reflective journal: 5 lessons the city taught me
DESCRIPTION
A behind-the-scenes perspective into the making of "5 Lessons The City Taught Me", now live and available at https://vimeo.com/110729964 Total word count: 2800TRANSCRIPT
5 LESSONS THE CITY
TAUGHT ME REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
by michelle wong
contents MANIFESTO 1 INSPIRATION 3 Ideas from lectures 4 Week 5: Emma Rickards
Online Inspiration 5 Will Darbyshire Natalie Holbrook JennyPurr REFLECTION 7 Hurdle Task 8
Thematic Reflections 9 Creativity Community Computer-‐moderated environments
PROCESS 12 Timeline 13
Outline for Decision-‐Making 15 Aesthetics Concepts Qualities Technical Key moments 16 Planning and decision-‐making
Filming journal EXEGESIS 18 SOURCES 21
manifesto
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What would I like to achieve in this project? I would like to create something that I would enjoy viewing — something that is universal to my audience, and something that is personal to me. What do I want to take away from it? I seek to overcome challenges that I have faced in the past which have dissuaded me from the habit of creating on the daily. Through this creative project, I hope to recreate the habit of creating once again. What are qualities, concepts and parts of me that I would like to infuse into this project? Aesthetics Soft, flowing, easy on the eyes
Qualities Inspirational, motivating, uplifting
Concepts
Adventure, dreams, everyday life, wanderlust Parts of me
Photography + Writing
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What is important to me? • Observing life is very important to me.
To watch the world come and go, to observe a passerby’s mannerisms, to view this world and each and every one of the people in it as unique, with overflowing capacities to offer a fresh perspective.
• Thus, I value the everyday life. Though
it may seem mundane, boring and routine-‐like, the everyday is ultimately what is most familiar to us, so we may as well view it with a sense of gratitude and beauty. The everyday is beautiful, as long as we take the time to notice it and give it the significance it deserves.
What goal would I like to achieve? To combine my strengths along with the skills that I learn and hone in along the way. What challenges me?
• Time management • Video aesthetics and skills • Content anxiety
Pick three to five words that describe what the creative process means to you. Simple, engaging, awesome
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inspiration
WEEK 5: EMMA RICKARDS #1: Ideas from lectures
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Emma kicked off her presentation by saying, “Truly innovative works involve a great idea. To have a great idea, the first place to start is inspiration.” • Emma here highlights that collecting
inspiration is key in creating. One does not just create from scratch; the human consciousness is filled with bits of culture from the things we see, feel, hear, do and experience from our day to day.
• Inspiration is therefore a personal
journey to help the mind in identifying what one loves, enjoys and deems most important to them — three elements which are essential in the thought process of forming an idea for the creative project.
Case Study: Sanna Annukka + Ree Tweeker
• Sanna Annukka (an illustrator) looks
for inspiration beyond the computer, but in nature and into her childhood. Similarly, Ree Tweeker also looked into his childhood — reimagining the
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imagined reality he had as a child: the monster under his bathroom.
• As Emma shared Annuka’s and
Tweeker’s work, it occurred to me that we are probably most inspired during childhood, without the limitations of the hard rules and guidelines that the world seem to place more and more on us as we grow older.
• I hope to seek the “inner child” in me
as I pave my way through this creative project. Both works inspired me to look around me (nature, the city, everyday life) and within me (memories, childhood) in seeking inspiration for my project.
To have a great idea, the first place to start is inspiration.”
“
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WILL DARBYSHIRE #2: online inspiration
WILL DARBYSHIRE FILM www.youtube.com/user/willdarbyshirefilm
• London vlogger • Themes: the everyday, life’s big questions – fate, death, memories • What I love: his message, beautifully soft filming and editing aesthetics,
intimate settings
Spotlight article: 19. My City https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmOYKSBj-‐wk&list=UUeD3VwVu0HzIkPbLwl1D_VA In Will’s most recent video, he vlogs around the city of London, his hometown, showing his viewers three of his favourite spots. Characteristic of the laid-‐back, relaxed style of his videos, Will uses clear, no-‐fuss subtitles, soft instrumental videos and slow, intimate perspectives into his hometown… a classic example of what I hope to achieve in my creative project.
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NATALIE HOLBROOK HEYNATALIEJEAN BLOG www.heynataliejean.com
• Brooklyn blogger • Themes: family, city life, mumhood • What I love: she’s engaging, witty and makes
me smile
Spotlight article: Motherhood Right Now www.heynataliejean.com/2014/09/motherhood-‐right-‐now-‐huck-‐schoolkid.html In this incredibly heartwarming post, Natalie writes about the wrenching yet happy occasion of her son, Huck, starting play school. She writes from the heart, so personally and intimately that her audience feels as though they’re her closest friend, sharing a coffee together as they read it. This personal, intimate style in her writings is a quality in which I hope to emulate in my creative project.
JENNYPURR JENNYPURR BLOG www.jennypurr.co.uk
• Blogs about: personal experiences as a creative
• Themes: fear, time management, confidence • What I love: Honest, inspiring, helpful
Spotlight article: Overcoming Content Anxiety www.jennypurr.co.uk/home/2014/9/11/overcoming-‐content-‐anxiety Content anxiety is something that every creative experiences, including myself, and I found this article to be extremely helpful and uplifting. Jenny encourages her reader to: know what it is they want to say, play around with ideas, leave time for editing, know that it’s okay to polarise a little, and making peace with the fact that once we share our content with the world, it’s out of our control.
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reflection
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HURDLE TASK #1
Very artistic use of stock images and music + great to know that someone else shares my love for Will Darbyshire too!
PARIS SNAPSHOTS / SHARED BY MICHELLE
TED-‐ED / SHARED BY SEAN
I was wary of TED, but actually had no idea about TED-‐Ed! Another example of how one can have fun and learn so much online at the same time; was really inspired to use TED-‐Ed to learn after Sean’s presentation.
As a lover of print, I found this really interesting – Canva seems super easy to use and very customisable too. Best of all, it’s free! Will be checking this out.
CANVA / SHARED BY ALICE
Really cool artifacts were shared at the presentations! The few that stood out to me were…
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THEMATIC #2
Creativity… it’s such a broad word. When I think about it, I see myriads of colours and shapes and everything in between. It’s hard for me to define the word ‘creativity’ because it can mean so many things. However, the 1999 NACCCE Report provides a rather clear and concise definition. According to them, there are four important elements to creativity: using imagination, pursuing purposes, being original and judging value. Scoffham addresses mainly to educators in the last section of his article “How can we promote creativity?”, but I believe that his ideas can also apply to the creative process that goes into my own project, as evident below:
• Encourage play: for me, this means spending a day filming content with no real purpose
• Take risks: for me, this means don’t be afraid to do something different, take charge of your creativity!
• Foster flexibility: for me this means factor in flexibility in time — creativity is a lengthy process
• Balance skills and challenges: make sure to make use of my strengths (writing), as well as
expose myself to my weaknesses (editing) – combine them to create something awesome.
• Exchange ideas: share with my peers + friends about what I’m working on, and see what they’re working on too!
ON CREATIVITY…
In his presentation (found in Week 4’s readings), Gibson emphasises the importance of collaboration in creating creatively.
• Encourage play: for me, this means spending a day filming content with no real purpose
• Collaboration is viewed as a synergy, in which Gibson provides a definition: “the interaction of two or more agents so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.”
• He shares quotes on collaboration + sharing from the world’s greatest thinkers: Aristotle,
Darwin, Shaw & Bell. My favourite is from Shaw:
o “If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples, then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.” How true that is!
• Thus, even though this project of mine is an individual one, it doesn’t mean that I can’t share
my creative process with others + seek their feedback to add more colours to it.
ON COMMUNITY…
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REFLECTIONS
In our first few weeks, Andrew shared the medium of digital storytelling with us. I found this medium to be particular fascinating; although it was relatively simple (with picture slides accompanied by music/sounds), it’s also about designing information from a personal angle – as asserted by Davidson, Hall and Porter in their article “The Art of Digital Storytelling”. Storytelling is an essential part of our lives; in fact, it’s something that we do on the everyday – whether it’s recounting a story to a friend over a tram ride, writing a letter to your faraway relative and so on. According to Porter, there are six elements to telling a good story, as listed below with ways I’m going to implement them in my own project:
• Live inside your story: I should be part of my story, either as a protagonist or an observer. Whatever the case may be, I should be knowledgable about it so that my audience can depart the story with an enriched understanding too.
• Unfold lessons learned: through this
reflective journal and my recount of the processes that I went through in creating the project.
• Develop creative tension: through presenting
interesting ideas in unique, unexpected ways developed through editing e.g. cutting of clips, text overlays, music choices
• Economise the story: I should only use
content that will add to my story, leaving out parts that is unnecessary – these decisions will be made in the editing process.
• Show, don’t tell: through the medium of
video
• Develop craftmanship: Filming and editing are two areas in which I hope to develop craftsmanship to create a cohesive video, and in the process developing my own style.
ON COMPUTER-‐ ENVIRONMENTS…
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MODERATED
process
TIMELINE: KEY DATES #1
1
5
7
13
14
Plan out filming locations and schedule
Film content
Watch over filmed clips Plan next filming schedule
Film content
Watch over filmed clips Write script for voiceover
Oct
13
17
19
21
22
28
03 Nov
Film any missing sequence in storyline
Choose music Create project + edit clips in iMovie
Editing
Editing
Finalise reflective journal Finalise editing
Launch video on Vimeo Submit reflective journal
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OUTLINE FOR DECISION-‐MAKING
#2
Aesthetics Soft, flowy and easy-‐on-‐the-‐eyes This can be achieved through both filming and editing:
• Filming: slow moving and still shots as opposed to fast-‐cutting shots, use of high aperture lens, filming conditions should be sunny, but not too bright
• Editing: slow and cohesive transitions, manipulation of colours to be softer instead of overly-‐striking
Concepts the everyday life, adventure, wanderlust, dreams
• The above concepts will be tied in mainly through a combination of o my clips of Melbourne (everyday life + adventure) o text overlays and voiceovers
Qualities simple, engaging, inspirational
• The merging of video clips should be smooth and intentional to maintain a sense of simplicity. The audience should know exactly what’s going on.
• To keep audience engaged, the video should be no longer than three
minutes.
• The inspiration element of the project lies behind the message of the video: “You are a work-‐in-‐progress. So is everyone else.”
Technical • I’m using my Canon EOS 600D because it’s a camera I’m very familiar with,
having used it for the past three years. Moreover, it films in high definition, so the end product of the clips will be of higher quality and easier to edit.
• As I’m using a MacBook, I will be using Apple apps in the editing and
rendering of my video and sound clips. These include iMovie and Garageband.
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KEY MOMENTS #3
Planning and decision-‐making
Shift from ‘You Are Your Best Friend’ to ‘Five Lessons The City Taught Me’
Original Idea TITLE OF PROJECT: You Are Your Best Friend
KEYWORDS: the everyday, life, social media, gratitude, dreams
ABSTRACT: In a world permeated by social media and the constant need for immediate self-‐gratification and connection, the video hopes to encourage the viewer to slow down and enjoy life as it is. While connection with others is undeniably important in our lives, the connection we have with ourselves is the most important above all friendships and relationships.
MATERIALS: Camera EOS 600D, iMovie, Garageband, Piano
Revised Idea TITLE OF PROJECT: Five Lessons The City Taught Me KEYWORDS: the everyday, life, wanderlust ABSTRACT: After much planning and decision-‐making, my subject matter became all too clear to me: the city. Upon beginning my studies at the university, I have had more opportunities to explore Melbourne in the past few months than I would have in the last decade accummulatively. Over the semester, I have learned that the city is a library filled with opportunities to learn, discover and fulfilling our wanderlust desires. In 5 Lessons The City Taught Me, I have narrowed what I’ve learned, discovered and explored down to the most important five, hoping to leave the viewer inspired to discover their inner explorer. MATERIALS: Camera EOS 600D, iMovie, Garageband
WHAT CHANGED?
• Upon revisiting my manifesto, the message changed from “You Are Your Best Friend” because I found that the city itself was a much more universal concept, and a more actionable way for the audience to find themselves.
WHAT STAYED?
• Motivationally-‐driven • Key theme of everyday life is still deeply embedded • Interpellates the viewer to look deeper into themselves and better their lives
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Weather • Sunday 5/10: Although the weather was great, it was at times too bright, so the next
time I plan to film, I need to make sure that it’s a time where the sun is not fully out, so the content filmed is not too bright and glaring. Perhaps in the early hours of the morning?
• Monday 13/10: Content film is not too bright and glaring, but unfortunately it was a
tad too windy, so some filmed content, like flowers, are shaky. May have to go back and refilm some of the content.
Technique • Sunday 5/10: The quality of the video can be a bit fuzzy when taken outdoors, but the
end result actually gives off quite a nice nostalgic effect that I like. • Sunday 5/10: It’s important to make sure that the camera doesn’t move too quickly
when capturing moving shots — the camera needs to be able to register the movement.
FIVE LESSONS THE CITY TAUGHT ME
# 4.refined idea
FILMING JOURNAL
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exegesis
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At the conception of this project, my aim was to create a work that is both universal to my audience and personal to me. The city, as a subject matter, certainly fulfills this aim. Personally, the city has also become a very intimate part of my everyday life – she is where I spend most of my time. Moreover, as my video will be broadcasted on Vimeo, an online video-‐sharing platform, it is assumed that my viewers are modern, city-‐dwelling individuals who share similar everyday experiences of the city as me. However, as the city is so engrained into our everyday, it’s very easy to simply walk through her streets and alleyways without truly appreciating her, in our constant busyness in getting from one place to another. Notice how I refer to the city with the pronoun ‘her’ here… that’s because, to me, the city is a friend. A friend who you’d sit down and have a coffee with, a friend who’d make you smile, a friend who accepts you just the way you are and lets you take in her goodness-‐filled stories without asking for anything back. My goal in 5 Lessons is essentially based on that: to help my
5 LESSONS THE CITY
TAUGHT ME F I N A L W O R D S
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audience slow down, dig deeper into their surroundings, and view the city as an open space, as a friend who they can explore with. In order to achieve that aim, it was important for me to recreate the feelings of euphoria and peace that I feel when I explore my city and infuse them into the overall vibe of 5 Lessons. To do this, the editing process was key. I curated an instrumental stripped from an originally lyric-‐based song, with rhythms and beats that I could cue in clips seamlessly. Creating cohesive transitions from clip to clip, as well as the timing of clip to music, were essential to achieve the overall vibes that I wanted to achieve: uplifting, hopeful and motivational. I am incredibly happy to say that I have achieved what I set out to do, and beyond, with 5 Lessons The City Taught Me. In more ways than one, 5 Lessons is a love letter from me to my city, and from my city to you.
michelle w. x
ending on a high note...
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Notice how I refer to the city with a pronoun her here… that’s because, to me,
the city is a friend.
‘ ‘
SOURCES
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READINGS The Art of Digital Storytelling Davidson, Hall and Bernajean Porter. “The Art of Digital Storytelling.”
Discovery Education. Discovery Education Network. 2005. Web. 1 Oct. 2014. <http://digitales.us/sites/default/files/digitalstorytellingarticle.pdf>.
Alex Gibson Lecture CPDT 2010 Gibson, Alex. “Programming & Collaboration.” Creative Projects Digital Technologies. 2010. PowerPoint address. Emerging Technologies, Digital Video Revisited: Storytelling, Conferencing, Remixing Godwin-Jones, Robert. "Emerging Technologies, Digital Video Revisited:
Storytelling, Conferencing, Remixing.” Language Learning & Technology 16.1 (2012): 1-9. Web. 1 Oct. 2014.
Toward Digital Man? Scardigli, Victor and Caryn Bensmida. “Toward Digital Man?” Design Issues
4.2 (1988): 152-167. The MIT Press. Web. 1 Oct. 2014. Thinking Creatively Scoffham, Stephen. “Thinking creatively.” Primary Geographer. 2003. Web. 1
Oct. 2014. ORIGINAL SECTION HEADER IMAGE
By Melissa Deckert https://www.behance.net/gallery/20113537/Etsy-‐Holiday-‐Campaign-‐2012