Tuesday, March 4, 2008

"EXTREAM CONFIDENCE PROGRAM" PROPOSAL.....

AMANDA INGRAM'S: EXTREME coNFIDENCE PROGRAM:

*TONE: THE FORUM FEELING MY INFOMERCIAL IS
TONE FOR INFOMERCIAL: THE TONE FOR THE INFOMERCIAL IS HIGH ENERGETIC
ENTHUSIASM

LOOK, I AM NOT GONNA STAND UP HERE IN FRONT OF YOU ALL TO SELL A BUNCH OF FOOLISHNESS LIKE THESE HERE.. BEWITCHED BEAUTY PRODUCTS.. CLAIMING THAT THEY ARE KEY, TO CONFIDENCE.
TRINKETS THAT CLAIM AND

ALLUDES THE FANTASY THAT EXPENSIVE MAGIC SOAP WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH CONFIDENCE.

BEAUTY PRODUCTS OBVIOUSLY CANNOT CREATE CONFIDENCE OR THEY WOULD NOT JUST BE CALLED BEAUTY PRODUCTS....

"AMANDA INGRAM'S: EXTREME coNFIDENCE PROGRAM,"
IS
UNLIKE
ALL OTHER
BECAUSE, SINCE AMANDA IS
NOW, CREATOR, and founder
AMANDA INGRAM IS HERE TO MAKE YOU CONFIDENCE , A STATE OF MIND, WHICH IS CONTROLLED DEEP WITHIN YOUR PERSONA.

NOW, HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT A PERSONA IS?

NOW, LET ME GO AHEAD AND TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, THAT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO BEAUTY PRODUCT OR TRINKET OUT ON THE MARKET RIGHT NOW THAT COULD IS CREATES CREATING YOU WITH CONFIDENCE, EXCEPT YOURSELF.

NOW, I PROMISE WHEN YOU ORDER MY PROGRAM, "AMANDA INGRAM'S: EXTREME CONFIDENCE PROGRAM," YOU WILL NEVER WORRY ABOUT INFERIORITY AGAIN

HAVE TO DEAL AGAIN WITH LL NEVER SELL YOU WORTHLESS TRINKETS OR BEAUTY PRODUCTS BUT MOST TELL YOU TO FIND YOUR CONFIDENCE AND I GIVE YOU MY WORD BECAUSE WITH "EVERY EXTREME CONFIDENCE PROGRAM" I SEND OUT I ACTUALLY, PACKAGE THE CONFIDENCE.
IT IS ACTUALLY POSSIBLE FOR ME TO MAKE THESE GAURENTEES BECAUSE I DO NOT PLAY, YOU A CALL RIGHT NOW AND ORDER MY "EXTREME CONFIDENCE PROGRAM, AND I WILL HAVE YOUR CONFIDENCE SENT RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR STEP .

NOW, TO ANSWER YOU ALL'S QUESTIONS...

OUR LITTLE CHAT LAST THURSDAY, RESULTED IN MY DECISION TO GO AHEAD AND MARKET MY EXTREME CONFIDENCE PROGRAM, IN THE FORM OF AN INFOMERCIAL. MY PRODUCT TO MARKET IS," AMANDA INGRAM'S EXTREME CONFIDENCE PROGRAM."
NOW AT SOME POINT DURING THE CHAT LAST WEEK, IT WAS MENTIONED, I SHOULD COMBINE ALL THE 3 MY IDEAS INTO THE INFOMERCIAL IDEA. BUT I AM SAYING THAT I AM NOT REALLY FEELING THAT BECAUSE, I THINK ITS GONNA BE HARD FOR ME TO SELL MY CONFIDENCE, IF I AM CONSTANTLY CHANGING MY SUNGLASSES AND BOP IN ALL OVER THE DAMN PLACE. .
I WAS ASK IF I "AMANDA INGRAM" WHERE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A CHARACTER WITHIN MY INFOMERCIAL, AND TO TELL YOU ALL THE TRUTH, I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THIS YET, BUT, IF I CANNOT FIND A RIDICULOUS AWESOME, PERSON TO PLAY THE COMPLEX AND QUIRKY ROLE OF "AMANDA INGRAM," THEN I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO PLAY THE PART.
IN ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, CONCERNING WHO MY AUDIENCE IS, I WOULD SAY PRETTY MUCH ANY MALE OR FEMALE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 13-50 YEARS OF AGE ESPECIALLY THOSE OWNING A CEDIT CARD.
NOW, THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION I NEED TO ANSWER IN MAKING THIS FILM IS HOW OR WHAT IN MEANS MY EXTREAM CONFIDENSE IS PACKAGED OR REPRESNTED. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND, I WILL NOT USES AN OBJECT TO STANDIN FOR MY "EXTREAM CONFIDENCE" BECAUSE MOST ANY OBJECT WILL OBJECTIFY THIS "EXTREAM CONFIDENCE" ALSO OBJECTS IMPLY GENDER.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

NEW IDEAS FOR VIDEO #1:

I WOULD LIKE TO CREATE A TALK SHOW TAPING WHERE I SHOWCASE MY SUNGLASS COLLECTION AND WHICH EACH PAIR THAT I PUT ON I MAGICALLY TURN INTO A NEW CHARACTER. AND I WOULD END THE SHOW BY SHOWING MY NEWEST COLLECTION OF...BROCHES. THIS WOULD BE DONE MUCH LIKE THE LESLIE HALL VIDEOS THAT I PREVIOUSLY POSTED ON MY BLOG.
LESLIE HALL

NEW IDEAS FOR VIDEO #2:

I WOULD LIKE TO CREATE AN "INTERVINTION" LIKE EPISODE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS A PROBLEM WITH EXCESSIVE THIRFT STORE SPENDING PROBLEM.INTERVENTION

NEW IDEAS FOR VIDEO #3:

I HAVE A SPECIAL AFFECTION FOR INFOMERCIALS...PARTICULARLY THE NEW GOLD FOR CASH ONES. SO I WAS THINKING I WOULD CREATE MY OWN INFOMERCIAL IN OFFERING TO PROVIDE THE VIEWER WITH MY EXTREAM CONFIDENCE PROGRAM IN EXCHANGE FOR A MERE 6 PAYMENTS OF $19.99. INFOMERCIAL

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Reaction to filming...

I found the second time around filming to be a less intimidating but it was still very stressfull during the process. I had a lot more people helping which made filming easier but since theses were not the people I used in rehersal it made filming drag out and take forever, since I had to explain what they were doing in each scene. but all in all it went alot smoother.

Character through lighting

I would like to create a crazy glam rock character that is way more awesome in her mind than in reality. sorta like the videos below. The lighting would be dramatic as well as hazy to make it feel dream like and in her mind.

video idea 2

video idea

Thursday, February 14, 2008

LIGHTING QUIZ:

1. KEY- This is usually the strongest light and has the most influence on the look and mood of the scene. The key is placed on one side of the camera/subject so that this side will be well lit and the other side will have some shadow.
FILL- This is the secondary light and is placed on the opposite side of the key light. Used to fill the shadows created by the key. Fill usually softer and less bright than the key. To achieve this the fill light should be further away or use light some spun. Might want to set the fill to more flood than key.
BACK- The back light is placed behind subject and lights them from the rear. Rather that providing direct lighting (like the key or the fill) its purpose is to provide definition & subtle highlights around the subject from the background and provide a 3 dimensional look. Basically the back creates depth.

2.Use a reflector to bounce the direct sun light away from the subject, this reflector could be made of a number of things such as white foam core, a shinny silver surface(aluminum foil,) or a back cloth covered board.

3. In any scene you should never move the camera angle more than 180 degrees,so as not to make the viewer sick. Or, it could have to do with the 3 point lighting and thats the distance between the camera and all 3 lights: key-30degrees, fill-50, and back-100degrees.

IMAGES_INFORM MY VIDEO STYLE#2:

MICHEL GONDRY:

IMAGES_INFORM MY VIDEO STYLE#1:

Jan Švankmajer:


RESPONSE TO REHEARSAL:

RESPONSE TO REHEARSAL:
Once behind the camera, the rehearsal was very nerve racking… Initially, I was so set on perfection that every time the slightest thing went wrong, I re-shot the whole scene from the top of that scene, and after I spent over an hour on the first two scenes I realized, this was ridiculous. After, letting go of my need for a instant excellence the whole process go a whole lot better and I started having fun, and so did the assistant. The most important information that gained from the rehearsal was that I need more than one assistant; I decided that two are essential for the final filming and three would be even better. So, I have added one additional assistant, Katie Benjamin, she is actually the only one who was able to help me last night because Tori my other assistant, was busy. I also made a decision, I would like for Katie to read the voice-overs in addition to myself to see which one of us is easier to understand and sounds more natural. As the rehearsal progressed we had so much fun that we even started adding additional comments and sounds to the original script, which I think really added more of a humorous dynamic to the video. However, one major down fall to this rehearsal is the horrible sound effects I attempted to make were awful. The water sounded like I was beating around in a box and the thunder, well it sounds like microwave popcorn popping. So I need to decide if I want to push this really tacky sound aesthetic or if really natural sound effects would make the video a little more polished. Also, there were a lot of things that I did not have or need to improve, such as, need to finish my dioramas and make the background image larger than 8x10 possibly 11x14 would work better. (I USED BOTH GLOSSY AND MATT PAPER WANT OPINIONS ON WHICH LOOKS BETTER.) Needed more people. Need to find several red color gels for the lighting. Need a fan to make the wind movement and sound, also it was not in the cards for me to use a grill to make grill marks on my meat so I used paint and I kind of liked it but I think the grill marks would look better, or maybe I could blend the two. I needed more in my scenes and I think by enlarging my background I will have more space, and I do not need to do the “storm” scenes in my apartment. Finally, I think that I needed more camera control and a lot more subtle movement, another thing I did to compensate for the color gels was make the white balance more yellow and NOW I think this was a bad idea because I could have edited with the computer instead of compromising the only material I have to work.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

CONTACT SHEETS: BEACH IMAGES 2

CONTACT SHEETS: BEACH IMAGES

SCHEDUALE FOR FIRST VIDEO: HORN ISLAND

This is my schedule

revised from tuesday

1. IN DEPTH ANALYSIS—OF THE SCREENPLAY


a. Determine each character’s spine – life goals/objectives

The goal of my character is to get off Horn Island alive to prove to herself that she can survive terrible challenges while still remaining creative and seine preferably without full-blown skin cancer. 


b. What are each major character’s obstacles to reaching their objectives?
Attempting to survive life on a tropical island with large punctures on the bottoms of both feet, 10th degree sunburns over 90% of her body, and a collapsed and mangled tent. 


c. What are the actions the characters will use to overcome their obstacles and reach their objectives?
The character is dropped into the first scene.
After putting up the tent walks to beach to cool off but cuts foot on the way, finally makes it to the beach and puts foot in slat water to clean wound.
Leaves beach and walks back to tent.
Walks around tent area but does not do a lot because of sunburn.
Goes inside tent to sleep since the weather got worse.
Lying inside tent the elements finally take their toile on tent and it inevitably collapses onto character.
d. What are the ways and means the characters will use?
Character is basically just dropped into the scene and situation.
After clumsily putting up tent character scurries to the beach to cool down but on the walk down cuts gash in foot when finally get to beach character reluctantly put cut foot into water to clean wound.
Carefully walks back to tent.
Anxiously pacing around tent area worrying about foot, sunburn, and the increasingly bad weather.
After waiting around enough character gets inside tent, painfully lying down hoping for some sleep.
While lying in the tent the storm finally collapses the tent…right on top of character.
e. What adjustments do the characters make when their actions and means don’t succeed?
Her actions inevitably do succeed until then there is not much she can do but make the best of her uncomfortable situation by seeing the absurd humor in this whole trip. 


f. What realistic doings are the actors engaged in?
Character is actively engorged in the act of surviving for example when she cuts her foot, she continues the walk to the beach so that she can flush out her wound to prevent infection. Also, she plays it safe just kind of staying right around her tent.
2. BREAKDOWN—OF THE SCREENPLAY/SCRIPT


a. The number and types of actors required. The one actor, so to speak, is my own “personification” which is projected onto a large hunk of meat illustrating/ explaining in detail what Horn Island made me feel like or how it impacted me physically and emotionally.
b. How many scenes each actor will be in and the total length of their performances. The actor is actually a personification. I will use a hunk of raw meat as the “stand in” for the actor in my film. I am hoping to utilize no more than 2 hunks of meat (these will be a larger than a fist.) In addition, I need at lest 2 assistants during the filming process to help with lighting, creating sound effects (waves crashing and thunderstorm,) and controlling the rainstorm (rain, lighting, and wind.) 
The meat is actually performing in 5 scenes. 

c. The requirements, number, and types of locations. There are two primary locations (inside my apartment as well as outside.)
Within these two locations there are going to 7 dioramas changing with each scene (inside apartment scenes 1-3, outside scenes 4-6.)
There are a number of special requirements for the 7 dioramas, each scene has a different background, environment, sand configuration. 
The types of locations existing inside each diorama are beach imagery:
scene1. background image: horizon line at the beach/dry sand
scene2. background image: sunny day horizon line beach image with sandy shore in close proximity. (few yards)/dry sand background image: shell shards littering the beach/dry sand
scene3. background image: either existing or create photo with red tent on beach with out water/dry sand
scene4. background image: night landscape at Horn Island without tent/dry sand
scene5. background image: night at red tent/wet sand
scene6. background image: collapsed tent image and red fabric/wet sand

d. The number and types of stunts and special effects.

Creating the illusion of wind using an oscillating fan.
Waves crashing using a sink full of water someone is churning.
Red color gel in scenes 2-3 for hot hazy feeling.
Pots, pans, and thick paper rumbling to make thunder scenes 5-6.
Flashing light behind background in scenes 5-6 for lighting.


e. What special costumes and makeup will be required?

No make up except for applying small sweat beads to meat for scenes 2 and 3 as well as possibly insert meat thermometer in scene 3.


f. What props are required?
Most important props are 7 different dioramas (all with individual background photographs and sand configurations.) 
Water hose with a spray nozzle.
Loose sand.
Pots, pans, and thick paper.
Hot lights.
Red gel filters.
Sink full of water.
Meat thermometer.
Fishing line, skewers, or rope.
Red fabric. 





3. LOCATION SCOUT—POTENTIAL PROBLEMS

This location could be a problem especially outside if the neighbors are still doing work on house as well as the sound from the fan is going to be an issue indoors with film. 



4. CONFIRM LOCATIONS – 
Draw an overhead map of the natural and electrical power sources. 



5. MASTER SHOTS -
#1. An out of focus shot of a photograph (the horizon line at Horn Island) with the sound of waves crashing on to the shore. The sound will be made by running hand through a sink full of water.



Also determine in each scene what realistic doings the actors can be engaged in so that they aren't just standing around and reciting lines. Real people are always engaged in some kind of doing, preparing a meal, reading a book, surfing the web, while they are engaged in the various dialogs and actions that happen as they try to achieve their objectives.

Contact Sheet: Actor/Crew

FILM CONTACT SHEET: ACTORS AND CREW
Amanda Ingram
PHONE:
334-300-6616
ADDRESS:
267 N Avalon
Memphis, TN 38112

Tori Green
PHONE:
615-430-9851
ADDRESS:
267 N Avalon
Memphis, TN 38112

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

SCRIPT;

SCENE ONE:
The film begins with a voice over with the sound of ocean waves crashing onto the shore and an out of focus shot of the diorama without the raw meat.
VOICE OVER: Initially the idea of immersed in endless white sandy beaches on Horn Island seemed dreamy. Imagining my skin drenched in the luxurious texture of velvety sand, its refreshing silky feeling on my bare skin, the unending sound of the cool ocean water waving peacefully to and fro.
Immediately after this is said I think I want the hunk of meat to dramatically plop into the scene and change the whole dynamic of the previous voice over.
The diorama, in the middle of a hot afternoon, bright sunlight beaming down onto the meat as it attempts to move around the box. Would like for this whole shot to have a red hue. And maybe end with a sound bit similar to that of “Debbie Downer” from SNL.

SCENE TWO:
Becoming acquainted with the island… sweating profusely after my sad attempt to put up tent I meander a few yards down to the ocean, however, in route I step onto a shard of broken sea shell, cutting a gash into the bottom of my left foot. Finally arriving to the sea I decide to place my bloody foot into the salt water to clean the wound….
VOICE OVER: Fuck, man I was not expecting such a shocking sting. Sitting there secretly congratulating myself for erecting my tent, lugging all 70 lbs of my gear like 6 miles across ridiculous sand dunes, and all without air-conditioning, motorized vehecials, or an ice cold coke. I was feeling pretty invincible at this point and decide to mosey around to evaluate the progress of my peers.

SCENE THREE:
Arrive back at my tent.
VOICE OVER: I begin to notice a burn on my freshly exposed skin. After investigating a bit I see pulsating red stripes alongside contrasting patches of my smooth fair ivory complection. Damn it this is just great… day one and already a fucking sunburn.

SCENE FOUR:
Later that night in the cool night breeze…
VOICE OVER: That night the beach breeze kick up and felt chilly on my burned bare skin, yet under the sunburn it felt like I was internally radiating heat, I feel like a life sized Easy Bake Oven. But after a bit the wind pick up even more and it started to feel like I was being stung by invisible bees all over my body… damn it, there’s like tons of sand worlying around in the wind. And then out of nowhere it starts pouring down rain, well this totally fixed the windy sand problem, and brought an even more painful one.
SCENE FIVE:
Standing outside tent about to go in for shelter.
VOICE OVER: Deciding that it is a stupid idea to torment my tender skin anymore I decide to go into my tent for shelter. Inside I lie down on uneven sandy floor of my tent still feeling like a beacon of radiating heat I attempt to sleep. As the rainstorm turns into a thunderstorm.
SCENE SIX:
Inside my tent the thunderstorm rages on outside making my droop a bit from the weight of the rain and wind. Uncomfortably lying there, it finally occurs to me that maybe my tent might not be able to handle the intense wind. Damn, now what should I do if… and before completing the thought the damn thing crashes on top of me.

PRE-PRODUCTION PACKAGE 1-5:

1. IN DEPTH ANALYSIS—OF THE SCREENPLAY

a. Determine each character’s spine – life goals/objectives
The goal of my character is to get off Horn Island alive to prove to herself that she can survive terrible challenges while still remaining creative and seine preferably without full-blown skin cancer.

b. What are each major character’s obstacles to reaching their objectives?
Attempting to survive life on a tropical island with large punctures on the bottoms of both feet, not having a container for drinking water, 10th degree sunburns over 90% of her body, and a collapsed and mangled tent.

c. What are the actions the characters will use to overcome their obstacles and reach their objectives?
First, survival is finding a usable water bottle to transport drinking water back to her tent from main camp. Then coping with layers of fierce sunburns she endured from the previous days she must rig her windswept tent up for shelter from the pelting rain storms. As well as, continuously cleaning and re-duck tapping the seashell shard gashes on the bottoms of both feet.

d. What are the ways and means the characters will use?
Forcefully, praying for deliria from prolonged sun exposer as well as, digging deep within herself for the determination to overcome the island’s harsh conditions.

e. What adjustments do the characters make when their actions and means don’t succeed?
Her actions inevitably do succeed until then there is not much she can do but make the best of her uncomfortable situation by seeing the absurd humor in this whole trip.

f. What realistic doings are the actors engaged in?
Survival in complete unbridled nature.


2. BREAKDOWN—OF THE SCREENPLAY/SCRIPT

a. The number and types of actors required.
The one actor, so to speak, is my own “personification” which is projected onto a large hunk of meat illustrating/ explaining in detail what Horn Island made me feel like or how it impacted me physically and emotionally.

b. How many scenes each actor will be in and the total length of their performances.
The actor is actually a personification. I will use a hunk of raw meat as the “stand in” for the actor in my film. I am hoping to utilize no more than 2 hunks of meat (these will be a larger than a fist.) In addition, I need at lest 2 assistants during the filming process to help with lighting, creating sound effects (waves crashing and thunderstorm,) and controlling the rainstorm (rain, lighting, and wind.)
The meat is actually performing in 5 scenes.

c. The requirements, number, and types of locations.
There are two primary locations (inside my apartment as well as outside.)
Within these two locations there are going to 7 dioramas changing with each scene (inside apartment scenes 1-3, outside scenes 4-6.)
There are a number of special requirements for the 7 dioramas, each scene has a different background, environment, sand configuration.
The types of locations existing inside each diorama are beach imagery:
scene1. background image: horizon line at the beach/dry sand
scene2. background image: sunny day horizon line beach image with sandy shore in close proximity. (few yards)/dry sand
background image: shell shards littering the beach/dry sand
scene3. background image: either existing or create photo with red tent on beach with out water/dry sand
scene4. background image: night landscape at Horn Island without tent/dry sand
scene5. background image: night at red tent/wet sand
scene6. background image: collapsed tent image and red fabric/wet sand
d. The number and types of stunts and special effects.
Creating the illusion of wind using an oscillating fan.
Waves crashing using a sink full of water someone is churning.
Red color gel in scenes 2-3 for hot hazy feeling.
Pots, pans, and thick paper rumbling to make thunder scenes 5-6.
Flashing light behind background in scenes 5-6 for lighting.

e. What special costumes and makeup will be required?
No make up except for applying small sweat beads to meat for scenes 2 and 3 as well as possibly insert meat thermometer in scene 3.

f. What props are required?
Most important props are 7 different dioramas (all with individual background photographs and sand configurations.)
Water hose with a spray nozzle.
Loose sand.
Pots, pans, and thick paper.
Hot lights.
Red gel filters.
Sink full of water.
Meat thermometer.
Fishing line, skewers, or rope.
Red fabric.




3. LOCATION SCOUT—POTENTIAL PROBLEMS
This location could be a problem especially outside if the neighbors are still doing work on house as well as the sound from the fan is going to be an issue indoors with film.


4. CONFIRM LOCATIONS –
Draw an overhead map of the natural and electrical power sources.


5. MASTER SHOTS -
#1. An out of focus shot of a photograph (the horizon line at Horn Island) with the sound of waves crashing on to the shore. The sound will be made by running hand through a sink full of water.


Also determine in each scene what realistic doings the actors can be engaged in so that they aren't just standing around and reciting lines. Real people are always engaged in some kind of doing, preparing a meal, reading a book, surfing the web, while they are engaged in the various dialogs and actions that happen as they try to achieve their objectives.

REVISED: GENRE/LOGLINE/SYNOPSIS EXERCISE

GENRE:
Experimental/ Comedy

LOGLINE:
A young woman’s academic expedition thrust her into nature on an uninhabited island.

SYNOPSIS:
A young collegian enrolls in a 10-day summer class to experience Horn Island; however, absurdly ill prepared she embarks on an environment she never suspected.

Thursday, January 31, 2008

GENRE/LOGLINE/SYNOPSIS EXERCISE

GENRE:
Abstract

SUB GENRE:
ABSTRACT/EXPERIMENTAL

LOGLINE:
A young woman recollects an academic expedition camping at an uninhabited island.

SYNOPSIS:
Blotting fresh sweat beads from my forehead, takes me right back to the “red summer” of Horn Island. Initially, the idea of being immersed in endless white sandy beaches on Horn Island seemed really exciting. Comforted that for the next ten days my skin would be drenched in such a luxurious texture. I loved the refreshing and silky feeling of the sand on my bare skin as well as the clean ocean sent it embodies. Then, the very next day I felt sun burning down onto my freshly exposed skin, which resulted in pulsating red stripes alongside contrasting patches of smooth fair ivory skin. Later, that night when the breeze kicked up it felt chilly on to bare skin, like it is cold on the surface and under my sunburned it feels like I am literally radiating heat beneath the surface. To give you a visual image explain this feeling, I like a life sized Easy Bake Oven, cool on the outside and generating heat on the inside. The stinging pain that I was feeling is the actual wind hitting my blazing, blistered, red skin. These, affects were so painful for my tender skin it became unbearable, forcing me to retreat into my tent for the night. Finally, I can shield the discomfort; the wind and rain pounded my red tent until collapsed onto of my red skin.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Sensory Detail 3

Descriptive Sensory Observation: Sanding Wood
The aroma of wood chips filled the room, as I sanded. With my right hand I began making quick, rigorous, circular movements on the surface of a piece of wood. The rough texture of sand paper feels dry and gritty and slowly begins to smooth the surface of my wood. After a while my hand felt raw, not only from the course texture of the sand paper but also, also from the itchy film of wood dust residue covering my hands, arms, and face. This fine residue was extremely uncomfortable and difficult to remove from my skin. However, my raw hands and itchy skin were annoying enough there was also a repetitive loud high pitch scratching sound produced from the grinding these two surfaces. Though, I periodically to a break from sanding to sweep my hand across the sanded surface to remove all the gritty dust from the wood’s surface so I could feel the actual smoothness of the wood. This made quite a relaxing long soft sweeping sound.

Shooting Instructions for Descriptive Sensory Experience: From Observation

The first thing I would do to make a film about sanding wood is make audio recordings of the entire process and pair it with some of other action that does not really make any noise, such as sewing or knitting. Also, I think it could be interesting to pair the wood sanding audio with a really peaceful scene like the ocean tide coming in and out to see if this obnoxious sound could be transformed into something calming if paired with something “sold” on its relaxing abilities.

Sensory Detail 2

Observed Experience: Gessoing Board
Gesso smells somewhat similar to a freshly painted room; while it is initially a little bit fumy it quickly subsides into a fresh clean scent. Brushing wet gesso onto my wooden cradle creates a soft swish sound; like to the sound a broom makes when moving across a wet floor. I sit, my left arm supporting my tired hovering body and staring face down at the mindless strokes I’m making with the brush; left to right, back and forth are the repetitive motions that my right hand stiffly performs. On hard the concrete floor, my right leg tucked in close to my body, I notice that my leg has become freckled with tiny bright white specks of gesso. The crusty feeling of dried chalky gesso flaking off my skin, especially from my hands feels powdery and uncomfortable.

Shooting Instructions for Descriptive Sensory Experience: From Observation
I am not sure how I would go about creating a video utilizing descriptive sensory for gessoing a wooden cradle. This was kind of a crazy challenge to see if there is any way to create a video that is remotely interesting as well as sensory for this really boring task. The only idea I have is creating some kind of rigid documentary like script and set up to describe to the viewer how these senses are used even in such dull task.

Sensory Detail 1

Sensory Experience: Memory
Initially, the idea of being immersed in endless white sandy beaches on Horn Island was quite exciting. Comforted that for the next ten days my skin would be drenched in such a luxurious texture. I loved the refreshing and silky feeling of the sand on my bare skin as well as the clean ocean sent it embodies. However, the very next day I felt sun burning down onto my freshly exposed skin, which resulted in pulsating red stripes alongside contrasting patches of smooth fair ivory skin. Later, that night when the breeze kicked up I began to feel as if invisible bees were stinging me, all over my skin. Realizing, the stinging pain that I was feeling was the sand in the wind hitting my blazing, blistered, red skin. However, these gusts of wind were the prelude to a major storm. Hard rain was further intensified by even heavier gusts of sandy wind. These, affects were so painful for my tender skin it became unbearable, forcing me to retreat into my tent for the night. Thinking, finally I can avoid the discomfort; until the wind and rain caused me red tent to collapse on my red skin.

Shooting Instructions for Descriptive Sensory Experience: From Memory
I would shoot this experience focusing primarily on the color red to convey the sense of sun-blistered skin. I think to truly feel this discomfort of this memory I must make the viewer remember their worst sunburn, how their skin looked, felt, and burned. The striking contrast between the skin exposed to the sun versus the skin covered by some sort of clothing.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Video Write Up

During this process it was really strange to watch and hear myself repeat the same thing over and over again however, through this repetition my video became more and more natural with every attempt. My idea deals with the idea of being from small agriculture town in rural Alabama and longing to be somewhere more exciting and stimulating. Now, after moving to a city I realized that elements from my southern rural upbringing greatly affected not only the person I am now but also the way I interact and react to place.




Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Sense of place..

I think a sense of place is basically just a person thoughts, feelings, and reactions to a place whether it be tangible or not. To be a person in a place is to be involved in a place or interacting with that place. People defiantly affect places physically such as pollution, construction, demolition, farming, ect.; however, people also create places in their minds. I think that there is little difference between a physical landscape and the places people create in their minds. I do not think that most people actually take a place for what it actually is I think that they create what they really want to see in their own minds. Place is a form of identity.

Definition of PLACE...

PLACE-
A particular portion of space definite or infinite.
Time and place.
A space for a person such as seat.
A spot or area used for a specific function.(Like worship, entertainment, sleep)
Any part or spot in a body or surface.
A habitat.
A function or duty. (Its not your place to do that.)
A position or function. (gold, silver, bronze)

Place-Freewrite

Place, Home, Identity,Landscape
A Place that one might long to visit could be a place that another longs to escape.
Another way of thinking about place is position.. such as a person's place in the world or nitch. Also thier socio-economic status in society. Often place is identified with specificc people or animals like zebra, Africa or cow, farm. No matter how I think about place it is alwyas connected to people.

First try...


Amanda Ingram
One of my favorite artists is currently Alex Podesta this is a link to his website to check him out Alex Pdoesta

Also this is a photo of his latest work