An example of how a screenshot from my video could be used to show juxtaposition. On one side you have a calm sea with the sun setting in a clear sky, on the other you have a violent sea tide smashing against rocks.
Juxtaposition is the contrast between two things from opposite ends of the spectrum. The image of a child playing in a war zone or a family eating in a restaurant window as a homeless man sits outside are meant to provoke thought and emotion. This is a powerful technique used often in art and media and it can be a useful tool in telling a story.
Twelve Syrians died after a dinghy capsized on its way to Greece, thousands more have died in similar ways trying to make the perilous journey to safety. It was not until a three year old boy’s body washed up on the shores of Turkey that the world stopped and took notice of the migration crisis. It’s the subtle symbol of innocence that resonated because of this picture, the humanity or therefore lack of humanity that resulted in this, that had such an effect with people. It’s almost artistic in its nature. History has given us many powerful images, images that moved nations and altered perceptions on certain events and subjects, sometimes that is all that it takes to demand people’s attention.
When thinking of an idea for my video I knew that I had to capture the subtle aspect of the topic. The journey across the sea is the only option many refugees have and many are willing to risk everything for safety and freedom. I had the idea of a Syrian interviewee describing his feelings and the truth of his reality before having to embark on the same journey. The sea looks calm yet the music is powerful and emotional, it’s the juxtaposition of two states that clash. The viewer is made to feel uncomfortable while looking at something that is.
For the music in my video I decided to use Church Dream from The Revenant soundtrack, this particular piece of music I have been wanting to use in a project form quite some time, it’s very effective and emotionally provocative.
I chose 2 clips to use in my video. I spliced the two together and stabilized the footage to remove camera shake. Using After Effects here was the best option, it allowed me to do certain things with audio that other programs wouldn’t.
This clip is what U have chosen to use, It’s a good angle with the correct lighting
Footage I captured on the day
Using a Nikon EOS camera I took to Blackpool beach to capture my footage. I tried different angles and variations of shots for my video. This time of day was ideal for the idea I had in mind.
Many migrants are taking the route by sea to cross the borders to other countries, because of this I want to capture the sea in my work, I want to emphasize the scale of the journey and how daunting the task seems. I sketched up the shots I will be looking to take.
I will be creating a video project based on the current refugee crisis that is ongoing in Syria and other middle eastern/African countries.I have decided to take this direction because there are many people involved in this crisis with stories to tell about the lives they have left behind and the journeys they have made to get to safety.
This is how the final piece looks, the tags ready to be printed on and the sweater laid out ready to be tagged. I think this piece works well, it’s a simple yet creative idea that gets the audience to interact with the art and to get them thinking about personal aspects that they could contribute. The concept behind my work was to focus more on idea rather than tech and for this I think I achieved my target.
After finding the right sweater that I wanted to use and talking to a few people about my project I got some good feedback and a few more ideas about how I could display my piece, I discovered that having members of the public attach their own tags to the sweater was a better idea.
This is an example of how the tags will be attached on the inside of the sweater
I created my own tags using a silk fabric, I want to stick plenty of tags onto a shirt or sweater so that the inside is filled. This will be a artistic piece about letting go of emotions, on each tag will be an emotional word or two that represent negativity.
I found a few great art pieces by a few artists that relate to clothing tags, these included wildlife pictures, clothing items and basic art collages. I like the idea that clothing tags can be used to create such a wide range and varied collection of art. I definitely think this is the way to go with my piece, not so much visual approach but a more a artistic thought.
One concept I came across and one that I found very interesting is clothing tags, We walk around every day wearing clothing tags that are never seen and always hidden. This captured my interest because it has a strong element of mystery, it ties in with the idea of hidden text and it is something I can get creative with.
Going off the idea of secret text I started to look at where else text is disguised or coded to appear as something else. I looked at code, art, optical illusions etc. I found that text is used in many creative ways. This gave me the idea to be creative in that sense with my piece.
Bury art exhibition. Our primary inspiration and research for the Decode brief was based on the Bury art archive. We looked at pieces which used text as a medium for artistic expression. I found the Polari bible to be a unique work, the concept of using a secret language/code to translate something as historic and rich as the bible was an very interesting idea, especially considering the purpose of the Polari language and how it contrasts with religion.
My 3 chosen movies are going to be...
Memento
American Psycho
Inglorious Basterds
I have chosen these 3 movies because they each have memorable scenes with significant moments, phrases and items that I would like to explore in my project. I will be looking to experiment with these aspects and in the upcoming days.
Examples of subtle photography that focuses on perspective and narrative. The use of lighting is key in some of these photographs, lighting can highlight certain parts of a scene or object and direct the viewer’s attention to it.