Check out Prum's complete cut of "Yes to Each Other: A Cyber Manifesto"! This will probably be our last round of edits before Prum finalizes the piece, so do weigh in now before May 9, 2013. (Please note that the image quality suffered slightly in video compression, so while certain parts are somewhat pixellated and grainy, it is not to the extent that we see here.)
password: "multiple"
Yes to Each Other: A Cyber-Manifesto
FEEDBACK QUESTIONS:
(1) How do you feel about the trajectory of the piece? Is there anywhere that your attention lags? If so, do you have ideas for how to fix it?
(2) What is the meaning/content that you get out of the work? What do you understand about PNC from the work?
(3) How might you imagine this video being used? (For example, as introduction at a lec-dem, promotional material, screening at film festivals, as part of live performance...)
(4) Any other thoughts and/or requests for changes? (Does it aesthetically gel together? Are there any small tweaks we can do to make it stronger?)
password: "multiple"
Yes to Each Other: A Cyber-Manifesto
FEEDBACK QUESTIONS:
(1) How do you feel about the trajectory of the piece? Is there anywhere that your attention lags? If so, do you have ideas for how to fix it?
(2) What is the meaning/content that you get out of the work? What do you understand about PNC from the work?
(3) How might you imagine this video being used? (For example, as introduction at a lec-dem, promotional material, screening at film festivals, as part of live performance...)
(4) Any other thoughts and/or requests for changes? (Does it aesthetically gel together? Are there any small tweaks we can do to make it stronger?)
(1) For me the trajectory builds additively during the intro, establishes a fairly constant energy during the solos that follows a rhythm of fragmentation, then builds with overlapping, multiple remixed images in the ending, which resolves nicely into seeing each of our faces and a sense of affirmation.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind the intro building a little more gradually, so that the first diagonal/angled orientation happens with the introduction of Anj's feet.
I like the diagonal fragmentation imagery as a clear visual through-line. That said, it's also really nice when when you break from it (such as in Sandra's "yes to combating..." through most of my solo) because it changes up the energy in the solos and because it takes a lot of energy for my brain to parse the images.
My attention lags slightly in Sandra's solo between "yes to respect" (4:18) and "yes to multiple authors" (4:48) I think it's because we aren't really receiving new textual or movement information: the "yes, tat ta dim" continues and Sandra keeps doing similar spiraling movement. Also, of course, because we've been watching the video for awhile and already have a sense of its visual and editing strategies. One suggestion -- which might be difficult at this point -- is to cut some of the rhythmic section in a way that makes musical sense. Another suggestion is to add in a watching face (I noticed that this is the only solo that doesn't have a face watching, which strikes me as a little strange). Perhaps it could be a large and fairly static or slow-motion one behind Sandra since there is so much movement in her video -- or more of my floating roller coaster head, since I was watching her solo when I filmed it and so our timing might be aligned? You could also play more with the visuals of the "yes" text since that is such a dominant part of her soundscape.
(2) The overall feeling I get is of multiplicity and artful fragmentation. Also: Skype, layers, embracing disagreement, listening and watching, mobility, expansion & contraction, funky/jazzy, "modernity," a progressive politics (though I understand fewer details of our politics here than in the written manifesto), overlapping and multiple voices.
(3) I think this video should definitely be disseminated online and should live as a companion piece on our website to the written manifesto. It might also be good as an introduction to PN during lec-dems (though it's a little long for this), or as part of a gallery installation with other components. Because it declares its politics (being a manifesto) rather than showing or evoking them, I have more difficulty seeing it as a stand-alone artistic work to be screened in theaters or at film festivals.
ReplyDelete(4) I do think the work really gels together aesthetically and that Prum has done an impressive job integrating all our different footage into a rich, layered, visual piece! Here are my requests for tweaks as well as feedback on the changes from Prum's last draft:
Shy's solo - At at 1:03, compositionally I love the close-up on Shy's eyes, but the image is pretty pixellated without looking intentionally so. This became more obvious when I screened the Cyber Manifesto on a big screen at my recent Santa Monica Artist Talk. I'm wondering if you can treat the image further (negative, b/w?) so that the pixellation looks more artistic rather than bad image quality.
Anj solo - Your editing now really highlights the "taka dime" refrain by returning to Anj's head doing atami (side-to-side neck movement), which I find to be a very satisfying visual anchor. I find that I don't absorb the meaning of her text as clearly as I used to, which is because you've emphasized the footage of her feet rather than the upper body/hands -- however, if you feel this footage makes for the strongest visual choice, that is fine with me.
My solo - I think making Anj transparent/pale red works well. I really dislike the multiple yes!'s behind my red body, and I miss the close-up of Anj's face and eyes behind me that you had in the previous edit. I don't like the yes's because their presence draws more attention to the backbeat, so that I primarily hear Shy's "yes, yeah uh huh" and don't absorb any of the text of my solo. Also, on the level of meaning, the text I wrote is more about resistance than affirmation -- more about defiantly saying "no" to dominant versions of history than saying "yes." For me, the yes's (so exclamatory! so cheerful!) minimize the power of the solo -- making it cute and acquiescing rather than gritty and powerful. I miss Anj's face because visually it highlighted the switch of my body and hers in their respective frames and because her gaze evoked the surveillance and policing of women's bodies so central to the histories carried within and defied by my body here.
Sandra's solo -
The multiple yes's work better for me here because they support Sandra's text. I noticed that my head appears behind the yes's, but it's pretty hard to see -- perhaps play with the transparency? At the end of Sandra's solo, I really enjoy how the camera pans out at 4:49 on ("multiple authors, multiple aesthetics...") as more voices start to add in, then cuts to a close-up on 4:54.
Ending -
I think the ending is awesome! The remixing of our footage and the repetition of earlier editing techniques tie together the video and creates a wonderful sense of ideas layering on each other. I particularly love the way way you connect our various swirling movement (my hands around my head, Shy's hand, Anj's arms). I like the mushti (fist) on "disagreement" and find the red negative of Shy's solo to "combating exoticism orientalism..." really beautiful -- also like the B/W close-up on her mouth at 5:24. Anj with crying Neva is funny, but the footage is a little back-lit...I'm curious if it would look better in B/W? I think the zooming in on our different faces at the end on "yes to each other" is very sweet; it moves us back into the literal, giving an anchor amid the swirling sounds, and, though it seems like it could potentially border on the corny, somehow completely works for me.
Wow, looks great! Prum did a great job, I think it turned out way better then I imagined it would.
ReplyDeleteI think this version is an enormous step forward (and in the right direction). Huge congratulations to Prum for creating a cohesive and yet collaged visualization of Postnatyam's core values. I don't really have much to add here. The only question I do have is about the changes between black and white and what they imply? I am not really sure I understand these moments entirely. still, this may just be my personal suspicion of the jumping from color to bw and back.
ReplyDelete(1) How do you feel about the trajectory of the piece? Is there anywhere that your attention lags? If so, do you have ideas for how to fix it?
ReplyDeleteI’m really enjoying the rhythm how it sets up and holds everything together. The use of the color red throughout really works for me as well! Everything feels united though still ever so slightly long. My attention lags slightly in Anj's last segment of her solo with the legs – I would replace Anj's last legs with her upper body, so it's not two leg sequences in a row. I also thought her upper body movement was strong in this section.
Also, I find it less interesting in the middle to end of Babli's solo. I would add more of Cyn's rollercoaster head coming through in perhaps different sizes and different ways. Especially in the very last moments where she's talking about multiple authors.
(2) What is the meaning/content that you get out of the work? What do you understand about PNC from the work?
The text makes it clear that we’re addressing many different issues and that our approach is one of multiplicity and that we are emphasizing an affirmative “yes” approach rather then one that negates. Nirmal saw it and said he liked the idea that resistance doesn’t have to be negative. The gay gay gay message is strong visually, perhaps slightly too much? I like it but it does seem like we’re showing it stronger then any other issue. Perhaps just take it out from behind me in my solo and put in the yeses instead. The skype sounds add a feeling of cyber-ness and the editing makes it clear that we mix dance and multimedia.
(3) How might you imagine this video being used? (For example, as introduction at a lec-dem, promotional material, screening at film festivals, as part of live performance...)
I see it particularly useful to introduce PNC in lec-dem contexts and to highlight on our webpage, perhaps in the about section along with our bios.
(4) Any other thoughts and/or requests for changes? (Does it aesthetically gel together? Are there any small tweaks we can do to make it stronger?)
Yes I think it’s quite strong aesthetically! Small tweek ideas:
1. during my solo, the eye close up is grainy. Cyn suggested filtering it more so it doesn’t matter so much.
2. I already mentioned this in 2 but replace the gays behind my solo with yeses.
3. Mentioned in 1: Use Anj’s torso instead of the legs for the last section of her solo that starts with “In dialogue with…”
4. Mentioned in 1: use more of Cyn’s rollercoaster watching head in Babi’s solo, especially on the “multiple authors line”
5. Ending section: My face saying “yes” is slightly strange because it’s Cyn’s voice and doesn’t quite match, but I’m ok with it if no one else has a problem with it.
6. I think it’s strong ending on the skype sound to hang up but wanted to check with folks whether anyone would like the shot of me putting on sunglasses at the end. Does it add anything?
7. AUDIBILITY: I think everything is audible, but it is a lot of text to take in. Both Nirmal and Tunde felt they understood it better after the second time watching it. Nirmal suggested having the text running somehow, or some text emphasizing particularly important concepts words or phrases. I'm not sure...but could be worth trying.
Re: #2, I think it could be nice if the "yes yes yes" footage was in a similar font to the "gay gay gay" shirt to make a clearer visual connection. Prum, I'll email a couple of pdfs in case they're useful.
DeleteRe: #6, I don't think it's necessary to see Shy put on her sunglasses, but I do feel like the Skype hang-up could happen a beat or two earlier.
1) The trajectory of the piece flows seamlessly to me. I enjoy how the beginning is established through images of multiplicity and deconstruction of the body and as it continues to unfold, we hear and see how the whole comes together to form our Collective. I don't feel a lag anywhere specific, the video keeps building and I enjoy some of the sustained moments focusing on each individual's solos.
ReplyDelete2) The meaning I get is that this is a Collective group of strong, liberal-minded, feminist women who are not afraid of their sexuality but rather empowered by it. These women support each other across distances as both academics and artists. They are clearly a culturally hybrid group affirming their values and support to each other.
3) I see this video being used at lec/dems, as a supplement or introduction to live performance-based work, and also promotional and or/when applying for funding.
4) I feel it has really evolved into an extremely solid Manifesto and accurately reflects who we are as a Collective, our politics, our artistic process and our support and respect for each other
THANK YOU PRUM AND SHY!!! AMAZING it has come SOOO FAR.. and you really managed to find a visual translation of the text and meaning... KUDOS! Here my comments to the questions:
ReplyDelete(1) How do you feel about the trajectory of the piece? Is there anywhere that your attention lags? If so, do you have ideas for how to fix it?
The trajectory of the piece is very clear to me. My attention does not really lag anywhere, since there is always new information, and enough repetition of recurring information, which clarifies the context. It feels to me like a journey through our process-- held together by the yese-- I guess in retrospect something done together-- either a movement or something spoken together is missing for me to complete the trajectory, but logistically is not possible.
I am glad that the three part paralell head-torso-feet- is back! Thank you!!! I still feel like it could build slower and only become diagonally fragmented when Anj's feet come in.
(2) What is the meaning/content that you get out of the work? What do you understand about PNC from the work?
First of all since it is a manifesto, the collective does come across as drawing on and aligning with political engagement. Other than that very basic observation, Indian/South Asian aesthetics come through very clearly through the use of rhythm and bols at first, but also hands and eyes and feet movements- yet the overall feeling is not “Indian” -- its completely hybrid.
There are multiple vioces that come in and out, as well as very different ways of moving. I think the solos definitely show our diverse aesthetic preferences.
There is a common throughline, the group agrees, sticks together, but has individual voices.
Disagreement does not come through as much, neither does the challenge of the distance (it may both be mentioned in the text, but it does not register overall in the text or visually)
(3) How might you imagine this video being used? (For example, as introduction at a lec-dem, promotional material, screening at film festivals, as part of live performance...)
on website, promotional material like as an electronic business card (I wonder if that exists for smartphones?, introduction at a lec-dem or performance (or inbetween pieces, sections or before Q&A),
(4) Any other thoughts and/or requests for changes? (Does it aesthetically gel together? Are there any small tweaks we can do to make it stronger?)
One thing I just thought of-- may be complicated to do: since I said in number 1:
“ something done together-- either a movement or something spoken together-- is missing for me to complete the trajectory, but logistically is not possible” I am wondering if it might work to humorously draw attention to that gap or lack by leaving a unisone moment blank, but indicating that maybe through a black screen and running text: “imagine the unison movement we could not film together while being far apart.......” or something--- not sure....
I agree about the graininess of eye at beginning of Shyamala's
also that someone should be watching my solo, and there could be play with text in back (yes-es or gay).
And as mentioned above: I still feel like it could build slower and only become diagonally fragmented when Anj's feet come in.