SERENADE NO.3
Brief: Research and practice a creative response to the subject of your dissertation.
How has Technology Effected the Aesthetics and Potency of Moving Image for its Audience? is the subject and question my dissertation surrounds. I am exploring the creative expression of moving image through which has evolved, and continue to, an array of varied aesthetics from the real to the surreal. My key point of focus and discussion encompasses the audiences, and their consumption of said aesthetics, in turn questioning the importance of the technologies versus the self conscious of the viewer transferring what we see and experience into emotion we feel.
Through the research for my dissertation, I encountered the intriguing way sound is used and interpreted within moving image. From its origins and troublesome transition from silent films to synchronised sound, through the experimentation of the avant-garde artist to the modern music video; sound has and still continues to expand the boundaries of the visual creativity of moving image. Sound adds an extra sense for the viewer, the ability to hear as well as see enhances audience perception and expression, moreover portraying aesthetics of influence and excitement. The subject of sound and its strength as an artistic element of moving image, is what I have chosen to base my project on. My knowledge of sound as a feature of creativity is limited, this project will enhance my understanding of sound, but ultimately enable myself to explore and experiment with the balance of sound and imagery; and how one influences the other, in turn enhancing my own visual language.
Before exploring potential final outcomes, I wanted to greater my knowledge of sound in particular investigating the way sound is used in relation to the imagery. The research I gathered has both enhanced my knowledge of sound, but ultimately established a great foundation of inspiration for myself to experiment from. The movements of absolute film and visual music bring to life an intriguing concept, that I wish to delve into. Sound is much more than something we can listen to, it is a creative tool; sound offers an endless array of possibilities to provoke, empower and upset. The examples set by the likes of Eggeling, Fischinger, and Bute have established a powerful basis for which I wish to grow my own explorations from. The relationship between sound and imagery is both simple and complex, the audiences perception of the mixture from the two is one I want to analyse, yet moreover I want to continue to push the boundaries of sound as a visual asset to the contemporary that in turn hints the classic.
Initial outcome ideas surrounded creating a music video to producing rhythmic poetic sequences, however I wanted a process that offered a loose working format that would enable myself to be as experimental as possible; so I decided upon making an abstract experimental moving sequence in response to a classical composition created by my good friend Tim Weaving. Titled Serenade No.3, the composition features only a piano that travels along an ever-changing pathway of sound; the variation in tempo, pitch and tone offers an intriguing platform to play with, with regards to expressing multiple explorations to sound and imagery relation.
With a foundation, subject and score settled I began planning the experimental sequence. I wanted to mix analogue and digital, through using hand drawn elements, I would then scan into the computer to manipulate and animate digitally. I chose this mode of creation because I felt the raw hand created aesthetics could not be re-recreated on the computer, but moreover the textures generated by hand crafting illustrates a fitting juxtaposition with the score, in turn reinforcing excitement and variation within the moving image. With regards to materials, I decided to play with a variety of different ingredients, from pencil and charcoal to pen and ink and paint; the means of using a diverse palette of tools enables myself to again explore multiple experimentations, but ultimately the mix of materials play different roles in relation to the music. For example dark tones and textures of charcoal could allude to deep notes, where as the subtlety and lightness of watered down paint could suggest the high soft crescendoing elements. Through manipulating the materials I use to be part of the greater work, it in turn supports the partnership with sound and imagery thus creating aesthetic appeal for the audience.
Next I began to play with imagery to use within the animation, I wanted a character that was neutral yet tangible; a blank subject that can be adaptable in connection with the score. Looking back on my inspiration I noticed a lot of the work was built from a mixture of simple and complex marks, I chose to adapt this approach with my own work; I selected a circle to be my main character and began to experiment the different forms of the shape. As I played with my varied palette of materials, I listened to the music and drew sketches from my aural experience, this gave myself an initial insight into how I could use a mark to evoke a certain emotion in correlation with the sound. Along side the imagery of a circle I planned to mix in a section of other abstract marks that were influenced from the composition; in addition to using digital footage that I would edit into the animation as backgrounds, that in turn would add a juxtaposing digital feel to the piece, enhancing visual excitement and variation. After drafting some preliminary ideas, I took my sketches and made them into very short gifs to obtain a perception of how the animation could begin to look and feel, both aesthetically and practically.
Before I began production on the final animation, I made three draft animations to explore some final ideas but also to gain a better understanding of what the final outcome could become. From the drafts I was really happy with the look and feel of the hand drawn elements, they added a unique texture to the animation in turn building character and visual aesthetic. However the digital components I felt were to harsh against the drawn assets, as well as they didn't flow particularly well with the music. Going into the final outcome I don't plan to dismiss the digital features, instead and a certain subtlety to them that in essence blends them with the overall animation, making for a smoother and more complete piece. Additionally I felt the circles worked well with relation to the piano, they related with one another to evoke emotion, yet I plan to leave an aspect of chance during the final edit. I feel when accidents occur they can impact your work for the better as well as the bad, working with an element of spontaneity, I can adapt to shape and influence my work within a free environment.
Using Adobe PremierPro as my main tool to edit and compose the whole animation together, I began by importing all the necessary assets both analogue and digital into the software. I placed the score first on the timeline and started to build the animation up, mixing in hand drawn elements and digital components to sync with the music. To overcome the earlier issue with the digital assets I blended them with the background colour, in turn becoming more complete with the composed scene, instead of being a separate, stand out, disruptive sequence. I created a colour scheme to the animation to reinforce fluidity to the piece, but ultimately to guide the viewer with association of certain notes - yellow are the high notes and blue the low notes etc. The principle of chance and risk I wanted to play with, I used in respect when animating and synchronising the assets to the music; likewise when I began sketching out rough ideas while listening to the music earlier in the process, I did the same except with computer editing and animation - this offers a sporadic working process that was both fulfilling and beneficial.
The final outcome is a colourful, expressive and thrilling sequential narrative that highlights the intriguing nature of balance between sound and pictorial harmony. I adventured into this project with an ambition to explore the power of sound not just as an aural experience but as a physical image as well, with the potential to enhance aesthetic for its audience - in turn influencing emotion, feeling and sensibility. I believe my animation is evidence of this, Tim’s composition is an excellent example of variety from a single instrument and in balance with my illustrative imagery, the viewer is taken on an diverse, invigorating and yet soothing experience. The assortment of different image making techniques I have explored throughout this project has reinforced narrative and meaning to the piece - for example to the juxtaposition between the hand drawn analogue assets and the post production digital effects, such as lens distortion, noise and inverting to name a few; generate a fundamental aesthetic of dark, gloomy and bleak to light, happy and colourful that in turn build on visual excitement and entertainment. On reflection I wouldn't change anything drastic; perhaps I would re-visit the background elements - are the digital assets still to harsh, would a simple colour background suffice? Nevertheless the overall sequence is a playful investigation into the relationship of sound and image, that ultimately portray a mixture of signs, meanings and messages for its audience.