Latest Edit

Post

_
I decided quite early on in the project that the promo was going to involve a fair bit of postproduction, as a result, much of my time was invested in manipulating video in experiment ways using both digital and analogue means. This allowed me to create a system and style that would hopefully reflect in my work to make it stand out.

Now that I had decent footage to work with, it was time to put all my research and development to use. Here's a taste of what I came up with.

>


_
Through methods of distortion I use along with the minimal light I have chosen to give the promo a sinister tone. This is largely due to the nature of the track, consisting of multiple layers of sound, echo-like lyrics are present throughout it giving it a creepy feeling. However the video also embraces the dance music roots of the track.

There is not one video filter being used. All the distortion seen in the video is 100% authentic, taken directly from the source using a device called a canopus box. This little gem enabled me to pipe the VHS signal directly into my computer.

>


_
Above is what I have been living and dreaming for the last 2-3 weeks. Through this set up I was able to manipulate footage in all kinds of ways to get a whole spectrum of distortion. This idea of controlled distortion comes from the music.

The Shoot

_
Lately there hasn’t been much activity on this blog. The music video required all my attention and now that the promo’s in its final stages I have time to let you know what I’ve been up to.

Thanks to Rob Rankine, I had a great little studio at my disposal for a week. The shoot took four days in total, longer than I hoped (I've learned that keeping to a schedule is critical when filming). It took a while before I was satisfied with the lighting but with help from Alex Batchelor and much trail and error, we got there.

>

_
I used four models in total: Rina, Sophie, Holly and Jenny. Hats off to them, not everyone's up for being covered in glitter. We had a lot of fun.

Video plus

_
Playing around with multiple VHS generations of the same footage. Putting the bleeding colour to sound.
>

Tracking

_
Experiments with analogue. Taken directly from the screen using a macro function on my camera. The paring of digital with analogue is nice. I guess the distortion brings a little atmosphere to what is usually very clean, sharp and sometimes pretty dull.
>

_

_
Looking at the illusion of depth in after effects and how it can be put to sound
>

Colour, Phillip Glass and Sesame Street!

_
I have become increasingly interested in shape, colour and movement. I came across these sesame street animations from the 70's. I think they're pretty amazing. Set to music by the brilliant Phillip Glass (from Koyaanisqatsi) and using very simple lines and blocks of colour to demonstrate the colour wheel and more importantly I think to stimulate the imagination. Beautiful and elegant although I wonder how children reacted to these, could potentially be quite scary...
_

_


_
A fantastic collection of production company idents, a feast of neon and dusty animation.
>

_
Further development with shape and movement using after effects. At this stage, these are basically visual studies.
_

The Y axis

_
This experiment showed the potential of working with x y + z axis. Brings Max to a whole new dimension...

_

_

Television Test cards

Alan Pemberton seems to know everything there is to know about testcards and has kindly decided to share his knowledge with the rest of the world.

www.pembers.freeserve.co.uk/index.html#9R-59

The purpose of a test card was to enable you to set the configuration on your television set and each differen't part of the test card has a purpose (to set the contrast or the aspect ratio for example). This makes them more than just pretty pictures and I didn't realise just how many there were and how diverse they could be, alot of them are extremely well designed... they're amazing images.





Reminds me of the work by Eduardo Paolozzi, another huge inspiration of mine. Video works in a grid like fashion. Artists like Paolozzi and Bjorn Copeland used grids in astounding ways to create kaleidoscopic collages...



Bjorn Copeland is in an electronic noise band Black Dice and has made this great video...

Waves

So I have been getting into grids, patterns and waveforms with a nod to time in video. Whilst researching the above on google I stumbled across Daniel Crooks, a digital artist who seems to share similar interests. These images remind me the strands in DNA, as shapes, strands convey movement, movement of sound waves possibly?

Similar to my work the image is slices up in a chronological manner. However, the movement is not horizontal, the movement is three dimensional with shapes coming towards the viewer and away. Perspective kicks in.




Here's what sound waves look like... The caption reads, "A visible pattern of sound waves. This new technique of studying sound demonstrates the focusing effect of an acoustical lens on sound waves issuing from the horn at extreme left. Wave pattern is produced by a scanning technique . . ." photograph, from the book The First Book of Sound: A Basic Guide to the Science of Acoustics by David C. Knight, Franklin Watts, Inc. New York (1960). p. 80

FMP: Ministry of sound

Fire Exit Film Night

I decided I have had enough with cinemas today. Instead I have created an alternative to the modern cinema. Fire Exit takes the picture out of the cinema to a more interesting environment. Above is a poster and a leaflet with information about the night. I have one successful night under my belt. See Below:

Type in progress...

A small study which began by looking into the relationship between letters. How some rely on others.



After making these, I went on to look at the negative space between the letters. I wanted to map the transformation from one character to another. The shape tween in flash allowd me to do this.

Morning

A bedroom can act as a portrait. The goal of this short film is to bring a room to life. Focusing on key elements, using scale to enhance both the context of the piece and also its visual style. Both of which are intertwined.


A general state of mind when I wake

Oil / Water

Oil and water. Some abstract photographs that study oils refusal to mix. These images where created for a quote.
"So, you got the money then?"
"You are part of a brand new world"
It is not just the aesthetic quality that interests me about oil. But also the controversy that surrounds the stuff. Soon we will be in a world without it. "a brand new world."

Ink in water

These photographs attempt to capture the tones of music.