Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Meena's video loops 4 + 5 + 6 for Back to the Beautiful

Loop 4

https://vimeo.com/240783477


Loop 5

https://vimeo.com/240781253

Loop 6

https://vimeo.com/240780921
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2 comments:

  1. Cynthia Ling LeeNovember 2, 2017 at 9:39 PM

    These are really great! I'm giving all my feedback here, even though one of the other loops is on a separate post.

    I love the way that (white) water submerges and erases Sandra's and my bodies in Loop 4 and how the split screen with the two rivers in Loop 6 looks, especially how one of our feet momentarily steps in the San Lorenzo. And in Loop 5, the appearance of the news photo right after our feet start moving in reverse (like we've been turned away at the border) under the water is really effective. I would love to see the news image for longer (perhaps it comes in and out of visibility under the water?), and at least one more overtly political image somewhere in the overall videos. Actually, in general I wouldn't mind if each of the loops were a bit longer. In Loop 3 I enjoy how you've rotated the water 90 degrees at the end, which gives it a mirror-like effect, and making the background red abstractly conveys a sort of violence.

    While I really like the implications of our feet reversing themselves and walking backwards before the news photo of people stopped at the border, I'm not completely sure about this in other places. It looks a bit unnatural to me in a way that sticks out more than the close-ups on the water, which are easier to abstract. I also find myself wondering how the multiple windows in Loop 3 will interact with the architecture, with all its windows and arches and such.

    Regarding sequence, hmm -- it's a little tricky to think about sequence in a durational/installation work, since it's not clear to me that the audiences will see it continuously from the very first clip. However, my general instinct would be to introduce the explicitly political elements later on and to move from more visually simple to more complex (adding multiple screens, etc. later). Here's one possible sequence: 2 4 6 1 5 3.

    Sound-wise, perhaps it would be interesting to include the following elements: the sounds of running water, static, protest sounds.

    How are you thinking of integrating the text visually? Slides between loops? Layered on top of existing footage? Part of the soundtrack? I was thinking that the text could be as much a conceptual inspiration for editing as much as something to include visually, but one possibility would be to include the question, "What are we supposed to forget?" and having it a couple times between different loops -- the final time near the news photo.

    Lovely work!

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  2. SandraNovember 6, 2017 at 11:56 AM

    These are really great!
    I especially love the color filters you used and the water textures.
    I love the “searching feet” when they appear and the way feet and bodies appear and disappear in the water
    In general I prefer a sense of walking forward in this context, reversal of steps works as a contrast – the sense of journeying and crossing could get jarred more when there is a sense of walking forward established for longer, before there is reversal as contrast.

    I know you are making them longer: I could see more of the “only” water manipulation before and in between the appearance of feet, bodies and other images
    I could also imagine slowing down of certain movements, steps, and repetition of the “searching”

    I too am curious how you are planning of including words


    Here some feedback for each loop.


    Loop 3
    Love the way you worked with color effects/

    Walking backwards is a little confusing
    I like the repetition of “searching” a stone to step on (TC 00:18; TC 00:19) , could see that more/longer

    I like the turning of the water

    Loop 4
    I like how the bodies disappear behind the water gradually
    Walking backwards does not make sense or visually appeal to me since it’s only walking backwards

    Loop 5
    I love the color and the layers.
    Here is there any way to have more walking forward so that that becomes a pattern before the reversal happens- the reversal as contrast is more effective to me.
    The police image seems both “solid” and static. is there any way to adjust/filter that? Or did you intend the jarring static contrast? How long were you envisaging the border image to be visible in the larger loop?
    Is it a moment? A recurring moment?


    Loop 6:
    I really like the split screen and “searching feet”
    AND COLORS !!

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