Final Project: No Coins

No Coins from Jamie Rothenberg on Vimeo.

Final Project

Blog #4: Museum of the Moving Image

At the Museum of Moving Image, I experienced a few different demos that allowed me to better understand the concepts of moving image and sound within a video/audio production. One of the first stations my group experienced was the stop motion lab, where we used cardboard cut outs to create moving gifs. It showed us how much effort goes into creating such short videos; it took me around a minute to create a 1.7 second gif. It allows me to put in perspective the amount of work that goes into creating hour long stop motion videos.

The music station showed us how the music of a scene can impact the mood and tone. This station showed us one scene with four different sound clips. Each audio clip created a different mood for the scene, although the scene never actually changed. 

 

One of my favorite stations at the MOMI was the "dubbing" station. We experienced how voice actors would rerecord the audio of the scene if the original audio was too low or poorly recorded. It was very difficult to match up my voice to the original recording. 

Blog #3: Relationships Between Shots

Sound: The use of both diegetic, and non-diegetic sounds are used within the short clip. The diegetic sounds include everyday sounds of the city above ground (cars honking, city ambience) as well as sounds from within the subway (metrocard swipe, train door closing, MTA announcements). The non-diegetic sounds include the background music as the two characters move throughout the train carts, as well as numerous animal noises that are played over clips of certain people on the train. Sound plays an important role in the clip to invoke emotions of ridiculousness from the viewer, as well as setting a pace and mood for the two main characters.

The editing of this clips is in part a reason of why it is funny; the camera seems to be handheld, giving it a bit of a shaky-ness to it. It gives us the feeling we are on a moving train, like the characters. It helps put us in the same setting as the characters, while making the scenes a little more chaotic. The shots are ordered based on what the characters encounter on each train carts. The editing in the first cart helps us make a comparison of the train cart and a zoo. The clips are cut pretty short each, in order to add to the racing down the train carts. The longest shot in the video is the end shot, when the characters make a realization: they're on the wrong side of the train. There is almost symmetry here (empty middle, poles on each side) and the characters walk down the platform, slightly off center.

Project #2: Audio Potrait

Blog #2: Sound Walk

[10:32 pm, Brooklyn Heights]

The pitter-pattering of the helicopters in the sky can be heard before you even reach the air above the subway. You can still hear the recorded woman over the loudspeaker softly but firmly scolding you; "please be careful using the escalators–" underneath the ground you're standing are the trains, screeching to a halt. "This is an 8th Ave A train-" you zone out before you hear the engine rumbling, loud, louder, then softer as it picks up its speed into the tunnel. The man with the saxophone pours his soul into his instrument, the dimly lit lights lining the tiled ceiling emit a faint buzz, and your feet click against the escalator steps that you quickly climb into the night. 

You're above ground now, and the explosive sounds of the train are simply a faint background noise. It's fairly quiet outside (besides the pounding drum of the helicopter) and you must strain your ears to pick out the noises of your neighborhood. You hear the sound of cars cutting through the air as they zip by, and the pattering of a dogs paws as they hit the concrete, in sync with his owners clunky boots. A couplet of woman walk by you, arm in arm across the street, speaking in hushed tones; one shrieks with laughter. The vents on the side of your neighboring building are softly humming. It is mostly still, except for the whooshing of the helicopter, slowly descending into the night. 

Project #1: Define a Space

Making Music: Project 1 from Jamie Rothenberg on Vimeo.

Blog #1: Artist Statement

New York City is unique in the way that everyday, thousands of people pass you by without even a nod in your direction. Think of all the people you've encountered, whether in loud intrusive moments on the subway, or quietly sharing a knowing gaze under a streetlight–all without knowing one anthers name. We are continuously exposed to new cultures and people, constantly absorbing new ideas and information that stem from those around us. Each day we experience the shared human experience.

I'm interested in everyone's story. I want to delve into the past, present, and future of everyone that wanders into my own storyline. I want to experience what they have, do as they've done. I think media is interesting because we are able to document our personal quests.

Humans crave connections. We love being able to compare our own stories and adventures; a prime example of this being twitter and instagram.. Using these apps, we are able to document everyday nothings and craft them into special little trinkets that we share with others. I think it's so interesting how we all want to seem interesting to everyone else.

I hope in this class I am able to produce something that shows a shared human experience, the normal everyday stuff that seems insignificant. Everything we do has a story behind it, and I love the idea that nothing is done without purpose. In the past, I have made short videos of vacation trips and times in my life that are special to me personally. I am excited to be able to up my skills in editing and camera work.