Resolution 1, New Learning Agreement

After changing elements of my idea due my findings from research and my pre-vis experiment I then went and wrote a new learning agreement which I feel much better lays out my idea now.

Digital Film & Screen Arts Learning Agreement				YEAR:		3
NAME:  Billie Williams			DATE: 28/09/17
Unit Name/No: Resolution 1		Deadline for submission: December 5th 2017
GROUP PRODUCTION:	NO	INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTION:			YES
DESCRIPTION: A synopsis of the work you intend to undertake in fulfilment of the aims, outcomes and assessment criteria of the unit giving fuller detail in response to each of the five sections below.
Working Title: Separation My piece is a visual audio journey creating video art which explores the theme of divorce, in particular, the experience within my own family. My brother and I are collaborating on this piece, with him creating the instrumental music and myself and a crew creating the visuals. This will be available as a one screen version, however my main intention is to project it into a large gallery space. This will allow me to isolate different parts of the video in different areas and maybe on different objects, using projection mapping if possible, so that the viewers can see the many stages but also emotions of my journey and be within this experience as well. The visual images will be based on symbolic evocative imagery layered with isolated body parts using gestural movement, which helps tell the emotional journey in an abstract way. Effects like macro, slow motion, repetition, collaging, double exposure and the Kaleidoscope effect will also be implemented. This will build up with the audio making a strong atmosphere for the viewer to experience while in the space. I am hoping that the viewer will then reflect upon the journey they witnessed not only observing my personal story but bringing their own life experiences towards the piece too. I am hoping to help other people, who have experiencing similar journeys release and realize their emotions as this is an experimental representation of a childhood trauma which hasn’t been commonly explored previously in this way.
RESEARCH: (Initial reference material and sources)
Initial Research: -       Samsung Infinity Hypercube -       DJ Shadow Live Performances -       Ben Stokes Projection Art -       Childhood Trauma and Divorce Affects Research -       Projection and Light Mapping Inspiration and Basics -       Harvest Light Studio -       Bonobo Music Videos -       Macro Studio Ink and Macro Videos Future Research: -       Visual Audio Installations in particular- DMM Planets installation featuring the work of Japan’s Team Lab, The Tate Turbine Hall Installations, Shanghai Film Museum Installations. -       Video Art, in particular to my chosen style and theme -       Interactive Installations -       Subjectivity of Camera -       Montage and Poetic Videos and theories behind this (Theory of Montage, Laura Marx) -       Light and Projection Mapping in detail (How To) -       Arts and Humanities Research Council -       Virtual Reality, Experiential Design and POV particularly within creating empathy -       Symbolism Essentials (Linked to Divorce) -       Gestural Body Movement and Isolation
CONTEXTUAL UNDERSTANDING (How the work relates to your future goals, previous work, work by other practitioners and so on) This project will help me become involved in the world of video which has transferable skills to the music video industry which I have always been interested in however it allows me to do this in a more experimental and artistic way, which I prefer. I would like to be more of an experimental music video & Video art director and editor rather than commercial pop etc. This project will also be installed in a more technical experiential manor as video art which comes back to how much fun and the skills I felt I gained and succeeded with during last year’s installation project. This project also allows me to develop my technical skills even further as well because there is a larger technical side to it than I’ve never attempted before with elements like Macro, Slow Motion and Kaleidoscope Editing and these are skills I know will be beneficial to have. This piece will fit into the current art and media culture of creating experiences, which are immersive like 360 films and infinity spaces etc. I want to hopefully use the relatively new technology of projection mapping as well to present it in a way which is immersive and atmospheric. I also feel this piece is addressing an issue, which people wouldn’t think to try and portray through abstract symbolism, in an installation because it’s so real but I feel like it isn’t only about my journey but it’s about other people applying similar personal situations and having their own journey with this art too. I have also noticed through research so far that this subject of divorce has never been represented in an abstract evocative way like my piece will so hopefully it will help the audience realize and release emotions from their own journeys. It is unrepresented trauma which I will bring a voice to through this experimental piece.
TECHNICAL AND CREATIVE SKILLS (Propose specialisms, resources required, relate to the above) I will be the Director of this piece, Partly Producer and Editor, however I will need a crew to work with to achieve everything technical that I want. As Director, I will need to plan the vision and concept of the piece communicating thoroughly with my crew about this especially the DOP. I feel like this will test my Directing Skills in terms of keeping such a varied and busy project in perspective and organised but I also feel like concept wise I need to keep the crew engaged as I know that it comes across as a very personal subject but I want everyone to bring a part of themselves into this. This will also challenge me a lot more as an Editor because there are a lot of technical challenges in this that I have given myself like collaging and creating patterns like the Kaleidoscope effect. I have editing skills in Avid, Premier and slightly in After Effects so a lot of the editing is achievable for myself with a lot of work but I wouldn’t feel confident with more of the technical VFX side so I have a VFX editor & crew member who will work with me on this to achieve what’s best for the piece and helping me learn new skills. I am looking forward to developing some projection mapping skills if I can with what’s available or affordable to me in terms of the equipment and software. I never thought of how useful this skill is but after considering the massive amount of ways it can be used I feel like it would be beneficial to learn and I would love to be able to keep using this skill in the future to display mine and others work.
COMMUNICATION (How you will communicate with the staff team and collaborators/How the work communicates with an audience, crowd funding, dissemination etc) I am collaborating partly with my Brother, who is the Musician for this piece and is also a part of the concept as well because we have both shared this journey through our childhood so it’s a very similar experience. I need to keep communication with him up and continue this good working relationship so that we end up with a piece that is strong in audio and visuals together. I also need to communicate with the UCA Equipment Hire team to see what is available to me to achieve the high-quality imagery I want to capture and to see if Light and Projection Mapping is possible. I will then need to make sure I experiment and practice with this before filming and installation. I may also need to complete some crowd funding if I can’t find equipment that is affordable and beneficial that the university might not have especially for the projection mapping process. When it comes to Light and Projection Mapping as much as I can learn online I would also like to see if any technicians at the university or anyone I know has these skills to be able to assist me at least with the initial learning and experimenting process of this. As I have said my piece will work as a one screen version but also as an installation. This one screen version can be uploaded onto YouTube and Vimeo and linked to the musician’s social media sites, so that it reaches not only his fans and following but also anyone else on YouTube and similar platforms wanting to explore these themes. I feel both versions will appeal more to the younger generations because a larger percentage of them have experienced their parents’ divorce as statistics showing this have gone up. Also, the younger generation will be more intrigued due to the experimental nature of the music and the visuals. I feel like not only could this be installed at a typical art gallery but it would be a good piece to install in urban locations where a lot of young people would be found (Skate park, Underpass, Music Venue’s etc.) especially since there is the possibility to Projection Map it to fit many locations.
SELF MANAGEMENT (Work plan, schedule cross referenced with timetable, assessment deadlines etc) October – Gaining Crew and Planning Roles, Pre-Production Paperwork November – Research and Technical Experimentation December – Finalising all Paperwork and handing in for Deadline January – Booking all spaces, Equipment and Acquiring everything and everyone required for filming. Create the finalised documentation for shooting like schedule and call sheets. February – Filming in studio! March – Organise Footage, Archive and Rough Cut, if needed re-film anything April – Get feedback and make Final Cut. Projection Map for Installation and Mock up. May – Create Installation!
STUDENT SIGN:		DATE:
TUTOR APPROVAL:
TUTOR SIGNED:		DATE:
I feel a lot happier with this LA as I feel like the idea has developed and I am now in a much stronger position.