Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Reflection on Contemporary Compostion
Contemporary Composition has helped me understand many different methods of composition both within my field and out. UNCSA has a wide variety of compositional methods right here that does a decent job of representing the outside world in terms of diversity. It was fascinating to see all the great work we can do right here at the school. We learned that we are all composers because we are all capable of creating something, be it in writing, music, film, theater, visual arts, or any number of the other media or even combinations of them. We learned what sets apart the different arts and makes them unique, but more importantly we learned what the common threads are. Everyone has different creative processes that differ in specifics, but all seem to adhere to the basic idea of finding a concept you like and working to make it a reality. It was interesting to compose in fields other than my own, and helped me see composing from different points of view. It also helped me see how I might take these other forms of composing and incorporate them into my chosen field. Since my chosen field is film (animation, specifically), it already combines visual arts, acting, and music regularly, but this has given new ideas and interesting new way to recombine and remix things. In fact, many of the compositions we've done are combinations of other works into something entirely new. In fact, almost any composition, even if it appears completely original, has had ideas or concepts taken from somewhere else wither deliberately or subconsciously. If this class has taught me anything it's that sometimes it's cool just to mix stuff up in a big pot and see what comes out. Sometimes it might be an inedible mess, but sometimes you can get some pretty neat stuff.
Reflection on Composing in Movement and Performance
Intoduction
Performance covers a wide range of media and has more to do with the intent of the performer and the interpretation of the audience than the media. We were originally scheduled to hear from a dancer about her perspective on movement and performance, but unfortunately she was ill. The good news is that Dean Wilcox covered a wide range of the types of performance and what performance means. He covered many unconventional methods of performance and explained the thought process behind them.
Starting Points
I knew a bit about conventional performance, ie; acting, music, dancing and other traditional performances. These are performances that most everyone would agree are in fact performances because they lie firmly in the realm of performance. I had also heard of some of the more gray areas of what constitutes performance,such as "found art", random objects presented at galleries as art. However, I didn't understand these and thought they were quite frankly ridiculous. Now I understand them a bit better, though I still think they're kind of ridiculous. I had even performed myself, presenting katas at local martial arts tournaments both in competitions and as part of a demonstration.
What I Learned
Dean Wilcox explained many different types of performance as well as the reasoning behind it. As I mentioned, I had heard of "found art" before, but i never understood the point. Wilcox explained that the art itself was not the point, but the way people were now forced to think about it. In that regard, found art succeeds, though I confess I still find it odd. Another peculiar performance movement is Dada, essentially nonsensical gibberish designed to contrast the usually rational and orderly methods of western culture. There are many other examples, but the point is that performance can cover an almost infinite spectrum defined only by intent and interpretation. This is where the debate about where life end and where performance begins comes into play. We all act differently depending on the people around us. We have different behaviors depending on if we're with our friends or our parents or our boss. The question is, does this constitute a performance? I have to say no, though there are valid arguments for the opposite. I say no because the distinction in my mind is that a performance is done for the entertainment or engagement of an audience. This is where intent and interpretation come in. If either condition is fulfilled, it is a performance. What I mean by this is that if the performer intends it to be a performance, then it may be a performance. However, if the performer does not intend for it to be a performance, it may still be considered a performance if a sizable audience interprets it as one. Overall the definition is very subjective, and it was interesting to see the different takes on it, including those done by fellow students (see mine here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_sRkJzb9oY) for our performance composition.
Things I Would Like to Learn More About
It would have been nice to learn about the more conventional side of performance as well, something we missed out on due to the illness of one of the guest speakers. Learning about the different types of unconventional performance was fascinating and eye-opening, but it would have been nice to have a basis of a typical performer and to hear the composition process for that. Especially since the unconventional is often built upon the conventional, it would have been nice to have a more solid foundation before moving on.
Conclusion
This unit was very informative and helped me to think about the concept of performance on a more intellectual level. It is also one of the more fun compositions we've done, I think in no small part due to the sheer freedom "performance" allows. It let everyone do essentially whatever they wanted with the project, which resulted in some clever and funny performances. The freedom in performance is one of the best things about it since it lets anyone express anything however they want, be it deliberately in art or casually in art.
Performance covers a wide range of media and has more to do with the intent of the performer and the interpretation of the audience than the media. We were originally scheduled to hear from a dancer about her perspective on movement and performance, but unfortunately she was ill. The good news is that Dean Wilcox covered a wide range of the types of performance and what performance means. He covered many unconventional methods of performance and explained the thought process behind them.
Starting Points
I knew a bit about conventional performance, ie; acting, music, dancing and other traditional performances. These are performances that most everyone would agree are in fact performances because they lie firmly in the realm of performance. I had also heard of some of the more gray areas of what constitutes performance,such as "found art", random objects presented at galleries as art. However, I didn't understand these and thought they were quite frankly ridiculous. Now I understand them a bit better, though I still think they're kind of ridiculous. I had even performed myself, presenting katas at local martial arts tournaments both in competitions and as part of a demonstration.
What I Learned
Dean Wilcox explained many different types of performance as well as the reasoning behind it. As I mentioned, I had heard of "found art" before, but i never understood the point. Wilcox explained that the art itself was not the point, but the way people were now forced to think about it. In that regard, found art succeeds, though I confess I still find it odd. Another peculiar performance movement is Dada, essentially nonsensical gibberish designed to contrast the usually rational and orderly methods of western culture. There are many other examples, but the point is that performance can cover an almost infinite spectrum defined only by intent and interpretation. This is where the debate about where life end and where performance begins comes into play. We all act differently depending on the people around us. We have different behaviors depending on if we're with our friends or our parents or our boss. The question is, does this constitute a performance? I have to say no, though there are valid arguments for the opposite. I say no because the distinction in my mind is that a performance is done for the entertainment or engagement of an audience. This is where intent and interpretation come in. If either condition is fulfilled, it is a performance. What I mean by this is that if the performer intends it to be a performance, then it may be a performance. However, if the performer does not intend for it to be a performance, it may still be considered a performance if a sizable audience interprets it as one. Overall the definition is very subjective, and it was interesting to see the different takes on it, including those done by fellow students (see mine here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_sRkJzb9oY) for our performance composition.
Things I Would Like to Learn More About
It would have been nice to learn about the more conventional side of performance as well, something we missed out on due to the illness of one of the guest speakers. Learning about the different types of unconventional performance was fascinating and eye-opening, but it would have been nice to have a basis of a typical performer and to hear the composition process for that. Especially since the unconventional is often built upon the conventional, it would have been nice to have a more solid foundation before moving on.
Conclusion
This unit was very informative and helped me to think about the concept of performance on a more intellectual level. It is also one of the more fun compositions we've done, I think in no small part due to the sheer freedom "performance" allows. It let everyone do essentially whatever they wanted with the project, which resulted in some clever and funny performances. The freedom in performance is one of the best things about it since it lets anyone express anything however they want, be it deliberately in art or casually in art.
Reflection on Composing in Film, Video, and New-Media
Introduction
Film, video, and new media covers virtually every moving picture. They often rely on the accompaniment of sound, but this is not necessarily true. That being said, even in the age of "silent" movies there was still often a piano playing along with it. This is usually passive, but new media can include interactive media such as web sites and videogames. We focused mainly on film and video, and the differences between the two as well as the various types and genres. We also made our own film out of a mash-up of old footage to create something new.
Starting Points
I new a fair amount about film, video and new media prior to the lectures. I mostly had to rely on prior knowledge of new media since we didn't go over much of that, especially in regards to videogames. Videogames are too often disregarded as a valid artistic media, but there is become a greater and greater acceptance of videogames as art. Aside from that, film and video are fairly simple to grasp conceptually, since they are just various types of moving picture, but there is much to learn in the nuances in the differences between different genres and even with a genre.
What I Learned
Prior to the lectures I hadn't really thought that much about the difference between what makes something a film or a video. I realized that intent has a lot to do with the difference. Videos, such as from a surveillance camera, are not films because they aren't made or presented with any artistic intent. However, such videos can be elevated to films if they are edited or combined in such a way as to make a point, ask a question, or tell a story. This is much what we did with our "channel surf" projects (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0r_HyWZXSw) where we took old films or videos and compiled them into a single film resembling different channels being flipped through. It shows how footage can be re-purposed to take on a whole new meaning that is different from the one it originally had. We also learned more about the importance of collaboration in film. Many different departments can and should work together to make film. The example given by John LeBlanc was a collaboration between the film and design and production departments. The film was designed to inform about the kind of work D&P does by showcasing a creature costume challenge where students had to make monster costumes. After a documentary of the process, there was a short monster battle featuring the two monsters fighting in a city. So the film helped the D&P department and D&P helped with the film. We also went more in depth on the different genres of film and what we can accomplish with them.
Things I Would Like to Learn More About
As I said earlier, we really didn't do too much with new media, aside from a brief reading. I would have liked to have gone more into new media, since it is a broad and interesting topic. It's a somewhat vague term that encompasses some of the most intriguing work being done today, so it's a shame we didn't get to learn more about it. I feel I come away from this week with a better grasp on film and video than when I started, but the same cannot be said of new media. It also would have been nice to work with new media in some fashion so we could get a hands on experience.
Conclusion
Overall it was a fascinating look at the world of film and video and a disappointingly fleeting glimpse at the world of new media. It was fun to work with old footage and it's always interesting to see what the power of editing can do, as Julian Semilian showed us. It was good to see that not all films are narrative and not all videos are films. Though I wish we had done more with new media, what we did with film and video was interesting and informative and will hopefully help me in my future endeavors.
Film, video, and new media covers virtually every moving picture. They often rely on the accompaniment of sound, but this is not necessarily true. That being said, even in the age of "silent" movies there was still often a piano playing along with it. This is usually passive, but new media can include interactive media such as web sites and videogames. We focused mainly on film and video, and the differences between the two as well as the various types and genres. We also made our own film out of a mash-up of old footage to create something new.
Starting Points
I new a fair amount about film, video and new media prior to the lectures. I mostly had to rely on prior knowledge of new media since we didn't go over much of that, especially in regards to videogames. Videogames are too often disregarded as a valid artistic media, but there is become a greater and greater acceptance of videogames as art. Aside from that, film and video are fairly simple to grasp conceptually, since they are just various types of moving picture, but there is much to learn in the nuances in the differences between different genres and even with a genre.
What I Learned
Prior to the lectures I hadn't really thought that much about the difference between what makes something a film or a video. I realized that intent has a lot to do with the difference. Videos, such as from a surveillance camera, are not films because they aren't made or presented with any artistic intent. However, such videos can be elevated to films if they are edited or combined in such a way as to make a point, ask a question, or tell a story. This is much what we did with our "channel surf" projects (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0r_HyWZXSw) where we took old films or videos and compiled them into a single film resembling different channels being flipped through. It shows how footage can be re-purposed to take on a whole new meaning that is different from the one it originally had. We also learned more about the importance of collaboration in film. Many different departments can and should work together to make film. The example given by John LeBlanc was a collaboration between the film and design and production departments. The film was designed to inform about the kind of work D&P does by showcasing a creature costume challenge where students had to make monster costumes. After a documentary of the process, there was a short monster battle featuring the two monsters fighting in a city. So the film helped the D&P department and D&P helped with the film. We also went more in depth on the different genres of film and what we can accomplish with them.
Things I Would Like to Learn More About
As I said earlier, we really didn't do too much with new media, aside from a brief reading. I would have liked to have gone more into new media, since it is a broad and interesting topic. It's a somewhat vague term that encompasses some of the most intriguing work being done today, so it's a shame we didn't get to learn more about it. I feel I come away from this week with a better grasp on film and video than when I started, but the same cannot be said of new media. It also would have been nice to work with new media in some fashion so we could get a hands on experience.
Conclusion
Overall it was a fascinating look at the world of film and video and a disappointingly fleeting glimpse at the world of new media. It was fun to work with old footage and it's always interesting to see what the power of editing can do, as Julian Semilian showed us. It was good to see that not all films are narrative and not all videos are films. Though I wish we had done more with new media, what we did with film and video was interesting and informative and will hopefully help me in my future endeavors.
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