Composing in Film, Video, and New Media

INTRODUCTION

In Unit Four, we looked at Composing in Film, Video, and New Media. This included exploring the definitions and boundaries of these three terms and how they are effectively and artistically used in the modern context.

STARTING POINTS

At the beginning of this unit, I had some understanding or idea of the boundary between film and video. Especially since starting my training here, I've been struck by just how multi-faceted and complex the art of filmmaking is. It's such an amalgamation of visions and skills and efforts. I had virtually no idea of what new media was.

WHAT I LEARNED

I dug a lot deeper into my understanding and point of view on the boundary between film and video.

I think video becomes film when there is a separate and specific intent coming from the person or people controlling the filming. When the person filming is himself/herself going through an artistic process, there becomes an artistic exchange between the filmer and what is being filmed. Point of view, editing, and cinematography come into play here. Video becomes film when it is not merely an accurate capture of an event (unless that was the specific artistic intent), but when the manner in which the event is captured heightens or makes a comment on the event itself. This is why films have such power as an artistic medium, and why filming acting, music, visual art, or dance is such a dynamic interaction of art forms and different media.

We also looked at Lev Manovich's assessment of the historical trajectory of new media. While a lot of these ideas seemed abstract to me, I pushed myself to practically apply them. New media has opened up so many doors for artistic expression, but I think the main conflict is the question of if technology puts overly numeric confines on film and video. Is something lost in today's modern context? I had a very similar thought process to Jordan Boatman, who is in my online discussion group. She had a similar fear about what happens to art when it becomes more quantitative than qualitative. Today's society looks at composing and the composer a lot differently because of new media. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHicEAMMl3Q

This is link to my channel surf video, which was made my stringing together video clips and separating them with TV static. What struck me the most about this project was something sort of profound about what film can accomplish. By using images, it can subtely comment of make a statement without being overt. Just by putting these clips together, our mind starts to make artistic and even poetic connections between them.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT

I'm very struck by what film can do with imagery, editing, and perspective. I've been thinking a lot about my potential as a director, and I'm thinking at some point in my career I would love to play with how images comment on a story in film or even theatre too.

CONCLUSION

I'm grateful for the opportunity to take a closer look at composing in film, video, and new media. I think it brings up a lot of poignant points about art in the modern context.