RAGS AND RICHES

MOMI

MOMI

       While at the Museum of Moving Images, I became fixated on the influence of sound on any form of media. When presented with the activity where we were allowed to change the sound of certain cues in famous scenes, it was interesting to see how easily the mood could be changed. 

       The example shown to us was a The Simpson's clip. In the clip, Lisa Simpson is about to take  a test, but keeps getting distracted by things around her. Some of these things are a clock ticking, a po-go stick, and an eraser. These three simple cues can be done realistically, however the presentation allowed us to choose the sounds we wanted to associate with each cue. It was evident that after a few examples, the tone of a scene can change immensely. Lisa Simpson's simple scene during a test could easily sound like something straight out of The Shining. Similarly through the use of over exaggerated cartoon like sounds, the cartoon aspect of The Simpsons becomes magnified. 

       What I found extremely interesting is how much the visual was also affected by the sound changes. When eerier sounds were being played, the entire world of The Simpson's appeared darker. This reminded be of when one picture of a mans face can appear to have different emotions according to what picture is shown next to it. For example if the man is shown next to a woman it can represent love. If the picture is shown next to a cake, it can indicate hunger. I question whether or not sound can also affect the visual of the media presented before us. I believe so. 

Media Clip

For my section of linear media, I decided to examine American Beauty directed by Sam Mendez. The scene i choose to examine is the dinner scene where Kevin Spacey’s character decides to finally stand up for himself. This entire scene consists of two people arguing with an innocent bystander watching. By editing in a way that is almost paralleling the power dynamic in the room, the words become more emphasized. For example, when Kevin Spacey's character gains power, the editing cuts to him and stays on him. The only time it would break away from his power is so the audience can receive the reaction of the two other characters in the room.  

       The editing is also plays a role in the pacing of the scene. By having frequent face cuts between the opposing forces, any moments of stillness become more impactful. The pacing is also reflective of the music playing in the background. By changing the music to an instrumental beginning after most of the argument is over, it punctuates the ending of the scene with a very calming yet unsettling stillness. 

      The order of the cuts and angles relay heavy on the argument and who is in control of the power at the moment. Because they cuts parallel the argument so well it seems like seamless editing for most of the time. However cuts may become more obvious when the daughter become the center of the shot. Because the daughter has little value in the argument, but rather acts as a bystander/observer, she appears to be the awkward audience perspective. since the audience can relate to her, this can affect the level of obviousness in the cuts.

   

Danny's Interview

Assignment #2 Sound walk

             For my sound walk, I decided to sit in my backyard. It was 10:00AM on a Sunday, just when the neighborhood seems to be waking up. I live in Hollis, NY. You can consider this neighborhood a suburban part of Queens, however the neighborhood is still alive with sounds.
             Some sounds that I noticed almost immediately were the "Keynotes." Due to the nature of this assignment, my focus went straight to the background sounds. Such sounds included:

•  The morning lawnmowers cutting the grass- The texture of this sounds was an odd combination of smooth and rough. By using reasoning you can come to this conclusion because  many lawnmower companies in my neighborhood put silencers on there equipment. However the obnoxious sound of the lawnmower does not disappear entirely. This is a sound that is a bit expected and is also a sound specific to my neighborhood. 
• The humming of the bathroom exhaust fan within my house- The light hum of this sound is soft and pleasant, but still loud enough to be heard from outside. This is only specific to my house, rather than my neighborhood. 
• The wind swishing through the trees- Of all the sounds, this is the most pleasant to me. It is smooth, calming and in a way leaves you feeling refreshed! Maybe its all the oxygen, but the atmosphere this wind sound emanates is one that is similar to all suburban towns. It gives the neighborhood a stamp of "a peaceful place. " 

          Some of the "Sound Signals" I heard include: Birds chirping, kids playing and shouting to each other, a dog barking, my mom making noise in the kitchen from hitting utensils together and the television on in the living room. While I described most of these as sound signals, many could also be considered "Soundmarks." Other than my mom and the television, all of these sounds can be heard while walking down the street in my neighborhood. My community is made up of these daily sounds.

         Almost all of these sounds were expected, but my favorite to listen to were the trees blowing in the wind. It is not often that you get to ignore all your troubles and just listen to the beauty of nature. It became and almost meditative experience to me. I recommend everyone do it. 

PROJECT 1:

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Artist Statement:

My work is an extension of myself. While my choice of medium changes as I grow as an artist, the connection between my soul and my art only grows. Life experiences such as having a niece, the death of my best friends (my dogs Maxy and Unicky), and finally falling in love with the love of my life have molded the way I perform. Experience is my art. Through the lessons I have lived through, I have learn to connect to my crafts on an emotional level. All my life I have hidden behind my emotions, until I met someone who let me understand that they are not demons, but rather Angels waiting to touch each stroke of paint or each spoken word of a script. As a person who dabbles in various mediums of art such as paint, collage, sculpture and acting, I present my work in a way that has a piece of me in it that the audience can discover. When I act on stage or on film, I let the world see a part of me that they may not necessarily see on an average day. So my question to those who grace me with the gift of their attention is, will you explore me, just as I explore myself?