Final Project Idea + Installation
Idea
For our final project, we chose a narrative approach while also paying particular attention to shot type and speed. A student arrives to class 5 minutes early and realizes that he forgot his essay in his dorm. He sets a 5 minute timer on his watch and attempts to reach his dorm and return to class in as little time as possible. The first time he chooses an inefficient path and only makes it halfway before time runs out. The second run he almost makes it but is hit by a bus. Finally, on the third run he makes it back to the class only to learn that the essay is pushed back a week.
Technically, our goal was to vary shot type and speed. A combination of close up and wide shots in the first scene in the classroom serve to both highlight the setting and introduce the main character. We added a clock on screen to emphasize the urgency. To add a sense of motion to the story, which is all about a guy running around, we mixed dolly shots with my electric skateboard in with the still camera shots.
Audio is comprised of both organic sounds and a soundtrack that fluctuates based on the intensity of the shot. We chose to use a soundtrack because it accentuates the flow of the story and further advances the notion of intensity already present in the video and cuts of the film.
Installation
For our installation we would ideally have a diamond or similar shape for the grid of screens. The leftmost screens would represent the beginning of our storyline. As each of the three storylines progresses they will fill up an increasing amount of screens with all the different shots until a complete picture emerges when the main character finally returns to class with the assignment.
The layout for the room would be a simple rectangular cube with white glossy ceiling and floor and black glossy walls. This layout is intended to draw the viewer into the screens with the white floor and ceiling acting as a guiding light toward the piece. Also intentional in the black and white scheme is the idea of traveling through time and space as if the viewer is in fact acting as an observer of multiple realities or universes.
Maintaining simplicity in the installation is essential if the viewer is to come to his or her own understanding of the piece. The space occupied by the installation should blend together with the piece itself and not only deliver the piece directly but also blur space and vision to further connect the viewer with the piece. This synthesis of the room as a space and the space beyond the room, as shown on the monitors, must work together in a cohesive manner; leading the viewer towards distant possibilities.