Final Post

These above images are stills from my video installation. Below are the links to the video documentation of my final project.

part one of the video control click and save is best for these files, their each aprox 75 MB)

download part 1

download part 2

additional information:

Title:
whygod
The aesthetic interpretation of negative thought through moving image and space

Blurb:
In my piece, projected video, the utilization of the installation space, and the mixture of symbolic imagery converge to create a flowing visual interpretation of one individuals negative thought process and its all encompassing and detrimental effects upon that person.

Video Postings

After a sleepless night, I now have an 11 minute video that I think is sizable and interesting enough to loop for my video installation. Of course I will keep tweaking the video up until showtime, since there's always room for improvement, but this video posted below is pretty much 95% what I envision for my installations final visual content. I started up with the audio, but for today I am running up on time, so as well as the full 11 minute video (with no sounds) I have also posted another link which is the first 1/3rd of the video, with sound. Both files are pretty big, so I would say command clicking and saving them instead of streaming off the web is suggested. The two links can be found right below, thanks 4 watching.

Video #1
resolution= 320 x 240 (15fps)
length= 11min 11sec
file size= 30MB
audio= no

Video #2
resolution= 720 x 480 (30fps)
length= 3min 45sec
file size= 70MB
audio= yes

checking in

sorry for those of you who may actually check my senior studio blog, but Ive been working on the final video for the upcoming senior show on the 30th and haven't been posting much. If your interested (or katherine) by Tuesday morning I should have a pretty large (file size wise) but polished video posted to this blog, but in the meantime I've just been burning the midnight oil getting my video completed. I know posting progress its pretty crucial, but at this point in the game my main priority is finishing my project by the time the show comes around.

STILL
SOURCE (big file best to right click and save as)
LIVE (offset alignment in projection because of limited testing space, also large video file and probably best to right click save as well)

Final instal setup up ruff with mock sound

play

Bought Some materials today

Since Im doing a rear projection with a frame in front of it, I got the frame, black paint and hanging implements today to start setting up my final installation of the project but held off on the PVC and screen material because after talking Adam he told me about a good place to go by white spandex by the sheet for a good price (a material that will not wrinkle as much as shower curtains or white sheets and produces a very nice projection surface)

Rear Projection Setup

*note* I made the colors so wonky so the different elements in this layout sketch would stand out. example; I not using an orange frame or blue wires.

A= The main Projector
B= The frame of my projection screen
C= A frame set up in front of the screen so the projector light does not bleed on top of it
D= The actual projection screen
E= The wires used to hang the frame in front of the screen

Rear Projection info.

imma do this

Video mixer Test 2

So yesterday I had my second test with the use of a video mixer, this time with the proper cables as well as a manual to assist my progress. out of all the things that I learned from using the manual was that this video mixer was not intended to do what I wanted it to do.... sadly. time for new ideas I guess. neways here is a vid of what I did get. oh and also, that last screen I focus in on is the control panel that shows the functions of the mixer.

vid mixer test 2 vid

yay blogger let me upload images today

These are the screen shots of my first video mixer test attempt that I talked about in the previous blog post. From this first attempt, you can see that I was able to get multiple mirrors of the same video output onto both a television and projection. The problem is, this is kind of the opposite of what I am attempting to do. as you can see in slides 2 and 3, the two separate screens are actually a mix of two video feeds, instead of what I was going for which was getting one to two video inputs to be spaced out as I wanted between the two instead of identically mirrored. I could go into more detail of the varied results I got from this first attempt, but instead I think I will focus more on my progress with using the video mixer in my next post which will show the results of my second attempt.

Video Mixer Test uno

I don't know whats blogger problem, but it is not letting me upload images. I guess I'll still explain briefly how my use of a video mixer for my project went this weekend. Because of one big hangup, I did not get to accomplish too much... the hangup was that the manual for the mixer did not come with it, so I was kinda testing stuff out blindly throughout the weekend. In addition, I was one cable short of being able to hookup to video output from a single source. But with some finessing, I was able to get some results. The pictures I was attempting to post were screens of two looping test videos fading between a television and a projector via the video mixer. check back soon for some image documentation.

Creative Progress

So yesterday in my meeting with Katherine, I mentioned that I had some creative Ideas for effects to add to that flowing black stuff seen in some of my previous posts that involved adding in green screened hands reaching out and grasping among other things. Sooo, she said post it, and that what I'm doing =). Above is just screen shots of the original greenscreen footage and then some screen shots of me ploping into one of my project files in after effects and color keying it to fit. The export is taking longer then expected, so I decided to tenatively just post some still images while the computer exports the files. Also, when creating this effect, I found the hand to be slightly reminiscent of something Ive seen before. and when I thought about it, it turns out the look of this "hand effect" looks a lot like a movie poster for something I blogged about previously, the film antichrist. I guess maybe subconsciously thats where a bit of the inspiration came from. For you viewing pleasure I have posted an image of the poster below. Until tomm (when I post some installation testing footage) byes.

Tech Progress

So yesterday I finally rented a video mixer and started hooking it up to the setup I posted about earlier to hopefully help split my video the way that I originally envisioned. One thing came up though... instead of being able to mix VGA signals (IE what input/ out put most computer monitors have) the mixer actually works with composite input out puts (IE what older televisions and standard def. DVD players and gaming systems use). Luckily though this doesn't create too much of a problem for me, since I originally wanted to use standard def televisions, and I just so happen to have a couple set up already in my living room (see above) and also my projector have both composite and VGA hookups, so that shouldn't be a problem. I have all the equipment up and running and by tomm. I will have a post showing the results along with some video of this latest instantiation. fingers crossed all goes well.

transistion test 1

I hastily posted this video yesterday without any explanation about what it is so let me do that. This transition test is a ruff video of how I plan to transition the beginning and end of my video loops along with starting the loops possibly in different areas of my installation space without just cutting the feed abruptly. neways click the link below and enjoy.
link to vid

progress with installation testing. yay

So recently I started testing out syncing up the content for my piece through its intended medium; monitors and projections workings in conjunction with each other. This first test that I will be discussing is at heart not truely how I would like my final piece to function, but none the less I wanted to implement some of my video to start off with. The reason why I say its not truely functioning as my final piece will, besides the video put in for now just acting as a ruff filler, is because the two video signals are coming from two seperate sources; a dvd player and a laptop computer instead of one source, as explained in the picture posted below:


That being said, I feel pretty good about how it turned out, as far as tests/ruff cuts go. I guess that technically this could also be called my first real real physical instantiation... which I think I'm spelling correctly. anyways, if your interested, the link below is a quick video of what this installation ruff cut thingy looked like.

Video Installation test clip #1

Reference Time!!!

So the last time Katherine and I met up I mentioned a reference or two that are sources of inspiration for certain aspects of my senior project. In response Katherine said that would be something valuable to blog about. sooooo... here goes, a couple of links to different media that in some way shape or form has inspired my creative process for my senior thesis project. enjoy, and check back in the future for more links.

Shooting technique inspirations:

in addition to the previously referenced Jacob's Ladder, two other movies have helped me to come up with certain ways of shooting/ editing my video piece.
1st off is the recent Lars Van Trier Movie Antichrist:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBdDcQONmkM
The movie Antichrist is split into multiple chapters, including a prologue and an epilogue, book ending the whole movie. The super slow motion playback of the epilogue and prologue have been inspirational to me and a technique I am currently applying to my piece. I feel the slow motion playback helps to intensify the movie's very heavy and grim content through a beautiful flowing manner and is a techniques I also am utilizing for the same reasons.

The Next reference I am going to focus on is from particular scenes from the film A Haunting in Connecticut. The image at the beginning of this post is a still image from one particular scene that I drew inspiration from and I have also attached a link to the trailer for the Movie below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE7xCOmIjFY
Starting at approximately 38 sec. into the clip, you will see a moving example of the "ectoplasm" special effect depicted in the still at the beginning of this post that has had direct inspiration on the way that I wish to convey an explosive stream of organic shapes escaping through my main characters head. This effect I wish to apply to my piece will be meant to symbolize the release of negative elements, originating from the protagonists mind.

Plot inspirations:

The story entitled "Passage for Trumpet" was a 1960 episode from the series, The Twilight Zone:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Passage_for_Trumpet
The inspiration that I drew from this episode in particular was how the main plot revolved around a jaded individual flung into an atmosphere where he was completely different and detached from any other individual residing in there (to be specific, he was walking around alive in a world populated completely by dead people ). This plot device of secluding the main character is similar to the feeling of seclusion, loneliness and despair that I want to be conveyed for the world in which my main character in the piece finds himself.

Animation and motion Technique Inspirations:

The first reference that I have drawn inspiration for the piece, and many of my past works, are illustrations by the artist Derek Hess:
Despite Hess' work being still images, I find that his treatment of line work creates a sense of fluid movement. For myself, I find that the style in which Hess creates his still works has very important elements that will add to the sense of fluid motion I wish to create with the motion graphic/ special effect elements contained in my piece.

And last but not least, the animated feature length master piece AKIRA directed by Katsuhiro Otomo has countless examples of amazing animated scenes emphasizing interesting visual depictions of movement ranging from smoke clouds to amorphous explosions of energy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abv95ko9ph4
The technique in which an explosion for example is meticulously recreated through animation is inspirational to me in trying to create a beautiful motion graphic/ special effects that depict mundane objects and explosions as beautiful aesthetic moving imagery, adding to the desired atmosphere and overall feel of the piece.

green green green!

So just a day or two ago I finally started shooting green screen for my project. below I have attached a link to a test video I made that messes around with some of the cropped green screen footage I took along with generated lighting effects and foreground/background layering to name a few things. The goofy pic of me I took was suppose to be a stand alone post showing that I was working on the green screen work but I procrastinated long enough on posting that I just lumped them both together. As a closer note... within the next day or two I plan to post some links to clips I found inspirational in some way, shape or form to my process for this process, so check in sooooooon.

green screen test one!

Video Time Two!

I feel super smart. After opening a vimeo account and stressing over my web host, I just noticed the little video upload button right in the window I'm typing in. Well whatever the case, I'm posting below a ruff sequence of shots I did with the main actor for the piece. After watching this footage and some other I shot, I have figured out multiple times that I need some extra b-roll footage and some other things to be shot in addition to what I have to make this footage a tad more cohesive. Also, even more importantly I'd like to note that this footage had not been effected or processed and is not the way the final piece will look, but I feel that first I need a clean canvas (the whole piece shot and edited in proper sequence) befor I lay down the heavy effecting. So without further adue.... (Is that how adue is spelled?)

Video time!

I meant to post to this last night, but just my luck the internet at my apartment was down yet again. Then I meant to post it right when I got to school today, but then my web host was also I guess feeling a bit under the weather (aka not working). So now, I took Katherine's advice and started up a vimeo account.
Below are two test videos I did before actually shooting for my project that experimented with video treatment and speed.

The inspiration for this was primarily, but not exclusively since it has been done since then in different ways, from similar speed treatment found in the movie Jacob's Ladder. below is a link to the scene. The part with the speed treatment is at 1 minute and 16 sec. into the videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttcof7TQ-Mw
UPDATE!
Since I did figure out how to upload videos onto blogger, and I'm using vimeo for something else, I have now attached the vids into this post:

Posting some progress

I know that this post is pretty brief and not as formal as my past posts, but I just wanted to post a really quick snippet of my progress on my project. Tonight and yesterday I have been editing the footage that I have shot and as of now I have just about two minutes of cut up and put in place. Tonight I am also going to try to start dabbling in an idea for a video effect treatment that i had in mind. That all for now, check back soon for a more updates on my progress.

Shooting Session Number One

So the other day I started shooting the video for the piece and got some pretty decent shots. I still have more scenes to shoot, but once I get the video shot the other edited into some semblance of understandable order, I'll be sure to post some footage. Until then hears a couple of screen shots to hold you over.

Plans and subtasks for Spring 2010 semester

Below is my Spring 2010 plans and subtasks for my piece. Any and all feed back is of course always welcome, Thanks!

Jan 21st:
Turn in finalized plans and subtasks calendar for Senior Studio II

Jan 23rd through the 24th:
Meet up with the main actor for my filming portion of the project and discuss final shots to be taken, the following weeks shooting schedule, final wardrobe selection and possible times for reshoots if needed.
Subtasks:
Finish with specialized portions of the wardrobe such as the wardrobe for the alternate spooky characters and final planning, if not beginning shooting of B roll footage to be used in the piece.

Jan 25th through the 29th:
Shooting Set one of the main actor. There will be two separate, hopefully maybe even three, days of shooting.
Subtasks:
After each shoot I must review the footage that night to see if it works and also most importantly to dump all of the footage onto a computer as well as one other type of storage device meant as a backup.
Also I will have to rent a lighting kit from the equipment room for the shoot.


Jan 30th through the 2nd:
Shooting of the other main portion of the piece, the alternate dark character that is the negative presence in the piece.
Subtasks:
Similar to the previous shooting session, I will have to figure out the wardrobes for this shoot and also rent a light kit from the equipment room.

Feb 3rd through the 9th:
Compiling the footage that I had previously shot and place in it the proper sequence to be showed as my first Physical instantiation of the project.

Feb 12 through Feb 18th:
During this time If I am not happy with the way certain aspects of the previous shoots turned out or if there is any additional footage that I need to shoot I will take this time to shoot again.
Subtasks:
Again I will have to rent a light set from the equipment room and use any of the same wardrobes and locations that I did in previous shoots as to have the new video match the old video.

Feb 19th through March 1st:
Through this time I will do two main things. I will compile any new video that I may have shot and add it in with my previous video sessions. After that task is complete I will take these times to further edit the video ad even begin to add in effects and video treatments to the video itself.

March 2nd through the 4th:
This is when my Midterm presentation for this second semester will be due. By this point I should have nearly all or all of the video shot and edited into sequence for the video portion of the piece. I should also have added at least enough effects to the piece that the two separate plotlines are aesthetically different enough to be viewed as two separate alter universes.
Subtasks:
For the purpose of the presentation I will also have to create some complementary visuals to show and document the progress that I have made so far and how the piece has evolved, such as a brief slide presentation to go through before showing the video work I had completed up until then.

March 5th Through the 18th:
Throughout Spring break is when I will be putting together all the attributes for the Final Deliverable that will have to be handed in, along with also continually editing and refining the video I have captured even more.

March 18th Through March 29th:
Along with continuing to polish and refine my piece, the new task that I will be focusing on during this time is the installation of my video onto two separate screens that sync up in time with each other and also one main audio output.
Subtasks:
This is when I will have to gather all the materials I need to take this from just a singular video work to a dynamic multiple screen video installation. I have in my possession two equal sized televisions and as an audio system to output the sound. As far as the actually system that will output the video to the TV’s, at this time I do not know exactly what technology I will utilize to do that, As of know I think that a computer to output the video and probably the audio as well might actually work out best.

March 30th Through April 1st:
This is went the last Physical instantiation of the project before the absolute final installation. By this time I should have the whole video complete, or at least more then 90% complete, with the exception of maybe a few minor upgrades left to implement. The video should by this point also be playing back and forth between two screens in proper time.

April 2nd to April 29th:
This last month with is used for tying the nearly completed project all together and refining it to the point that I am completely happy with the final result. Also during this final month additional things besides just the core of the project (the video) will be created to complement the project as a whole. These things include, first and foremost the projection to be shown onto the installation space as well addition media such as the creation of promotional postcards and also the possibility of a complementary website. By the last week or so of the month of April the piece should be completed and I should just be focusing on minor aspects of the installation such as placing it in space just the right way or updating the possible promotional website with content.
Subtasks:
I will have to rent or borrow a projector from somewhere not just for the final piece but also well before the piece is shown as to test out my project ideas. Some extra things that I will have to purchase are things such as paying for the post cards to be printed. As for the website, I already own domain space, so that is a purchase that is already been made.

hola blogger roo's

I know its been awhile since I have posted to my blog so I wanted to get you guys up to date with my most recent progress. Over the break I finalized where, when who and how the finally filming for the project. Tonight is the first day of Final filming and my friend Nate is going to play the role of the main protagonist. Hopefully I can get most of the indoor shots involving him finished up today and maybe even some of the outdoor shots too. By tomorrow or so I hope to have some ruff cuts of the footage uploaded for your viewing pleasure, so make sure to check it out.