as it used to be in a pot, but it was very small and on the verge of dying. Instead of just deposing of it, my parents planted it in the front yard to see if it would do better there. Strangely enough, within a year it had grown to massive proportions and more or less dominated the whole front yard, so much so that it had to be trimmed regularly in order to
Big Cup
I have this big mug that my girlfriend bought me. The lip of it is uneven, like a pottery project; she says that it's just me. I go through a rotation of 3 cups because I'm always drinking something, but this one is my favourite. It's the cup that is featured in my previous video.
Tea
As noted in my previous video, I drink tea almost constantly at home. I notice that other people have tea as one of their objects as well, so I guess I'm not alone. It helps me both relax and focus, and keeps me awake during late nights/early mornings. I drink either Chinese tea, milk tea or lemon tea, depending on my mood/availability.
Beavers
I have two toy beavers from when I just moved from Hong Kong to Canada, and they're very valuable to me. There's a whole story behind why, but they represent the strength of perseverance and family to me.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Every Few Hours or So (Final)
Every Few Hours or So from Calvin Yeung on Vimeo.
This short film explores the details and complexities in which we go about our everyday routines, and the speed and efficiency that repetition has developed. The film was created using a series of photographs, blended together to feign motion. Keeping with a black & white format, the film focuses on the textures, movements, shapes and rhythm of the tea making process while keeping a consistent aesthetic appeal through the countdown. The use of still images instead of conventional video adds a filter of sorts between the initial reality and final output, giving a viewer an unique and fresh perspective on the otherwise unnoteworthy activity. When the process is matched with the descending numbers in the countdown, the activity is infused with a sense of rhythm, speed and urgency, again referring back to the swiftness and impulsive movement that familiar, routine processes are subject to. The numbers themselves are physically included in the process and not digitally injected, showing themselves to the viewer at the appropriate moment. This helps connect the anticipation built by the numbers with the tea making process itself, which is usually thought of as a slow and relaxed activity. The end of the countdown includes a sound byte of a spoon being stirred in a cup, indicating the completion and end of the process.
Special Thanks to Arthur Wong and Echo Loo for filming assistance.
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