Video Hardware/Software Response

1. How was your experience with the Olympus digital camera? How did it compare with other still or video cameras you have previously used? Were you able to successfully implement your Image Capturing Strategies using the features of this camera? In an ideal world, how would your still/video camera of choice function?

I had a lot of trouble with the inner workings of the camera. It really confused me because I am used to filming with normal mini-DV film cameras. I wanted to maintain flow and the camera works for that you set it to video record it works. But its low quality, without any ability for high quality audio recording or lens filters. I would want to use a very simple system that would be able to easily sync up with a computer. But I would hope that audio inputs would exists and possibly a higher quality lens that I could use with filters.

2. Discuss your choice of video-editing software and describe your history with this software. If you used this software for the first time, explain why you chose this particular application and how you think it helped you to accomplish your creative goals (or proved detrimental). Will you use this software again for future projects?

I used Final Cut Pro to edit my clips. When I first used final cut months ago I was impressed with the flow and enjoyed using the effects. I learn new things every time I work with Final Cut. It never inhibits my creative goals but lets be honest every program has it hiccups.

Reading Response 3

For my third reading response i chose the article by Scott MacDonald, Introduction to "Avant Garde Film"because it really stood out to me. I felt really interested on his many points about the film art today. What also stands out to me is his feelings about "issues" with avant garde film. What I came to understand after I read this work that it's not society's fault that avant garde films fail and are even sometimes scorned by the normal viewer. I felt MacDonald wanted readers to see that film is not just about the using the story to help intrest the auidence its about using the images and working with the camera. Its mre true, but consequentaly harder to understand. It takes more the a fancy story and a bunch of special effects to grip an audience. It takes emotion, reality, and life. I enjoyed the artical because it helped me understand that theres nothing worng with striving to be different.

Reading Response 2

I decided to read the article by the authors Wright and Sites, A Manifesto for a New Walking Culture: “dealing with the city.” I felt I connected best with this article and understood it well. I really appreciated Wright and Sites point of view on the very idea of walking; especially there theories on metro city centers. I liked how the city walker was broken down into four types the walker as an artist, the walker as writer of the city, walker as a playful performer, and disrupted walker. I always knew of the different walker but never in such candid character types. It really helped me understand more about walking in the city and trying to achieve change. I enjoyed the quotes from various media artists and they also helped me understand the theory of allowing oneself to be immersed by there surroundings. Sounds and sights I always try to lose myself every drift to find my ideal sounds. I enjoyed reading this article; it has positively effected my interest in media studies.
(Answered in paragraph form. Is Q&A form more desirable?)
Chris Moore

Audio/Software Response

1. Discuss your experiences with building your microphones. Was this process more or less what you thought it would be? How did your microphone rig work on your Drift walks? Were you able to capture both overall ambiance and extreme closeups? Describe your ideal microphone and recorder setup, with unlimited time and money.

The mics were easy to make but it took more time then I expected to build. I wasn't sure what i could do when I experienced a break but they turned out to work well after a easy fix. I thought I had a wide rage of sounds both close and distance sounds. I wish I had a simple 4 stereo boom mic studio/field. 

2. How was your experience with operating the MiniDisc recorder? How does this recorder compare to other audio equipment you've used? In an ideal world, how would your recorder of choice function? 

I had a few issues with the hold key. I kept it off and walking and recording was an near impossibility. When I figured this problem out the recorder worked well.     

3. Discuss the audio-editing software you chose and your history with this application. If you used this software for the first time, explain why you chose this particular application and how you think it helped you to accomplish your creative goals (or proved detrimental). Will you use this software again for future projects?

I liked audacity once I worked with it a little. But I want to work more with soundstage just to make sure I have a functioning system of export from my minidisc. I want to use audacitys multiple tracks and overlay sounds. I like audacity and will continue to use it. 

10 Questions

1. Will that make a nice sound?

2. What's behind that door?

3. Is there any good metal to make noises with?

4. How about wood?

5. Plastic?

6. What is that person like?

7. What happens when I put my mics here?

8. Wheres the nearest park?

9. Any cool wildlife around?

10. What's in that parking lot?

Drift One Assessment

1. Describe two situations that aggravated, bothered, shocked or otherwise stressed you during Drift 1. (Please note that the situation CANNOT be technology-related.)

I had issues with the drone and car noise I couldn't find a lot of places where you couldn't here either. This got frustrating considering sometimes both noises can be mistaken for the subject of the recording when in fact it's something different entirely. Also I wanted a strong voice recording from an outside party, but had no success finding one with subject matter and good volume.     




2. Describe, with details, two situations during Drift 1 in which you felt unusually peaceful, at ease, or contemplative. 


Once when I was recording the lake just to see if I liked it I just looked off into the distance and just listened it seemed like hours. Also when I waited for my trash moving recording to happen I just sat and thought about the sounds around me. 


3. Describe three surprises or unexpected situations you encountered on your Drift and in the days that followed. The surprise could stem from your expectations that conflicted with "on the ground" realities, cultural or social issues of which you were previously unaware, feelings and reactions that you did not expect to have, appearances and soundings of things you did not expect, good or bad outcomes of "on the spot" decisions you had to make, or the discovery of "deeper" realities in the materials you brought home. (Again, skip anything technology-related!)


I was surprised to find that many things make sounds I've never heard it just took a little force. First who knew that aluminum siding had such a strange pitch it almost sounded like a scene from "Star Wars." Second I figured out that even though something may resonate with small to almost no change in pitch, like a wooden fence, a good rhythm can make some interesting. And finally, I realized that with no plans going into a drift, the chances are slim that you'll find the recordings your looking for.   



4. Describe your favorite experience, situation, place, or recollection from your Drift. Be specific about what happened, how you felt, how you reacted, and why you think this particular experience affected you so much.

I found my biggest epiphany about media art when I was on my drift walks. When I recorded my trash moving segment I had a lot of time to think and wait. I realized that art is what you make it. Media art can sometimes be spontaneous but planned works reign above all else. I go back to what I said before with out the right plan in place, at just the right time I would have never found the recordings I did, in the places I found them. I know that media works can be developed many ways. You as an artist just have to find your voice.   

Research Luigi Russolo

The Art of Noise

The work of Luigi Russolo in The Art of Noises is original and innovative. I felt his cry out for change at a time where change was seriously over due showed his strength as both a scholar and a great supporter of the futurist music movement. His theories such as the 6 families of noises were at the time not only revolutionary but ingenious. His appreciation of the noises around all of us is uncanny. His words such as "this musical evolution is paralleled by the multiplication of machines" and, "this limited circle of pure sounds must be broken, and the infinite variety of "noise sound" conquered," echos out in some of the minds of artists all over. Not only do i think he is one of the great artist of the past after reading this i see how great a mind this man was. I have a new (one of the many) artists to aspire to.

Chris Moore