Adjectives – Brian Liu

Preparation:

The premise was to create a video out of a list of arbitrary adjectives. I chose mine out of a front-page article in the New York Times’ Online Site.

Hearts and Minds: Senator Meets Reporter, Selling a New, Improved War

stern
elected
cosseted
idly
24/7
bloody
good
civilized
contemporary
current

Actuality:

Due to a random assortment of adjectives, it would be difficult to prepare the locations, props, and actors. An animation would be most feasible, and was on my list of things to learn. The setup of iStopMotion was quite intuitive, which consisted of a video camera set upon a tripod, approximately 3 feet from a dry erase board. A total of 200 pictures were taken, set at a speed of 30 milliseconds each. The song is “The Streets – Fit but You Know It,” used for the English accent and upbeat nature.

Storyboard

Silence

Food Adjectives

First Date

Making Beer

]

Visual Rhythm

]

Litercy Project

https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/kandel2/Gimme%20Shelter.mov?uniq=-2ohtv4

Motif – Brian Liu

Video Link

Preparation:

IDEA: Coffee

Criteria:
* Cast
o (opt. People to drink Coffee)

*Equipment
o None

*Props
o Coffee

*Location
o Coffee Shops

Description: The initial idea was to describe the overall atmosphere of coffee shops and the coffee-drinking crowd, spanning from the on-the-go, consumerist Starbucks to the unique, sit-down cafes that dot our campus.

particular shots:
- mouth shot drinking coffee
- time lapse of emptying cup
- side shot
- group of people chatting around coffee, at couches
- juxtapozed with single person in a hurry (mention of “the usual”)
- two people walking and drinking, one motioning while other is sipping
- process of entering, buying coffee, drinking, and leaving

Intended meeting of Requirements:
- Location – Espresso Royale, Starbucks, Guilianis, Aroma, Cafe Kopi

Actuality:

I set out to shoot on a Saturday morning which was a mistake. People did not wake up until around noon, and patrons consisted of more studying and less coffee-drinking. I ended up shooting 2 hours worth of tape, dispersed throughout the day. Furthermore, most places would not let me shoot indoors due to establishment-set rules, so I ended up revisiting some of the original locations. Overall, the people working played along, but ambient noises such as coffee-grinders, milk frothing, and people yelling caused most of the sound to be incomprehensible and rather overwhelming. With the lack of a strong “busy” identity such as Starbucks (who refused to let me shoot), there was no comparison that could be set. Instead, I decided to focus on the coffee-drinking itself. I tried to get as many different angles as possible, but overall it seemed rather mundane.

Due to the extraneous noise and to liven it up a bit, I used a song from Tally Hall and recorded sound bites of drinking and “ah”-ing in satisfication. The song was bright and had a defined beat – which I deliberately matched in transitioning through the clips. The ambient lighting, meant to create atmosphere, was also an issue, so I ended up using brightness/contrast filters on some of the clips. If I were to modify anything, it would be the fact that I had overwritten some of the footage that I had originally taken and visited more coffee shops in Downtown Champaign and Urbana. More group shots would be preferable, but even in the places that allowed me to shoot, they condoned taking video of the patrons I didn’t know personally.

Aesthetic – Brian Liu

Video Link

Preparation:

IDEA: Stage.

Criteria:

* Cast
o (opt. Other Person – Musician)

* Equipment
o Tripod
o External Microphone
* Props
o Violin
* Location
o Stage

Description:
My intention was to create a video reminiscent of childhood violin recitals – particularly the process before performing. By capturing visual cues and audio signals, I intend to describe the initial nervousness and its subsequent anti-climatic nature.

particular shots:
- constant – music, clapping, music…
- other people “playing” beforehand
- wringing of hands, [ct], shaking hands [ct], tapping feet, [ct]
- checking and rechecking bowhairs, holding up to ear and checking if in tune
- audal sigh

Intended Requirements:
- Person – Dan
- Violin – Dan
- Stage – Krannert / Smith Hall / Music Building

Actuality:

Due to location constraints, the only places with a public stage are Smith Hall and the Music Building. Since the Music Building is locked, I had to decide on Smith Hall. Apparently, the stage is reserved as a practice room, but due to the fact that I am not a Music student, I was unable to reserve a spot. I had gone on 3 separate occasions to see if I could film on the stage with Dan or myself playing. Unfortunately, this would prevent me from shooting an actual performance at the end; however, by not including a final performance would support the anti-climatic nature of the performance. I had intended for someone other than myself to be the subject, but there was no one else available at the time and my friend had opted to shoot due to stage-fright. It was difficult to explain particular shots or angles that I had intended, which consequently was a deciding factor in the actual editing. Not that it was particularly distasteful, but different that I had hoped.

In the editing process, I chose Flight of the Bumblebee, known for its fast, quivering nature, as the music for the initial segment and Gymnopedie No.1 for its calming, fluid qualities for the second segment. Though I would have liked more variety in visual cues (hand quivering, foot taping, pacing, fidgeting), the foot tapping and tuning were apparent in the clips that were filmed. The girl that had graciously let me film during her practicing was very helpful – I was able to use that footage as if she had performed before me. As much as a final performance would add to the piece, the lack of it supported the anti-climatic nature of the performance.