Previously i had taken video footage of a band playing at the Arthouse. My idea has been to create a video in first perspective of a patron at the Arthouse, generally what everyone who goes there would experience. I didnt have any footage of people walking to the Arthouse or going upstairs, so i did this last week.
In sequence i wanted to portray someone walking to the Arthouse, meeting a friend, getting a stamp at the door for entry (paying for the gig). Going to the bar for a beer, going upstairs to hang out with mates, go back downstairs when they hear the band has started and then go right to the front of the stage to watch the bands and mosh.
I had footage getting off the tram, and walking to the Arty but this was too long and unnecessary, so i cut it down to just before they cross the road to meet a friend and enter. I asked my mates to be subjects for this assignment too, just for the beginning. I skipped the idea of filming me paying for the gig and getting a stamp as i wanted to capture the seedy darkness of the room when you walk in, this is usually the first thing you notice. A sense of warmth from a crowded room. Firsts thing is first, usually patrons go straight to the bar for a beer. I extended the footage of waiting in line, as this can be frustrating and builds the anticipation for the night. Then after receiving the beer, usually patrons go upstairs for a cigarette or to hang out before the next band starts. I was going to slow this footage down, but i found it to be quite descriptive and calm already, which once again builds the anticipation for the night. You can hear when the bands start and everyone piles down the stairs to get a good stop. I filmed walking down the stairs and getting right into it, as if no time was to waste.
I had sooooo much video footage of the band (Gun Runners) playing, prob 30 min worth, so i had to cut it down so 5 min which was hard.
After a few days i was thinking about what music i should have to accompany the video. Ideally i should have a band that plays at the Arty, either metal, punk, hardcore or rock but I have been obsessed with an American band called Bison B.C., they have a melodic rock/metal sound that hits both highs and lows. I was walking through the park and heard the song 'Wendigo Pt. 1 (Quest for Fire).' It starts off with violins and a double bass in a really dark tone to gradually build up. This i immediately pictured someone walking across the road ready for a big night out. Then it breaks into guitars, drums and bass, which is perfect for when my friends enter the arthouse doors. Then suddenly guitars emphasis opening the door and hearing the liveliness and feel the atmosphere inside. The music still builds up as i walk inside and go to the bar, waiting for a beer. Then as i receive the beer, the music really begins. This signifies the night beginning. Then, satisfied i walk up the stairs and as i go outside, the music stops, i look around and hear words, conversations and taken back once again to anticipation before the band starts.
The music for watching the band will be instrumental, solos and riffs. I had to edit out any singing in the video as it looked quite strange. I had footage from both sides of the stage, at the front and a few metres back. I had the video flow at the start and by the end i cut up the video and had it move more frequently to build the intensity of the film.
I had two endings made. One where the band ends and you see someone lifted into the air and as they come back down, the video ends. But i thought to flow with the whole idea of the video, i had footage of the band finish, say thank you, people shake hands and then i walk away to signify the night being over.
I had to edit the film and music so it was in sync. For example there is a scene at the end where the band is playing, there was a part in the song where there was two solid strums and i had the guitarist strum to the same beat as this. The dancing was in the same beat as well. Editing the song i found to be just as easy, i have done this before in Protools.
Over all, i have finished on a HUGE high. I was soooo excited that i could make a video in Final Cut Pro and i did it all myself without asking for help. I thought it would be alot harder, but the time consuming part is getting the balance and video aesthetics right for the clip. You can spend days trying to get it all perfect, which isnt really a problem for me, as Final Cut Pro is such an awesome program to run, its fun, absorbing and rewarding.
The footage of my video has been compressed so the quality is not as good.
A Night At The Arthouse....
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Photoshop
I had the idea to create beer coasters for the Arthouse representing the 19years of live music. I wanted to have a drawing of the arthouse centred on the coaster, with a guitar lead circled around it. It would look old and utilise the old images and text that was used in the 1940's. It would say 19 years of live music, The Arthouse.
I drew the Arthouse from a picture i took and photographed it. This was just an idea i played around with, the picture is below. I edited it in Photoshop and added a poster effect, to emphasis and solidify the contour lines.
I drew the Arthouse from a picture i took and photographed it. This was just an idea i played around with, the picture is below. I edited it in Photoshop and added a poster effect, to emphasis and solidify the contour lines.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Week 10 Collage
Week 10 i have worked on creating a cd cover for the Arthouse with all the bands that play there.
I took a photograph of the gig chalk board with the bands playing on it. The board is a signature image for the Arthouse and has a lot of history with all the bands locally and internationally that have played there and had their band name on this board.
With the idea of making a cd for the Arthouse, i wanted to somehow portray visually all the bands that will be playing on the cd. And what other way to do this than to use the gig posters that are hanging on all the walls at the Arthouse. I took photos of them to create a collage that would go behind the board.
I cropped the image to just the board and created a new layer. I collaged all the photos on this new layer and transformed some of the images to rotate (create a realistic effect). Using google and the Photoshop help option i tried to find ways to create a cd shape. I finally found an option, but it requires action scripts, which i had to pay for. In the end i just experimented and I centred the board on the collage and using a the elliptical tool, i cut the image and copied them to a new file. This i repeated for the circle in the middle too.
Over all i think it looks rad and is exactly how i wanted it to look. It incorporates all the bands that will be playing on the cd and that all play live at the Arthouse.
I took a photograph of the gig chalk board with the bands playing on it. The board is a signature image for the Arthouse and has a lot of history with all the bands locally and internationally that have played there and had their band name on this board.
With the idea of making a cd for the Arthouse, i wanted to somehow portray visually all the bands that will be playing on the cd. And what other way to do this than to use the gig posters that are hanging on all the walls at the Arthouse. I took photos of them to create a collage that would go behind the board.
I cropped the image to just the board and created a new layer. I collaged all the photos on this new layer and transformed some of the images to rotate (create a realistic effect). Using google and the Photoshop help option i tried to find ways to create a cd shape. I finally found an option, but it requires action scripts, which i had to pay for. In the end i just experimented and I centred the board on the collage and using a the elliptical tool, i cut the image and copied them to a new file. This i repeated for the circle in the middle too.
Over all i think it looks rad and is exactly how i wanted it to look. It incorporates all the bands that will be playing on the cd and that all play live at the Arthouse.
Week 8 & 9 The moving image - Final Cut Pro
I am fairly disappointed that i missed this week working with Final Cut Pro, esp as i need to use it for my final works.
I have never used Final Cut or made a video before and this is definitely an area of digital art i am very interested in. Ken briefly showed me today how to use Final Cut pro to blur a motion project.
In motion - duplicate layer and add mask. On the mask select the bezier tool, then drag the bezier tool to the mask layer.
Select the last layer and add blur filter. Edit the filter and defocus the layer.
Ken gave me a copy of Final Cut Pro and the codes to run it (thank you Ken!) I found using final cut to be easier than imovie as it is similar to Protools, which i have used before.
I had a play around with some of the footage that i had, i still need alot more footage to create the effect i want. It looks so easy to cut and move the video on the timeline.
I have never used Final Cut or made a video before and this is definitely an area of digital art i am very interested in. Ken briefly showed me today how to use Final Cut pro to blur a motion project.
In motion - duplicate layer and add mask. On the mask select the bezier tool, then drag the bezier tool to the mask layer.
Select the last layer and add blur filter. Edit the filter and defocus the layer.
Ken gave me a copy of Final Cut Pro and the codes to run it (thank you Ken!) I found using final cut to be easier than imovie as it is similar to Protools, which i have used before.
I had a play around with some of the footage that i had, i still need alot more footage to create the effect i want. It looks so easy to cut and move the video on the timeline.
Week 8 & 9 Teaching placement. Film Footage
Week 8 & 9 i was unable to work on my artworks due to my teaching rounds, but on the weekend it was the Arthouse's last birthday before they closed down and i managed to get some footage of the night.
In my proposal i stated that i wanted to create a virtual tour of the Arthouse. With this idea i want to create a video where you take the perspective of a patron and experience a night as if you were there yourself. The Arthouse is closing down in April next year after 19yrs of live music, so it is my goal to create this timeless experience using Final Cut Pro.
Swedish director Jonas Akerland produced the music video for the Prodigy, "Smack My Bitch Up," Åkerlund depicts a night out in the city filmed from a first-person perspective, portraying drinking and driving, snorting cocaine, violence, vandalism, nudity and sex. Director Jonas Åkerlund revealed in an interview on the UK Channel 4's '50 Greatest Pop Videos' in May 2010 that the heroin shooting-up scene was done for real by the Director of Photography on the video.
With my footage, i want it all to be genuine, real and raw. To feel as if you are surrounded by friends, drinking a beer, watching the bands and gradually seeing the night through drunken eyes.
In my proposal i stated that i wanted to create a virtual tour of the Arthouse. With this idea i want to create a video where you take the perspective of a patron and experience a night as if you were there yourself. The Arthouse is closing down in April next year after 19yrs of live music, so it is my goal to create this timeless experience using Final Cut Pro.
Swedish director Jonas Akerland produced the music video for the Prodigy, "Smack My Bitch Up," Åkerlund depicts a night out in the city filmed from a first-person perspective, portraying drinking and driving, snorting cocaine, violence, vandalism, nudity and sex. Director Jonas Åkerlund revealed in an interview on the UK Channel 4's '50 Greatest Pop Videos' in May 2010 that the heroin shooting-up scene was done for real by the Director of Photography on the video.
With my footage, i want it all to be genuine, real and raw. To feel as if you are surrounded by friends, drinking a beer, watching the bands and gradually seeing the night through drunken eyes.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Week 7 - Photoshop & Animated GIF
Previously i have never had Photoshop to play around with photographs and resulted to using the limited manipulation tools available in most image previewing programs. The past month i have been playing around with photoshop to edit and manipulate images and also to create animations - which are all really easy.
The two photographs below i have manipulated using Photoshop. One i took in Italy and the other at my work, the Arthouse.
I took a sequence of photographs at the Arthouse to create an animated GIF in photoshop. These photographs were taken of a friends band called The Abandonment. Originally i created the animation with the original images in colour, but found it was not effective in creating the intensive effect of watching a band. I desaturated the image, applied High Pass then Threshold to create the sketch/comic effect. This created the impression you were watching the band from someones diary or a poster you viewed. As if someone had drawn the images from their memory of watching them, incorporating the raw, intensity and powerful display of the music and the musicians.
I have applied all the same effects (desaturate, high pass and threshold) on every image/layer and added the different layers to the animation frames. As i was not using a tripod, the images are slightly from a different angle, which is effective in creating movement with the animation. I had to edit some of the images as the lines did not meet up and stretch them. I started with 8 frames and cut them down to 4 as the movement became too erratic. It took me a while to find the correct sequence in frames so the movement was natural but intense to create the feeling of watching a band live.
The two photographs below i have manipulated using Photoshop. One i took in Italy and the other at my work, the Arthouse.
I took a sequence of photographs at the Arthouse to create an animated GIF in photoshop. These photographs were taken of a friends band called The Abandonment. Originally i created the animation with the original images in colour, but found it was not effective in creating the intensive effect of watching a band. I desaturated the image, applied High Pass then Threshold to create the sketch/comic effect. This created the impression you were watching the band from someones diary or a poster you viewed. As if someone had drawn the images from their memory of watching them, incorporating the raw, intensity and powerful display of the music and the musicians.
I have applied all the same effects (desaturate, high pass and threshold) on every image/layer and added the different layers to the animation frames. As i was not using a tripod, the images are slightly from a different angle, which is effective in creating movement with the animation. I had to edit some of the images as the lines did not meet up and stretch them. I started with 8 frames and cut them down to 4 as the movement became too erratic. It took me a while to find the correct sequence in frames so the movement was natural but intense to create the feeling of watching a band live.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Week 6 PROPOSAL and Corel Painter introduction
Today i presented my text artwork as an introduction to my key themes and ideas. The purpose for this style of text art is to determine these main ideas (that are a response from a number of different people and not just my interpretation) that will be portrayed in the sequential artworks. I surveyed around 45 people and used their words to create the Wordle, this then served as a means of brainstorming and collaboration of ideas of the common theme. I like the idea that the artwork is created with the contribution of others and they take part ownership in it.
It was unfortunate i wasn't able to get the photos to create the animated GIF - which is the second part to the text artwork, as these compliment each. Although i can show it next week in class if people are interested - not sure id i can upload it on the blog. I was really interested in the effect Ken used in his presentation of the train. He used a plug-in called Alien skin which blurs everything except the central focus, i will play around with this effect and may use in my final folio if it compliments my intentions and artwork.
First attempt at Corel Painter with the pad was extremely tedious. Mainly due to the fact that the tablet was too small and to get to the other side of the page requires three attempts just to get the mouse to move. Other than than i really enjoy the nature of it, as it feels natural (as if im creating artwork on paper) and provides more control with pressure and accuracy.
Proposal:
The five artworks I intend to create will be based on the Arthouse Hotel, a long-standing live music venue. The closure of the Arthouse is of no surprise, as they have been fighting a 20-year lease that ends in May 2011. Recently the Arthouse has been subject to new liquor licensing fees and regulations, which have put pressure on management to keep both the live music and the bar operating. Of the 19years that the Arthouse has been established I have spent majority of my weekends watching bands and working there for 5 years now. This is only a quarter of the time it has been established, so you can imagine how the Arthouse has impacted many musicians, punters, family and friends for the 19 years it has been supporting live music. The Arthouse to me has been a; live music venue, local pub, friend, home, family, work, an institution, recording studio, community and an art space. So the countdown has begun until this establishment closes and apart of me does as well, and for this reason I intend to capture all these attributes of the Arthouse through my 5 digital artworks.
For one of my artworks I will be focusing on text to communicate my theme and message. Miguel Sanchez’s interactive instillation has inspired me to follow a similar direction to the digital artwork: The only Certainty, Death and TXT’s . This digital artwork is a projection of a skeleton with a speech bubble. An mobile number is displayed underneath which allows viewers to text whatever they like into the speech bubble, therefore taking part ownership in creating the artwork. With this idea I though I could use some digital means to find comments and thoughts, such as text, email, blog or online survey to find out what the Arthouse Hotel means to a lot of people and how they connect with it. I would then set up a digital projection with all the responses sequentially displayed on the wall at the Arthouse’s last birthday in May.
Another Artwork I will use my camera and mobile phone in a similar ways to sleepyurbanite to capture random images and video footage that represent the themes. The images will be manipulated and edited using Photoshop and Bluetooth to every computer or mobile in the class. For another artwork I am looking at making a digital drawing using Corel Painter Essentials and Wacom tablet. Images will be imported into the digital drawing I create and will then be projected into the wall. Looking at the portable worlds website, I was inspired by this form of digital art. Images and words can interpret the themes and messages I have for the artworks, but does not allow the viewer to experience the themes. Therefore I was looking at making a video and to a degree virtual tour of the Arthouse for the viewers to fully comprehend and experience the themes. This will be created using a video camera then edited using imovie. The artwork will then be uploaded onto my ipod for presentation.
It was unfortunate i wasn't able to get the photos to create the animated GIF - which is the second part to the text artwork, as these compliment each. Although i can show it next week in class if people are interested - not sure id i can upload it on the blog. I was really interested in the effect Ken used in his presentation of the train. He used a plug-in called Alien skin which blurs everything except the central focus, i will play around with this effect and may use in my final folio if it compliments my intentions and artwork.
First attempt at Corel Painter with the pad was extremely tedious. Mainly due to the fact that the tablet was too small and to get to the other side of the page requires three attempts just to get the mouse to move. Other than than i really enjoy the nature of it, as it feels natural (as if im creating artwork on paper) and provides more control with pressure and accuracy.
Proposal:
The five artworks I intend to create will be based on the Arthouse Hotel, a long-standing live music venue. The closure of the Arthouse is of no surprise, as they have been fighting a 20-year lease that ends in May 2011. Recently the Arthouse has been subject to new liquor licensing fees and regulations, which have put pressure on management to keep both the live music and the bar operating. Of the 19years that the Arthouse has been established I have spent majority of my weekends watching bands and working there for 5 years now. This is only a quarter of the time it has been established, so you can imagine how the Arthouse has impacted many musicians, punters, family and friends for the 19 years it has been supporting live music. The Arthouse to me has been a; live music venue, local pub, friend, home, family, work, an institution, recording studio, community and an art space. So the countdown has begun until this establishment closes and apart of me does as well, and for this reason I intend to capture all these attributes of the Arthouse through my 5 digital artworks.
For one of my artworks I will be focusing on text to communicate my theme and message. Miguel Sanchez’s interactive instillation has inspired me to follow a similar direction to the digital artwork: The only Certainty, Death and TXT’s . This digital artwork is a projection of a skeleton with a speech bubble. An mobile number is displayed underneath which allows viewers to text whatever they like into the speech bubble, therefore taking part ownership in creating the artwork. With this idea I though I could use some digital means to find comments and thoughts, such as text, email, blog or online survey to find out what the Arthouse Hotel means to a lot of people and how they connect with it. I would then set up a digital projection with all the responses sequentially displayed on the wall at the Arthouse’s last birthday in May.
Another Artwork I will use my camera and mobile phone in a similar ways to sleepyurbanite to capture random images and video footage that represent the themes. The images will be manipulated and edited using Photoshop and Bluetooth to every computer or mobile in the class. For another artwork I am looking at making a digital drawing using Corel Painter Essentials and Wacom tablet. Images will be imported into the digital drawing I create and will then be projected into the wall. Looking at the portable worlds website, I was inspired by this form of digital art. Images and words can interpret the themes and messages I have for the artworks, but does not allow the viewer to experience the themes. Therefore I was looking at making a video and to a degree virtual tour of the Arthouse for the viewers to fully comprehend and experience the themes. This will be created using a video camera then edited using imovie. The artwork will then be uploaded onto my ipod for presentation.
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