Louis Armstrong and Danny Kaye

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My summer so far…

It’s almost August and I will write my first post without any reason other than to write down my summer thoughts.  The last few months have been difficult for me….my mother passed away after breaking her hip, and I watched her go through a downward spiral in the hospital over a period of 6 weeks.  I am now experiencing a new reality…losing a beloved parent and contemplating my own mortality. My thoughts about all this are not easy to articulate but I believe I have learned that each day should be lived on its own merits. 

In the meantime I have spent this quickly speeding by summer horseback riding a few days a week, taking pilates lessons twice a week, going for massages to ease the discomfort in my neck and shoulders caused by the stress I experienced in June.  Lisa and I took two knitting lessons at Lettuce Knit in Kensington Market.  Lisa is working on three beautiful scarves, and I am at work at a very pretty turquoise long piece of knitted material which when fringed will be a scarf.  Knitting is so relaxing and apparently that part of the brain that helps us knit is the same part that helps us do meditation.  I have been thinking about my thesis project and have made a few calls, spoken to some people and so far what I have come up with is that I will follow a group of salsa dancers in their classes and hopefully will be able to go backstage with them in October at a huge salsa festival in Toronto.  I visualize capturing the costumes, the frenzy and emotion.  I may have an opportunity to photograph an elderly couple who take ballroom lessons and I am deciding whether or not to get back to the belly dancing group that I spent some time with in the spring.  I am still interested in finding a group of young people who do rap, and B-boy stuff.  I am not planning to work on more than three groups.  My next decision is digital or film…..film is so real and I almost long to go back into the past and digital is so convenient as well as the fact that it does a pretty good job artistically.

I am trying to raise my creativity awareness by working on sponge/ink/sharpie/watercolour pieces.  I love taking my little digital point and shoot with me and taking random stuff.  A few weeks ago I went into a Photo Marathon….we were given a 12 shot roll of coloured film, 12 themes which had to be followed in the order they were written down and we had 24 hours to do all this and then return it.  There is a reception at the Gladstone Hotel July 19 where people will vote for the best photograph that represents each theme.  I presume that people and their guests will vote for their own pictures.  I know I will.

Dancing Matt : The Sequel

This is the happiest dance video ever!

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Great Group!

                                  

                             

Summing Up the New Media Program

Only six weeks – I was incapacitated by both the velocity of the course and a serious personal situation.  I believe that I suffered from culture shock in this course.  It was as foreign to me as if I were living on another planet and as I recognized the brilliance of the information I was hearing  I could only wish that it had been longer…a full semester, maybe even a year.  Then I would have been able to experiment with confidence…maybe even do a solo project.  On the other hand I love my blog with its friendly, little widgets.  I have had fun with the blog – I think I’ll keep it.

Questions 1, 2 and 3

How do you have to organize and design your shooting to accommodate user driven narrative?

A story should be told in a linear manner – beginning, middle and end.  I mean isn’t that the way life works even it appears random?  Things otherwise known as life, a story, the narrative etc. happen in their own natural fashion.  So if I’m telling a story about the way it really happened I just let it flow, let it go.  I woke up, I had breakfast, I went to work, I came home, I ate, I watched t.v. and I went to bed.  Fairly linear, fairly seamless right?  That’s my life….but if it was, let’s say the life of Moses the prophet…he was found in a bunch of reeds, and then got older, grew a beard, climbed a mountain, had a discussion with God about ten commandments, hired somebody to carve them out on some tablets, told everybody to follow them to a Tee and that was his life….still linear, and therefore seamless.  I think that stories should follow the rules of nature…beginning, middle and end.  At least that’s my opinion.

How do you have to organize and design your shooting to accommodate distributed narrative?

This is a difficult question to answer because I don’t “shoot” video or film enough to consider myself a filmmaker.  Therefore I have never really had the opportunity to worry about this issue very much but one thing that I like to do is have a simplistic beginning with the ending being a surprise.  I believe that people like to be taken aback. It would still be a linear design, which emanates from my dislike of chaos and disorganization.

Discuss how the avatar changes the notion of media engagement.  Can this avatar become a documentary dissemination form?

I have, or I am, two avatars.  One is kind of boring and shy, and the other has the potential for adventure and taking chances.  These avatars aggravate me but….I admit I haven’t given them or Second Life a chance.   I have to admit that I find real people more interesting than avatars.  I would rather watch 3D movies – and Polar Express is one of my all time favourites…I can totally lose myself in that movie which I have not as yet been able to accomplish in Second Life.  That being said, I was more than impressed with Alex Bal’s avatar and her ability to travel to the most interesting places.  I’m not sure if I have answered this question but whether I like it or not, I believe that avatars can become a documentary dissemination form….without a doubt. 

Project Summary

The aim of the project was to do a spoof based on voyeurism and surveillance.  Our intention was also to raise awareness of the dark side of fly-on-the-wallism.  Mike Sage was our actor. He was being  filmed in a public bathroom by three different camera set-ups through a key hole while he read a “racy” magazine. 

                                        

While he read, the viewer could see that he was becoming increasingly paranoid and because we as watchers knew what he was doing, we could only assume that this new era of surveillance has made everybody somewhat paranoid about being discovered in potentially shameful acts.  People put hidden cameras in their house for the purpose of catching the babysitter not doing her job properly, or worse being abusive to the children.  They use their cell phone cameras for less than pure reasons.  On the other hand, I am in favour of red light  cameras, and surveillance cameras in corner stores.  The original idea was to have the keyhole viewpoint of Mike projected onto the wall while inside a “viewing box” which was set up on a separate table was a video camera filming the eye of the viewer who was looking inside to see “what was going on”.  While the viewer was watching, his eye was also projected onto the wall at the same time as the surveillance video played in a loop.  Inside the box was the magazine that Mike had been reading in the stall.

                                       

How did the outcome differ from or correspond to your expectations?

There were only a few changes.  Technically I was a bit lost with the sensors, and arduino boards but I can speak about the changes in the actual staging of the film.  Instead of Mike reading some porn in the stall, a skateboard magazine was substituted.  Personally I think that using a porn magazine would not have been a good idea as I believe that many viewers would be offended and yet the skateboard pictures seemed a bit tame.  There was also a bit of confusion over the box.  We presumed that if one or two of us went up to the box and peered in, everybody would realize that this was the main objective.  However, it seems that people really did need some direction in this regard which surprised me a bit.  Unfortunately the peekers could not see their own eye projected on the wall behind them.

Why did the outcome differ or correspond to your objectives?

I thought that when somebody looked into the box they would be able to see their own eye looking back at them which didn’t work because of the sensor issues.  If this had all come together there would have been a strong potential for discourse about surveillance, voyeurism and privacy issues.  Instead we were criticized about the peephole looking like a toilet seat, and the magazine inside the box being a bit lame…or maybe the word was tame. Viewers also complained that they did not know the raison d’etre for the box.  I myself did not think it looked like a toilet seat but in retrospect, if our project could be considered somewhat of a spoof then the toilet seat could fit right in as a peephole.  However, notwithstanding those comments, our group did consider much of the critique to be thoughtworthy.

What would I do differently?

Mike would not be looking at a skateboarding magazine.  Instead I would show him reading one of the original scandalous, classics of our time…..see below.

                                                  

There is absolutely nothing wrong with reading classical crap while sitting on the can.  (a bit of subtle humour)  and I completely endorse  reading a real book without pictures. 

The second thing that I would do differently  would be to put brightly colored arrows on the floor leading from the audience to where the box had been placed.  On top of the box would be a sign, the same colour as the arrows with instructions saying “look in here”.  I would have a completely different video playing on a laptop inside the box…it would be a shot from the back of Mike’s head reading the hot parts of Lady Chatterley’s Lover.  So old fashioned, so corny and cliched.  Harlequin take note!

What did I learn from this process?

The things I learned are fairly practical. I learned that you can never take anything for granted….that not everybody is going to feel the same way as we did about our project.  And that we shouldn’t be surprised or even disappointed when we realize that others are not on the same page as we are.  I feel that the subject of our project is a very relevant one these days.  Have we all lost our privacy because of these technological gains that have occurred in such a relatively short period of time?  I have walked into an elevator and automatically looked up towards the ceiling to see if there is a camera.  And yet I do not feel threatened.  My favourite anti invasion of privacy tool is the call display on the telephone.  I screen my calls especially when the number begins with a 1-800, and having that knowledge is one of life’s bonuses.  

Nothing is impossible anymore – somebody just has to imagine it and chances are that it can and will happen.

How does new media affect or not affect my practice?

New media does not and will not affect my practice.  I have always been interested in older and more classic practices…I have a collection of handmade pinhole cameras, I almost cried when Polaroid went out of business worried about not being able to do Polaroid transfers anymore.  I’m not a luddite though – I use photoshop and I love digital.  But that said, I’m seriously contemplating doing my thesis with either slide or black & white film.

 

 

End of Year MFA Party

Who knew that we were as great as we turned out to be!  When Heather and Marie hauled in the asparagus I knew the party had just begun but there was more to come.  Mike Sage showed his arm wrestling and wrestling skills…and we were all impressed.  I put bets on the gals in the arm wrestling contest using bits of dog treats found in my pocket as collateral.  Inger brought a chocolate cake heavily layered with yummy white icing and a delicately written MFA insignia in purple.  Estelle played the piano and Ed eventually joined her.  Artists can do one and all – the creativity side never fails to amaze.  Elaine’s daughters joined the group and were probably quite impressed with their not to be outdone hostess Mum.  Sherry Hat brought her teensy dog and Inger and I discussed that at some length.  At that point the bottles of vino had been transported to the table in the back in order to make the pouring much easier.  Who wants to get up when lurching is such a possibility.  No need to feel shame and embarrassment at a party.  Get everybody to lurch and slur and then the dim possibility of judgmentmental opinions flies out the window. Food was abundant – Heather whipped up some great burgers and I who rarely eats meat enjoyed it thoroughly.  I turned into a burger slut with just a few drinks.  Ken had brought his nifty little camera and took tons of party pics for us to laugh about on Facebook.  I thought about bringing my nifty little camera too but changed my mind….next party it comes with me.  Janis arrived late after a Guy Maddin event and joined in seamlessly.  I on the other hand wondered why I see so few important films so I did sulk silently for a few minutes.  But another glass of wine later and I was o.k., this time contemplating my short (5 minutes) drive home. Yes Elaine and I live in the same general ‘hood.  Mark Laurie and I had a good conversation about two icons from my neck of the woods – Bo Diddley and Glen Gould.  It was a really fun party – people sharing puffs in the backyard and some people even going through the hedges onto the Belt Line to pee.  Definitely a man – only they can think that nobody notices.  But on the other hand they are lucky…no need to squat and ruin knees, or look for toilet paper and then try to throw said toilet paper away without making a spectacle of oneself.  Ken filmed a very funny interview with Ryan who was definitely a delightful addition to the party. The next day was another story….headache, tired oh so tired, naps oh so many naps but such a good feeling about our MFA group!

Arduinos and other such stuff

The past 6 weeks has been a hell for me.  Don’t want to complain or even get downright personal so I won’t and I will bypass those particular thoughts and talk about my hell from a school and practical point of view.  New Media has been a most interesting program.  I have never in my life had to think about concepts such as we have been learning about.  I do not learn things quickly and the best way for me to learn something is to read a “how to manual” not a conceptual, philosophical read.  Or as I used to refer to it waaaaaay back in my old days, back of the bus philosophical crap.  That comes from going home on the Montreal bus and listening to McGill students wax poetic about nothing in particular.  It was all about thoughts, angst, the horrors, the naysayers and the yessayers.  But I was cynical in a carefree way back then and really only worried about whether or not I should go to Woodstock, or do some spring/summer skiing at Mt. Washington.  (I chose Mt. Washington by the way).  I now wish I had gone to Woodstock because I skied every weekend May/June and how often does Woodstock happen?  Maybe I would have brought a camera, even though I was not into photography, but maybe I would have and ended up being a photographer on the cover of Rolling Stone.  And then waaaaaay back then just for the hell of it changed my name to Annie Leibovitz or something like that and not have to be worried about arduino boards.  Now you may be asking yourself, why am I worried about a petty thing like that especially after seeing the most simplified explanation of what it is and what it does on Google.  Why am I worried?  I’ll tell you why – I am worried because I don’t “get it”….I don’t understand how the path happens, evolves, gets hooked up to the patch, then lights go on, a sensor works and all of a sudden doors are opening, windows are closing and eyelids snapping up and down.  I do believe that I understand how a car engine works better than I understand the arduino concept.  And that’s what this 6 week program has been all about for me.  Listening to two highly intelligent, one could say brilliant, professors show and tell and all I can do is write blogs, and try to get my two avatars off that @#!% island.  I even tried to get my two avatars to meet so we could have fun together but Second Life claimed that they didn’t know who Lettuce Muircastle or Gail Hellshank were – sad but true.  Maybe I deserved the rebuff.  I am in a wonderful group who I admire greatly because they get it and not only do they get it, but they are able to think about these things and create them.  I have been trying to list in my mind the things that I do know which has given me a bit of comfort.  I do understand the relationship between f-stops and aperture speed, and I can do basic photoshop in a half decent way, I’m a good cook and understand that there is chemistry in baking and that one shouldn’t throw stuff into a cake without understanding that bad stuff might happen.  All this I understand, but an arduino board and a max patch has brought me to my knees.

How Second Life Would Be Ideal for Me

So far I’m not sold on Second Life and admittedly I’m probably not using it in the manner that would suit me.  However, as long as I have strangers coming up to me it will never suit me.  Given the possibility that anything can be done in this technical world I will describe how Second Life would be an absolutely wonderful form of entertainment.

The first thing to do would be to gather all the old photographs from family albums…even from previous generations, collect family home movies and videos, slides etc. and have realistic looking avatars generated from the photographic data in all the albums.   Locations in my ideal Second Life would have been culled from all background data such as houses, objects, vacation places found in all my photographic information.  The stories behind behind each photograph,  films and/or videos would be written and fed into a computer program that would create realistic backgrounds and locations where I,  my friends and family in Second Life…lets now call it “My Nostalgic Life” instead, could relive all these moments and as well change how things happened in the past.

I believe that I would pay for somebody to invent that program.