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.
Project 2 Brief – Every Few Hours or So
The final title of the film is "Every Few Hours or So", a reference to the frequency of making tea. Previous working titles include Tetley and Caffeine.
Audience
The intended audience of this film are people who are interested in the often forgotten details of everyday routines, displayed in an interesting and visually appealing manner.
Message
The message or purpose of this film is to bring attention to the activities that we take for granted, or do not put much thought into; things that we do out of habit, routine, or without thinking about. The concept of speed is also implemented, referring to the speed and efficiency in which we do things that are routine.
Content Planning
The purpose of this short film is to explore the details and complexities in which we go about our everyday routines and habits. The subject of making tea was chosen because it is a personal habit of mine when I am at home. The process of making tea will be broken down into steps that will be matched with the numbers in the countdown, which will convey a sense of order, rhythm and even urgency to the usually uneventful process. Instead of video, the film will be created using still images, blended together to create the illusion of movement. This gives the film more interest visually and adds another layer in between the reality and the final product, which allows the viewer to see the process from a fresh perspective. The lack of colour is also used as another layer, to draw more emphasis to the textures, shapes and details, while also creating a consistency in the images.
Bibliography
Cup stirring
http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=26478
Countdown sound
http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=42812
Visual/Conceptual References
This concept was influenced by my family, and the almost identical things regarding food that we go through everyday. Also, the large collection of empty cups I have amassed beside me.
Audience
The intended audience of this film are people who are interested in the often forgotten details of everyday routines, displayed in an interesting and visually appealing manner.
Message
The message or purpose of this film is to bring attention to the activities that we take for granted, or do not put much thought into; things that we do out of habit, routine, or without thinking about. The concept of speed is also implemented, referring to the speed and efficiency in which we do things that are routine.
Content Planning
The purpose of this short film is to explore the details and complexities in which we go about our everyday routines and habits. The subject of making tea was chosen because it is a personal habit of mine when I am at home. The process of making tea will be broken down into steps that will be matched with the numbers in the countdown, which will convey a sense of order, rhythm and even urgency to the usually uneventful process. Instead of video, the film will be created using still images, blended together to create the illusion of movement. This gives the film more interest visually and adds another layer in between the reality and the final product, which allows the viewer to see the process from a fresh perspective. The lack of colour is also used as another layer, to draw more emphasis to the textures, shapes and details, while also creating a consistency in the images.
Bibliography
Cup stirring
http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=26478
Countdown sound
http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=42812
Visual/Conceptual References
This concept was influenced by my family, and the almost identical things regarding food that we go through everyday. Also, the large collection of empty cups I have amassed beside me.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Project 2 Brief – Impact
Impact
The current working title of the film is "Impact", which is the main subject and appeal of the film.
Audience
The intended audience for this film can be virtually anybody that has the natural human instinct and desire to see things to their completion; to witness the end result, or as some may call it, the reward. Also, since the final output of the film will be in slow motion, this will draw the viewer in not with speed and action, but with clarity and anticipation.
Message
To address the human desire to witness the moment of impact and the intrigue in the motions leading up to it.
Content Planning
Since the purpose of this film is a leader and thus counting down towards the start of the main subject, a sense of anticipation should be achieved, regardless of its actual relation to the main film content wise. This will be achieved by playing off the natural human desire to witness the dramatic structure applied to the subject of impact – that is, the rising action, the climax, and the falling action. The theme of impact was chosen because it is universally understandable, bypassing a need for the viewer to try to make sense of what is going on, which can be costly as there isa restriction of the duration of the leader, and the message needs to be immediately clear and concise on the first viewing. This film will focus on the part of the rising action, or the moments leading towards the point of impact, but never fully reaching that point within the duration. This will build anticipation towards the following main feature, without actually relating to it whatsoever. Rather than containing itself as a separate feature to the main film, the leader will be open-ended, and thus interacts with what follows. The use of slow motion will put more emphasis on clarity and suspense rather than generating 'excitement' with speed and action.
Visual/Conceptual References
HBO Boxing Super Slow Motion Camera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt0-6lN8PNo (Similar)
For every 'big' fight (fights that are of importance either due to the titles on the line, situation/relationship between the boxers, or the popularity of the fighters involved) that HBO covers, they use a special camera that is able to capture the action inside the ring in extreme detail, much like the video shown above, but clearer. Slow motion clips of crucial moments within the fight, such as a hard punch or one leading to a knockdown are shown between the rounds or after the fight. The viewer is shown the punch being thrown, the moment of impact, and the reverberations within the recipient of the blow. This camera has been used regularly for big fights since Jermaine Taylor vs. Kelly Pavlik I, on Sept 29, 2007.
Crash Test Dummies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3oQXXEEJtc
Much like the HBO Camera, the appeal of crash test dummies can be divided into 3 parts – the anticipation, or build up to impact, the moment of impact, and the aftermath. While the crash test dummy videos show the entire process, it lacks in the build up to the point of impact, as that is not the main purpose of the video – the main focus lies in the aftermath, where the viewer can see the effect the crash has on the simulated human body.
Movie Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ2-xR54UDU (Sunshine)
Movie trailers for the most part, like the one for Danny Boyle's Sunshine (above), do a good job of building a sense of anticipation for the movie. The premise of the movie is introduced, and some tidbits of the drama and action are shown, but nothing is fully revealed or resolved, and thus the viewer is left wanting to see more. This is, of course, the main purpose of a movie trailer, and it is the same direction that will be taken with the leader – to build anticipation, or establish rising action, without giving away the climax.
Dramatic Structure
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramatic_structure
The dramatic structure is effective in representing the beginning, middle and end that comes with almost anything in life, and puts it into an understandable and applicable context for the medium of film.
The current working title of the film is "Impact", which is the main subject and appeal of the film.
Audience
The intended audience for this film can be virtually anybody that has the natural human instinct and desire to see things to their completion; to witness the end result, or as some may call it, the reward. Also, since the final output of the film will be in slow motion, this will draw the viewer in not with speed and action, but with clarity and anticipation.
Message
To address the human desire to witness the moment of impact and the intrigue in the motions leading up to it.
Content Planning
Since the purpose of this film is a leader and thus counting down towards the start of the main subject, a sense of anticipation should be achieved, regardless of its actual relation to the main film content wise. This will be achieved by playing off the natural human desire to witness the dramatic structure applied to the subject of impact – that is, the rising action, the climax, and the falling action. The theme of impact was chosen because it is universally understandable, bypassing a need for the viewer to try to make sense of what is going on, which can be costly as there isa restriction of the duration of the leader, and the message needs to be immediately clear and concise on the first viewing. This film will focus on the part of the rising action, or the moments leading towards the point of impact, but never fully reaching that point within the duration. This will build anticipation towards the following main feature, without actually relating to it whatsoever. Rather than containing itself as a separate feature to the main film, the leader will be open-ended, and thus interacts with what follows. The use of slow motion will put more emphasis on clarity and suspense rather than generating 'excitement' with speed and action.
Visual/Conceptual References
HBO Boxing Super Slow Motion Camera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt0-6lN8PNo (Similar)
For every 'big' fight (fights that are of importance either due to the titles on the line, situation/relationship between the boxers, or the popularity of the fighters involved) that HBO covers, they use a special camera that is able to capture the action inside the ring in extreme detail, much like the video shown above, but clearer. Slow motion clips of crucial moments within the fight, such as a hard punch or one leading to a knockdown are shown between the rounds or after the fight. The viewer is shown the punch being thrown, the moment of impact, and the reverberations within the recipient of the blow. This camera has been used regularly for big fights since Jermaine Taylor vs. Kelly Pavlik I, on Sept 29, 2007.
Crash Test Dummies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3oQXXEEJtc
Much like the HBO Camera, the appeal of crash test dummies can be divided into 3 parts – the anticipation, or build up to impact, the moment of impact, and the aftermath. While the crash test dummy videos show the entire process, it lacks in the build up to the point of impact, as that is not the main purpose of the video – the main focus lies in the aftermath, where the viewer can see the effect the crash has on the simulated human body.
Movie Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ2-xR54UDU (Sunshine)
Movie trailers for the most part, like the one for Danny Boyle's Sunshine (above), do a good job of building a sense of anticipation for the movie. The premise of the movie is introduced, and some tidbits of the drama and action are shown, but nothing is fully revealed or resolved, and thus the viewer is left wanting to see more. This is, of course, the main purpose of a movie trailer, and it is the same direction that will be taken with the leader – to build anticipation, or establish rising action, without giving away the climax.
Dramatic Structure
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramatic_structure
The dramatic structure is effective in representing the beginning, middle and end that comes with almost anything in life, and puts it into an understandable and applicable context for the medium of film.
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