Prumsodun Ok has been working hard to edit together the video version of our Manifesto.
Here is the first segment of it.
Password: manifesto
Manifesto cut from Shyamala Moorty on Vimeo.
Prum will post questions in the comments for us to respond to as he is working to figure out the other parts of the video.
Here is the first segment of it.
Password: manifesto
Manifesto cut from Shyamala Moorty on Vimeo.
Prum will post questions in the comments for us to respond to as he is working to figure out the other parts of the video.
Hi Post Natyam!
ReplyDeleteI hope this message finds you all well. As you can see, or according to Sandra's message, cannot see, this is an extremely rough cut of the manifesto. And, fact of the matter is, is that I have been really struggling with it. There are some critical issues that needs to be addressed.
- The sound conveys so many ideas, politics, feelings, and values but the image does not. This results in an imbalance that is really preventing me from pushing the piece forward. In fact, this lack of illustrative footage makes it hard for me to transition from one section to another. And it leaves the video feeling flat. What are the types of images that convey your big ideas? And how do we get them in the video? What conveys coalition? What conveys multiple voices without one author? Illustrates the world that the Post Natyam Collective exists and works in?
-Some sections don't match up with the audio. I don't know how this happened technically—but it really does create a dilemma. It is especially noticeable for Sandra's section, "Yes to.." And in fact, a lot of Sandra's footage doesn't quite sink up with the sound and I think this may be due to the fact that her video is on a European format.
Otherwise, please provide any questions, ideas, or feedback that you may have. I really feel like I have hit a wall in the video.
Thanks!
Prum
Dear Oun Prum,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your work and for your questions! I was just starting to get into the rhythm and flow of the video when it ended - I would probably give better feedback if I had a little more footage to watch. That said, here are some thoughts.
I quite like the introductory section of the video, as we each gradually layer in the rhythms. The way in which you split up the screens and unexpectedly shifted directions was surprising and effective. I get a sense of our different dance-forms, geographical and cultural contexts (from the different textures of the floor, clothing), and the mediated nature of our interaction. The only cut I'm unsure of is at 0:49, where we are all on diagonals - it seems like that could be saved for later in the video, where things get more chaotic.
For Shy's solo, my favorite cuts are 1:12, where you put her footage on the diagonal, and 1:28, where you multiply her image in accordance with the text.
Given the multiple, composite body parts and the appearance of all of our faces and dancing bodies, I get a very clear sense that we have multiple voices without one author - our sense of coalition - from the video. I think the structure of having each of us "solo" will convey the ways in which our individual voices are supported by the collective.
I think it is okay that the text is central and conveys more "information" than the image does. (Incidentally, I think the music "livens up" the text rather than adding a great deal of additional information.) Ping Chong talks about points of focus when creating interdisciplinary performance: that if a section is text-heavy, the movement should be simpler, etc. He does not think that all modalities should hold equal weight at every moment. The dance conveys different information about how we each embody and extend tradition, how we innovate, what values we choose to embrace and critique, in less concrete a fashion than text does - I don't think it matters if it does not illustrate every textual point directly.
I'm not sure what to do with about the audio and video not syncing up. If it's helpful, feel free to cut up the footage however works for you.
I think that making sure that the video is finished in timely fashion, so that it is embodies Post Natyam's current vision rather than being out-of-date as soon as it's finished, is more important than anything. The manifesto came out of a particular moment, time, and situation during our collective's evolution. While I think the politics of our manifesto are still current, we continue go through fundamental changes -- Anjali is no longer an active member of Post Natyam, for instance -- that make the timely completion of the video important. (Not to mention the fact that Sandra has a paper on our manifesto due at the end of the month.)
It's beautiful work, Oun, and I can't wait to see more. Thanks so much for your wonderful editing. :)