4D: Project 4 – Poetics of Time (Process & Research)

Do view my final product + explanations here!

View my Proposal here

Initial Proposal for Consult 1: here

Ideal Outcome

Using Gudak, the mobile application, I created a mock up of the ideal outcome using Photoshop.

 

Research

Double exposure on automated film camera: link
How to get the leader out of the canister: link 
Inspiration on how what I should shoot: link

After looking through the site, I decided to take my shots in natural lighting with a subject matter, the clock.
Double exposure and its outcome (further research): link & link

Artist Reference(s)

A million times by Humans: link

 

4d: Project 4 – Poetics of Time (final)

For our final project for 4D Foundation, we were to explore time & space.

Certain points to note are – rhythm, movement, causality, & duration of the piece which will be mentioned in the later part of the post.

Before diving straight into my final product, do view my process and research!


Conceptualising..

Approaching the last project, I wanted to explore out of conventional mediums and create a more poetic piece. Besides, with the rise of film camera apps like Gudak, I wanted to challenge myself to embrace the fact that I will not be able to preview the images I take, and see beauty in them. This project also embraces the Japanese aesthetic of Wabi-sabi that speaks about imperfections and the acceptance of them. (More explanation can be seen in my final proposal in my process & research post!)

Therefore, for Project 4, I used the film camera, more specifically the Olympus Mju II, a pass-me-down automated film camera. It is not a conventional medium at this age, and the effect of the film camera gives a vintage and venerable feel. This style also brings out the passage of time much better than a conventional camera (phone camera, dslr) in my opinion.

Also, what tells time better than time itself, right?

Comparison: iPhone Camera vs Gudak Film app (no edits)

on iPhone cam

on Gudak app

The feeling both evoke is rather different although both are of the same composition and have the same subject matter.

The warm tone of the outcomes of film camera are more stimulating and evokes a mood or feeling.

The outcome of the iPhone camera is much cooler than the one in film.

To better illustrate my point in the difference between the two methods of photography, I have included two images below.

picture in warm tone | taken from: https://iphonephotographyschool.com/color-temperature/

picture in cool tone | taken from: https://iphonephotographyschool.com/color-temperature/

To me it felt like I cannot fully explain the differences in words. So try comparing the mood, thoughts and feelings you have for the above two pieces.

fINAL pRODUCT

The clock was placed right next to the Pictorial Clock to show a vast difference in the speed of the actual clock and the Pictorial Clock.

How Rhythm is seen in the piece?

Rhythm: regularised repeating of movement or sound

Rhythm was seen in the regular interval of each image of 3 seconds. It can also be seen in the regular interval of the images itself of an hour.

The regular rhythm in this piece brings a calming effect, looking at the passage of time. This piece brings out the nostalgic effect of the film camera and the tranquility in the movement of time, compressed into the Pictorial Clock.

I made it such that

How Movement is seen in the piece?

Movement is the shift or variation in the location of an object, light or sound.

Movement can be seen in the variation of the background/ the environment, the amount of light and the placement of the clock in the images.

Since all the images were taken in a day itself, some images are taken in a different environment than the rest, since mostly are taken outside by dorm room. As you can see, some taken outside hive, some taken at adm, some taken on the way back to hall.

In terms of eye movement, the focus should be on the Pictorial Clock and in rare moments on the analogue clock beside. A bulk of the time the eye is in stillness.

How causality was seen in the piece?

Causality is the principle that everything has a cause and effect.

Pictorial Clock is a non-narrative piece, yet there is a clear account of connected events. For example, in order to have night, there is first day or vice versa.

It is also expected, since it works similarly to a regular clock that the audiences know.

What is the duration of the piece?

Duration is the overall length of time a work - or a portion of a work lasts.

Since this piece is looped, the technical duration of the piece is infinite.

Yet because it is an installation, the duration of this piece differs from viewer to viewer. It can be as short as a glance (say a few seconds).

How Should the Pictorial Clock Be Viewed?

The left side of the Pictorial Clock shows day time (when the day is bright), while the right side shows night time (when the day is dark).

It can be viewed from any part of the video, since there is no start and end to time.

A three minutes interval is placed for every image, each image showing an hour difference. The Pictorial Clock is an example of edited time, since each hour is not 3 seconds long..

Edited Time is time that has been cut up and rearranged.

Actual Images Taken (raw images)

6am and 7pm

7am and 8pm        

8am and 9pm

9am and 10pm

10am and 11pm

11am and 12am

12pm and 1am

1pm and 2am

2pm and 3am

3pm and 4am

4pm and 5am

5pm and 6am

6pm and 7am

Some Pictures

 

Video of the presentation

Pictorial Clock

Video of the complied images

Project 3: Ego (Final)

Foreword

Before diving right in, view my process here! & my research here

As I was brainstorming for Project 3, I thought about the things that are often associated with me. (Daphne + (blank)).

First is Starbucks. I used to go there a lot to do my work and hang out with my friends. Besides, I even worked there about 6 months. I really enjoy the ambience of Starbucks and also had a lot of fun working there. Hence, naturally I included Starbucks and I into one of my equations.

Second is the sunset. I often witness the sunset (I take notice of it more than the sunrise) and even recently, after being in NTU for a few months. I realise my timetable has often cause me to leave school around 5.30 to 6pm, which is when I will often witness it, especially when it glares into my eyes. Because of that, I often take a snap of it and post it on my social media platforms. My close friends often comment about those sunset pictures and hence I used it as a subject matter for my second equation.

Third is Cupcorn!!!!!!!! I would say my favourite food/ snack is corn, especially corn in a cup. I often have it when I was super young and it did not stop until now. You can say I am obsessed with cup corn and I can have it anytime and anywhere. But I can be rather picky with them which means I will travel for good quality cupcorn too. (I really like the one at Nex, just saying)!! Hence, I used it for my third equation.

Fourth is music. I started learning the piano at a young age, and I have a sort of love-hate relationship with it. But I grew to like it more. Being exposed to music at a young age gave me a platform to express myself and learn things not everyone gets to (which I am also thankful for). Besides, I was in my school’s concert band and played the trumpet. I am familiar with brass instruments and got the chance to learn the instrument in depth after getting into an external band, which I dropped out of after a few months. But I would say the experience made me love the instrument more. Even recently, I started singing for a group of audience since I am in my hall’s jamband. Started singing in my bathroom, but now to a group of audience is a whole different story and it a testimony of me stepping out of my comfort zone. Hence, throughout the different phases of my life, I could see evidently how music has always been part of it, even in the smallest ways!

Okay enough of the ramblings!! Here are my final products.

Equation 1:

Composition 1: Exhaust

About: This composition uses personification and speaks about me, as the emptied cup, without Starbucks in my life. Hence, the cup looks like it was spilled and the contents are slowly emptied from the cup. Starbucks coffee has kept me up through my important nights and without it, I would not have a lot of stories to tell and a hideout place. Also, the Starbucks mermaid logo is illustrated as me in blonde, since Starbucks is often seen as a "white-girl" thing. (apart from the fact that my favourite colour is yellow)

Colour scheme: Triadic Colours. Green, violet & orange.
Composition 2: Advert

About: This composition speaks about how people would see Starbucks, since their marketing strategy is quite remarkable I would say. The wording says,"Sustenance. Coffee, tea, frappe", which are the different types of beverages Starbucks sells. The hot cup illustrates coffee, the whipped cream illustrates frappes and the tea bag illustrates tea, all in one cup. The wings added are inspired by redbull's catch phrase, "Redbull gives you wings", similarly to me, Starbucks gives me wings. 

Colour scheme: Analogous colours. Yellow-green, yellow and yellow-orange.
Composition 3: Conquer
About: This composition speaks about me + starbucks. Since I used to work there, I have my apron on me (the cup) and my name tag on, which is how it exactly look like. The apron looks like a superman cape because with Starbucks, I will feel like my own superman because I know I will be able to conquer whatever work I have and the fact that I survived working 6 months there. The bag of spilled beans is from an incident I went through while I was still working there. What happened was I needed to refill the coffee beans and ended up spilling them while on the job which was super embarrassing. Also, the beans are placed that way as if like a confetti for my mini celebration. Also, the beverage shown is green tea cream, my favourite drink from Starbucks, with extra whipped cream. 

Colour scheme: Analogous colours. Yellow-green, yellow and yellow-orange.

Equation 2:

Composition 1: (Sun)glasses
About: This composition is a quirky way of subverting the word "sunglasses". I gave it a literal meaning. This illustrates me masking and doing my own thing with the "sunglasses" on. I am seen as a blonde is as a continuation of my previous equation.

Colour Scheme: Triadic Colours. Red, yellow & blue.
Composition 2: Expectation

About: This composition is as it is named, expectation. This is how I would normally see sunset on the internet or social media. A sunset over a horizon, a very glorious sight. (to be continued)

Colour Scheme: Square Colours. Yellow, blue-green, violet and red-orange.
Composition 3: Reality

About: (continued) Yet, this is how I would usually witness sunset in NTU or around my neighbourhood. Sunset amongst the high-rise buildings of Singapore. 

Colour Scheme: Yellow-orange, red-violet & blue.

Process for Equation 3

Composition 1: Ma(i)ze

About: This composition illustrates me in a corn maize in the midst of all the corn cobs, searching for the right one for me, since I am picky about the corn I eat. 

Colour Scheme: Triadic Colours. Yellow, blue & red.
Composition 2: The One

About: This composition speaks about me (finally) picking out the right corn cob from the corn maize.

Colour Scheme: Split complementary. Yellow, red-violet and green.
Composition 3: Hunger

About: This composition speaks about me finally having the cup of corn after much work of searching and choosing the right corn. The backgrounds gives emphasis and focus to the cup of corn in my hand, like a celebratory shot *cue heavenly music* very much like that.

Colour Scheme: Split complementary. Yellow-orange, red-orange and blue.
Composition 1: Adapter Issues

About: This composition speaks about the current situation I am facing (still facing). Me losing my adapter for my ear-piece jack. I use the iPhone 7, which requires the adapter which I think is really redundant, yet stops me from me enjoying my music. 

Colour Scheme: Split complementary. Orange, yellow & blue-violet.
Composition 2: Mainstream Music


About: This composition speaks about just pure mainstream music, which you would normally hear from the radio. A retro radio was used because my first impression of music was from a very young age with my grandmother and she always carries a small old radio wherever she goes. Also, the circles added resembles beats that comes from the radio. It is positioned slightly off centre.

Colour Scheme: Split complementary. Red, yellow and blue.
Composition 3: Brand New

About: This composition speaks about music and I. All elements are my interactions with music. The old microphone is to have a continuity from the previous retro radio and shows my interaction with singing. The bell at the bottom illustrates my concert band days when I played the trumpet. The score overlayed at the background is a piano piece I am currently playing, Nocturne No. 20 in C Sharp Minor. The rose blossoming in the middle shows a brand new start I always have with music, learning different instruments and how it is always a part of my life. Also, it is inspired by a band called LANY that I recently love and they have a rose in the middle of their album which I thought is a nice touch to the composition and gives it a focus.

LANY Album

Colour Scheme: Complementary colours. Red & green

 

Afterword

I thought this project made me realize a bit more about myself, and be more self-aware of the things that are associated with me. Through this, I learnt about the different colour theories and throughout the project, I realized that I am attracted to yellow, blue and red and are commonly seen together in one composition.

Apart from that, I also got to learn illustrating on the illustrator from my classmates which I used for my Starbucks equation using shapes and vectors. The rest were hand drawn and scanned in. The colours were also added on illustrator.

Overall, I like the pastel-ish feel my compositions have and looking at the final product, I can really tell that these are really things associated with me.

 

The City of Voids – Individual Moodbox

For the City of Voids, before we started doing up our final mood box and plug-in city, we were to work with the sounds we had created to build our own mood boxes! Here are the instrument we worked with!

Audio

Audacity Sound Snalysis

Frontal View

Inside(Analysis)

The Dominant -The yellow and white parts are the the resonating tone bars, and the white part is to capture the resonance and the ringing of the bars.

The sub-doninant -The pink parts, illustrating the woody sound of the claves.

The sub-ordinate – The blue triangles illustrates the finger cymbals.

The clear ringing sound of the resonating tone bars is depicted by the swirling of the metal wires across the model (yellow and white). The blocky beats of the claves are represented by the pieces of wood piece that are placed at the top of the structure (pink). The high pitch sound of the finger cymbals is shown through the tiny triangles on the walls of the structure(blue).

Video + WHY I DO WHAT I DO

After listening to the audio and the audio sounded magical, melancholic, zen, as if we are stepping into a new dimension, hence I added the element of secrecy and surprise by using the opening segment to my mood box.

The finger cymbals after every bar is a sub-ordinate, yet it has a wide presence in the audio, its high pitch and loud. It brought characteristic to the audio itself. Also, triangles are used to depict its high pitch, since a triangle has 3 sharp edges. Hence, to not shadow the SO, I added a tiny interactive touch to the finger cymbals.

 

; EGO IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS: Introduction & Research

Diving right into Project 3 right after Project 2 ended, let’s begin the cycle by doing some research before real work is done!

In Project 3, colour is the main element, using the different colours to “visually manipulate the aesthetics to produce a desired outcome”.

Colours

Colours have 3 attributes; hue, saturation and value.

Hue: an element in the colour wheel. Example, there are mustard yellow, and lemon yellow, but they belong in the same colour family — yellow, a hue.

Saturation: refers to the “intensity” and “brilliance of a colour.

Value: refers to the lightness and darkness of a colour.

 

taken from: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/2e/29/ac/2e29acf8021888c2b99d528380518653–complementary-color-wheel-complimentary-colors.jpg

Monochromes Harmony

Is a basic colour scheme, using one hue and using variations within the particular hue.

Generally create works that are balanced, visually pleasing.

Analogous Harmony

Analogous colour schemes use colors that are next to each other on the color wheel.

taken from: http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-harmonies.htm

Analogous harmony warm and cool

Warm colours: orange, red, yellow and its combinations

Cool colours: blue, green and light purple and its combinations.

Complementary hues

Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel are considered to be complementary colours.

taken from: http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-harmonies.htm

Split Complementary

The split complementary color scheme is a variation of the complementary color scheme.

This colour scheme has a strong contrast as the complementary colour scheme, with less tension.

taken from: http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-harmonies.htm

 

Reference:

Hue, Value, Saturation

http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-harmonies.htm

https://www.thespruce.com/understanding-warm-and-cool-colors-1976480

Project 3: Impossibilities of Being

Sink-ing [(present participle) / verb: sink], the state of being in the sink. “i found myself sink-ing the other day, this was what happened..”

Wanna jump right into the video? FINAL VIDEO

//

Before diving right into the project, we were to list down places we have not been before and the toilet pipes were on my mind..

Thereafter, create a 1-minute film on how we would perceive the location.

So I decided to go along with a sink… since I thought recording the sounds of water will be interesting!!

taken from: https://pixabay.com/en/basin-sink-tap-drain-faucet-1114991

Here’s the video!

Perspective

Playing with perspective, I made the audience to be the in the first person view in the film. Shrinking them into a small creature who can fit into the scene, I added a tiny narrative along with it and a cliff hanger at the end of the film, where the audience can start to imagine what might happen to the tiny creature hiding in the sink.

Set-up Plan

Analyzing the Sounds

  • Synchronous Sounds: Heard at the same time as it is being produced The washing of hands, scrubbing of hands matches with the image of the video
  • Diegetic Sounds: any sounds emanating from the fictional world. The gasping, the panting of the character

    Sound Quality

  • Intensity

– the panting, loud to soft

– the gasping, sudden loudness, then dying down

  • Rhythm

-the panting and gasping.

  • Foley usage- The bubbling sounds, produced by blowing air into a cup of water
  • Multilayering- Putting two sets of sounds together, the reaction audio of the creature and the ambience audio.

StoryBoards:

Lo-Fi Storyboard:

Hi-Fi Storyboard (experimentation)

https://vimeo.com/241373522

password: daph0016

recording process

All sounds are recorded by me using the Zoom Recorder, adjusting it from 90 degrees to 120 degrees. 

This device is seriously good.

All audios are recorded separately, i.e walking into the toilet as an audio, washing hands as an audio, and then using iMovie to combine all audios together.

Since this project is more about the sounds we experiment with, I decided to record my ambience audio first, then record the visuals thereafter. Foley recording is recorded the last after the visuals and ambience audios are recorded to better match the entire film.

How was the visuals recorded

Visuals are recorded in a MTV style. The ambience audio was played at the background, and the washing of hands and the cliff hanger at the last part was simulated to match the audio itself.

How was the foley recorded

As aforementioned, the ambience audios and visuals are done up, I then continue to record the creature’s reaction in the sink.

It was difficult to keep it in sync (sink) with the rest of the clips. This was the hardest to record after the visuals. The first difficulty was deciding how I wanted my creature to react in the sink. The second was how am I going to record it and what sounds are appropriate?

While in thought, I was having a cup of drink and then I thought it will be a good idea to record me blowing bubbles into a cup of water. That was literally how I derived at using bubbles sounds to layer it with the ambience audios.

Conclusion

Overall, I enjoyed recording sounds for the first time, and discovering the different sounds that are produced in our environment which I rarely ever noticed before this project. The filming process was a lot of fun, and I have attached a photo below!

My friend, Vanetta, had to help me with the pouring of water and holding of the ladle as the sink.

I placed the camera in the box, tight with a ziplock bag and started the filming. Watching of hands was simulated, although you cannot see that clearly, but I wanted the audience to observe these small actions, especially when that is the main focus in the short film.

Also, I was very impressed by my classmates’ creation as a bulk of them used drawings and animations to portray their respective sounds. (which I did not expect) Besides, I got the chance to work with Brendan with his film, which was super fun and something out of my comfort zone.

In a nutshell, although the location the sink is  a tiny place that I can never visit, but coming up with the filming process and seeing the outcome is a very satisfying thing!

Don’t forget to view my in-class exercises here!

Project 4 – Research

Artwork 1: Paperman

Directed by John Kahrs, Walt Disney Animation Studio

Subject: The subject matter in the film is the Paperman himself and the girl of his dreams, who he met at the railway station.

Form: A short black and white animated film

Context: This short animated film was produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and had won an Oscar award for the Best Animated Short Film and the Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject in 2013. Paperman uses only music to portray a change in mood, where at the beginning it was upbeat and whimsical, and the music became more lively and exciting as he was trying to get to know then girl of his dreams. Also, it is one that tells a story without any dialogue.

Content: This short animated film tells us about Paperman and his short encounter where he fell in love with a girl who works just opposite his office building. The film shows his journey as he tries to get to know her.

How is time used: Edited time (linear), there is a past, present and future very distinct in the film.

Artwork 2: How I Wish

Produced by Eden Ang Productions

Subject: A beggar and the statue he fell in love with.

Form: A fast forwarded short film.

Context: A short film done up by a YouTuber, Eden Ang, starring Audrey Goh.

Content: A beggar, played by Eden Ang, fell in love with a statue, played by Audrey Goh, whom he often beg beside. He made a wish to be able to spend an hour with her but soon after, she turned back into stone. He then wished for her happiness even when it meant it cost his. He then turned into stone while she gained her freedom.

How is time used: Edited time (linear), there is a past, present and future very distinct in the film.

Artwork 3: where i grew up

Filmed and edited by Connor Franta

Subject: Connor Franta himself.

Form: A 3.08 mins soundscape.

Context: Connor Franta is a YouTuber, born in Wisconsin, who often travel and now resides in West Hollywood, California.

Content: A documentation of him exploring his motherland, and his encounter with nature when he was back in his hometown. He captured the soundscape of the places he visited. The visuals compliment the audio of the film.

How is time used: Edited time (non-linear) is used in the film. There is no clear indication which clip is the start, end, it seems like you can rearrange them and the video will still make sense.

 

Compare and contrast the artworks and discuss the differences and similarities in usage of time in each artwork.

Differences: How time is being used in the film

1 and 2 are both done using edited time (linear), while 3 is done in edited time (non-linear).

1 and 2 has a very distinct past, present and future, in a chronological manner, there is a start and there is an end, happy or sad ending.

However for 3, there is not a distinct past, present and future. Hence, we notice that there is no proper ending.

Conclusion:

These three films are one of the top few that I really like to watch, and re-watch. 1 is a film recently introduced to me by a friend who is enthusiastic about animation and I grow to really like how cool John Kahrs is able to successfully still tell a story without proper dialogues.

2 is a film done up by one of my favourite local YouTuber. He often does skits and short films, even action films which is very inspiring to me.

3 is probably my favourite among the three. I realize I really enjoy watching films that does not need much, yet is able to connect with my soul (?) / me. It inspires, explores, yet remains raw and pure.

Hope they inspire you in a way or another, just like how they inspired me.