Music Video project

The next video project is a music video, now I was going to choose between better days, by Skanadian Bacon and 10 things by Paul Baribeau, but apparently better days isn't done yet...
So 10 things it is!
Now this is a fairly fast tempo song so I'm going to have to fit a lot of images into...1:53
but I can do it!
theses are the lyrics

name ten things you wanna do before you die and then go do them. 
name ten places you really wanna be before you die and then go to them
name ten books you wanna read before you die and then go read them
name ten songs you wanna hear again before you die, get all of your friends together and scream them

because right now all you have is time time time yeah, 
but someday that time will run out. 
that's the only thing you can be absolutely certain about. 

think of all the things that are wrong with your life and then fix them
think of all the things that you love about your life, be thankful you are blessed with them
think of all the things that hold you back and realize that you don't need them
think of all the mistakes you have made in your life, make sure that you never repeat them

because right now all you have is time time time yeah, 
but someday that time will run out. 
that's the only thing you can be absolutely certain about. 

name ten thousand reasons why you never wanna die, go and tell someone who might've forgotten
try to list the endless reasons why it's good to be alive, and then just smile for awhile about them

soon the sun will rise and another day will come 
soon enough the sun will set, another day will be gone

and right now all you have is time time time yeah, 
but someday that time will run out. 
that's the only thing you can be absolutely certain about.

So now I can start storyboarding and such, my problem is it's going to be hard to convey 10 places I want to go without going there...

I have the camera this weekend so hopefully I'll be able to get some footage together

it has to be extra good because it's below the time requirement, but my professor said it was okay as long as there's lots of time and effort put into it...so yayyy...

(hopefully) final product

https://vimeo.com/76575165

I don't know why vimeo won't let me in-bed it and I don't want to upload it to youtube...

Self portrait

First of all I LOATHE self portrait projects, how reflective are they really? it's how we perceive ourselves at that time, in that moment, the next year you could be a totally different person. How are you supposed to get across who you are in 4 pictures, or 5 minutes. Who we are is how, where, and when we were raised and how we took it. Even if your parents taught you to be an alcoholic, that doesn't mean you have to be one, if your parents were devout Catholics, that doesn't mean you end up one too. Who we are is years of decisions, hardships, and relationships. I never understand how we are supposed to get that across so quickly. My go to fun fact about me used to be I'm a vegetarian, fast, easy, few followup questions and that was that. But I can't make a video about that because I don't know any different.
Any way, I figure there's a few ways I can attempt to go about this.
1. Do a light hearted fun short clips trying to represent who I am or can be, I am daughter, a sister, a girlfriend, a student and an employee.
2. Do a documentary of myself, like pretend that someone is asking me questions but really just talk about myself. I would focus it on the most important decision in my life, so far. Which would be College. Which I know is an important decision for a lot of people. For me, choosing a college was choosing my career. I had a choice between going to art school to be a photographer, or go to engineering school. My whole academic career was focused on going on to be an engineer. I went to summer camps, I took advanced classes, I applied to more engineering schools and art schools. But this is where I ended up, I am very happy where I am, I am happy to be at CCAD and ecstatic to be pursuing my photography career, but you can't help what wonder what could have happened. Will I be successful even though I choose the riskier career? Would my boyfriend and I have stayed together? Would I be in less debt right now because woman engineer scholarships are handed out like crazy?
I think it's obvious by the explanation that the second option is better developed and something I can probably build 5 minutes on.

Update

I feel like I've been taking video constantly, but luckily it paid off
I think I'm done a week early! I'll probably watch it 20 thousand more times before I turn it in, but here's a first (hopefully final) draft

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijRivu4XB-A&feature=youtu.be

Video 1

Well apparently I best organize my train of thought with a blog.
So kudos Design for Media
My video project is Time-base still life compositions, or slices of life
My one idea was going to be the monotony the life and just have simple moments that make up our lives, and the song was going to tie it together. Like "Little boxes" an upbeat song about the monotony of life.
I'm afraid that unless it's done amazingly like no one ever has, then it will be LAME
So I need another idea and I'm having trouble thinking of one, right now I'm just trying to gather footage while I have the camera out. I don't think that's the right way to go about it, I think I need a theme before I gather footage.
I think I've narrowed it down to two song
10 things by Paul Baribeau or
The best day by Atmosphere
10 things is a happier song, and I think I can really play off the lyrics
while the best day would kind of go with my first idea, only I could film bad things happen, not even bad necessarily, more annoyances or minor troubles.
We'll see how the weekends goes

Final Product

I also have it uploaded to vimeo, it was just taking longer to load. I ended up using the version from Bioshock because it was a different tone and I liked everything about it, really.
If I had more time, I probably would have filmed it a couple more hundreds times, I was having issues with positions, and even just flipping the papers sometimes, it was truly frustrating and I learned that you should also allot more time for filming than you think.
I had to change a few things, I took some images out and changed the phrases a little bit so they still made sense, because I wanted it to be shorter to fit just those first two verses of the song.
Overall I mostly liked how it turned out, I had to change where the song started so that it would end when I wanted it to, and if I had more time I probably would have experimented more with the lighting again.
I originally just had this done in windows movie maker, because I have a PC and I didn't feel the need to use a fancy program because all I really did was mute the audio track that was with the video and added a song, but then my computer died, sadly, Palmer had to tell me the bad news.
So to the library I went where I had to put it together again in iMovie, another...high tech...program.
I would really like to continue photographing abandoned places, just where ever I end up through travels and hopefully by my senior year I can come up with an angle on it to use it has my senior thesis.
I had a lot of fun with this project, and I feel like I've learned many things about stuff I didn't really know before, like filming, and the amount of takes it takes, and having to adjust your plans when something isn't there anymore. I also learned to always back up your files, because you never know when your hard drive can just crash apparently.


vimeo link
http://vimeo.com/65466967

rough draft

Here is my first attempt at the movie, I just added the version of the song from bioshock, just for placement/timing, I'm still waiting for Tyler's version.
My critques for the video, are the lighting, and obviously I need to make sure shorter, so the song lines up right
I'll probably film it again in more natural light and try to keep my shadow out of it, but this is my first draft

Printing

This is my proof I didn't just think about my nails all week.
I printed all my pictures and text, however did not get a chance to take video as some of my other projects fell apart. I will film as soon as possible because its kind of stressing me out I don't have it done yet. The section of I want to be sung is around 30 seconds, so I have to keep the time in there. Other than that I don't have much else of an update.

Video preperation

I might be over thinking this, but I'd rather over think it than under think it.
It bothers me more than anything when there's a really nice video in every aspect, except for a woman's nails. I hate it when it's just worn down nail polish, I think it's really distracting
Getting to the point, I've been thinking about what my nails are going to be, because I don't want them to be distracting because they're bad, however I don't want them to be distracting because they're too busy either, since they're the only part of me you're going to see in the video

 I was experimenting with the crackle nail polish because I thought it would go really well with my theme, however I could only find my silver and blue, not the black that I wanted to use. and I don't like the blue and I think the silver is too distracting

with that I think I'm going to go with a plain color, I'm leaning towards this dark purple because I think going straight black would be too morbid? or like I'm trying too hard to morbid, when I'm not. So it'll definitely be a darker tone.
I plan on printing and taping this week, definitely. Tyler is still working on the song, he needs to get a hold of microphones and equipment and such, but I trust him to get it to me in time!

Update 1
I have some more choices and I'm still not sure I like any of them, it seems I'll just be walking around with all my nails different colors

I think I might like the lighter colors, but they can't be too shiny and distracting

these are actually 4 different colors, the two seem to be very close though

this is kind of a shiny purple than the previous one, and unfortunately shiner isn't better in this case 

Update 2

I have found the perfect color, not distracting, not shiny and very subtle

I was going to print the other day, but I got distracted, so I will be doing that Monday morning and then hopefully shooting Wednesday morning? I was just going to use natural light , so I might have to experiment with different times of day.

the song should be done this weekend, I'm still considering different effects on it, I don't know if I want it to be fairly clean, or add an effect to make it sound old and kind of crackled, but that should all be determined soon!

rough draft

I started to put together images with text in microsoft word andcouldn't get it transfer over correctly, so here are some screen shots

Inspiration

I've always been inspired by music. The use of imagery with sound is really powerful, I think that's why we're a media obsessed society
In Flogging Molly's " if I ever leave this world alive", the lyrics have really just made me think about death, and just decayed, worn down things.

If I ever leave this world alive
I'll thank for all the things you did in my life
If I ever leave this world alive
I'll come back down and sit beside your
feet tonight
Wherever I am you'll always be
More than just a memory
If I ever leave this world alive

If I ever leave this world alive
I'll take on all the sadness
That I left behind
If I ever leave this world alive
The madness that you feel will soon subside
So in a word don't shed a tear
I'll be here when it all gets weird
If I ever leave this world alive

So when in doubt just call my name
Just before you go insane
If I ever leave this world
Hey I may never leave this world
But if I ever leave this world alive

She says I'm okay; I'm alright,
Though you have gone from my life
You said that it would,
Now everything should be all right

She says I'm okay; I'm alright,
Though you have gone from my life
You said that it would,
Now everything should be all right
Yeah should be alright

The lines that speak to me in particular are
"If I ever leave this world alive
The madness you feel will soon subside
So in a word don't shed a tear
I'll be here when it all gets weird
If I ever leave this world alive"
Speaking of either your death, or the death of a loved one, "the madness" in my interpretation is the stress of being sick, being around someone that's terminally ill, and once they pass, it's a bitter sweet relief, they/you are no longer suffering and people can begin to make peace. However most still hold onto the idea they can be there for you in some sort of afterlife.
For my project this relates to the death of all things, structure, organization, humanity, society, everything. I know the last page in my book will be one of the cemeteries with moss on the gravestones and one is fallen over. I think it's a beautiful image and the perfect way to end my message.

Brainstorming

Once I discovered two different songs that would go very well with my projects, I was torn between the direction I wanted to go. With "little boxes" I feel like the message would have been a depressing, pessimistic outlook, where all of our lives are meaningless, as we turn out all the same, while as "will the circle be unbroken" wasn't any happier, I feel like its more of a memory of what was, and what can be, while still being about death.
I think my fascination with abandoned places comes from society's obsession with death. It's the one thing we all fear, the end of us. The common things around us, the worn down places that were once strong and built to last are no more, and I think that's a reminder of death as none of us will last either. Yet we all stress over the little things when that's not what you remember in the end. I think these things we pass on the way to work, on the way to the grocery store, or on the way to where ever we're going should remind us that maybe what we're stressing about isn't that big of a deal in the end.
So with all that, I'm going to use "will the circle be unbroken" in the background of my images.

Photos from the weekend

I took a lot of photos this weekend, but unfortunately the most beautiful wonderfully overgrown site, was torn down. I was very upset, but I still got something I think I can work with. I'm still not sure what message I'm going to go with, I think I need to take more pictures and see where that gets me.

I loved how terribly dusty everything in this window is, I'm not even sure I'll end up using it in my final project, I just really liked it

I liked the way it looked like a tree was growing out of this car

I was so lucky to find this empty billboard, I love it so much

these burned down/boarded up houses are right off the highway, on the way to Bexley. I've always admired them and it seemed like the perfect time to have the chance to take pictures of them!

I swear there's nothing in the window, it just super creeps me out

By the one place that I really wanted to go to, I found this Jewish cemetary, where it appeared no one was buried later than the fifties and most of them never lived past thirty

I liked this one that included the mossed gravestones and the one that fell down, I think I can definitely use this in my final project

This location is also in Bexley, it's right by Kroger and the tracks, I was in a hurry so I couldn't go exploring inside, but I definitely plan to go back to explore inside.

Weekend Update

In hopes I'm not getting too ambitious, I want to try and make a video of flipping through my book or even just my images and text if I don't get the chance to get my book printed. The reason I want to make a video is that I think adding music to it would really add to the effect of the images.
So originally I was going to use "Little boxes", the theme song from weeds, with these lyrics

Little boxes on the hillside, Little boxes made of ticky-tacky, Little boxes, little boxes, Little boxes, all the same. There's a green one and a pink one And a blue one and a yellow one And they're all made out of ticky-tacky And they all look just the same. And the people in the houses All go to the university, And they all get put in boxes, Little boxes, all the same. And there's doctors and there's lawyers And business executives, And they're all made out of ticky-tacky And they all look just the same.

But when suggesting this to Tyler, who would sing the song for me, he suggested a song from Bioshock: Infinite called "Will the Circle be Unbroken" and I think the lyrics could also work with my message.

You can picture happy gatherings
Round the fireside long ago,
And you think of tearful partings,
When they left you here below

Will the circle be unbroken
by and by, by and by?
In a better home awaiting
In the sky, in the sky?

I feel like they're both completely different and they both work really well so I'm still undecided.

I drew up some sketches for what I want to do, I have a lot of the images planned out and most of the words. I'm going shooting this weekend if the weather picks up and images will be uploaded before Tuesday, as well as maybe some sound clips of Tyler singing. I'm going to a few cemeteries that I found online as well as some abandoned buildings, hopefully I can get some good stuff!

Student Choice Project

Project: None of this is Permanent 

I want to kind of build off my group project proposal and I'm considering making a picture book of sorts. I remember watching a documentary series in high school called "Life After People" 

 It was so fascinating, the idea that if humans were to disappear instantly, although our things would stand for a while, they too would deteriorate and only nature would come to prosper.

So that's kind of what I want to build off of.
I'm thinking I can make a book, starting off with a thriving city, much like Columbus and create a narrative to follow the deterioration of the city after humans.
I don't think I want to Photoshop places to be taken over by nature, like in the show, but rather just show other places that have been worn down and abandoned.
I want to get the point across that sometimes we all take things a little too seriously, hold our possessions a little too close, and just need to let go sometimes. I don't want any models, just nature and buildings.
This link to stunningly beautiful abandoned places
http://imgur.com/a/D9iDC

I just love this idea that some of these places were important, and were filled with many people, and now they're nothing but an old building taking up space, a simple reminder of what was.
Now, making this book, its not exactly going to have a happy fun tone, nor will there be a happy ending. So I'm not sure how I want it to come across.
I have a projected schedule on Google calender

Final Thoughts

So over the past 5 weeks, I've learned a lot from this project, make-up techniques and coloring tricks, its been a lot of fun, although very stressful towards the end. I enjoyed working in a big group, I though it was a good learning experience to have to work with so many people to make one collaborative project and make it run smoothly and efficiently, even if that wasn't always the case. But I think all of us tried our hardest to complete the project the best we could and that we truly came together to make a pretty good project. It's been a lot of work every week, especially the last week when I just picked up what needed to be done, but I can walk away feeling like I was an important member of the team.

First Shoot make-up Pictures

 Naomi worked on the rappers bite mark while I was trying to get Ken's bite mark to stay on his neck

There were many cameras on the scene, it was a bit unnerving 

After running to get a blow drier from my dorm, I stood trying to get the latex to dry for a good 10 minutes

Face all scratched up!

Homeless man was last on the list, it didn't take very long, just making him pale and hollowing out the cheeks and eyes, and then at the scene, I applied the blood so it wouldn't make a mess in anyone's car, and it would be nice and fresh for the shoot!

Header

I finished the header for the blog, I don't know if someone else is working on one too that they might go with, but this is my interpretation.

full image, I figured Ben could apply any effects necessary for the appearance of the blog.

And I cropped it to approximate header dimensions for our blog, but again its up to the blog designer

Job shift!

So for today when we went to the warehouse to finish up the shoot, our previous behind the scenes photographer had to step in as the homeless man when Brad left, so I stepped in as the behind the scenes photographer! and now I have pictures to put on my blog!

make-shift 3 minute homeless man

Rich explaining the fight scene between Ken homeless man

Explaining the rap scene

About to shoot!

reason why I didn't want to bring my camera the first day, I would only be in the way

practice kick

homeless man in position!

Watching the final footage!

Karl interviewing Rich, and it seems the project is finally coming to a close

Sadly, I still have no pictures from last week of the final make-ups, I'm continuously bothering my team members to hand over the pictures! Hopefully I will have them by tuesday

I'm also working on a heading for our group blog with our group name, I was just going to put something together in illustrator so our blog can be complete!
I will post that as soon as I'm done.

Project update

Unfortunately I did not bring my camera with me because I knew there would be enough documentation of everything and assumed I would only be in the way, however I now have no pictures to post of my blog!

I emailed the documentation crew and none of them have gotten back to me as of now, but I will be sure to post them if I get them in before 8 am

I learned a lot from the just hour I was working with Naomi, I applied pieces, which were very stubborn and would not stick with the adhesive she was using, so I built up the edges with liquid latex and then had to run back to my dorm for a hair drier because it refused to dry. Many obstacles had to be overcome in the short hour we had to apply make up. 

Between 2 bite marks, a pale old zombie and a bucket of blood, I think the zombies turned out pretty well and hope they look great on film
I know we need to shoot another day, but not sure if there needs to be a make up day, guess we'll figure that out tomorrow!

If make up is over, now I just get to help out anyone on my team that needs it.

Overall I've really enjoyed the first part of this project, I got to experiment with a lot of make up stuff I hadn't before and feel I learned significantly from it, I would like to explore make-up effects more, even if just as a hobby, I enjoy the goriness of it all and learning how to manipulate the latex, and other household items into something else entirely. I hope to be able to expand on this knowledge and hopefully at least have some fun on Halloween!'

Update: still no email, or even any pictures on the group blog for me to steal, so I will ask for them in person tomorrow, and put them up asap!

preparation for the shoot!

Shooting is tomorrow!
I made a bucket of blood, with the video Namoi gave me, simple recipe of corn syrup and food coloring

All packed up! I got all my make up, latex, blood, glue and food coloring to adjust coloring in the blood.

I have been assigned with the task of making the homeless man, well, homeless and gross, these are a few example images I found,  my plan is to hollow out the cheeks and eyes, make him look exhausted, I want to exaggerate these example images

 Looking forward to the shoot tomorrow!