Where am I this week?

After speaking to Christopher and Riley in the last week, I'm resolved to the idea that I need to consider the title sequences as a reference to the quality I'm after in my own work and drop the idea of creating a title sequence.

As soon as this decision was made, I felt a lot of relief.

Therefore, my video sequences for both my major and my video complimentary are more closely macro video of actions taken in an almost fetishist manner.  The idea is that upon shooting such things as Ceramics and Cleaning (the two subjects split between both courses - I've dropped hairdressing despite its abundant visual material due to logistical issues) will produce the necessary impact on its own - like that of my fruit-based video... I wish for the viewer to be put off by the viewing of such mundane yet close-up tasks.

I need a new 'sentence' to describe what it is I'm doing... Hmmm.

Test Shoots - Tea, Cleaner, Haircut, Ceramics

So, I've been playing with my camera, shot some basic stuff like me making a cup of tea.

The aim was to observe the actions that were being undertaken so that I could later replicate those in the studio environment.


1. Cleaner

I also organised to follow the cleaner (Maria) for the morning.  Got up at 7:00 and followed her with the video camera filming the various things she does in the morning.  This was a lot of fun and she was most accommodating.  One thing I realised very quickly was that she was going at such a pace that shooting actual action was definitely going to be too difficult.

Some things I hadn't expected though, like the way the vacuum tube wobbles around when the cleaner is out of shot or following the untangling of the vacuum power chord.

2. Haircut

This was fun.  I followed my partner to the hairdressers... again the hairdresser was very accommodating.  I couldn't get in close enough to the action since I was using my HV20.  Also, the light wasn't quite as good as you'd expect.

Something that became very apparent was the lack of anonymity with the actions of the hairdresser and the assistance who washed his hair - they had rings and tattoos that would identify them very easily.  Definitely something not to forget if the services of someone are called upon again - which highlights too the need to get in closer with a good lens.

3. Ceramics

Another fun activity.  There was plenty of light and there are so many things within the workshop that take an interesting picture, the kilns, buckets, machines, clay, etc.  Definitely need to shoot with a better, closer lens.

One issue within such an environment was the cleanliness... it's dusty and potentially wet, depending on how close you get to the action.