Evaluative Research Report

Creative Media Project Portfolio - Evaluative Research Report – Watching

The assignment in this module consisted of two main parts, in pairs we had to produce a 3 minute audio clip and then make a 3 minute experimental film to use the soundtrack with. The theme for this project was ‘sense of Place’. I chose to work with Jack Roberts; our first meeting consisted of drawing up ideas for different types of physical and imaginary places. Eventually we settled upon the idea of using an open park space within an urban environment; however we then developed this idea to use the whole urban city environment as we felt this would give us a much better scope to work with.

The main concept of our idea is that within this space there is always someone watching, be it through your own eyes, the public’s eyes or CCTV. We liked the idea that ‘big brother is watching you’ but wanted to expand on this to create a strange feeling that whatever you see, someone else is also seeing this. This creates an unnerving feeling and we wanted to play with this idea through the soundtrack and experimental film for this project.

As we discussed how we would go about creating sounds for the audio project we also considered the video side to this project too, one film which particularly stood out for us was Limitless (2011) directed by Neil Burger, within this film there are sequences which include the technique called infinite/fractal zoom which helps to show the out of body experience the main character is feeling after taking a drug. This method is used a few times and I enjoy watching them as they create a strange and awkward feeling that as a viewer helps to realise the kind of experience the character is having.

Another important research item is the short Sea Change (2005) by Rosie Pedlow and Joe King, it helped to grasp the concept of movement within an environment using tracking shots. The transition from day to dusk to night was also helpful as it showed the effectiveness of clean transitions. We also watched numerous experimental films in taught sessions and listened to standalone soundtrack pieces. These were useful to experience as they not only helped us to capture the mood of the brief ‘sense of place’ but to also understand how we could make an original stand out piece ourselves.

Even looking at films such as Michael Bay’s Transformers (2007) was useful as this picture has incredible sound effects when the Autobots/Decepticons transform from their car states into battling robots. Ron also showed us a segment from Forrest Gump (1994) directed by Robert Zemeckis, where Forrest is being chased by bullies and his leg braces break off. This helped me to look at sound as a standalone, it really did emphasise how important sound is to the picture and how it creates the mood and feeling for the audience.

My favourite ‘sense of place’ audio recording is called El Devisadero by Chris Watson, this piece was great to experience as it clearly gives you the feeling that you are watching or travelling on a never ending train journey. The sounds he uses mix well especially the hypnotising train track sound as it plays over and over. Another piece I enjoyed but in a different way was by Delia Derbyshire, her audio track Blue Veils and Golden Sand is incredibly uncomfortable as you feel almost trapped in a deserted world with no escape. I took inspiration from both these tracks as they demonstrated how sound can be used to make the audience feel transfixed yet unnerved by the sounds they are hearing.

Overall I am pleased with our finished project titled ‘Watching’, the 3 minute audio clip really did come along well and the final edit has received positive feedback. I particularly like the way the soundtrack mixes normal and distorted sounds, Jack and I really worked hard on this side of the project to ensure that the sounds mixed well together and stood out in their own right. Our soundtrack is very effective as a standalone piece and really captures the sense of the urban city with an unnerving feel. I like the very start where crowd chatter starts and gradually gets distorted and delayed, the effects we used work well and build from a normal sound to an incredibly disturbing noise.

I am also happy with most of our experimental film; I feel we have used the time lapse effect well and combined different views of the urban landscape well. The experimental film compliments the audio piece well as we used a CCTV and flicker effect to work alongside the audio. I like the ending to the film as we pan across the whole city with just wind playing in the background, the audience can feel a mixture of emotions here as it can be interpreted to be calming but also slightly discomforting.

However there are a few things that I would change if I could do this project all over again, I think that we should have captured more video footage to show different areas of the urban city. This would have made it easier to build the film as having more footage would have given us a lot more options when editing. Perhaps also spending more time cleaning up each audio clip and checking the sound levels from the beginning would have helped us in the long run from having to rush this towards the end. Using the research we attempted to replicate the infinite/fractal zoom effect from Limitless, this proved to be difficult and if given the time and tutorials I would have loved to pulled this off within our experimental films. It really would have added to the uncomfortable nature of our piece and added further depth to the picture.

After the planning stage, we arranged to meet to record our first batch of sounds, we spent a couple of hours around the city of Sheffield recording anything that interested us and this included: cars, crowds, trams, wind and general ambient sounds. It was on this day that we developed our idea to use the whole of the urban environment rather than just limit us to a park. This would not only allow us to use more sounds but to also use the whole city as a playground for capturing footage too. We spent the next couple of meetings editing and building a base for our idea so when we next went out we knew exactly what sounds we would need to record.

Our second sound recording day we took out the Marantz and various microphones again to get some more sound that would fit in well with what we already have. We had decided that we would need more traffic sounds as well as more chatter from the general public. This was an enjoyable part of the project as we would walk around the city listening for anything useful. After this we knew that once these sounds had been edited and our soundtrack was coming along nicely that it was time to capture some video footage.

With the Sony Z1 we again spent a few hours around the city shooting from different locations, we had a general idea as to what we needed so used this time well. We shot for long periods in the same place so we could time lapse the footage and we also recorded general city themes such as traffic, crowds and trams. One shot in particular is a low view of a tram coming into the stop, I really like this shot as it emphasises the power of movement from the vehicle. I also like a shot we recorded at the top of a hill overlooking the whole city, we did a zoom and a pan across which would go onto to be the final shot in our film.

There were a few issues during production, Soundtrack Pro can be very frustrating at times and would crash without warning and this taught us to save whenever we made a change to our project. We also had to deal with the difficulty of audio levels, at first we edited using the provided headphones, however we soon learnt that the output from external speakers differs incredibly. This was a valuable lesson and enabled us to tweak the levels when we had produced a rough cut. Another issue was making the images work with the completed sound; we would have to move some audio clips so that the translated onto the screen with the appropriate image e.g. a rewinding sound when we reversed a clip.

We experimented with the infinite/fractal zoom which we had taken the idea from Limitless (2011), we recorded some zoom shots throughout the city, however when it came to editing these clips together to create this scene it would prove very advanced and difficult to achieve. We spent some time trying to make it work but eventually we decided to scrap this idea, but it was useful to try something tricky rather than ignore the original ideas we had come up with.

This project has been beneficial practically and creatively, both Jack and I had no experience with experimental film before this and we grasped the opportunity creatively. We were able to work collaboratively to produce an audio clip that projects a ‘sense of place’ as a standalone piece by taking our basic ideas and expanding them. I feel that my experience with Soundtrack Pro in this project have developed my sound editing skills further as before they were basic, I can now reduce noise levels of unwanted sounds in audio clips much more efficiently and effectively.

I have dabbled in various effects on Soundtrack Pro such as adjusting reverb, tape delay, distortion and graphic equaliser to produce the desired effect on audio clips. This was interesting to do as the workshops with Ron were very hands on and allowed me to ask important questions regarding my development with the software.

Recording sound can be tough and I have learnt how and when to use different microphones such as the ‘shotgun’ mic and how cardioid or omnidirectional recordings can be achieved. The importance of using the correct microphone was highlighted when we edited sounds and some were clear and ready to use and some needed touching up with effects.

Jack and I worked very well together; we shared the responsibilities of sound recording and editing along with the video side to this project too. Our ideas combined well at the pre-planning stage as well as when we were shooting on location, we successfully transferred our ideas onto screen and made changes to the project as a team. We used our time efficiently and effectively when in the edit suites or on location, however as I said before I feel we should have recorded more video footage which would have benefited our final experimental film and maybe we should have talked this through more. I feel that I am a strong communicator and can put across my ideas in a way where it is not forced and Jack could creatively develop or offer his own feedback. On the whole I think we collaborated well and successfully created an audio piece which offers a ‘sense of place’ to the audience and also complimented it with an interesting experimental film. 

Experimental Film - Final Editing

We came to a point where we had pretty much completed the soundtrack and video segments to this project, this meant exporting the sound and importing it into Final Cut Pro. Before we did this we made sure we had noted when we needed particular sounds to come in and had made the necessary adjustments before we had finished the soundtrack.

Some of the techniques we had researched such as the infinite/fractal zoom from Limitless proved to be difficult to achieve so we scrapped this idea. We did however stick to using time lapses and we also reversed some of the video footage.

Another effect we used was called 'Bad TV' which gave the footage a CCTV feel to it, this helped us to create a certain mood within the film that everywhere around this environment is being watched by someone.

Sound - Final Editing

As we built our soundtrack we played around with different settings such as the Graphic Equaliser tool allowed us to create the sound we were looking for in the audio clips we had already recorded. This helped us to create an unnerving feel which is what we were looking to mix along with normal city sounds. 

After the initial showing of the completed soundtrack we realised that we would have to change some of the audio levels as they were quite high, to achieve the correct levels we made sure we listened back through speakers. We also had to make sure that the timings were relevant to the final experimental video too.

The Graphic Equaliser tool allowed us to change different levels within an audio clip to create a sound matching our ideas.

Distorting some of our recorded sounds helped us to create a strange atmosphere  around the urban environment we had recorded.

Sound and Video Recordings

Jack and I met up on numerous occasions to edit our sound and video, we did however meet up before this to get some more sounds throughout the city and record some video footage.

We recorded:

- Crowd scenes

- Traffic

- Trams passing

- Wide cityscape

- A busy train station

- General city movement

This footage amounted to quite a lot and allowed us to edit comfortably and build a good base for our experimental project. In hindsight we probably should have gone out again at different times of the day to capture some more but overall we got some nice shots as darkness came in at the end of the day. Below is an example of where we filmed and the types of shots we were looking to collect, we were pleased with the lights from the cars as we could edit this to great effect in the suites.

Sea Change - Review

Sea Change (2005) is a short film directed by Rosie Pedlow and Joe King.Sea Change filmed on a caravan park and 'reveals a landscape dramatically transformed by light and time, and resonating with the transience of human presence.'

This short was useful to watch as part of our research whilst we decided what kind of footage we would shoot, the sense of movement and changing light throughout the day is particularly intriguing. Myself and Jack  looked closely as to how the shots transition smoothly from day to dusk to night. This is my favourite part of the short film and the use of sound during this transition adds to the effect. When going to film and edit our sequences it would be important to take into account how subtle transitions compliment the picture.

First Edit of Sounds

Myself and Jack listened to all of the sounds we had recorded and started to build a basic idea for the start of our audio project. We cleaned up some sounds using Soundtrack Pro and edited some clips together. This first edit gave us a base to work from so we could go out again and record some more city sounds.

One particular tool we used was 'Noise Reduction' as this helped to remove any unwanted sounds such as excess wind or clicks and pops. By adjusting the levels as shown below we were able to get the correct sound from the recorded clips whilst keeping the quality of the overall recording.

As is shown below the particular noise is selected in the clip then we can process throughout the whole clip to remove anything similar from the final sound we want to keep. 

Time Lapse Research

We decided that we were going to use time lapse sequences within our experimental film, this meant researching various methods of this effect. I looked at city and crowd scenes as this would be the type of shots we would be capturing. One video I have become very fond of is a New York time lapse by www.mindrelic.com which is photography by the Josh Owens. I came across his video on YouTube and it has some beautiful time lapses all over the city of New York.

If shot and edited well, we should be able to effectively use the time lapse method within our experimental as I feel it can be used either in a glamorous way and also in an unnerving way which is more what we are looking to achieve.

The Pursuit of Happiness - Research

The end scene of the film The Pursuit of Happiness (2006) directed by Gabrielle Muccino is an important part of research for me, as the scene below demonstrates (3:20 onwards) how you can film a crowd scene within a city but keep the audience focused on one character. I like how it feels like the camera is you as a person within the film watching from the other direction.

If we decided to use a central character within our experimental piece then this could be a way to show the hectic lifestyle that exists within an urban city.

Goodfellas - Storyboard Exercise

This exercise was aimed at helping us grasp the concept of putting our ideas onto paper so as to make it easier when going out on location to shoot footage. It saves time when meeting up and having to discuss what to film as if planned correctly this has already been done.

Transformers - Sound Research

A set of films that sprung to mind when talking about sound is the Transformers trilogy directed by Michael Bay. These films stand out when it comes to visual and sound effects, the below video demonstrates how sound artists go about recording sounds to match the imagery that will be on screen. I like how hands on the recordists are when it comes to capturing the desired sound. This helped me to realise the importance of not just using ambient sounds but also experimenting with objects and microphones to create my own sounds.

Love Me or Leave Me Alone - Review

The 15 minute short film Love Me or Leave Me Alone (2003) directed by Duane Hopkins and is centred around the relationship between two people. The film is set within a small village and explores the emotions of first love.

The film was shown at numerous festivals including the European Film Awards and it won Best British Short at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

I feel that the target audience of young adult/teenagers can easily relate to this piece as the inexperience of young love can be seen throughout this film. The director shows the inexperience of the two characters through their actions such as the young girl going home in a strangers car.

I particularly like the cinematography of the piece, especially the use of lighting in the night scene which helps give the film a more gritty, realistic feel. The way the film is shot emphasises the genre of social realism and this is also helped by the way the piece is edited especially in the sex scene. With fast cuts and close ups it gives off an awkward feel to the audience that these are two young inexperienced lovers. I feel the director used this scene in particular to show off the innocent nature of young love.

Sense of Place - Research

Chris Watson - Guanacaste

The audio recording Guanacaste by Chris Watson is an interesting piece, the ambient sound of a jungle in the background is interrupted by what sounds like a primate. There is the usual sound of crickets in the background and what sounds like the dripping of rain. I like how subtle the piece is except from the animal making grunting sounds, this is an excellent example of how a calm sense of place can be projected through a standalone audio.

Chris Watson - El Devisadero

This piece is inspiring as it starts slow and mysterious and does not give away what kind of place we are in, once the train sounds come into play it is mesmerising as they play over and over again and I find myself falling into a trance. The way he uses the sound of the track and the delayed horn of the train gives it a strange and unnerving feeling. The pace picks up towards the end and you really feel you are on a train with the window open or you a watching a never ending train go past. Having listened to this a few times I feel it is relevant to what we are trying to create with our own soundtrack.

 

Delia Derbyshire - Blue Veils and Golden Sand

I really like this piece as it creates a strange atmosphere where you don't quite know what is going on, this mood is the type we are looking to create within our own audio track. The electronic sounds build tension and an uncomfortable feeling for me as a listener. When I listen to this I imagine a large open desert with searing heat with nothing as far as the eye can see except from a strange object/figure far in the distance. The mysterious tone of this piece really is incredible and is a good inspiration for our own piece.

Sound Project - 1st Recordings

Using the booked out equipment, we walked around Sheffield and found various locations where we could record different sounds, upon doing this we decided that we would change our location from the park to a much more broader urban city setting. We found actually going out and recording enabled us to expand our ideas fully and to get a feel for what we wanted to achieve.

We discussed various films and ideas that we would research so as to help us achieve the feel and look when we start capturing footage for our experimental film alongside the soundtrack.

Some of the sounds we recorded included:
- Passing traffic
- Footsteps
- Crowds and chatter
- General Atmos sounds
- Water fountain
- Trams

Research - 'Limitless' (2011)

The 2011 film Limitless directed by Neil Burger is an interesting piece of research material, whilst recording sound for our project we talked about various ideas for our experimental film. This film uses a technique called the infinite/fractal zoom which are essentially long zooms continuing into different locations around New York.

The film is about a writer who takes a drug (named NZT) which enables him to use 100% of his mind and gives him endless possibilities.

The director uses the infinite/fractal zoom to emphasise the effect of the drug on the main character and the out of body experiences he encounters. it is used in the title sequence and numerous times throughout the film. Below is one of the scenes from the film where this technique is used.

This technique could be used within our experimental film as a way of showing an out of body experience to work alongside our soundtrack. Given that the basis of our idea is within an urban city, the idea of movement is a heavy influence on what we will be looking to achieve through the soundtrack and final experimental film.

Sound Project - Initial Ideas

Myself and Jack  drew up some brief ideas on locations we could record a variety of sounds, we then expanded these ideas which allowed us to fully understand what level of sound and feel we could achieve.

Here are some of the location ideas we came up with:

Physical Places:

Train Station - Here we could record a variety of sounds including; crowds, trains, machinery, fountains etc. This idea did not excite us as we would prefer to use a bigger space, however this could be included as part of an urban city idea.

Pub/Bar - This idea would be tricky due to license issues with music and permission to record, sounds would include; chatter, music, work sounds e.g. glass clatter.

Meadowhall interior - This would be a limited environment and would mostly be crowd noise and chatter.

Urban City - This idea gives lots of scope as there is general crowd noise as well as everyday workers, machinery, transport and a variety of natural sounds ranging from noisy to quiet.

Endcliffe Park - This is another idea we would consider strongly as it allowed for a range of recordings at any time of the day, from early morning subtle sounds to a build up throughout the day.

Factory - If permission was granted we could record a range of machinery and people working in a workshop or warehouse.

Brammall Lane - If recorded on a match day we would get a large amount of crowd noise and chatter however this is very limited to just people noise and we are looking for more.

Gym/Sports Hall - This is an interesting idea and if we recorded in sports hall we would get a lot of echo and surface noise such as shoes squeaking, people shouting and ball noises.


We initially decided upon Endcliffe Park as the place we would record the majority of our work, we came up with a few ideas which could work. However as we continued to develop our ideas we finally decided that using the whole city of Sheffield as our location would give us the most scope when it came to capturing footage and sound for the experimental film.