Final Project

The Third Work Symposium

I attended the, "What’s the Score: Contemporary Sound Design in Documentary Cinema," on Friday the thirteenth. The two speakers David Barker and Pacho Velez showed us, the audience, various clips showing the relation to sound in film. They used the terms, foley, ambiance, and edge to describe the impact of having or not having sound present in your work. The impact can be just as powerful without an added musical score which was demonstrated in a clip from the documentary, Manakamana. The camera in the documentary is positioned in one spot for the entirety of the film. The film takes place in a cable car in Nepal where all the viewer see is the subject(s) who are seen as sitting across from them, the viewer. There is no music, no script, no sound effects. All that is heard and seen is the interaction between the commuters on the cable car with whomever is accompanying them. Other sounds that are heard are from the mechanical whirring of the cable car, the murmuring or conversation between the commuters, and any other background sound present.

            This clip was not particularly enthralling or significant to me. Besides not being generally intrigued by the clip I feel as though I learned nothing new. To me, it was common knowledge that having sound or not having sound can make a piece powerful. The speakers during this panel acted like they invented an entirely new concept especially by regurgitating an old term and coining it with a new definition. (They had a different definition for foley to describe the atmosphere sound can have/make. When one lady during the question segment of the panel asked why they couldn't just make up a different term, they kind of brushed her off which I found rude. She made a point that rebranding the term foley to fit their "new" meaning is disrespectful to other foley artists and I felt like neither of them truly addressed her point. Another  individual asked the same question and but even then they were not explaining themselves well.) I digress…my point being, is that I felt like I gained nothing new from this specific panel. I know that sometimes a piece works well with no music because it can 1) let the viewer have their own organic response, 2) not take away from the subject matter of the piece, 3) create and evoke a different message whereas adding a musical score sets a different tone. There are many other stylistic reasons to not add sound, all which come down to the artist's personal preference. I understand where they were going with their lecture, however, I didn't find it revolutionary and I didn't think it was something new. I perhaps would've benefitted from a different panel but alas, I did not have the time to stick around.

            Another thing I did not like was the clip showing the lobsters being unpacked in what appeared to be a warehouse or unpacking room. It was strange and dumb. They claimed that the background sound of tape being ripped, or unspooled creates a sense of mystery to the viewers. They say that the methodical snipping of the scissors creates a rhythm and the hum of whatever machine was present in the film creates and evokes mystery to the viewer. I did not get any of that, I found everything about it to be stupid. They said the sound of the tape ripping, but not being able to actually see it, creates tension. I did not pick up that vibe at all. I wasn't anticipating what could that be, I didn't feel anxious or interested to know what was happening, I assumed they were packing something up and that was the end of that so called "mystery". I bet a lot of the people in that room would say it's because I'm young or I'm not open-minded and admittedly, I thought that was my problem too. But I cannot sit there and pretend that I see the "mystery" in that piece. I've seen some unusual pieces before and I've seen the art or the message behind it. I've understood or at least tried to understand an artist's stylistic approach to whatever they're doing even if I personally didn't like or agree with it. But with this panel I found it all to be a waste of time. Not only was the message of the lecture very obvious to me but the examples used to teach their point were not striking or powerful. That is of course just my opinion because even though they weren't visually appealing nor was the content interesting, I saw their point in each clip they played. I thought I'd be learning something totally new and innovative. In the end, I was disappointed by this panel/discussion.  

               

MOMI Visit

I've been to the MOMI before but this experience was much better because there was a tour guide. It was nice to revisit all the exhibits and displays with a very knowledgeable tour guide. The portion of the tour that stood out the most to me was the set and costume design. That was my favorite section of the museum when I had first visited. To see all the meticulous details put into the production of a piece was very cool. Our tour guide showed us the face molds/masks used in various films and explained how and why certain materials were used to create them. She then showed us the miniature model designs used in production to help design the eventual set. I was reminded of how sometimes I take for granted the keen attention to detail that is used in producing any work. Everything is designed and placed where it is for a reason and these designers are the one who have that eye for that detail. When she showed us the costumes on display, I didn't think much of them until she started telling us how these costumes are often very exaggerated. I took a closer look and thought that she made a good point. When you think of a mobster you're probably picturing those big suits, and the fedora, probably smoking a cigar. And that was one of the costumes on display, the costumes are heavily exaggerated to often fit the personality of the character. They obviously look very extreme for us in real life, but in film they translate perfectly. I enjoyed my time at the museum and felt like my interests were being catered to during the tour. I had mentioned in my artist statement that I like the intricate layers in the show Mad Men, and I couldn't help but think of all the set design put into the making of that show and the attention to every single costume that the characters wear. Seeing how it is a period piece I think the show did a great job with keeping everything accurate. It'd be cool to see a Mad Men exhibit at the MOMI too.  

Audio Project

https://soundcloud.com/kathleengobin/project-160-audio

#3: Linear Media in 'Trainspotting'

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Naf_WiEb9Qs

The opening sequence of Trainspotting sets the tone for the entire movie. Within 2 minutes the audience is already introduced to all the characters in the film. They're all introduced through the camera shots which then freeze momentarily (freeze frame) on them and display their name to the side in blocky white capitalized letters. We also get a sense of the activities they enjoy as they are running from the authorities shedding items from themselves it's apparent they like stealing. They also are all seen playing soccer and doing drugs. These actions accompanied by the voiceover narration by Renton, let us know that the characters in the film are rebellious, and not exactly upstanding citizens. As the narration ends Renton says why would he choose a normal average life when he's got heroin.

The setting of the film ties in well with the narration and the characters. They're all lanky rowdy boys and in the very beginning we see a closeup shot of Spud and Renton's feet from behind as they're running. The music, Lust for Life by Iggy Pop, works well with the pace at which they're running, it's almost in sync and sets the tone for a very fast-paced film. You could dig even further and say the lyrics to the song is very reflective of their behavior too. I'm only saying this because I know and like the song. The lyrics go: "Here comes Johnny Yen again, With the liquor and drugs, And the flesh machine, He's gonna do another striptease..." The song choice was very direct and obvious that drugs would be playing a central role in the film. Back to setting, the lighting and background is very grey and grungy. The clothing of the characters too is very grey, muted colors, their skin seems pale and yellowish and Renton's eyes appear to be somewhat reddish, probably due to the drugs (heroin). All these elements give the audience a sense of what to expect for the remainder of the film. The setting is grey and dreary, the characters are rebellious boys who use drugs, steal, and enjoy soccer. The narration lets the audience know that none of them conform to a normal life and that they all enjoy using heroin. 

The way the scene is cut up works extremely well. It's very fast-paced and enthralling for the viewers and engages us to what the mind of a heroin user is like. The music pairs very well with the rush that is probably associated with the drug but the setting and "greyness" of the film shows the grimy underbelly of what drugs does to you. This opening scene is my favorite for all those reasons, in that it's so engaging and introduces the basic story to the viewer within 2 mins.  

What I Hear

Most of my walking is done at night because that's when Jesse and I go out. Jesse is my dog who has recently developed an affinity for late night walks. When we're outside walking he wobbles side to side excitedly and the sound of the tag on his collar jingles with each bounce. His nails, although short, make small clacking sounds against the pavement and when he's very overexcited he'll breathe heavily. I don't mind the late walks only because of the pure joy he gets out of it.

It's generally very quiet in a suburban setting. Cars will zoom by, some people are out talking, and maybe a cat rustles by. Now that it's colder there's not much activity at night. I'll hear families inside their homes. Talking, laughing, watching TV. I judge them if I hear their TV from outside though. Who needs their TV that loud that I can clearly hear you're watching 'Friends'?

Decomposing leaves have collected on the sidewalk and I always hope that when I step on them they'll have that satisfying crunch sound. I am mildly disappointed when they don't crunch. To remedy my disappointment I usually try to find an acorn and step on it because I like the cracking sound it makes on the heel of my boot.

At this point, we’re 20 blocks away from home and Jesse is ready to head back. We’ll turn around and make our way back. Overhead I hear an airplane and I’ll look up momentarily and wish I was on a plane heading somewhere warm and sunny. I’m brought back to staring at Jesse jingling and jangling and bouncing along so happily. We continue our walk back home, and I hear the sound of cars beeping. Someone just came home and they’re locking their car. It sounds just like my mom’s car which made me want to get home faster. I wasn’t sure why, it could just be that it was really cold and late.

More cars zoom by and I always assume they’re all zooming to go home. My pace quickens and I notice the quiet shuffle I had in the beginning of our walk has become swift strides. The sound of my nylon jacket rubbing at my sides becomes nosier. When we’re almost home we race and his once bouncing self-breaks into a mad dash for the house, my boots sound so loud in the quiet of the night slapping rapidly against the sidewalk as I try to catch up. And once we’ve arrived home all I hear is him panting and my pulse resonating in my ears. It’s nice to be back home.