Reflective Paper

With the RAW images collected on my travels during Unit 1, I was ready to start Unit 2 with data ready for processing. During Unit 1, I was already experienced in shooting the time-lapses, but my previous experiences of processing the images into moving image had produced limited results. Unit 2 allowed me to experiment and record a new workflow, learning more about moving image, High Definition and codecs. Unit 2 also allowed me concentrate my efforts on the more technical side of my practice, more than the aesthetic and theoretical aspects. My previous experience as a stills photographer had given a good grounding in digitally optimising an image, yet what I was doing this time around seemed to be more complex, as time had now crept into the sequences; the exposure at the beginning of the sequence was often quite different to the exposure at the end of the sequence, meaning it was harder to make global adjustments to a batch and ensure consistency. Making global adjustments to batch files has been a valuable skill learned in this unit and has led me to scrutinise the level of detail retained in an image spefically after batch processing, and will allow me to make informed decisions concerning my workflow in future. My experiments with High Dynamic Range at the beginning of Unit 2 were also very valuable, giving me the opportunity to learn more about luminance, highlights/shadows, histograms and keeping colour detail whilst reducing digital noise. Although the first experiments in week 75 were successful, the more experience I developed using High Dynamic Range resulted in a lesser liking for the technique, and I decided not to continue with it, as explained in the symposium. I resorted back to processing the RAW footage using Adobe Lightroom, exporting jpeg files to be converted into moving image using another application. I experimented with Quicktime 7 Pro to play the sequence of images back in rapid succession, but found that After Effects had better versatility and gave greater control over the final outputs. Exporting and video codecs have been a difficult lesson, and this is an area of knowledge that I plan to develop further after the MA. Experimenting with split screen technology in Final Cut Pro has been exciting and enjoyable, and I feel that this may even be a reoccurring theme in my future work. Both Final Cut Pro and After Effects have been enjoyable to learn and are very complex programs, and I wish to develop my skills with these application in the future; more so with After Effects, and specifically in the areas of animation and motion graphics. I also intend to experiment with 3D objects and compositing with Cinema 4D. With regards to the the time-lapse style I have developed, I am planning to shoot subjects in London over the coming months, and also develop the theme of climate change and sustainability in the future. I would also like to experiment with dolly movement in the future; the pan and zoom effects created in After Effects were breakthroughs in my work, but I think it is essential to experiment with physically moving the camera during a shot. I would also like to experiment with time-lapse using video cameras in the future, and compare it to my current practice of using a DSLR camera.

I am happy with the final piece that I have selected to show, and feel that it is a satisfactory resolution to my original project proposal. My experiments developing multi-linear narratives using split screen presentation were successful, and will be developed further even after the course has concluded. I think that other work produced throughout the course can also be developed, specifically the factory series, and developed into installations. I have decided to present my MA project on an HD ready iMac, but would really like to experiment with larger scale projections in the future. One experiment in particular that I would like to develop is the triptych projection, discussed in blog post here.

The use of the blog has been critical to my success as both a student and as an artist, and has allowed me to process my thoughts, feelings and workflow with new a philosophy. It has allowed me to record my experiences using a digital sketchbook, and I will definitely continue to use my blog long after the MA has finished at Camberwell. Although I initially had trouble with reflective blog writing, I now realise how valuable it is when resolving (and more importantly recording) processed. I have noticed that my blog posts have grown in detail and the depth of reflection has increased over the last few months, and I feel that short posts made often ultimately result in longer, deeper reflection when something significant happens in the workflow. I have tried to use Twitter as a reflective tool, but I found the interface difficult to engage with. I have also used Facebook as a tool to promote our final show and communicate with peers on the course.

I feel that my work has evolved to a professional level and I now have the confidence to take my work and ideas even further. The work that I have produced on the course has generated some interest, and I have already submitted various pieces for exhibition in the UK and internationally over the coming months. I have also created a network using the internet, and also within the university to gain exposure for my work and tempt new opportunity.

On a professional level, I am now employed as a Digital Media Technician at University of the Arts London, Central Saint Martins, supporting Foundation students in Lens
Based Media. I plan to develop my skills as a teacher and software technician, and hope to continue my education with the PG Certificate in Learning and Teaching, and possibly a research degree in the future. I also have some hours as Associate Lecturer at London College of Fashion next term, working with students on the BA (Hons) Fashion Design Realisation and Fashion Media courses.

Unit 2 Assessment – Blog Curation

Present, in the final exhibition, a resolved body of creative practice that has evidenced the systematic enhancement of your knowledge and understanding.

I feel I have resolved my project proposal with my final exhibition piece, as detailed in the blog post here.

Developments with software have been significant in my work, evidencing systematic enhancement of my knowledge and understanding, and can be found here, here and here.

Analyse and reflect coherently upon your own practice and its context in both written and verbal forms.

Symposium 2 found here demonstrates coherent reflection and analysis upon my own practice. I feel that my ability to talk about my work has increased over the duration of the course and I feel that I now use a greater vocabulary. Blog posts here, here and here also display a significant level of reflection and continuing use of the blog can be found here and here. I have realised that the learning process is centered around reflection, and these post indicate a thorough approach to analysis and reflection.

Summarise your overall progress and formulate a constructive plan for continuing Personal and Professional Development.

My reflective paper found here details plans for continuing Personal and Professional Development, as does the blog posts here are here. I feel that I have improved greatly as both an artist and an academic over the duration of the course, and these blog posts reflect my continued personal development.

Quad Split Final

So here is the my final show piece; three minutes in length and full HD. I don’t think there is much more I could do to get this uber-ready for the show. There is a small gap in sound at 1:28, but I think this is fine and not really worth doing another 6 or 7 hour render in order to fix it (instead I’ll let the multi linear-edit render). There are some really good juxtapositions, specifically at 0:53 where we can see the factory emissions and clouds on the left hand side of the screen, and the wind farm in the bottom right, seemingly blowing the clouds and emissions out of the frames. Also at 1:08 we have the overhead power cables on the left and their direction of flow mimicked by the highways in Seoul on the right. As mentioned in a previous post, having employed the rule of thirds when originally composing the shots, we can see that this is often mimicked in different windows at the same time and bring balance to the overall composition. The frame at 1:48 is a great example of what I envisioned when writing my original project proposal and now feel that I have accomplished what I originally set out to achieve. This frame contains good examples of the city, the factory emissions and a wind turbine with overhead power cables, whilst also showing the wheel I shot in Japan, to symbolise the cycle that refers to the seasons. Another reason why I am happy in presenting the quad split as my final piece is that we have a clear division into four segments, much like the seasons within a year, referring back to climate change and sustainability affecting our weather patterns. I am happy with the way that the film ends, with three of the blocks disappearing off screen within succession, and the image of the renewable source playing for just an extra second.

Quad Split Remix

Here’s a remix of the quad split, with the positioning of the windows corrected and the soundtrack reworked. I’m happy with both of these aspects but I have noticed that there are a few frames that show the same piece of footage in two windows at the same time, so what I plan to do now is go back and reverse some segments in the timeline and this will give another chance for the juxtaposition. It takes time to do these renders, arounds 6 hours on the machine that I’m using but it has to be as good as I can get it before the final show. also have a multi linear piece on render, but the quad split is definitely what I am going to exhibit, so I think it is necessary to focus all energy and computer memory on that task. The multi linear render is only of medium quality, and a demonstration of where i wish to take it, even after the MA has finished. With the quad split for the final show, the film is exactly three minutes in length and I intend to play this on a loop using the Quicktime Player on the iMac. I have also changed the the window of some of the sequences, for example moving the factory series from top left to bottom left, so that the flow of emissions is directed towards another window to increase fluidity between the different windows. One of the video channels is just a little bit short, so I will do one more render and add something in there to bring it up to length with the other channels.

Quad Split

Hooray! So now I have something that is starting to resemble a finished piece. There are some blank spots that I have to go back and fix, but overall I’m quite happy with the result. When played on the iMac on full screen, the images look good and crisp and everything fills the screen well, making best use of everything. Some of the clips are not correctly placed and there is a small black line in the middle of the clip, so this will be my first job to go back and edit. I’ve also made the film three minutes; as I think this is of suitable duration for an art show. i’m quite happy with the soundtrack but think I’m going to go back and removed the bird song in the first half of the video and make it more prominent in the second half, whilst also trying to show more of the renewable energy series in the second half of the film.

In this version, I have also moved the factory emissions to the top left to start with, as many of the emission flow from right to left and I think it would be compositionally better to have them flow of the screen. Some of the shapes and angles in the footage are replicated in other pieces of film, and has made me discover more about the way I create a composition. I feel that I rely on the rule of thirds quite heavily, and this has allowed good transition between shots. Overall, I am extremely happy with the quad split and will now go back and make some minor adjustments, namely to the positioning of the clips, and also think about changing the order of some of them; at present, there are a couple of seconds where the same pice of footage shows in two locations at the same time. Although this is not really a bad thing, I think I have more than enough footage to avoid this.

Some time back, I also started a more complex edit, but this will take some time to render and I have decided that it is more important to get a final piece finished and ready for the show, and then let this other mix render. I did start rendering this new edit, only to get an estimate of how long it will take, and Final Cut Pro gave an estimate of 44 hours!

Supporting Website

Please follow this link to view the website supporting my final show

web.mac.com/davidtatnell

3-Way Split Screen Test 2

Here’s the first quad split test, missing one corner. I know that there is quite a lot of footage that I’ve not yet included, for example the Beijing sewer shot and some cloud shots, so I will go back and create another group to fill the fourth space. I think that this experiment has worked really well; the pictures are big and crisp and again we can clearly see the juxtaposition that is created by playing multiple clips simultaneously. I’m going to go ahead and remix the quad split and then reflect on a more advanced piece.

Triptych

Here’s a three-wat split screen test, grouped into the three modules of traffic, factory emissions and renewable energy. I think that the split works well, and although they are not placed in exactly the right position on the screen, we get a good feel as to how this piece may work as an installation. What I would like to do is present this using three projectors side by side. I think this would create an immersive environment for the viewer but I think I would put the renewable energy series in the middle, as I feel that the middle is the strongest position and the two films on the outside would take secondary space if one was standing in front of larger projections. I think that by playing the films side by side, we are now presented with more juxtaposition of the images and I feel that a strong dialogue has now been created. I think the next thing I will do is present them as a quad split, leaving the one corner blank, as we should be able to see the sequences in better detail. Learning how to present more than one clip on a screen at the same time, using Final Cut Pro, was todays big achievement. I must now learn how to place the frames exactly where I want them on the screen. Also with this experiment, I have included the sound of every sequence, and I think that all the sounds together project some good sound pollution, with the bird sounds quite prominent in key areas when the visuals show preference to the renewable energy series.

Linear Sequence

A final linear sequence! Well, I say final, but there is still a bit of camera shake on some of the shots, particularly in the wind series. I also think the sound on this series could do with being reworked as there are some strange bird sounds in there. I’m very pleased with the aesthetic, and it looks great when shown full screen on my 21″ iMac. ALthough I don’t think this is going to be my final exhibit, I do think I’ll will presenting on the iMac at the final show, instead of an LCD screen. Having spent the time making the footage HD, I think it deserves being shown on an HD ready device. The iMac is minimal and the screen quality is very good. I think the next thing I have to do is go ahead with a split screen technique and wait for it to render! I think there are a couple of transitions between shots that could be a bit smoother, so I’ll be going back to fix those. Seeing all the work together is inspiring; I’ve come along way to get this far but I wouldn’t feel comfortable showing all three modules together in the show, unless the camera shake was fixed. I’ve experimented and played the factory series on a projector and I feel that if presented in the right way, this series is strong enough to stand alone on show. I think as a whole, that it is a good, productive body of work from an intense travel experience. What I would like to do in the future is experiment with dollies and physically move the camera through the shot and add another dimension to the work. The zooms and pans in After Effects have been the biggest breakthrough but as an artist I will be pushing this element of my work after the course.

Unit 2 Assessment Briefing

UNIT 2 Assessment

Please note, we wish to assess all work carried out after the unit 1 assessment. Any work prior to that date may not be included.
Learning Outcomes
1. Present, in the final exhibition, a resolved body of creative practice that has evidenced the systematic enhancement of your knowledge and understanding
2. Analyse and reflect coherently upon your own practice and its context in both written and verbal forms
3. Summarise your overall progress and formulate a constructive plan for continuing Personal and Professional Development.
Assessment Evidence
1. Participation in the symposium (this is the 5 minute presentations you all did in early April)
2. Reflective journal and written paper evaluating your practice and future development (1000 words overall)
3. Practical work resolved according to your proposal and presented professionally as part of a the final exhibition

Curate your blog
You are required to curate your assessment. A separate page / section of your blog is required, with a title such as UNIT 2 ASSESSMENT. The idea of this is to indicate to the staff and your peers your understanding of the knowledge that you have developed over the unit. This is contextual knowledge, professional skills that you have developed. Knowledge that has been obtained though systematic rigour such as ‘action research’.
The ‘curation’ requires the following:
• Create a new page / section within your blog called UNIT 2 Assessment.
• List the Learning outcomes.
• Under each learning outcome, you will need to evidence how you have achieved it. Remember learning outcomes require a minimum of 2 pieces of evidence – we expect to see 3 / 4 pieces of evidence. Use the ‘Assessment Evidence’ [listed above] as a guide to what you can submit. Remember much of your ideas / developments and contextual information will be contained in the blog, so use what you have already written
• Write some short notes about each piece of evidence, discussing how it relates to the outcome, and why it is included above other evidence – why you feel its important.
Remember that things that did not work are as important as the things that did.
Please make sure all liabilities are cleared – library books + fines, Halls of residence fees etc. Failure to do so will stop the release of your grade + result.

Timetable
22 August – Show build start
25 August – meal at Jonathan’s house in the evening
30 August – Assessment starts – all evidence including the written paper must be on your blog by 09.00
1 September – final cleaning and preparing the exhibition space
2 September – show opens to the public
4 September – show closed for Sunday
6 September – private view 18.00-21.00
8 September – External Examiner visit – (he will want to meet some of you) & final day of the show
12 September – show comes down – you must come in a help to clear stuff away
13 September – final marks given out

Two important things about the show
You all need to agree an invigilation rota, to ensure all spaces are occupied by a minimum of two people. Any spaces unoccupied will be shut.
If your work involves a complicated set up to switch it on each morning, you will have to provide detailed instructions for whoever is invigilating that day, or come in each morning to set up.