the grass is always greener...

This film is the exploration of a singular space.  Two worlds exist here united only by the fence that divides them.  I wanted to show the relationship between these two worlds and the space they both exist within.  As I filmed this I tried to do a couple things.  The first of which was to create movement with the camera.  In each clip that makes up this short film the camera moves from left to right across the subject.  I'm really glad I used this particular strategy as it gives a strong sense being in the space rather than just observing it.  The other thing I did in the initial filming was to really utilize the depth of the area.  I knew if I shot very close to the objects on the fence that when those object ended the effect of seeing what was behind would be much more dramatic than had both layers been viewed together at all times.

Menace Ball

As I drifted, one of the the things I did was take footage of a tennis ball I'd come across.  Initially I thought I could make a kind of story out of this tennis ball's experience with the space, but I could never seem to do the idea much justice.  I applied a black and white filter to this to bring out all the textures.

Hand Drawn

This was the first idea I had for this project. There were so many interesting colorful pictures along the fence and I wanted to show them up close. Then I wanted to start revealing the space behind the pictures, and create another layer of complexity.

A Space Revealed

This is going to be the cut I turn into a final version.  It combines some of the elements from both of the other rough cuts and adds a rhythmic element with the sound.  As stated before I'm trying to explore the dual nature of the space and combining things from the other two cuts seems to be more effective than just one or the other.

The rhythm for this cut came rather accidentally.  As I was cutting the silhouetted images together, the sound underneath them made a sort of beat.  I refined that initial percussive accident and then added other sounds I recorded from the area to fill the rest out.  This discovery really made the piece.

production strategy

For this excursion I decided to explore a particular space, and try to reveal the interesting an unusual sights and sounds within in. The space ended up being an area where Canal St. meets 13th St. on the southern side of the city of Milwaukee near the casino. There is a municipal area there where they store city trucks, light poles, parking meters, street lights all other manner of things of that nature. Along the fence surrounding this area are a collection of hand drawn pictures and signs promoting cultural diversity and equality. I ended up choosing this space to explore somewhat randomly. I decided before hand that the Menomonee Valley would be a good starting point for this walk, and came across this place and the mixture of elements made me decide that this spot would be ideal for this project.

ten questions

How can I create movement with the camera?
Are there any abandoned places nearby?
How can color create movement?
Where can I find interesting shapes?
How can I capture a space?
Are there any rivers nearby?
How can I give personality to inanimate objects?
Where can I find noises made by machines?
Are there any wildlife preserves nearby?
How can crowds of people be used?

assessment 4

On drift 2 I was in the third ward, an area bustling with human activity. I went on what was one of the first nice days of the year and there were lots of people out enjoying it. As I made my walk and was recording various objects, I was profoundly aware of the difference between the way i was looking at my surroundings and the way everyone else was. I was finding beauty in the most mundane of things while others sought entertainment through more typical means, shopping and the like. That moment reminded me that the kind of mentality needed to go out on these drifts I should attempt to carry with me at all times, for even a simple walk can turn into an extraordinary experience.