Stop Motion Revisited

Final Project

As someone who doesn't really connect with digital mediums, with the exception of a camera, I was surprised at how much I embraced this project. I completely changed my idea after some research into video portraits. I realized that they can be so much more than just a documentary, which is what I was creating before with my housemother. I would like to still make a video of my housemother for my sorority, but it wasn't speaking to me in a creative way. Also it wasn't really pushing me to do experiment, which I did A LOT of for this video. For once I'm actually satisfied with a piece I've made for this class. Just the simple change in subject matter, slightly more experience, and genuine interest is what made this video come to life. Hopefully you enjoy it.

Draft 12/5

What were you trying to get a handle on?
What shots I need to make it more interesting.

What questions do you have for us?
If the audio is interesting, as in her story, or is it missing something?

Give us a sense of where you are going?
As of now I think I'm going to get some clips of the tree with the snow of them and see if they work in decently.






ACTUAL DRAFT/started over:

Performance Day

With working outside the majority's of the classes common mediums, performance day was awkward to say the least. Despite this awkwardness our class managed to handle and embrace performance day. As the presentations continued on it became exciting to see how different everyone revealed the shared stories. I'll admit I didn't really appreciate performance art until watching my classmates' pieces as well as performing my own. Overall the day was very insightful.
For my own piece I dressed like a little girl by putting my hair in pigtails and wearing a light pink shirt. Though these changes were small it helped in building up the performance. In additoin painting my nails a hot pink made the performance more natural and slightly less awkward. I'm actually slightly terrified of public speaking and my voice shakes often/I speak too fast. So my choice of performance worked well because I had room to say a lot of "umms". Practicing ahead of time helped, but I was still nervous during the piece.
One of my favorite pieces from performance day was Melania's and Isabel's pieces. Melania's use of various mediums for her pieces was creative and useful. Also Isabel's interpretation of Liv's story was interesting. The pieces throughout the day were all exciting to watch.

Video Portrait:Shelly Winters, House Mother

Draft Video Portrait

Nina Katchadourian Response

"I just have to get through all these uuummmmm's....."This is the most dreadful, repeated parts of my day. Whenever someone, especially one who is talking in front of an audience, says 'ummmmm' every other word drives me nuts. To help distract me from how utterly annoyed I am by these moments I took sharpie's of various colors and made a small line depending of how long the 'ummm' is. By using various colors it kept me focused on connecting them without repeating a color. The shape which forms is of it's own being and continues to grow with all the dreadful noises.

Storyboard....or something like that

Before working on this story board I had already done an interview with Shelly Winters, my sorority house mother. I really felt it was key to interview and get to know her before hand. I wish I would have changed up the camera angle during the interview process, but it was so insightful to get to hear from her. Before the interview I wasn't sure what to expect or how to interview Shelly. Afterwards I not only have a lot of information, but I want to go in many different directions to help show who Shelly is because this is a portrait.
As an older, motherly figure we often forget that she was once our age. In fact she went to University of Michigan and was in a sorority, though not the one she works for now. Due to the time restraint it is difficult to capture all the things that make up a person....especially after interviewing them for 45 minutes. Currently I am trying to really break down on a direction. The strongest one being why Shelly is still here at the University and how she hasn't found her 'thing' or calling. Throughout her life Shelly has done many different things from a teacher to a flight attendant and odd jobs in between. Near the end of our interview session she mentioned that she has a good 25 years left in her to find her calling, which was a powerful statement I do want to focus on. What I have had difficulty with is trying to think of ways to define Shelly as a person and not her pertaining to her job.
I have thought about interviewing the cook of the house as well as other girls in the house about what they think of Shelly as a person or entity of sorts. In addition I want to be able to incorporate a metaphor with leaves during fall. That changing of another season, especially colorful leaves, could make or break the piece I think. The main image I have in my head is a sole, bright leaf hanging off of a branch. To me this could represent Shelly because she is so hopeful of finally finding her calling and not giving up. Also Shelly mentions how her friends she went to school with have left and done all these wonderful things. Though she has explored, I see her as viewing herself as still alone in the sense of not going beyond the university or the state of Michigan.
Overall I'm excited to define my direction, play with the camera and editing, and make something that actually shows who Shelly is.

Mini Assignment

Sequence One: This is the frat house next to my sorority house. As I was there filming my friends became slightly embarrassed of their house.
Sequence Two: This is my sorority house where I currently live.
Combined: The combined video was the first one I did because I misunderstood the assignment slighty. Regardless this mini-assignment was a learning experience for filming and editing. Some shot are shakey because I thought my tripod was broken, but really I just didn't have one part tightened (I'm such an amateur). Also lighting was another issue I had until I further figured out how to adjust it. Overall this was a positive learning process.

Stop Motion: Casual Day in the Life of....Slipper?

FML: Starting Over Stop Motion

Due to my material being deleted, wanting to change my concept for a more effective piece, and new knowledge of shooting with my SLR I will be starting this project over. It is for the better (hopefully/I'm sure)......

Stop Motion Test: Cat Fight

Test: Heels Cat Fight Stop Motion from Brittlyn Tyler on Vimeo.

This stop motion was just a test, which I learned a lot from. The heels are suppose to be having a "cat fight", but I don't think that translates well. I wanted to give the shoes personalities. Perhaps for the final film I will maybe have a flats vs. heels for more interest. Also my camera focus as well as lighting needs to be consistent. Besides what I have mentioned, what else could I do to improve this project?

Wed Quiz on Stacey Steer

Describe briefly Stacey Steers process -- both technically and creatively. Reflect on the advantages and as well as challenges of working in these ways:

       Stacey Steers process was one which included various types of collage, multi-media, and lots of time as well as patience. Her process overall took an absurd amount of time because she would either draw or collage scene together. Then in order  to make the scene move and come alive she would have to draw or move the pieces carefully and snap them slowly with a camera. In the end she would have to edit the photos as well as add sounds and music. 
    A lot of her figures, particularly women, she would repeat in her works as a similar character to make the piece consistent. For example with one of her later, eerier pieces there would be a woman placed in the scene and then all of a sudden she would be placed with a similar looking woman, but without clothes. I found it very interesting how she moved from her earlier piece with all the drawings of animals morphing into the darker, more abstract collages. I especially liked her later, more recent pieces even though they don't fully make sense. Due to the fact that they don't necessarily have a story line, or so it seems, a certain type of creative, whimsical factor is added to her work. I doubt I would have the patience to create similar, carefully articulated work, but I was inspired by her work as well as immense patience. 

Light

Line/Texture

Line 

Rule of Thirds. Wrong ISO was used so had to edit A LOT. However I like the way it turned out. 

Shallow Depth of Field, blurred is reverse

Shallow Depth of Field

Texture

Memorable Time in Office Space

I hate the sound of my own voice. When recorded it sounds particularly awful. However it is needed to guide the listener through my memory of being a small child in a large, adult space.

1.) Is this piece effective? If so then in what ways? If not then how? It's probably a bit of both.

2.) Overall what could make it more effective or understandable to strain a child in a work place?

3.) How is the editing? What can I do to make it better?

ANY CONSTRUCTIVE advice or criticism is welcomed.

Thank you for listening! Coming back soon.