We have shot a few different sequences and may end up using one or all of them in some kind of montage, this will become clear when we get the footage back on Friday the 14th of May, allowing us enough time to edit and loop the films.
Friday, 30 April 2010
Super8 handed in for processing
We delayed the processing of the Super8 film so we could shoot some more 'three' sequences of three people standing together that we can loop and scratch out the middle persons face on the film in relation to the research on vietnamese myths.
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Welded work
Having finalised the designs for the machines and worked out how we want the mechanisms to work, I handed over the job of welding us some windscreen motor attachments to Dave Grover in the metal workshops. He has performed this task for us before but with different applications and always seems to come through for us. On the half-bike wheel for the praxinoscope he has made an attachment for the motor to drive the crank and welded some metal guides for the chain as the tension tends to fluctuate. It should now just be a case of getting the tension in the chain right and making last minute tweaks to have it running smoothly and consistantly.
The other attachment for the cam shaft is a more simple procedure and should work with relatively little fuss.
We have also discussed the welding of the transition machine tower, we wanted to do it ourselves after some tuition but he thinks it would be best to let him get on with it which isn't all bad. We've ordered the metal rods for the construction which should arrive early next week so we can submit final measurements and allow him a few weeks to knock it up.
The other attachment for the cam shaft is a more simple procedure and should work with relatively little fuss.
We have also discussed the welding of the transition machine tower, we wanted to do it ourselves after some tuition but he thinks it would be best to let him get on with it which isn't all bad. We've ordered the metal rods for the construction which should arrive early next week so we can submit final measurements and allow him a few weeks to knock it up.
Monday, 26 April 2010
Black and white printing
Me and Faysal have spent the day printing the black and white 35mm roll from the shoot in the dark rooms. They all came out really well with a few surprises, we pretty much printed all of them although there are a few that we will not use; one image in particular where 3 / 4 of the image is consumed with darkness and only the treeline above the bodies can be made out could be used to suggest a paranormal end to the cult!! They came out really contrasty and we didn't assign much formality to the border of the prints to emphasise the amateaur processes of the characters own dark room work.
It is pretty exciting to see the first result from the shoot coming together and a good step towards the finished installation. In a similar way to the processing a few days ago, it was great to be back in the dark rooms printing which I haven't had much time to do in ages.
It is pretty exciting to see the first result from the shoot coming together and a good step towards the finished installation. In a similar way to the processing a few days ago, it was great to be back in the dark rooms printing which I haven't had much time to do in ages.
Sunday, 25 April 2010
Black and white processing
As the uni only processes colour photographic films, it was up to us to process the black and white 35mm roll ourselves. I used to be pretty good at this in first year and do it on quite a regular basis but having stepped back into the processing rooms for the first time in a few years, it didn't exactly flood back.
After much indecision, I decided to process the film and although it didn't exactly go seamlessly, much to my relief it worked and we didn't lose the film. It all came back to me in the end and was a good opportunity to re-learn the skills of processing film before I graduate from Uni.
The negatives themselves all look pretty good on the lightbox and I can't wait to get in the darkroom and print them now.
After much indecision, I decided to process the film and although it didn't exactly go seamlessly, much to my relief it worked and we didn't lose the film. It all came back to me in the end and was a good opportunity to re-learn the skills of processing film before I graduate from Uni.
The negatives themselves all look pretty good on the lightbox and I can't wait to get in the darkroom and print them now.
Saturday, 24 April 2010
Shoot - 21 / 04 / 10
We started really early to make sure all costumes, props and food was ready for when the extra's arrived, we booked a room in A block to use as a changing / green room for the morning. After a short nervous wait, we had 6 extras and Davey T turn up (plus we planned to use ourselves face down too). He really looked the part, we set about getting everyone into appropriate costumes then all headed up with the props to the location in the woods.
As soon as we arrived we set about setting up the shoot, I dressed the set and sorted out props whilst Andy made tin foil hats and Faysal started shooting slides. When everything was ready we placed the actors and set up the first shot with the super8; after agreeing on the angle / tempo of the shot, Faysal and Andy joined the bodies face down to be a part of the frame. I shot a number of different takes before shooting some of the black and white 35mm. At this point I switched roles with Faysal so he could take another series of takes and shoot some more 35mm while the scene was set.
Having got what we needed for the first part of the shoot, we set about organising little set up shots all shot on 110 in an informal manner, we all had a 110 camera each and worked quickly to capture what we needed from the different scenarios and from different angles in an intentionally amateur style. Confident we had everything in the can we needed we wrapped the extras and finished with a recording of the final speech from the leader. We probably won't end up using this as Daves voice wasn't exactly suitable but was good to capture none the less, the other elements of the shoot appeared to go really well, the 110, super8 and b&w 35mm will all hopefully look great. Now it is a case of getting it all processed and printed.
As soon as we arrived we set about setting up the shoot, I dressed the set and sorted out props whilst Andy made tin foil hats and Faysal started shooting slides. When everything was ready we placed the actors and set up the first shot with the super8; after agreeing on the angle / tempo of the shot, Faysal and Andy joined the bodies face down to be a part of the frame. I shot a number of different takes before shooting some of the black and white 35mm. At this point I switched roles with Faysal so he could take another series of takes and shoot some more 35mm while the scene was set.
Having got what we needed for the first part of the shoot, we set about organising little set up shots all shot on 110 in an informal manner, we all had a 110 camera each and worked quickly to capture what we needed from the different scenarios and from different angles in an intentionally amateur style. Confident we had everything in the can we needed we wrapped the extras and finished with a recording of the final speech from the leader. We probably won't end up using this as Daves voice wasn't exactly suitable but was good to capture none the less, the other elements of the shoot appeared to go really well, the 110, super8 and b&w 35mm will all hopefully look great. Now it is a case of getting it all processed and printed.
Monday, 19 April 2010
Pre-shoot preperations
Having agreed on the direction of the major side-narrative, we have organised a shoot for the 21st April, we need to get this done ASAP as the film takes 2 weeks for processing.
We have secured an actor from Starnow who fits the role of cult leader pretty well (Davey T.), so we are attempting to gather up appropriate extra's who have the desired look. As it is only a short shoot we will hopefully be able to gather enough people (5 / 10) but everyone is extremely busy at the moment. We've got some costumes picked up for free at the carboot which will work including a fetching suit for the Leader himself and i've secured the super8 camera that I know works well from my minor project.
We have also collected the props together that we will need, including making some 'paranormal sensing' contraptions, which will all eventually end up as part of the installation / transition machine.
The location we have scouted is in the mystical forest the otherside of northwick park hospital, we found a great clearing with a compound wall in the background and huge cut logs in the foreground which will be great for the scene. Weather forecast is good, we are all set to go.
We have secured an actor from Starnow who fits the role of cult leader pretty well (Davey T.), so we are attempting to gather up appropriate extra's who have the desired look. As it is only a short shoot we will hopefully be able to gather enough people (5 / 10) but everyone is extremely busy at the moment. We've got some costumes picked up for free at the carboot which will work including a fetching suit for the Leader himself and i've secured the super8 camera that I know works well from my minor project.
We have also collected the props together that we will need, including making some 'paranormal sensing' contraptions, which will all eventually end up as part of the installation / transition machine.
The location we have scouted is in the mystical forest the otherside of northwick park hospital, we found a great clearing with a compound wall in the background and huge cut logs in the foreground which will be great for the scene. Weather forecast is good, we are all set to go.
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Narrative development
As we were discussing possible side-narratives to express within the installation we came up with some ideas that we intend to convey using the media like super8, cassette/magnetic tape and photographs.
The first of which involves a paranormal activity cult who use their somewhat speculative equipment to sense activity in the area in which the installation is based. Having approached our character, they identify some of the symbols on the blueprints through the doorway of the space. Apprehensive and paranoid he shuns them and they leave. After some considerable time obsessing over their ability to answer the questions he has over the blueprints and thus, the machines, he decides to head back out to their camp which he had previously visited and scouted from a distance (unseen). When he returns to the camp he discovers that they have committed what appears to be a mass suicide in the style (but not scale) of the jonestown massacre. He takes some photographs of the scene, which he will go on to print later in his personal darkroom, gathers their equipment and heads back. He uses their research and devises to gain a supposed understanding of the third blueprint and builds the transition machine.
The footage we'll take and the different media we use will define the different perspectives on the event which will be fragmented across the installation in different forms. The super8 loop will consist of a quick pan down and across the group all face down, dead, a brief, uneasy moment which could be seen to represent a lasting memory the character has of the event. The 110 photographs printed about postcard size will be shots taken by the cult members whilst in the camp and will form part of the research / material he takes from the scene; these will all be informal, natural and amateurish to try and reinforce this. The black and white 35mm will be a much more literal account of what he finds when he returns to the camp, shots he has taken, developed and printed himself (in the darkroom built into the space).
This will all be woven together using text and sound clips, such as the final speech of the leader etc to form a more complete sense of narrative through exploration of the space. This also creates a link between our last installation Waiting Room and our current work, a kind of much further developed version of the snapshot available before; this is not too important but it is nice to develop older narratives through the continuation of new work.
The second side-narrative will make the link between the text-still image based research and a literal application of the vietnamese '3' myth. We intend to use a short loop of three individuals, perhaps a sequence of different sets of 3, and scratch out the middle characters face in each.
The VHS and other sound pieces are still up for discussion.
The first of which involves a paranormal activity cult who use their somewhat speculative equipment to sense activity in the area in which the installation is based. Having approached our character, they identify some of the symbols on the blueprints through the doorway of the space. Apprehensive and paranoid he shuns them and they leave. After some considerable time obsessing over their ability to answer the questions he has over the blueprints and thus, the machines, he decides to head back out to their camp which he had previously visited and scouted from a distance (unseen). When he returns to the camp he discovers that they have committed what appears to be a mass suicide in the style (but not scale) of the jonestown massacre. He takes some photographs of the scene, which he will go on to print later in his personal darkroom, gathers their equipment and heads back. He uses their research and devises to gain a supposed understanding of the third blueprint and builds the transition machine.
The footage we'll take and the different media we use will define the different perspectives on the event which will be fragmented across the installation in different forms. The super8 loop will consist of a quick pan down and across the group all face down, dead, a brief, uneasy moment which could be seen to represent a lasting memory the character has of the event. The 110 photographs printed about postcard size will be shots taken by the cult members whilst in the camp and will form part of the research / material he takes from the scene; these will all be informal, natural and amateurish to try and reinforce this. The black and white 35mm will be a much more literal account of what he finds when he returns to the camp, shots he has taken, developed and printed himself (in the darkroom built into the space).
This will all be woven together using text and sound clips, such as the final speech of the leader etc to form a more complete sense of narrative through exploration of the space. This also creates a link between our last installation Waiting Room and our current work, a kind of much further developed version of the snapshot available before; this is not too important but it is nice to develop older narratives through the continuation of new work.
The second side-narrative will make the link between the text-still image based research and a literal application of the vietnamese '3' myth. We intend to use a short loop of three individuals, perhaps a sequence of different sets of 3, and scratch out the middle characters face in each.
The VHS and other sound pieces are still up for discussion.
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