Category: Final Project

Project Update

October 29, 2015 / / 1 Comment

I took a few videos this week using a GoPro, trying to figure out a way to show a different perspective or perhaps a different way to represent the idea of a network. In many ways the experiments did not work, however they served to lead me on to a better idea for my project.

Below are some very short clips of the videos I took. I did not include more because I found them too headache-inducing.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njw9Xtx1LEM]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4vgZfLMsus]

Anyway, as I was thinking about how to take the videos and how to relate to the idea of a network, I started thinking of my own video double project. I was also thinking about Jaysee’s navigation project, where I felt that by focusing entirely on the Google Maps, he was literally able to make the third space his only reality.

Before watching the videos below, keep in mind that there is no video editing of any sort being done, and the viewer should imagine that this is being filmed live. Anyway, these thoughts that started bouncing around in my head somehow combined into this:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR2INCcIfT0]

2 Layers

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcjUNPhZhYc]

3 Layers

I feel that this work is kind of like an evolution of my video double project. Last week during class, I was already thinking about the idea of a network; how elements can intersect each other or the interconnectedness of things. This, combined with Jaysee’s presentation, sparked off the idea to video myself in a video. I pictured myself recording a video of a video of myself, and perhaps interacting with myself to create some form of narrative.

I find myself really fascinated by the idea of communicating/interacting with myself. Even though I know it’s not real, it engages me in a strange way. I think that the nature of my idea strongly echoes and is perhaps very much influenced by that of Paul Sermon’s “Telematic Dreaming” and Annie Abraham’s “The Big Kiss”.

Some part of this idea also stemmed from our ‘Collective Body’ project, from seeing all the different body parts combine together. I initially wanted to only show different body parts, and maybe showing my face at the end, to sort of “conclude” the performance.

I think that I want to continue in this direction, and perhaps experiment with creating more ‘layers’ of video. I hope that there is some way of creating a relatable narrative in the context of ‘inhabiting’ different spaces, but at the same time.

Final Project Update 2

October 8, 2015 / / 2 Comments

For my final project update, I’ve been taking photos of my soccer boots and posting them on Instagram together with a few sentences to try and build some kind of narrative. As I was doing that, I’ve also been thinking of how this can relate to the internet and how I can turn this small photo project into my final project. Below are some examples of my photos, and you can see them all here.

Screen Shot 2015-09-23 at 4.48.56 PM Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 11.31.15 AM Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 11.32.38 AM Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 11.32.56 AM

With this in mind, I thought of a way to incorporate these elements in relation to how the internet works. One issue I noted is that even though I would source for many boot reviews before I decided whether or not to buy one, I’d notice that every reviewer would give his own personal opinion regarding that boot, and in some cases where the reviewer is sponsored, I wouldn’t be too sure whether it was an honest opinion.

I think that this issue of honesty/genuinity is something that is prevalent throughout the networked space. After all, there is little or no way for us as individuals to hold these people accountable for what they say or do; rather it is up to us to decide who we want to believe or put our trust in.

My train of thought at this moment is that I could do a video of myself reviewing one of my soccer boots. This review will include a detailed explanation of all the technical information and specifics regarding this boot, as well as my own personal opinion. It will involve a voiceover together with subtitles. However, the subtitles will not reflect the words of the voiceover. I intend for the voiceover to vocalize a very positive review of the boot, while the subtitles tell a very different – and negative – aspect of the shoe. In this way the viewer is contradicted as he is confronted with two different opinions at the same time (yet both opinions are legitimate and have to be logical).

I think it would be a very interesting video, one that might come across as confusing and contradictory, but I think that it would be a pretty accurate reflection of my own personal experiences with the internet with regards to this issue.

Final Project Update 1

September 23, 2015 / / 1 Comment

My idea for my final project is to do a live review of a soccer shoe. The problem is that there are already many videos on YouTube that provide comprehensive reviews about soccer shoes. It’s pretty much advertising the product and explaining its features for people who are considering whether or not to buy the shoe. What I want to do is to think of a way to provide a new experience for viewers.

Some of my ideas include:

  • Engaging viewers to ask me specific questions about the shoe so as to create the most in-depth review ever. For example, they can ask me about the measurement of my shoe to see whether it will fit them. Most shoes only provide generic sizes and not actual measurements for the shoe.
  • Doing ‘tests’ of the shoe, such as bending it at different points or different directions. I also had an idea of videoing the effect of dropping a tennis ball onto the shoe to see how much rebound/cushion effect the shoe has.

That’s all that I have so far. Appreciate any ideas or suggestions 🙂